Fire in a House Kansas City, MO (KCFD) 2501 Myrtle 11-15-2013

[MFD76]

Had a couple of friends in town from the east coast for a buffing weekend in Kansas City. It was productive. 

 

beeeeeep Car 104, Pumper 24, Pumper 23, Pumper 18, Truck 10, Truck 3, house fire 2501 Myrtle, rig radios A5 portables C5.  Pumper 24 on scene smoke showing stretching one small. Pumper 24 make this a working fire. Truck 10 on scene going to the roof and inside. Pumper 24 we have heavy heat on second floor have 10 Truck meet us and hook celling. Car 104 on scene in command. Car 104 confirms working fire. 

 

beeeeeep Air Wagon 1, Car 120 (EMS), Truck 5 for RIT working house fire 2501 Myrtle on arrival rig radios A5 portables C5. 

 

 

Truck 10 from Fire House 23 one of the many reasons tillered ladder trucks contrbuite to fire ground efficiency. 



 

 

Pumper 18 in reserve pumper 4. Ladders up two ways off the roof, two section 35ft and 100ft Aerial Ladder. 



 



 

 

Truck 10 from Fire House 23 A-B corner to the roof. 



 

 

This is why real ladder trucks are dry and bend in the middle. Try this with a Quint hahahah



 

Truck 10 Fire Apparatus Operator, FAO and FAO Tillerman are the roof team. All KCFD trucks split on arrival Capt and Fireman inside and FAO and Tiller or FAO and Fireman to the roof. it is extremely rare to see the midtown and eastside truck companies wear bottles or masks on the roof. They also most often still open up with axes. Nice set of ladder stack tips no power cone fog here!!! One flaw of these tillers is the fly pipe nozzle had to be turned for stowing. This is due to not enough room between the tip and tillerman cab.

[hank]

Good photos!

 

tHANKs

[derry86]

Great photos and narrative.

[Guest]

Great pics and info, MFD....I'm not far from KC, but don't know a whole lot about their department; are they on a Harris radio system?  What is the difference between Rig A5 and Portable C5?

 

Does KCFD have set policies for SFD's, etc? or is the first Engine running the line and first Truck splitting an unwritten rule?  How are the follow-on (subsequent) arriving Pumpers and Trucks assigned to?

[Roto-Ray]

"Stretching one small" - local vernacular for a booster line or 1.75" line?

[MFD76]

Great pics and info, MFD....I'm not far from KC, but don't know a whole lot about their department; are they on a Harris radio system?  What is the difference between Rig A5 and Portable C5?

 

Does KCFD have set policies for SFD's, etc? or is the first Engine running the line and first Truck splitting an unwritten rule?  How are the follow-on (subsequent) arriving Pumpers and Trucks assigned to?

Thanks I really appreciate the positive comments. 

 

The previous radio system was Ericsson. The current is the Kansas City Regional Motorola P25. The follow is a little complicated and is specific to Kansas City Missouri portion of the radio system. They adapted the old Ericsson system and added some new towers to the current system. One issue in the early stages of development was coverage. Kansas City, Missouri is a very large landmass city 319 square miles and about 460,000. When ever I take out of town people buffing they have a hard time realizing the sheer land mass size of the city not including the suburbs. Also with that some of the digital system could not transmit out of a number of buildings in the city. They decide to equip all pumpers with Digital Vehicle Repeaters (DVR) for the new P25. The long and short is rig radios link to the tower and the portables link to the DVR repeater in the pumper. This solves the problem of the portable not transmitting in some parts of the city from certain buildings. KCFD tried to make the system a simple as possible by using it at every incident. 

 

We use a similar set up in my department. However our Chief Buggies carry the DVR. When operating at predetermined buildings we switch the portables to our DVR channel. This does require that our District Chiefs respond with us to these locations, even for first aid runs. 

 

They do have unwritten standard arrival assignments. The assignments are taught in the fire academy. It makes for an extremely efficient fire ground and makes the chiefs job much easier. The chief can look at the arrival order and check in with companies to make sure they are on track. Many of the suburbs stage and wait for assignments IMO is lunacy and can create a number of fire ground missteps. Here is the run down for most house fires.  

 

1st Chief command and his Captain-buggy driver (District Safety Officer DSO) inside supervisor eyes and ears for the chief. 

1st Pumper: line off into the structure. 

1st Truck: captain with fireman search fire floor/ FAO with FAO tillerman OV mostly roof vent or straight truck FAO with fireman OV mostly roof vent.

2nd Pumper: bring in the plug, second line off into the structure 

2nd Truck: captain with fireman search floor above or adjacent area/ FAO and FAO tiller or fireman inside hook open up for pumper company, ladders, OV. 

3rd Pumper: if working fire bring second plug, third line off into structure or assist Truck duties.

 

KCFD brings two plugs for all fires. First due pumpers use booster tank until FAO hand jacks LDH or second due pumper brings a plug. 

 

Taylor great question here is a run down off the top of my head. The one small is a 1.75 hand line regional term smilier to Fort Worth calling the 1.75 a big booster.

 

KCFD unofficial & official terms used every day, 

Fly Piping: using aerial with nozzle to suppress fire from above.

One small: 1.75 hand line. 

One large: 2.5 hand line

Gandy: homeless person 

Red line: booster

Plug: Fire Hydrant

On the way: Responding

Clear: Responding the old term when fire alarm could close the bay doors from the alarm office.

In Service: finished with the alarm and returning or if enroute can return without arriving 

On the Air: Inservice in still district

Slow em down: emergency to non-emergency

DSO: District Safety Officer Captain rank drives Battalion Chief 

Chief Buggy: Batt. Chief or Deputy Chief car

Brush Buggy: Brush Fire Unit 

Hook & Ladder: Tiller TDA

regular alarm: 3 pumpers, 2 trucks, 1 chief

first alarm: 3 pumpers, 3 trucks, 2 chiefs

General Alarm: city wide all resource response

Silent Watch: Fire Alarm will ring bells turn on lights and alert companies 2100-0630

Man on Watch: Fire Alarm can no longer monitor silent watch due to major incident and someone sits up listens to radio and rings house bells and get companies out over PA or Voice. 

working fire: air wagon, car 120 (EMS), RIT company, Power & Light, Gas Service

Bump it Up: either upgrade to emergency response or make it the next higher alarm

Alarm Office or Fire Alarm or Fire Alarm Exchange: Fire Dispatcher

Grass & Weeds: brush fire

Plugging: machine conducting annual fire hydrant checks in still district

Wet Drill: training drill with water and hose

Drilling: drill without water

Fire Acadmey or Drill School: Fire Training Acadmey

Car 101:  Shift Deputy Chief citywide tour commander

101 @ Pumper 10, Truck 3 

Car 102-108: Shift Batt. Chiefs in charge of geographic district 

102 @ Pumper 8 (Downtown)

103 @ Pumper 14 (North of river Northeast)

104 @ Pumper 23, Truck 10 (Eastside-Old Northeast)

105 @ Pumper 35, Rescue 9 (RIP Truck 9) (Eastside-Southeast)

106 @ Pumper 19, Pumper 32, Truck 7 (Midtown-Plaza)

107 @ Pumper 36, Truck 15 (Southside)

108 @ Pumper 4 (North of river Northwest)

Pumper: Engine

Truck: Aerial Ladder, Tower Ladder, Tractor-Drawn-Aerial

Rescue: Heavy Rescue Squad

[Guest]

Thanks I really appreciate the positive comments. 

 

The previous radio system was Ericsson. The current is the Kansas City Regional Motorola P25. The follow is a little complicated and is specific to Kansas City Missouri portion of the radio system. They adapted the old Ericsson system and added some new towers to the current system. One issue in the early stages of development was coverage. Kansas City, Missouri is a very large landmass city 319 square miles and about 460,000. When ever I take out of town people buffing they have a hard time realizing the sheer land mass size of the city not including the suburbs. Also with that some of the digital system could not transmit out of a number of buildings in the city. They decide to equip all pumpers with Digital Vehicle Repeaters (DVR) for the new P25. The long and short is rig radios link to the tower and the portables link to the DVR repeater in the pumper. This solves the problem of the portable not transmitting in some parts of the city from certain buildings. KCFD tried to make the system a simple as possible by using it at every incident. 

 

We use a similar set up in my department. However our Chief Buggies carry the DVR. When operating at predetermined buildings we switch the portables to our DVR channel. This does require that our District Chiefs respond with us to these locations, even for first aid runs. 

 

They do have unwritten standard arrival assignments. The assignments are taught in the fire academy. It makes for an extremely efficient fire ground and makes the chiefs job much easier. The chief can look at the arrival order and check in with companies to make sure they are on track. Many of the suburbs stage and wait for assignments IMO is lunacy and can create a number of fire ground missteps. Here is the run down for most house fires.  

 

1st Chief command and his Captain-buggy driver (District Safety Officer DSO) inside supervisor eyes and ears for the chief. 

1st Pumper: line off into the structure. 

1st Truck: captain with fireman search fire floor/ FAO with FAO tillerman OV mostly roof vent or straight truck FAO with fireman OV mostly roof vent.

2nd Pumper: bring in the plug, second line off into the structure 

2nd Truck: captain with fireman search floor above or adjacent area/ FAO and FAO tiller or fireman inside hook open up for pumper company, ladders, OV. 

3rd Pumper: if working fire bring second plug, third line off into structure or assist Truck duties.

 

KCFD brings two plugs for all fires. First due pumpers use booster tank until FAO hand jacks LDH or second due pumper brings a plug. 

 

Taylor great question here is a run down off the top of my head. The one small is a 1.75 hand line regional term smilier to Fort Worth calling the 1.75 a big booster.

 

KCFD unofficial & official terms used every day, 

Fly Piping: using aerial with nozzle to suppress fire from above.

One small: 1.75 hand line. 

One large: 2.5 hand line

Gandy: homeless person 

Red line: booster

Plug: Fire Hydrant

On the way: Responding

Clear: Responding the old term when fire alarm could close the bay doors from the alarm office.

In Service: finished with the alarm and returning or if enroute can return without arriving 

On the Air: Inservice in still district

Slow em down: emergency to non-emergency

DSO: District Safety Officer Captain rank drives Battalion Chief 

Chief Buggy: Batt. Chief or Deputy Chief car

Brush Buggy: Brush Fire Unit 

Hook & Ladder: Tiller TDA

regular alarm: 3 pumpers, 2 trucks, 1 chief

first alarm: 3 pumpers, 3 trucks, 2 chiefs

General Alarm: city wide all resource response

Silent Watch: Fire Alarm will ring bells turn on lights and alert companies 2100-0630

Man on Watch: Fire Alarm can no longer monitor silent watch due to major incident and someone sits up listens to radio and rings house bells and get companies out over PA or Voice. 

working fire: air wagon, car 120 (EMS), RIT company, Power & Light, Gas Service

Bump it Up: either upgrade to emergency response or make it the next higher alarm

Alarm Office or Fire Alarm or Fire Alarm Exchange: Fire Dispatcher

Grass & Weeds: brush fire

Plugging: machine conducting annual fire hydrant checks in still district

Wet Drill: training drill with water and hose

Drilling: drill without water

Fire Acadmey or Drill School: Fire Training Acadmey

Car 101:  Shift Deputy Chief citywide tour commander

101 @ Pumper 10, Truck 3 

Car 102-108: Shift Batt. Chiefs in charge of geographic district 

102 @ Pumper 8 (Downtown)

103 @ Pumper 14 (North of river Northeast)

104 @ Pumper 23, Truck 10 (Eastside-Old Northeast)

105 @ Pumper 35, Rescue 9 (RIP Truck 9) (Eastside-Southeast)

106 @ Pumper 19, Pumper 32, Truck 7 (Midtown-Plaza)

107 @ Pumper 36, Truck 15 (Southside)

108 @ Pumper 4 (North of river Northwest)

Pumper: Engine

Truck: Aerial Ladder, Tower Ladder, Tractor-Drawn-Aerial

Rescue: Heavy Rescue Squad

 

That's a good list, but I don't see FAO and OV you talk about in the narrative.

They sound like strictly local abbreviations. What do they mean?

[MFD76]

 

That's a good list, but I don't see FAO and OV you talk about in the narrative.

They sound like strictly local abbreviations. What do they mean?

Hahaha yes, 

 

Fire Apparatus Operator FAO

 

Outside Vent OV or some call it OVM Outside Vent Man 

 

The FAO term has been used for many years by KCFD. In the metro the chauffeur term varies greatly. Some departments don't have it as a regular promoted position and require all firemen to rotate driving. Here is a list of departments with promoted chauffeur positions in the metro and their respective position title. 

 

KCFD, FAO

Olathe, FAO

KCKFD, Driver

North Kansas City, Driver

Consolidated Fire District 2, Driver

Leavenworth, Driver

Liberty, Driver

Central Jackson County, Engineer

Grandview, Engineer

Lawrence, Engineer

Independence, FEO (Fire Equipment Operator)

Topeka, AO (Apparatus Operator)

Lee's Summit has two designations, Pumper driver is: Engineer and Aerial Truck driver is: Specialist 

[Guest]

Great set of photos Rick! I enjoy the KC Stuff, I was just looking through my KC scene pics from a few years when my brother and I made a trip out there. We heard it is technically illegal to chase fires in KC..have you heard that? Oh by the way, Im Phil. (former SLCPDEXPLORER, from STL)

[MFD76]

Great set of photos Rick! I enjoy the KC Stuff, I was just looking through my KC scene pics from a few years when my brother and I made a trip out there. We heard it is technically illegal to chase fires in KC..have you heard that? Oh by the way, Im Phil. (former SLCPDEXPLORER, from STL)

 

Hey Phil great to hear from you. Thanks for the kind words. I have not ever heard of a ordiance against chasing fires. I checked the city ordinances and only came up with you can't follow a fire apparatus closer than 500ft while it is making an emergency response. You are also not allowed to cross fire line or crime scene tape once it is placed. I have never had any issues in Kansas City Kansas or Kansas City Missouri. The police are friendly and really pay no attention to me. I have had a few firemen talk with me. Once they find out I am a fireman or someone I know comes over they are very friendly. I always stay out of the way and that probably helps.

 

Stay Safe,

Rick 

[Guest]

We didnt run into any issues. The driver on the air unit approached us after seeing us at a few fires in a day, but we talked to him and he said they just dont see any buffs out that way. So he was curious to what we were doing. I think we may have read that on radio reference? But thats the internet for you haha.

[Guest]

Thanks, Rick....I love to hear about the local terminology and traditions.  Awesome stuff!

[Guest]

Thanks Great photos

[MFD76]

Thanks I really appreciate the positive comments. 

 

The previous radio system was Ericsson. The current is the Kansas City Regional Motorola P25. The follow is a little complicated and is specific to Kansas City Missouri portion of the radio system. They adapted the old Ericsson system and added some new towers to the current system. One issue in the early stages of development was coverage. Kansas City, Missouri is a very large landmass city 319 square miles and about 460,000. When ever I take out of town people buffing they have a hard time realizing the sheer land mass size of the city not including the suburbs. Also with that some of the digital system could not transmit out of a number of buildings in the city. They decide to equip all pumpers with Digital Vehicle Repeaters (DVR) for the new P25. The long and short is rig radios link to the tower and the portables link to the DVR repeater in the pumper. This solves the problem of the portable not transmitting in some parts of the city from certain buildings. KCFD tried to make the system a simple as possible by using it at every incident. 

 

We use a similar set up in my department. However our Chief Buggies carry the DVR. When operating at predetermined buildings we switch the portables to our DVR channel. This does require that our District Chiefs respond with us to these locations, even for first aid runs. 

 

They do have unwritten standard arrival assignments. The assignments are taught in the fire academy. It makes for an extremely efficient fire ground and makes the chiefs job much easier. The chief can look at the arrival order and check in with companies to make sure they are on track. Many of the suburbs stage and wait for assignments IMO is lunacy and can create a number of fire ground missteps. Here is the run down for most house fires.  

 

1st Chief command and his Captain-buggy driver (District Safety Officer DSO) inside supervisor eyes and ears for the chief. 

1st Pumper: line off into the structure. 

1st Truck: captain with fireman search fire floor/ FAO with FAO tillerman OV mostly roof vent or straight truck FAO with fireman OV mostly roof vent.

2nd Pumper: bring in the plug, second line off into the structure 

2nd Truck: captain with fireman search floor above or adjacent area/ FAO and FAO tiller or fireman inside hook open up for pumper company, ladders, OV. 

3rd Pumper: if working fire bring second plug, third line off into structure or assist Truck duties.

 

KCFD brings two plugs for all fires. First due pumpers use booster tank until FAO hand jacks LDH or second due pumper brings a plug. 

 

Taylor great question here is a run down off the top of my head. The one small is a 1.75 hand line regional term smilier to Fort Worth calling the 1.75 a big booster.

 

KCFD unofficial & official terms used every day, 

Fly Piping: using aerial with nozzle to suppress fire from above.

One small: 1.75 hand line. 

One large: 2.5 hand line

Gandy: homeless person 

Red line: booster

Plug: Fire Hydrant

On the way: Responding

Clear: Responding the old term when fire alarm could close the bay doors from the alarm office.

In Service: finished with the alarm and returning or if enroute can return without arriving 

On the Air: Inservice in still district

Slow em down: emergency to non-emergency

DSO: District Safety Officer Captain rank drives Battalion Chief 

Chief Buggy: Batt. Chief or Deputy Chief car

Brush Buggy: Brush Fire Unit 

Hook & Ladder: Tiller TDA

regular alarm: 3 pumpers, 2 trucks, 1 chief

first alarm: 3 pumpers, 3 trucks, 2 chiefs

General Alarm: city wide all resource response

Silent Watch: Fire Alarm will ring bells turn on lights and alert companies 2100-0630

Man on Watch: Fire Alarm can no longer monitor silent watch due to major incident and someone sits up listens to radio and rings house bells and get companies out over PA or Voice. 

working fire: air wagon, car 120 (EMS), RIT company, Power & Light, Gas Service

Bump it Up: either upgrade to emergency response or make it the next higher alarm

Alarm Office or Fire Alarm or Fire Alarm Exchange: Fire Dispatcher

Grass & Weeds: brush fire

Plugging: machine conducting annual fire hydrant checks in still district

Wet Drill: training drill with water and hose

Drilling: drill without water

Fire Acadmey or Drill School: Fire Training Acadmey

Car 101:  Shift Deputy Chief citywide tour commander

101 @ Pumper 10, Truck 3 

Car 102-108: Shift Batt. Chiefs in charge of geographic district 

102 @ Pumper 8 (Downtown)

103 @ Pumper 14 (North of river Northeast)

104 @ Pumper 23, Truck 10 (Eastside-Old Northeast)

105 @ Pumper 35, Rescue 9 (RIP Truck 9) (Eastside-Southeast)

106 @ Pumper 19, Pumper 32, Truck 7 (Midtown-Plaza)

107 @ Pumper 36, Truck 15 (Southside)

108 @ Pumper 4 (North of river Northwest)

Pumper: Engine

Truck: Aerial Ladder, Tower Ladder, Tractor-Drawn-Aerial

Rescue: Heavy Rescue Squad

 

Just found out the Regular Alarm running card was recently changed to the following. 

New 2 Pumpers, 2 Trucks, 1 Chief, 1 Pumper or Truck or Rescue.

Old 3 Pumpers, 2 Trucks, 1 Chief

 

The fifth fire unit can be a Truck, Rescue, or Pumper. There are only a few parts of the city where a Truck or Rescue will replace what used to be the third Pumper. Mainly in the area between FH17 and FH 18 and in the old north-north east FH 10, FH 23 where you will now see Truck 3, Truck 10, and Rescue 1. This mainly helps Truck 2 at 17's which over the last ten years has been bumped out of fires due to Rescue 31 filling as the second Truck when headed east toward 18's. Pre 1997 17's was a double Pumper 17, Pumper 31, Truck 2 a left over of the Fire Improvement Plan.