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CNN Live Saturday

Firefighters Look for Ways to Improve Safety on the Job

Aired June 23, 2001 - 15:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: It was just last weekend when three New York firefighters died while fighting a blaze on Father's Day, and in the face of that tragedy, departments nationwide will look at ways to improve firefighter safety. CNN's Frank Buckley shows what measures are being taken in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): L.A. city fire engine 25 is first on scene at a structure fire in Hollywood. This is a drill, but a smoke machine helps to simulate the zero-visibility conditions firefighters can experience inside a burning building. The firefighters begin their attack. The command post receives a distressing call.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have an emergency traffic, clear the air, emergency traffic, firefighter missing.

BUCKLEY: An already charged situation inside the building could be made worse. Firefighters attacking the blaze lose their focus on the fire, directing it instead on the firefighter.

ASSISTANT CHIEF CURTIS JAMES, L.A. CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT: It makes you feel that one of your comrades needs your assistance, and I need to go help. You have to control that.

BUCKLEY: One reason why in Los Angeles and a growing number of cities across the U.S. fire departments respond to major fires with some firefighters whose sole purpose is to rescue other firefighters. They call them rapid intervention crews, or RICs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which basically is rescue for downed firefighters, taking care of our own.

BUCKLEY: Captain Chuck Butler's nine-member task force takes the duty in this simulations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's in the basement, he's on the -- he's on the engine three quarter.

BUCKLEY: Firefighters here having to crawl through the dark to find the missing victim, a job made more difficult in the knowledge that he is a member of their firefighting family. (on camera): Rescuing a fellow firefighter can be also be a more physically demanding job, because the firefighter is heavy. He is likely wearing standard turnout gear, a jacket, helmet, pants and boots, adding 40 pounds. Breathing apparatus can add another 40. Additional gear can add more weight to that. Suddenly, a 185-pound firefighter weighs 265 pounds.

(voice-over): In this drill, the eerie sound of the down firefighter's sensor alarm, which rings which he doesn't move for more than 30 seconds, indicates his location. The captain weighed down by his gear and clothing is dragged from the building alive. The missing captain in this simulations says knowing the RIC team was looking for him helped as he lay in the darkness alone.

CAPTAIN TOM SAMMARTANO, L.A. CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT: You know that somebody's dedicated to one sole function, to come in and get me out of there before the worst happens.

BUCKLEY: Danger every firefighter faces every time he or she enters a burning building.

Frank Buckley, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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