4 ms·
Just a PSA (not trying to harp on parent commenter, just taking their comment as an opportunity to soapbox) but never, ever, every go into a room or building th
by KennyBlanken 3y ago
Just a PSA (not trying to harp on parent commenter, just taking their comment as an opportunity to soapbox) but never, ever, every go into a room or building that is getting smokey from something burning. It's how you N+1 the casualty/death count in a fire. Unlike the heroes in films and movies, you don't have Plot Armor.
It is incredibly common that people think they can just go back in holding their breath or stay low or cover their mouth with their clothing like in hollywood...but they take a bit of a breath, cough, and suck in lungfuls of the smoke, and are almost immediately incapacitated.
A lot of things, like PVC for example, release chlorine gas when they burn, which immediately turns your lung mucus into hydrochloric acid. All the other things in the smoke is incredibly bad for you both short and long-term, too.
The smoke is also flammable. Opening a door lets in oxygen, and oxygen + fuel + heat = a fuckton of heat, very suddenly.
I really wish that writers would suffer legal liability for shit like showing people entering a building with their shirt over their mouth - it's where people get the idea that they can so that sort of stuff.
- dreamcompiler 3y agoFirefighter here. I will walk into a burning building if I'm wearing bunker gear, breathing from a working SCBA, carrying a Halligan or axe so I can chop my way back out if I have to, and my buddy is with me carrying a hose squirting water. Lots of water. Said hose must be attached to a BRT (big red truck) on the other end so that when I can't see shit and my air alarm starts beeping we can crawl along by feeling said hose and follow it back out to safety. Most important, I must have a reasonable suspicion that there are lives inside that might be savable. Without all that, screw it. That building gets to burn.
- effingwewt 3y agoReally appreciate the work you do and the dangers you risk. o7
- FireBeyond 3y ago> crawl along by feeling said hose Smooth bump bump, back to the pump! But yep, absolutely. We will risk a lot, in a calculated manner, for savable life. And I will not send my guys interior on a confirmed empty defensive fire.
- gorlilla 3y agoWe just had a house fire over the holidays. It started in the basement, I was to the flames in 10 seconds, using an extinguisher another 5-6 seconds later. That failed... I spent another 30 seconds scrambling for anything that might suffocate the flames.... then I had to get out. I was 'upwind' of how the flames were spreading, but was not prepared for the power to suddenly cut out in a room now quickly filling with black smoke. The whole ordeal was 1-2 minutes before I had to evacuate the house and watch it all burn, helplessly. Even a good plan isn't always enough; most don't have any plan.
- waltwalther 3y agoWow. I am sorry to hear that. Glad you are ok, and hope no one was hurt.
- snewman 3y agoHoly cow. How did the fire start, and where was it initially spreading that went up so fast?
- Cyphase 3y agoSorry to hear that, that's awful. I'm glad you (and everyone else hopefully) made it out (relatively) safely.
- wnolens 3y ago> It is incredibly common that people think they can just go back in holding their breath or stay low or cover their mouth with their clothing like in hollywood Thanks, I had the slight impression that this was true and now feel incredibly stupid.
- FireBeyond 3y agoYeah, as another firefighter, please don't. That often ends tragically, a t-shirt or towel will do nothing to stop smoke particulates.
- qingcharles 3y agoYes, it was dumb as hell. I realized that once I'd taken several steps in and could no longer see the way out o_O
- Projectiboga 3y agoMost likely that printer blew the capacitor by the power feed. It smoked its 'bunch of pixie dust' and was dead. Just the air needed to clear. But yes never go into a burning building, unless you're willing to die trying to save something or someone.