Causes of the Incident (Essay Sample)

Case Study 2
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Case Study 2
Causes of the Incident
The incident involves two firefighters who “responded to a single family dwelling fire” that occurred on February 17, 1997 at 00.09 hours. The two firefighters, among them the victim and the injured, were part of the fire response that responded to the scene. They were the first to approach the fire inside the building. “After knocking down a ceiling fire, they entered the dwelling through the front door.” They both instantly fell in the basement region as they tried to put off the fire. One firefighter got injured while the victim died of asphyxiation.The causes of the incident could include the following factors;
Deterioration and collapse of the concrete walkway. The building structures could be too weak to support the two firefighters before they fell to the basement. If the crew could have assessed the situation, then they could use the best approach.
The fire department lacked awareness of the building condition. Information obtained by a call taker may needed digestion before the response personnel received it.
The fire company had not visited all buildings within their area of jurisdiction. Frequent visits help firefighters to identify structures that pose a risk to the responding personnel.
The fire responding units received inadequate information about the incident. Any person who responds to an emergency needs explicit information about the incident. The information given enables them to know the best way of approaching the situation.
Situational awareness. The fire department officers may have lacked the correct information about an event before answering it. It could help them to devise the best approach when dealing with fire incidents
The Fire Department members may have lacked a thorough training in situational awareness and personal safety in cases of fire outbreaks. Fire department members have to know the importance of prior situational awareness and personal security in the event of any outbreak. Risk analysis is crucial for taking any emergency. Members of all fire companies require proper training on how to manage emergency situations. It helps them to understand risk management. Personal and situational awareness is important because it enables one use the best approach to an emergency situation.
Information obtained by a call taker may need understanding before the response personnel received it. It is crucial for emergency receptionists receive clear and sufficient data before responding to any incident. It helps them to prepare adequately for the emergency that they are attending. The information obtained gives the responding units a clear picture of the situation.
Recommendations
Fire departments should train their members in situational awareness and personal safety when responding to emergencies. They need to realize the importance of situational awareness and personal safety on any scene. The members dealing with an incident should conduct situational awareness and continuous risk analysis throughout the scene. They should report unsafe or changing situations to the other crew members and the incident commander.
Fire Departments should make sure that fire officers conduct frequent visits to the buildings in their area. The visits help them to identify hazards that may hinder the responding crew. Prior knowledge of the incident gives the firefighter knowledge of approaching the event. Situational assessment is crucial in cases of looking for the best place for locating the fire fighting apparatus. It also gives the crew time to analyze both primary and secondary facilities that can assist the team in fighting fire.
A high degree of caution helps firefighters when operating in risk areas like fire escapes and some unstable structural elements. These areas expose firefighters to dangerous situations. The matter is that structural el...