KTF welcomes Novacool and SuperVac to Project Kill the Flashover 2015
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KTF 2015 Burns
Here is a preliminary read on the outcomes of KTF 2015 with an interview of Joe Starnes with Pete Lamb. Click the image to go to the interview at PeteLamb.com. Much more is coming over the next few months. Feel free to contact us for more information.
Wow! What are week with great team.
Here is an example of one burn from the week. Burn 06-5 testing mitigating multiple flow paths.
Video
Take a few minutes and visit KTF's PIO Jeff Harkey's photo work at:
Flickr
Here is an example of one burn from the week. Burn 06-5 testing mitigating multiple flow paths.
Video
Take a few minutes and visit KTF's PIO Jeff Harkey's photo work at:
Flickr
Photo by Lars Agerstrand 2015
Some highlights for KTF 2015
1. Enhanced Water slowed progression of fire growth in the compartment applied
2. Enhanced Water reduces the risk of fire entering the conditioned area
3. Enhanced Water decreases rekindle chance
4. Enhanced Water increases the moistures in a compartment, increasing the time of entry or reentry into a compartment
5. 6+ megawatt fire fought with 2 FF in 9 minutes, 2 additional at 13 minutes, 4 additional FF in 17 minutes for a total of 8 firefighters, Fire fought with 1" EWS line for 9 minutes. The fire was controlled at 7 minutes. Entry was made in 10 minutes by 2 FF.
6. Blocking / managing air tracks reduce fire growth and provides a non hostile thermal environment isolated search area/s.
7. Blocking / managing air tracks can provide thermal track isolation with significant temperature differences
8. Thermal Imagers are excellent to teach nozzle operators how and where to flow
9. Thermal Imagers can be used effectively in the strategic mode as well as the tactical mode
10. Thermal Imagers should be the primary data for Flow and stop Flow decisions
11. Search tactics are safer when Tactical Air Management, Ballast Management, Isolation tactics, Thermal Image data, EWS are utilized
12. Heavy Content fires are controlled effectively managing Tactical Air, adding Enhanced Water and tactical Thermal data decision making locating stream attacks
13. Decontamination of PPE on the scene yielded large amounts of contaminated decon solution.
14. Hydration / targeted improved the feeling of FF on the fireground consistently over the 3 days
15. Cancer / contamination tests were completed and sent to the labs
16. Wet pressurization air show zero negative impacts
17. A chemical extinguisher use as ballast during search operations demonstrated no negative impacts and seem to support the isolation of the fire from the search compartment
18. EWS flows into the under-pressure-NZ, level was very effective along with Tactical Air Management
19. Gas cooling, surface cooling tests data to follow
20. Cancer screening data to follow
21. more later
1. Enhanced Water slowed progression of fire growth in the compartment applied
2. Enhanced Water reduces the risk of fire entering the conditioned area
3. Enhanced Water decreases rekindle chance
4. Enhanced Water increases the moistures in a compartment, increasing the time of entry or reentry into a compartment
5. 6+ megawatt fire fought with 2 FF in 9 minutes, 2 additional at 13 minutes, 4 additional FF in 17 minutes for a total of 8 firefighters, Fire fought with 1" EWS line for 9 minutes. The fire was controlled at 7 minutes. Entry was made in 10 minutes by 2 FF.
6. Blocking / managing air tracks reduce fire growth and provides a non hostile thermal environment isolated search area/s.
7. Blocking / managing air tracks can provide thermal track isolation with significant temperature differences
8. Thermal Imagers are excellent to teach nozzle operators how and where to flow
9. Thermal Imagers can be used effectively in the strategic mode as well as the tactical mode
10. Thermal Imagers should be the primary data for Flow and stop Flow decisions
11. Search tactics are safer when Tactical Air Management, Ballast Management, Isolation tactics, Thermal Image data, EWS are utilized
12. Heavy Content fires are controlled effectively managing Tactical Air, adding Enhanced Water and tactical Thermal data decision making locating stream attacks
13. Decontamination of PPE on the scene yielded large amounts of contaminated decon solution.
14. Hydration / targeted improved the feeling of FF on the fireground consistently over the 3 days
15. Cancer / contamination tests were completed and sent to the labs
16. Wet pressurization air show zero negative impacts
17. A chemical extinguisher use as ballast during search operations demonstrated no negative impacts and seem to support the isolation of the fire from the search compartment
18. EWS flows into the under-pressure-NZ, level was very effective along with Tactical Air Management
19. Gas cooling, surface cooling tests data to follow
20. Cancer screening data to follow
21. more later
KTF 2015 Burn 5 - 3
KTF 2015 Burn 7-2 EBIS Test Burn
This test used a ABC Extinguisher to add ballast to the search room and the curtain prevents the venting of the conditioned vapor space (ballast) from the area. The ballast prevents the ignition of the fuels (Smoke) in the search area. A TIC is used to survey the room prior to entry. The room is protected against a rapid fire growth. The contra indicator is the extinguisher prevents any contrast for the TIC to provide information.
Notes from the Planning Process
Project KTF has been blessed and I want to humbly thank all the passionate professionals who are making the prevention of thermal injuries and fatal impact of thermal harm to our suppression crews. I am so blessed to included in this brotherhood. Thank you!
News for today! Thank you Chief Davis! KTF 2015 has two acquired structures for our tests!
Update for April 30, 2015 - KTF 2015
This year's test will be one of the strongest learning environments we have experienced to date! Here are some lights
Sunday May 3rd
Command Post at Oak Grove VFD at 838 Oak Grove Road opens at 0900 hours
KTF Staff members begin arriving at the Charlotte International Airport
Command's telephone number is 704 466 9225
Equipment preparation continues at the fire station as people check in
Janice Wolfe (Service Dog) will be at Oak Grove VFD for a show and tell Monday (come by to catch her early)
Staff members should check in at the Command Post upon arrival
Monday May 4th
Command Post opens at 0800 at Oak Grove VFD / Check in
Devotion available if you desire 0815 to 0830
Command Team in place (accountability begins)
First Briefing is 0830
Kill the Flashover Welcome 0900
Fit Tests begin at 0915, sign up for scheduled test
Crews dispatched for Test preparations, work in the field 0930
Sign up for a box lunch at 1130
SCBA familiarization and bottle fills (AM)
Contamination gear assignments for the week (AM)
Resource check list verification
Lunch
Health and Safety Plan Review 1230
Thermal Imager Orientation 1300
Novacool UEF orientation 1330
Pathmaster orientation 1345
Nozzles Orientation 1400
Blower Orientation 1415
Radio Plan and orientation 1430
Technology checks 1500
Burn Logistics Trailer loading 1500
Student briefing 1500
Tuesday structural burns briefing 1600
IAP completed for Tuesday 1700
Released for the evening (check out when leaving)
104 Douglas St blocked with road guards
Tuesday - 104 Douglas St
0700 Command Post Oak Grove VFD opens
0730 Apparatus departs station
0800 Burn site on Douglas St, Lawndale opens, Apparatus on scene, Logistics trailer on scene, Technology trailer on scene, Command 338 on scene
0810 Site set up
0900 Crew Resource Management begins
1030 Caterer on site
Burn 1 loaded
1100 Command Team Briefing
1130 Lunch
1200 Team Briefing and walk through
1230 T minus 30 staffing (Burn accountability begins)
1245 Technology ready
Conditioning test parameters set
1300 Ignition for burn 1
1310 Tactical
Objectives for Burn 1 and Burn 2:
1. Observe the behavior of the fire in a room that is treated with plain water and EWS prior to heat being applied to the fuels.
2. Determine if pretreatment of fuels with EWS prior to heat exposure is beneficial.
3. Demonstrate the difference in fire behavior when utilizing water and Novacool solution
Test Burns-
1. Untreated water
2. 0.40% solution of Novacool
Process-
1. Starting with an empty room.
2. Use 1" line flowing 10 gpm on a narrow fog pattern to paint the walls of the room.
3. Start inside the room door moving clockwise paint the first wall. When painting the wall start at the top and work your way to the floor covering each area of the wall. When the last wall has been treated paint the ceiling. Complete this process twice. BE SURE this process is recorded on video.
4. Once the room has been painted bring the fuel package into the room.
5. Ignite the fuel and watch the fire behavior.
6. Once temperatures in the room exceeds 900 degrees at the mid level point, extinguishment should take place.
7. Extinguishment should be by direct fire attack on the couch that is burning. Care should be taken not to apply the stream on the walls or ceiling. No stream should be directed toward the walls or ceiling.
8. Try not to disturb the environment any more than you have to in the extinguishment process
9. If there are isolated areas burning on the walls or ceiling a 2 1/2 gallon extinguisher should be utilized to complete extinguishment. This should only be done if fire extension is going to take place prior to recording the measurements.
10. Once cooled, the couch should be manually removed from the room so measurements can be taken. The couch should be removed as soon as possible after extinguishment takes place.
11. Once the couch is removed temperature measurements should take place. Ventilation should not take place until the necessary documentation has taken place. The documentation crews will need SCBA.
Documentation
1. Prior to the burn mark the center point of each room. Utilize a marked board to determine 24" from floor (A), 48" from floor (B) and 12" from ceiling (C).
2. Log the humidity inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
3. Log the temperature inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
4. Log the outside temperature and humidity treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
5. Log the moisture content of the walls prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
6. Photograph each wall inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
7. Measure the amount of solution flowed on each wall and ceiling during each pass.
8. Note the start and end time of each wall treatment.
9. Note the start time, end of treatment time, ignition time, extinguishment time and time wall temperature measurements began and were taken
10. Measure the temperature and moisture content of each wall before treatment, after treatment and after extinguishment. Temperature and moisture measure points will be the center of each wall 24" from floor (A), 48" from floor (B) and 12" from ceiling (C). The center of each wall will be marked on the floor with spray paint prior to treatment. The temperature measure points will be marked on each wall with a marker prior to treatment.
Objectives for Burn 3:
1. Observe the behavior of the fire as it travels from the fire room into the flow path coming in contact with walls and ceiling that have been treated with an EWS.
2. Determine if pretreatment of fuels with EWS prior to heat exposure is beneficial.
3. Determine if pretreatment of fuels in the flow path will prevent the spread of fire.
4. Determine if pretreatment of fuels in the flow path will provide a safe area for the advancing attack crew.
Test Burns-
1. 0.40% solution of Novacool
Process-
1. Place the fuel package in an empty room.
2. Determine the flow path from the fire attack crew entry point to the fire room.
3. Set up the ability to create a flow path to draw the fire from the fire room through the path the fire attack crew will advance.
4. Determine the point in the flow path at which the attack crew stream will reach the door of the fire room.
5. Mark the spot identified in #4 so the fire attack crew is able to know where that spot is located.
6. Ignite the fuel package.
7. Once the temperature of the fuel package reaches 500F the attack crew will enter the building.
8. Once the crew enters the building they will stop and treat the area in front of them as far as their straight stream will reach.
9. The treatment will consist of flowing solution on the ceiling and walls from their current point to the farthest point the stream will reach.
10. While the crew is performing their initial conditioning and advancing to the marked area the flow path will not exist.
11. Once the fire attack crew reaches the marked point they will treat the area ahead of the from the fire room door to their location. Treatment will consist of flowing the EWS on the ceiling and walls covering them with their stream.
12. Once the crew reaches the marked area the flow path is created by exterior personnel.
13. Once the area is covered the fire attack crew will retreat towards the exterior opening, treating the ceiling and walls as they retreat.
14. The behavior of the fire should be observed to determine if the treatment of the unburned fuels prevents fire spread.
15. If it is determined the treatment is not preventing fire spread the fire can be extinguished.
16. Once sufficient data has been recorded to determine the fire behavior the fire can be extinguished.
17. Extinguishment will take place utilizing a transitional attack with the first line being placed in the fire room exterior window.
1530 Overhaul structure
1600 Secure structure for departure
1615 Demobilization
1700 Test gear transport for final phase and cleaning
1715 Team Briefing
1730 Apparatus and personnel return to Event Command Post OGVFD
18oo Break
1900 KTF Staff reviews, data filed, material development for Wednesday AM classroom
2100 IAP for Wednesday
2200 EOD
Update for April 15, 2015 - KTF 2015
Wow, much is happening, we now have 2 of the 3 structures we need, YEA!, the caterer is on board and she will bring some unique on site menus for firefighting operations, NC State University will be with us (thank you), RAE Gas & Vapor will be with us, Lion will be with us in our learning of PPE cross contamination and our PPE thermal insult tests, ATF will be with us as we look at fire growth expected behaviors as it relates to our tactics, ISG thermal Imagers will be viewing the fire from a stationary view while we welcome Argus thermal handhelds for our mobile views of the tactics, Super Vac will support our tests with DC powered blowers and Smoke Blocking Curtains, NovaCool will support our test with their UEF foam product for our fire streams, AFAST will support some of our tests in the Hoarding environment test, Foam Pro will be supporting our test with their delivery system and the ability to calculate flows and concentrate use, Cleveland Community College will be an invaluable partner supporting our logistics both in the classroom and the fire burn sites, our medical team is on board, Laura Starnes will bring our first Burn Test Firefighter Health & Safety focus in our existence, live internet feeds for the burns, Firefighter Cancer Foundation will be working closely with our contamination tests, and so much more.
Also welcome Chief (Retired) Jim Williams to our Command Team this year along with Lars Agerstrand as a special guest speaker at the classroom portion. Each evening a post production video team will prepare the next day's classroom video for discussion.
Thanks, thanks, thanks, to all who did not get mention and are working so hard and passionately.
Joe
Update for March 27, 2015 KTF 2015
Sunday - First in staff check in at Command Post
Monday - Check in and preparations, staff fit test, structure preps, tools and appliances, test gear, media etc
Tuesday AM Structure 1 prep, Staff training,
PM - Burns 05-1, 05-2 & 05-3, FBU broadcast, Site Demobilization, Staff prep media for AM class,
Wednesday AM - Structure 2 prep, Student Class 1, Structure 2 prep, Staff training
PM- Burn 06-1, 06-2, 06-3,. Student Explanations of 05 burns, FBU broadcast, site Demobilization, Staff media class for next day,
Thursday AM - Structure 3 prep, Student Class 1, Structure 2 prep, Staff training
PM - Burn 07-1, 07-2, 07-3,. Student Explanations of 06 burns, FBU broadcast, site Demobilization, Staff media class for next day,
Friday AM Student Explanations of 07 burns, Teardown, Critque
All Student classes are held at Cleveland Community College
The KTF Command post is at the Oak Grove VFD, Kings Mountain NC
Google Hangout planning session will be posted weekly
Comfort Inn Shelby is lodging location
All burns will be located in Cleveland County, NC near Shelby NC
All vendors, check in at the Oak Grove VFD
ALL VIPs should report to their respective KTF Member sponsor
The Liaison for this event is Jim Mastin
Operations Section Chief is Andy Starnes
Fit tests will be held at Oak Grove VFD on Sunday
Event IC is Joe Starnes 704 466 9225
Deputy IC is Shawn Oke
Senior Advisor is Chief Perry Davis
Registration is at http://www.joestarnes.com/ktf-2015-registration.html
Together:
Scott Safety, ISG , NovaCool, SuperVac with Food for All, AFAST, FIERO, LYONS Apparel, ATF and more are working towards this passion. PeteLamb.com and Cleveland Community College are working to support our Fire Behavior University goals to share fire behavior learning from our tests. For more information until we have the registrations page online, please feel free to send me an email at joe@joestarnes.com.
Laura Starnes will be supporting our burn days with prevention of strains and muscle injuries with prevention exercises available to our crews.
Andy Starnes and John Dixon will be leading our crew management learning the sets and reps needed to perform our burn test. Captain Starnes and Lt. Dixon will be managing 6 tactical crews for the tests comprised of our passionate volunteers from all over the world. Chief Jason Caughey will be leading our safety / health and safety plan with some post fire suppression decontamination processes. Cindy Ell will be leading our tests for cross contamination. Chief Robert Fling will be leading our ground activities to reduce fire suppression contamination of our firefighters. Kim Sneed from "Food for All" will provide a balanced nutritional offering of meals and snacks designed for our firefighters. Chief Jim Mastin will be leading our classroom delivery for the student population. Chief Warren Whitley will lead our educational curriculum content and consult to our tactical flow path. Ryan Pennington is leading our "Hoarding Conditions" test burns. Chief Shawn Oke is leading our "Enhanced Water Stream" tests. Andy Starnes is leading our "Thermal Data" tests, along with Mike Daly and I am honored to be leading our tests on tactical air management. Tim Knezevich is leading our technology liaison.
more to come....
January 27th, Project KTF met with Cleveland Community College to discuss the classroom portions of the KTF 2015 May 4th through the 8th week of test burns and learning. Seventy five seats will be available for students taking the KTF Fire Behavior University demonstrations.
Students will begin their learning journey on Tuesday afternoon at Burn 1 location for registration and to witness the first afternoon of burning demonstrating the first leg of the KTF Bar Stool. The students will begin Wednesday at the College for the facilitation of the discussion of Tuesday's test burns. The session begins at 8 AM and will complete at 11 AM. Students will be free for lunch and will report to Burn site number 2 to witness the 2nd leg of the bar stool burns.
The following Thursday morning the students will report to the college for the second leg of the KTF Bar Stool. The students will review the thermal information of the day before burn tests. The class will break at 11 AM for lunch and report to burn site 3 for the Hoarding burn test.
The following Friday morning the students will report to the college for the review of the Hoarding burn test from 8 AM to 12 noon. The Class will dismiss and the students are dismissed to return home.
News for today! Thank you Chief Davis! KTF 2015 has two acquired structures for our tests!
Update for April 30, 2015 - KTF 2015
This year's test will be one of the strongest learning environments we have experienced to date! Here are some lights
Sunday May 3rd
Command Post at Oak Grove VFD at 838 Oak Grove Road opens at 0900 hours
KTF Staff members begin arriving at the Charlotte International Airport
Command's telephone number is 704 466 9225
Equipment preparation continues at the fire station as people check in
Janice Wolfe (Service Dog) will be at Oak Grove VFD for a show and tell Monday (come by to catch her early)
Staff members should check in at the Command Post upon arrival
Monday May 4th
Command Post opens at 0800 at Oak Grove VFD / Check in
Devotion available if you desire 0815 to 0830
Command Team in place (accountability begins)
First Briefing is 0830
Kill the Flashover Welcome 0900
Fit Tests begin at 0915, sign up for scheduled test
Crews dispatched for Test preparations, work in the field 0930
Sign up for a box lunch at 1130
SCBA familiarization and bottle fills (AM)
Contamination gear assignments for the week (AM)
Resource check list verification
Lunch
Health and Safety Plan Review 1230
Thermal Imager Orientation 1300
Novacool UEF orientation 1330
Pathmaster orientation 1345
Nozzles Orientation 1400
Blower Orientation 1415
Radio Plan and orientation 1430
Technology checks 1500
Burn Logistics Trailer loading 1500
Student briefing 1500
Tuesday structural burns briefing 1600
IAP completed for Tuesday 1700
Released for the evening (check out when leaving)
104 Douglas St blocked with road guards
Tuesday - 104 Douglas St
0700 Command Post Oak Grove VFD opens
0730 Apparatus departs station
0800 Burn site on Douglas St, Lawndale opens, Apparatus on scene, Logistics trailer on scene, Technology trailer on scene, Command 338 on scene
0810 Site set up
0900 Crew Resource Management begins
1030 Caterer on site
Burn 1 loaded
1100 Command Team Briefing
1130 Lunch
1200 Team Briefing and walk through
1230 T minus 30 staffing (Burn accountability begins)
1245 Technology ready
Conditioning test parameters set
1300 Ignition for burn 1
1310 Tactical
Objectives for Burn 1 and Burn 2:
1. Observe the behavior of the fire in a room that is treated with plain water and EWS prior to heat being applied to the fuels.
2. Determine if pretreatment of fuels with EWS prior to heat exposure is beneficial.
3. Demonstrate the difference in fire behavior when utilizing water and Novacool solution
Test Burns-
1. Untreated water
2. 0.40% solution of Novacool
Process-
1. Starting with an empty room.
2. Use 1" line flowing 10 gpm on a narrow fog pattern to paint the walls of the room.
3. Start inside the room door moving clockwise paint the first wall. When painting the wall start at the top and work your way to the floor covering each area of the wall. When the last wall has been treated paint the ceiling. Complete this process twice. BE SURE this process is recorded on video.
4. Once the room has been painted bring the fuel package into the room.
5. Ignite the fuel and watch the fire behavior.
6. Once temperatures in the room exceeds 900 degrees at the mid level point, extinguishment should take place.
7. Extinguishment should be by direct fire attack on the couch that is burning. Care should be taken not to apply the stream on the walls or ceiling. No stream should be directed toward the walls or ceiling.
8. Try not to disturb the environment any more than you have to in the extinguishment process
9. If there are isolated areas burning on the walls or ceiling a 2 1/2 gallon extinguisher should be utilized to complete extinguishment. This should only be done if fire extension is going to take place prior to recording the measurements.
10. Once cooled, the couch should be manually removed from the room so measurements can be taken. The couch should be removed as soon as possible after extinguishment takes place.
11. Once the couch is removed temperature measurements should take place. Ventilation should not take place until the necessary documentation has taken place. The documentation crews will need SCBA.
Documentation
1. Prior to the burn mark the center point of each room. Utilize a marked board to determine 24" from floor (A), 48" from floor (B) and 12" from ceiling (C).
2. Log the humidity inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
3. Log the temperature inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
4. Log the outside temperature and humidity treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
5. Log the moisture content of the walls prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
6. Photograph each wall inside the room prior to treatment, after treatment and after the burn.
7. Measure the amount of solution flowed on each wall and ceiling during each pass.
8. Note the start and end time of each wall treatment.
9. Note the start time, end of treatment time, ignition time, extinguishment time and time wall temperature measurements began and were taken
10. Measure the temperature and moisture content of each wall before treatment, after treatment and after extinguishment. Temperature and moisture measure points will be the center of each wall 24" from floor (A), 48" from floor (B) and 12" from ceiling (C). The center of each wall will be marked on the floor with spray paint prior to treatment. The temperature measure points will be marked on each wall with a marker prior to treatment.
Objectives for Burn 3:
1. Observe the behavior of the fire as it travels from the fire room into the flow path coming in contact with walls and ceiling that have been treated with an EWS.
2. Determine if pretreatment of fuels with EWS prior to heat exposure is beneficial.
3. Determine if pretreatment of fuels in the flow path will prevent the spread of fire.
4. Determine if pretreatment of fuels in the flow path will provide a safe area for the advancing attack crew.
Test Burns-
1. 0.40% solution of Novacool
Process-
1. Place the fuel package in an empty room.
2. Determine the flow path from the fire attack crew entry point to the fire room.
3. Set up the ability to create a flow path to draw the fire from the fire room through the path the fire attack crew will advance.
4. Determine the point in the flow path at which the attack crew stream will reach the door of the fire room.
5. Mark the spot identified in #4 so the fire attack crew is able to know where that spot is located.
6. Ignite the fuel package.
7. Once the temperature of the fuel package reaches 500F the attack crew will enter the building.
8. Once the crew enters the building they will stop and treat the area in front of them as far as their straight stream will reach.
9. The treatment will consist of flowing solution on the ceiling and walls from their current point to the farthest point the stream will reach.
10. While the crew is performing their initial conditioning and advancing to the marked area the flow path will not exist.
11. Once the fire attack crew reaches the marked point they will treat the area ahead of the from the fire room door to their location. Treatment will consist of flowing the EWS on the ceiling and walls covering them with their stream.
12. Once the crew reaches the marked area the flow path is created by exterior personnel.
13. Once the area is covered the fire attack crew will retreat towards the exterior opening, treating the ceiling and walls as they retreat.
14. The behavior of the fire should be observed to determine if the treatment of the unburned fuels prevents fire spread.
15. If it is determined the treatment is not preventing fire spread the fire can be extinguished.
16. Once sufficient data has been recorded to determine the fire behavior the fire can be extinguished.
17. Extinguishment will take place utilizing a transitional attack with the first line being placed in the fire room exterior window.
1530 Overhaul structure
1600 Secure structure for departure
1615 Demobilization
1700 Test gear transport for final phase and cleaning
1715 Team Briefing
1730 Apparatus and personnel return to Event Command Post OGVFD
18oo Break
1900 KTF Staff reviews, data filed, material development for Wednesday AM classroom
2100 IAP for Wednesday
2200 EOD
Update for April 15, 2015 - KTF 2015
Wow, much is happening, we now have 2 of the 3 structures we need, YEA!, the caterer is on board and she will bring some unique on site menus for firefighting operations, NC State University will be with us (thank you), RAE Gas & Vapor will be with us, Lion will be with us in our learning of PPE cross contamination and our PPE thermal insult tests, ATF will be with us as we look at fire growth expected behaviors as it relates to our tactics, ISG thermal Imagers will be viewing the fire from a stationary view while we welcome Argus thermal handhelds for our mobile views of the tactics, Super Vac will support our tests with DC powered blowers and Smoke Blocking Curtains, NovaCool will support our test with their UEF foam product for our fire streams, AFAST will support some of our tests in the Hoarding environment test, Foam Pro will be supporting our test with their delivery system and the ability to calculate flows and concentrate use, Cleveland Community College will be an invaluable partner supporting our logistics both in the classroom and the fire burn sites, our medical team is on board, Laura Starnes will bring our first Burn Test Firefighter Health & Safety focus in our existence, live internet feeds for the burns, Firefighter Cancer Foundation will be working closely with our contamination tests, and so much more.
Also welcome Chief (Retired) Jim Williams to our Command Team this year along with Lars Agerstrand as a special guest speaker at the classroom portion. Each evening a post production video team will prepare the next day's classroom video for discussion.
Thanks, thanks, thanks, to all who did not get mention and are working so hard and passionately.
Joe
Update for March 27, 2015 KTF 2015
Sunday - First in staff check in at Command Post
Monday - Check in and preparations, staff fit test, structure preps, tools and appliances, test gear, media etc
Tuesday AM Structure 1 prep, Staff training,
PM - Burns 05-1, 05-2 & 05-3, FBU broadcast, Site Demobilization, Staff prep media for AM class,
Wednesday AM - Structure 2 prep, Student Class 1, Structure 2 prep, Staff training
PM- Burn 06-1, 06-2, 06-3,. Student Explanations of 05 burns, FBU broadcast, site Demobilization, Staff media class for next day,
Thursday AM - Structure 3 prep, Student Class 1, Structure 2 prep, Staff training
PM - Burn 07-1, 07-2, 07-3,. Student Explanations of 06 burns, FBU broadcast, site Demobilization, Staff media class for next day,
Friday AM Student Explanations of 07 burns, Teardown, Critque
All Student classes are held at Cleveland Community College
The KTF Command post is at the Oak Grove VFD, Kings Mountain NC
Google Hangout planning session will be posted weekly
Comfort Inn Shelby is lodging location
All burns will be located in Cleveland County, NC near Shelby NC
All vendors, check in at the Oak Grove VFD
ALL VIPs should report to their respective KTF Member sponsor
The Liaison for this event is Jim Mastin
Operations Section Chief is Andy Starnes
Fit tests will be held at Oak Grove VFD on Sunday
Event IC is Joe Starnes 704 466 9225
Deputy IC is Shawn Oke
Senior Advisor is Chief Perry Davis
Registration is at http://www.joestarnes.com/ktf-2015-registration.html
Together:
Scott Safety, ISG , NovaCool, SuperVac with Food for All, AFAST, FIERO, LYONS Apparel, ATF and more are working towards this passion. PeteLamb.com and Cleveland Community College are working to support our Fire Behavior University goals to share fire behavior learning from our tests. For more information until we have the registrations page online, please feel free to send me an email at joe@joestarnes.com.
Laura Starnes will be supporting our burn days with prevention of strains and muscle injuries with prevention exercises available to our crews.
Andy Starnes and John Dixon will be leading our crew management learning the sets and reps needed to perform our burn test. Captain Starnes and Lt. Dixon will be managing 6 tactical crews for the tests comprised of our passionate volunteers from all over the world. Chief Jason Caughey will be leading our safety / health and safety plan with some post fire suppression decontamination processes. Cindy Ell will be leading our tests for cross contamination. Chief Robert Fling will be leading our ground activities to reduce fire suppression contamination of our firefighters. Kim Sneed from "Food for All" will provide a balanced nutritional offering of meals and snacks designed for our firefighters. Chief Jim Mastin will be leading our classroom delivery for the student population. Chief Warren Whitley will lead our educational curriculum content and consult to our tactical flow path. Ryan Pennington is leading our "Hoarding Conditions" test burns. Chief Shawn Oke is leading our "Enhanced Water Stream" tests. Andy Starnes is leading our "Thermal Data" tests, along with Mike Daly and I am honored to be leading our tests on tactical air management. Tim Knezevich is leading our technology liaison.
more to come....
January 27th, Project KTF met with Cleveland Community College to discuss the classroom portions of the KTF 2015 May 4th through the 8th week of test burns and learning. Seventy five seats will be available for students taking the KTF Fire Behavior University demonstrations.
Students will begin their learning journey on Tuesday afternoon at Burn 1 location for registration and to witness the first afternoon of burning demonstrating the first leg of the KTF Bar Stool. The students will begin Wednesday at the College for the facilitation of the discussion of Tuesday's test burns. The session begins at 8 AM and will complete at 11 AM. Students will be free for lunch and will report to Burn site number 2 to witness the 2nd leg of the bar stool burns.
The following Thursday morning the students will report to the college for the second leg of the KTF Bar Stool. The students will review the thermal information of the day before burn tests. The class will break at 11 AM for lunch and report to burn site 3 for the Hoarding burn test.
The following Friday morning the students will report to the college for the review of the Hoarding burn test from 8 AM to 12 noon. The Class will dismiss and the students are dismissed to return home.
Project Kill the Flashover 2015 is scheduled for May 4th through May 8th 2015 in Shelby NC. For more information contact Joe Starnes at joe@joestarnes.com
If you might not be familiar with Project Kill the Flashover:
Project Kill the Flashover or is more commonly known as "KTF", is a virtual non-profit organization started in 2011 by Joe Starnes and Shawn Oke. This partnership focused on preventing thermal injuries to interior firefighting crews suppressing fires in structures. Our mantra is "We test, We demonstrate, and You decide."
We conduct live test burns one time a year working with a virtual organization of subject matter experts, passionate vendors, and support of friends and family with a passion for bringing home safely their firefighting love ones.
This web site has the individual test burns from each year in its listings (see Banner Menu).
Our approach has evolved to the KTF Fire Suppression Bar stool. This stool illustrates 3 legs of focus for this effort.
1. Air Track / Flow Path Management
2. Enhanced Water Streams
3. Thermal Imaging Decision Data
This approach has been the foundation for our test burns while learning from the burns of KTF and of other agencies both public and private. Many of these URLs are listed in the Research area of this site.
The following information is a dynamic listing of the 2015 test burns as they evolve. Please feel free to ask questions and join in to learn.
Thank you and may God bless and keep safe our firefighters in execution of the mission of "Preventing Harm"
Joe Starnes
If you might not be familiar with Project Kill the Flashover:
Project Kill the Flashover or is more commonly known as "KTF", is a virtual non-profit organization started in 2011 by Joe Starnes and Shawn Oke. This partnership focused on preventing thermal injuries to interior firefighting crews suppressing fires in structures. Our mantra is "We test, We demonstrate, and You decide."
We conduct live test burns one time a year working with a virtual organization of subject matter experts, passionate vendors, and support of friends and family with a passion for bringing home safely their firefighting love ones.
This web site has the individual test burns from each year in its listings (see Banner Menu).
Our approach has evolved to the KTF Fire Suppression Bar stool. This stool illustrates 3 legs of focus for this effort.
1. Air Track / Flow Path Management
2. Enhanced Water Streams
3. Thermal Imaging Decision Data
This approach has been the foundation for our test burns while learning from the burns of KTF and of other agencies both public and private. Many of these URLs are listed in the Research area of this site.
The following information is a dynamic listing of the 2015 test burns as they evolve. Please feel free to ask questions and join in to learn.
Thank you and may God bless and keep safe our firefighters in execution of the mission of "Preventing Harm"
Joe Starnes
Brainstorm Hypothesis Exercise Areas of Interest
KTF 2015 is being held in Shelby NC on the May 4th to the 8th 2015. Planning has begun. Here are some tentative highlights:
* Enhanced Stream Conditioning (pretreatment) access test
* Enhanced Stream impact on Gas Cooling
* Hoarder burn tests looking for contraindications to standard room and contents fire vs. a hoarder contents
* Cross contamination test for FF PPE and apparatus Opportunities as well as washing machine transfer of contaminants
* Burn down stream application test i.e. placement of streams, types of streams
* Enhanced stream impact on carcinogens, how much?* Cross contamination from the fire ground gear to fire engine and washing machines
* Curtain use to prevent accidental flow paths and isolation techniques
* Impact of changing a flow path with a door, curtain or firefighter blocking
* Thermal Imager false positive test
* Understanding of gas and vapor contraction
* Thermal Image testing of reading PPE thermals in the fire compartment
* The accuracy of thermal reading of Firefighting crew PPE temperature
* Cross contamination for PPE from the fire ground to the apparatus to the washing machine
* Enhanced Stream Conditioning (pretreatment) access test
* Enhanced Stream impact on Gas Cooling
* Hoarder burn tests looking for contraindications to standard room and contents fire vs. a hoarder contents
* Cross contamination test for FF PPE and apparatus Opportunities as well as washing machine transfer of contaminants
* Burn down stream application test i.e. placement of streams, types of streams
* Enhanced stream impact on carcinogens, how much?* Cross contamination from the fire ground gear to fire engine and washing machines
* Curtain use to prevent accidental flow paths and isolation techniques
* Impact of changing a flow path with a door, curtain or firefighter blocking
* Thermal Imager false positive test
* Understanding of gas and vapor contraction
* Thermal Image testing of reading PPE thermals in the fire compartment
* The accuracy of thermal reading of Firefighting crew PPE temperature
* Cross contamination for PPE from the fire ground to the apparatus to the washing machine
KTF Welcomes Cindy Ell and the IFCF to KTF 2015
Thanks to Jeff Harkey and FireNews.Net. You are the very best!
Notes on Hoarding Burns by Ryan Pennington
Kill the Flashover: Hoarding Burns
Theory 1: As the stacks of stuff grow inside a room it will decrease the amount of available air and reach vent limited/flashover quicker. Fire dynamics change as the accumulation grows. IE Hoarding Levels 1-5.
Theory 2: The pathways between the stacks can provide insulation from the heat. Shielding the firefighters from “feeling” the full amount of heat.
Theory 3: Attacking the ceiling is the “best practice” in hoarding due to the inability to reach the seat of the fire for interior firefighters.
Theory 4: The outside-in fire attack is effective in controlling fire spread while making the building more accessible.
Set up: Using the Fire Service Rating Scale 1-5 clutter levels rooms will be filled at level 3,4,5. Using any/all materials to load the rooms to these levels. Ignition will occur low in the stacks.
Data to record:
1) Amount of time to Vent limited and/or Flashover
2) Fire behavior in the cluttered environment(Ex. Surface spread, depth of burn)
3) Flow paths between the stacks (inside the goat paths)
4) Temperatures inside the pathways
5) Stream application inside the pathways (ceiling and seat, if possible)
6) Cooling the environment with water (wetting down the surface area)
Theory 1: As the stacks of stuff grow inside a room it will decrease the amount of available air and reach vent limited/flashover quicker. Fire dynamics change as the accumulation grows. IE Hoarding Levels 1-5.
Theory 2: The pathways between the stacks can provide insulation from the heat. Shielding the firefighters from “feeling” the full amount of heat.
Theory 3: Attacking the ceiling is the “best practice” in hoarding due to the inability to reach the seat of the fire for interior firefighters.
Theory 4: The outside-in fire attack is effective in controlling fire spread while making the building more accessible.
Set up: Using the Fire Service Rating Scale 1-5 clutter levels rooms will be filled at level 3,4,5. Using any/all materials to load the rooms to these levels. Ignition will occur low in the stacks.
Data to record:
1) Amount of time to Vent limited and/or Flashover
2) Fire behavior in the cluttered environment(Ex. Surface spread, depth of burn)
3) Flow paths between the stacks (inside the goat paths)
4) Temperatures inside the pathways
5) Stream application inside the pathways (ceiling and seat, if possible)
6) Cooling the environment with water (wetting down the surface area)
What are the Contraindications of our Tactics?
1. Enhanced Stream has a negative impact on firefighter use of a combination nozzle stream on Gas Cooling
2. Conventional firefighting tactics are effective and safe for operations at Hoarder style fires
3. Gas and vapor contraction does not impact non involved fire compartments
4. Thermal Imager data does not give false information on half walls in a fire compartments
5. Thermal Imager data does not always indicate the presence of thermal energy in a compartment
6. Horizontal defensive streams are not effective as vertical downward streams
7. Applying a curtain to a potential failure orifice such as a window or door will not prevent the development of flow path with extreme fire growth in 10 minutes
8. Fire contamination on PPE does not cross contaminate the fire station
9. Tactics to maintain vent limited condition and its impact on surviving the attached fire compartments
2. Conventional firefighting tactics are effective and safe for operations at Hoarder style fires
3. Gas and vapor contraction does not impact non involved fire compartments
4. Thermal Imager data does not give false information on half walls in a fire compartments
5. Thermal Imager data does not always indicate the presence of thermal energy in a compartment
6. Horizontal defensive streams are not effective as vertical downward streams
7. Applying a curtain to a potential failure orifice such as a window or door will not prevent the development of flow path with extreme fire growth in 10 minutes
8. Fire contamination on PPE does not cross contaminate the fire station
9. Tactics to maintain vent limited condition and its impact on surviving the attached fire compartments
Our hotel is Comfort Inn Shelby NC. See registration information link
The city of Shelby NC is located in Cleveland County NC which is 45 minutes from the Charlotte International Airport. Nearby is NC's popular visitor area in Asheville NC.
Cleveland Community College