Fire Chief's Briefing for December 20 through December 25, 2013

Here is a summary of Brentwood Fire and Rescue’s emergency responses for the period of December 20 through December 25, 2013.

We responded to 51 emergency calls for service.

These calls can be broken down into the following categories:

Fire: 1

EMS/Rescue: 24

Hazardous Condition: 3

Service Call: 6

Good Intent: 6

False Call: 10

Other: 1

Here is an overview of significant events from this period’s activities:

Saturday, December 21 at approximately 11:32 am:

E1 was dispatched on a report of a car fire on I-65.  E1 arrived on the scene to find 1 vehicle with the passenger and engine compartment fully involved in fire.  E1 established command and verified that no passengers were still in the vehicle.  The fire was extinguished using a 1 ¾” preconnected hand line.  Once the vehicle had been extinguished, E1 crew members moved to extinguish fire that had spread to grass near the shoulder of the road.  With no further hazards present E1 crew members placed all equipment back in service and returned to quarters. 

Wednesday, December 25 at approximately 12:09 pm:

E1 was dispatched on a medical call for a report of burn injuries.  E1 arrived on scene and made contact with the patient who had accidentally burned themselves while cooking.  BFR personnel quickly began treating the patient’s injuries and obtained the vital signs.  E1’s paramedic initiated IV access and dressed the patient’s burns.  EMS arrived on scene and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel moved the patient to the ambulance and E1’s paramedic assisted EMS with further on scene care.  The patient was transported to a local hospital and E1 returned to service. 

Fire Chief's Briefing for December 14 through December 19, 2013

Here is a summary of Brentwood Fire and Rescue’s emergency responses for the period of December 14 through December 19, 2013.

We responded to 61 emergency calls for service.

These calls can be broken down into the following categories:

EMS/Rescue: 45

Service Call: 6

Good Intent: 3

False Call: 7

 Here is an overview of significant events from this period’s activities:

Tuesday, December 17 at approximately 2:48 pm:

E2 was dispatched on a medical call for a report of an unconscious person.  E2 arrived on scene and made contact with the patient who was breathing but unresponsive.  Advanced Life Support was initiated to include EKG assessment, oxygen therapy and IV access.  EMS arrived on scene and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel assisted with moving the patient to the ambulance before returning to service while EMS transported the patient emergency traffic to a local hospital. 

Wednesday, December 18 at approximately 2:36 pm:

E2 was dispatched on a medical call for a report of seizures.  Upon arriving on scene, crew members found the PT seated in a chair with an altered level of consciousness and highly agitated. E2 began assessing the patient and obtaining vital signs.  EMS arrived on scene and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel assisted with moving the patient to the ambulance and provided further care in the back of the medic unit.  One member of E2’s crew was requested to assist with care during emergency transport to the hospital due to the patient’s unstable condition and high level of agitation.  Once EMS began transport, E2 returned to quarters. 

Thursday, December 19 at approximately 6:59 pm:

E2 and R1 were dispatched to I-65 on a report of a motor vehicle accident with injuries.  E2 and R1 arrived on scene to find a two car rear end type collision which left both vehicles heavily damaged.  The two BFR units split up and each took responsibility for one of the vehicles and its occupants.  One person complaining of back pain was immobilized on a long spine board with cervical collar.  EMS arrived on scene and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel assisted EMS with loading the PT into the waiting ambulance for transport to an area hospital before turning control of the scene over to BPD and returning to quarters. 

Fire Chief's Briefing for December 8 through December 13, 2013

Here is a summary of Brentwood Fire and Rescue’s emergency responses for the period of December 8 through December 13, 2013.

We responded to 63 emergency calls for service.

These calls can be broken down into the following categories:

Fire: 1

EMS/Rescue: 39

Hazardous Condition: 4

Service Call: 1

Good Intent: 5

False Call: 11

Here is an overview of significant events from this period’s activities:

Sunday, December 8 at approximately 12:17 pm:

All BFR units dispatched to a reported structure fire at a commercial building.  E3 arrived on scene to find a single story restaurant with no smoke or flames visible.  C2 arrived on scene and established incident command.  E3 personnel made contact with an employee who indicated that a griddle was emitting fire.  Upon entry into the structure, crew members encountered light smoke but no fire.  Command cancelled all other responding units.  BFR personnel examined the griddle and found that arcing wires were causing a second fire to ignite.  The fire was extinguished using a dry chemical extinguisher.  Power to the griddle was cut off and the interior was investigated for any possible fire extension.  Management was advised not to use the appliance until it had been repaired by a technician.  Once all hazards were addressed, E3 and C2 returned to service.

Sunday, December 8 at approximately 12:38 pm:

E4 and R1 were dispatched on a report of a possible motor vehicle accident with injuries.  E4 arrived on scene to find one vehicle off the roadway with significant roll over damage.  E4 personnel investigated and found that all occupants were out of the vehicle with non-critical injuries.  EMS arrived on scene and began providing patient care with assistance of BFR personnel.  R1 was cancelled by E4 due to no patient entrapment.  The patients were immobilized due to possible spinal injuries and loaded into the ambulance.  Once the patients had been transported, crew members checked the vehicle for hazards.  No further hazards were present and E4 cleared the scene.  

Friday, December 13 at approximately 11:56 am:

E1, E4 and C3 were dispatched on an inside investigation.  Initial dispatch information indicated that a strong smell of smoke was present in a local business.  E1 arrived on scene to find a single story business with no smoke or flames visible from the outside.  C3 arrived on scene and cancelled E4’s response.  Investigation of the interior using a thermal imaging camera revealed that some outlets in the building were showing an above normal temperature.  Power to the affected outlets was shut off at the breaker box and the rest of the building was checked for any signs of fire.  No further hazards were found and the temperature at the outlets had decreased to a normal level.  The management staff was advised to contact an electrician before restoring power.  E1 and C3 cleared the scene and returned to quarters. 

Friday, December 13 at approximately 5:41 pm:

E2 and R1 were dispatched on a report of a motor vehicle accident with injuries on I-65.  E2 and R1 arrived on scene to find a 3 car, rear end type collision.  BFR personnel began assessing the passengers for injuries.  Spinal immobilization was initiated immediately due to the possibility of injury. Crew members addressed the patient’s other injuries and moved the patient to the ambulance that arrived on scene.  Patient care was transferred to EMS and BFR personnel assisted with care until transport.  All vehicles were checked for hazards including leaking fluids.  Control of the scene was transferred to THP and all BFR units returned to service.  

Station Life: Why Are There Computers in the Fire Truck?

WHY DO WE HAVE COMPUTERS IN OUR FIRE TRUCKS?

 

 

Click on any of the photos in this entry for a larger view

 

You may have noticed, if you have ever looked inside one of our fire apparatus, computers mounted on the dashboards. We are often asked what the computers are used for and how we benefit from having them. 

 

The computers, specifically named ‘Mobile Data Terminals,’ or ‘MDTs’, are very important to the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department for a number of reasons. When a fire company is dispatched to an emergency of any sort, dispatch sends that apparatus a form containing all the information that they have received regarding the call. 

An example of a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) form for a recent structure fire call.

After a call is dispatched, the map program on the computer will highlight where the call is as well as the best route for the apparatus to take. The map program on the computer also shows fire department personnel where all the other fire apparatus are located in the city along with Brentwood Police. This allows us to see how soon a second company will arrive, when PD will be on scene, or even help avoid crashes if two fire trucks are approaching the same intersection from different directions.

BFR’s mapping program showing the location of an incident as well as the locations of several apparatus.

The computer program used on our apparatus allows each fire unit to see the status of the other Brentwood units. This shows if another unit is available, training, in-quarters, on-scene, or en-route to a call. The program also allows dispatch to send written messages to each apparatus as well as allowing Brentwood Fire units to communicate with each other via written messages. This cuts down on radio traffic and allows for better communication throughout the department. 

 

 

The location and disposition of each BFR unit is available at any time.

 

Each Brentwood Fire Apparatus is equipped with a Rocket System which provides the apparatus with on-board Wi-Fi access. The Rocket System also allows the engine’s location and speed to be tracked as well. 

 

The on-board Wi-Fi access allows FD personnel to use the internet to look up any pertinent information that might be needed at a particular emergency. This could include weather information, specific necessary medical information, hazardous materials information, and contact information for any variety of reasons. 

 

The Mobile Data Terminals are a vital piece to the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department. By having accurate dispatch information, maps and routing, communications, and the internet, it allows us to serve the people of Brentwood in a safer and more effective manner. 

Fire Chief's Briefing for December 2 through December 7, 2013

Here is a summary of Brentwood Fire and Rescue’s emergency responses for the period of December 2 through December 7, 2013.

We responded to 47 emergency calls for service.

These calls can be broken down into the following categories:

EMS/Rescue: 23

Hazardous Condition: 2

Service Call: 5

Good Intent: 5

False Call: 11

Other: 1

Here is an overview of significant events from this period’s activities:

Friday, December 6 at approximately 3:01 am:

C3, E2 and E3 were dispatched on a report of a smell of smoke inside a residence.  E2 arrived on scene to find a 2 story home with no smoke or flames visible.  The homeowner advised that there was a smell of smoke and their smoke detectors were going off on the second floor.  E2 investigated the residence using a thermal imaging camera.  E3 arrived on scene and checked the exterior HVAC unit.  After further investigation it was determined that the HVAC unit supplying the second floor was the source of the smell.  Power to the unit was shut off and the occupants were advised to call a technician to have it repaired.  With no further hazards present, all BFR units returned to service and quarters. 

Friday, December 6 at approximately 5:17 pm:

E2 responded to a walk up medical call at BFR Station 2.  The patient was brought into the station showing signs of a possible seizure.  BFR personnel immediately began assessing the patient and providing advanced care.  EMS was notified to respond to Station 2.  The patient’s airway was controlled and an IV was established by BFR personnel.  EMS arrived at Station 2 and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel assisted with further care on scene before the patient was transported to a local hospital. 

Saturday, December 7 at approximately 6:51 pm:

E4 and R1 were dispatched to a possible motor vehicle accident with injuries near Crockett Park.  E4 arrived on scene with EMS and found one vehicle that had struck a stationary car, a pedestrian, a light pole and a tree.  One patient was visible inside the vehicle.  EMS assumed patient care while E4 crew members cut power to the vehicle to keep it from moving further.  Once complete, BFR personnel assisted EMS with moving the patient from the vehicle to the ambulance along with on scene care.  Once the patient had been transported and the vehicle was free of hazards E4 returned to service and quarters. 

Fire Chief's Briefing for November 26 through December 1, 2013

Here is a summary of Brentwood Fire and Rescue’s emergency responses for the period of November 26 through December 1, 2013.

We responded to 43 emergency calls for service.

These calls can be broken down into the following categories:

Fire: 2

EMS/Rescue: 23

Hazardous Condition: 2

Service Call: 1

Good Intent: 4

False Call: 11

Here is an overview of significant events from this period’s activities:

Thursday, November 28 at approximately 6:54:

E1 and R1 were dispatched on a report of a motor vehicle accident with injuries.  While enroute dispatch advised that the driver may be trapped in the vehicle.  E1 arrived on scene and found 1 vehicle off the roadway with confirmed entrapment.  E1 established command and requested E3 to respond for more manpower.  EMS arrived prior to E1 and initiated patient care inside the vehicle.  Crew members used pre-connected extrication tools from E1 and began removing the door from the vehicle.  C3 arrived on scene, assumed command and checked the status of Vanderbilt Life Flight at the request of EMS.  R1 assisted with the extrication process by using a hydraulic ram to move the dashboard of the car off of the patient while E3 prepared spinal immobilization equipment for the patient.  The patient was removed from the vehicle and then transported emergency traffic to a local hospital.  A R1 crew member rode with EMS to the hospital to assist with patient care during transport.  Life Flight’s response was cancelled due to the rapid extrication of the patient from the vehicle by BFR personnel.  Once all hazards had been addressed command was terminated and all BFR units returned to service.

Thursday, November 28 at approximately 8:50 am:

C3, E3, and E3 were dispatched on an inside investigation at a residential structure.  E3 arrived on scene and found a 2 story residential occupancy with nothing showing.  The homeowner indicated that the lights were flickering and a “popping” sound was heard in the walls.  Crew members used a thermal imaging camera to check the inside of the structure for any possible fire.  No hazards were found and E3 cancelled all other responding units.  BFR personnel inspected the breaker panel and advised the homeowner to have an electrician examine the wiring.  Before leaving the scene E3 assisted the homeowner with proper placement and installation of new smoke detectors in the residence.  Once all the detectors were operational, E3 returned to service.

Sunday, November 30 at approximately 9:01 pm:

E1 was dispatched on a medical call for a report of an unresponsive patient.  E1 arrived on scene and found one patient not breathing and pulseless.  BFR personnel immediately began providing CPR and advanced life support.  E1 personnel quickly established IO access and provided cardiac defibrillation when appropriate.  EMS arrived on scene and patient care was transferred.  BFR personnel assisted EMS with moving the patient to the ambulance while simultaneously providing CPR.  EMS transported the patient emergency traffic to a local hospital with one E1 crew member aboard to assist with patient care enroute.  Once the patient had been transported E1 returned to service.