Victim Survivability Profiling and Getting the Job Done

Seattle Ladder 8 Capt. Dana Caldart, Firefighter Josh Materi and others recount rescue of seven from roof of a well-involved dwelling.

Victim Survivability Profiling Takes A Hit originally posted by Bill Carey January 6, 2011 on Backstepfirefighter.com

Several Seattle firefighters returned to the scene of an earlier house fire with multiple rescues. In an informal critique, if you will, Captain Dana Caldart, Firefighter Josh Materi and others got a look at the structure in the daylight as they mentally walked through their actions.

“I was right in that rig (fire truck) and when I got out of the rig, the heat hit me really hard and fast,” said Capt. Dana Caldart. “And I saw the flames were lickin’.” The fire broke out at the home in Ballard just after 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Eight people were in the two-story house at the time and several of them were trapped on the roof. Firefighter Josh Materi was on the first fire truck to arrive.

“I always grab a ladder and a hook and a bar and go to the back, just in case, you know?” Materi said.

His instincts were right on.

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Reaching the rear firefighters found four occupants awaiting rescue of the burning home. After throwing his ladder and removing the occupants, Materi and others were told of two more believed to be still inside. Entering the burning home Materi began his search. As it turns out, those two were also on the roof, but on the other side. They jumped to a firefighters and police officer below.

“I’m very proud of my crew; they did an excellent job,” Caldart said. “I’m very proud to work with these firefighters.”

In all, seven were rescued from the home, while an eighth occupant had jumped earlier.

“The guys did some exceptionally difficult search and rescues on that upper floor, and my hat goes off to them,” said Seattle Fire Chief Mike Walsh.”

While the home was reported as a total loss, there were no reported firefighter injuries.

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• “[Seattle] Firefighters Return To Home Where Family Was Rescued”, KIRO
• “8 make rooftop escape from burning Ballard house”, Seattle Times
• “Seattle Firefighters Rescue Seven People From Roof Of House Fire”, FirefighterNation
• Victim Survivability Profiling Takes A Hit originally posted by Bill Carey January 6, 2011 on Backstepfirefighter.com