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Many small-town fire departments often have their share of big-time hazards, but perhaps none fits that bill like the Westlake Fire Department in Southwest Louisiana. This department, located on the I-10 industrial corridor, is surrounded by some of the largest petrochemical plants in the nation, and it’s growing daily. And, while maybe small in number, this department must be ready for some of the most diverse hazards possible – many with huge implications for their community.
With that said, we are extremely proud to have awarded the Westlake Fire Department with FREE Roco training as the winner of our Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ Course Giveaway at the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association (LFCA) annual conference. This course giveaway affords us the opportunity to offer life-saving training while showing our support for all of the hard work that first responders do every day to serve their communities.
We recently sat down with Westlake Fire Department’s Assistant Fire Chief, Jimmy Boyette, to learn a little more about their operation, what drives them and how Roco’s confined space and high angle rescue training can benefit them. Check out our conversation below.
Roco: First, tell us more about your department…what is the makeup of your organization and what sort of emergencies are you responsible for covering?
Westlake FD: Westlake Fire is made up of one Fire Chief, two Assistant Fire Chiefs, three Shift Captains, three Shift Lieutenants, and (when fully staffed) six Firefighters. We are also currently working with the city and our Fire Board to secure more staff members to better assist our rapidly growing area. We respond to the City of Westlake and the surrounding areas (Ward 4, Fire District 3) in Calcasieu Parish. We run fire, rescue, medical, and HAZMAT emergencies in our extremely industrial area.
Roco: Currently, how often does your department conduct training?
Westlake FD: We train three days a month at the Calcasieu training center. We try to stick with a theme or concentration, such as car extraction, medical help, etc. We encourage anyone who shows interest to attend, although it’s hard when there are only seven spots and all 15 of our members want to go!
Roco: What are some of the specific hazards that your department faces and what technical rescue incidents could they pose?
Westlake FD: Our city is surrounded by industry, which presents many potential confined space and high angle scenarios for our department. The multi-billion-dollar Sasol plant expansion took place, essentially, in our backyards – and that is just one of the plants that is local to our area. In our response area also lies the Isle of Capri Casino high-rise construction project along with numerous apartment complexes with more on the way. Then, we have the I-10 Calcasieu River bridge, which poses a continuous hazard for the thousands of travelers on I-10 each day. Add in a passenger rail train, and the fact that we are surrounded on three sides by water – all come with their own unique opportunities for varying types of rescue disciplines.
Roco: Because you are located in such a highly industrialized area, do you have a mutual aid agreement with other agencies? How does that work?
Westlake FD: We are a part of the Southwest LA Mutual Aid Association, which is a large agreement between municipalities and industries to help provide HAZMAT and supplies outside of normal capabilities when needed. Any entity of the association can call upon another member for resources in time of a major disaster or event. When manpower or resources are lacking, members can step in and help each other. The organization meets monthly to keep a pulse on what members and local businesses are doing and how we may be able to partner together.
Roco: Ideally, how many department personnel would you like to be trained in confined space and high angle rescue? Why do your members join the rescue team?
Westlake FD: Because we are a small department, we would like to see everyone rescue trained, but so many still need the right training in order for that to happen. Those who serve on the rescue team generally have a passion for going above and beyond to serve the community. Many of them have generational ties to first responders, and a number of our team members previously served in the military. A common theme we see is that our members want to serve their community after serving their country.
“A common theme we see is that our members want to serve their community after serving their country.”
Roco: What made you seek this training grant from Roco Rescue?
Westlake FD: Our city is in the process of recovering from not only the global pandemic taking an economic toll on nearly all sources of funding (like everyone else), but also a near-direct hit from two back-to-back hurricanes; a once-in-a-generation freeze; and, more recently, the floods that impacted Southwest Louisiana. All of this coming during an already difficult financial recovery due to mismanagement by a previous administration that almost left the city bankrupt. As a result, we are constantly searching to find and take advantage of all sources of free training. For example, we currently use the Lake Charles Fire Academy as an initial training for new employees. The majority of our members have a basic understanding of confined space/rope rescue techniques, but we believe having some (if not all of them) partake in more advanced training will help us flatten the learning curve. We also have a Captain and Assistant Chief who are previous graduates of Roco Rescue – and they have had nothing but great things to say about the level of training and experience of instructors at Roco; their reputation is unmatched.
“Our department leaders have had nothing but great things to say about the level of training and experience of instructors at Roco; their reputation is unmatched.”
Roco: Final question, what makes your team work well together?
Westlake FD: Being small, everyone knows everyone. We fully encompass a total family atmosphere – we don’t just know each other, but we also know each other’s families. Westlake has a big-town feel but it is really a small-town attitude.
“We really encompass a total family atmosphere – we don’t just know each other, but we also know each other’s families.”
Roco applauds the hard work and dedication that every member of the Westlake Fire Department continues to show their community, and we are honored to train alongside this team. They recognized a need for more in-depth training and refused to back down until a solution was found. Assistant Fire Chief Jimmy Boyette stated, “We are in the heart of the industrial area of Lake Charles, which means a special operations division within our department is an absolute must.”
It is FINALLY that time of year. The sight of freshly mown Kentucky Blue Grass, the smell of $9.00 hot dogs, the taste of $13.00 draft beer. It is that magical moment when America’s pastime – silence football apologist – will once again take its rightful spot at the top of all things important in the sports world.
The sport of baseball has a deep-rooted history and possesses within itself many variables that can affect the outcome of the game. However, there is one component of the game that can be the most decisive reason that a game is won or lost. Let me introduce you to the bullpen pitcher.
It is odd that the person who will be placed in this decisive role does not have the luxury of getting in a rhythm and working out the nervous feelings and rusty movements as the game develops. No, unlike the rest of the players who have built up to a critical moment and are absorbed in the action, the bullpen pitcher must come in cold. Placed in control of a situation that someone else created, he is expected to perform at the highest level to save his team from an undesirable outcome.
Does this sound familiar to you? Welcome to the lives of every rescuer.
Rescue personnel do not have the luxury of scheduling when they will be called on to perform in very high-stress situations that demand the maximum from their skills to succeed.
What compounds the situation further is the fact that the outcome resulting from the rescuer’s performance is not winning or losing a game, but the lives of individuals. The ability of a rescuer to be inserted in a situation with less than desirable conditions and perform their skills in ways that achieve the desired results requires a unique person and a very high level of training.
Both of these crafts start out the same.
First, it takes an exceptional person to fill these roles and accept the responsibility, and pressure, that each bring.
Both begin by learning all the skills and knowledge they can and develop their abilities through repetition and further understanding of their trade until they are ready to perform. Armed, one literally and one figuratively, with everything they need to be successful, they set out down their chosen path to achieve success and become a notable ally of good. The problem that they both soon recognize is that most of their time is spent waiting, wanting to use the skills that they have spent time perfecting, but stuck wondering when they would get their chance. For rescuers, not having to respond to an incident that requires the use of their skills is a good thing.
A bullpen pitcher may be called in to stop the “bleeding” when the game is on the line. But the bleeding that happens when a rescuer is called involves a human life.
People who have a calling for these roles did not dedicate their time and effort just to have a good seat in front of the action that is occurring. They want to be in the moment as it is happening, to contribute to gaining the best outcome possible. Neither of these roles have the opportunity to continuously use their skills in the instance they were designed for. But when called upon to execute these skills in a time of need, they must be able to perform with precise talents and in a proficient fashion. Lack of performance from one may get you sent down to the minors, or just out of a job period. The other, however, potentially faces a far worse reality.
Rescuers do not have the benefit of having an “off day” when lives are at stake.
You can’t just go to the bullpen for a new reliever to take your place, you are the last line of defense between someone’s life and serious, sometimes tragic, results.
If you have been in the rescue business long enough for the newness to have worn off your initial training, you know that the knowledge and skills it takes to be a part of a successful rescue team are highly perishable.
Rescue knowledge and skill must be continuously practiced and studied in order to be at the very top of your game.
Just as a reliever who is expected to paint the corners and produce double-play balls, the rescuer must dedicate themselves to working on their required craft to maintain, and improve, their ability to perform.
A successful bullpen pitcher is a necessity for success, but they are a singular component of the team. To perform at the highest level, the bullpen pitcher needs many components. A good batterymate and solid defense are imperative. A good manager and scouting report give the reliever the direction and information they need to execute. Again, the similarity between the two crafts shows here. A rescuer is an essential component of a successful rescue team. However, a dedicated rescuer who works to be at the top of their rescue skills still must rely on others for success.
A team of proficient rescuers who also stay on top of their skills provide the needed defense. A good team leader calling the right pitch serves as the rescuers’ batterymate. Preplanning not only a potential space where rescue may be performed, but all of the variables that may cause unforeseen hazards or impede the rescue efforts serves as a rescuer’s scouting report. A good emergency manager is another critical piece. A team cannot be successful without the funds and time to become proficient. The emergency manager is the piece that fights for the ability to provide the team the opportunity to practice their craft. Annual rescue training is great for “demonstrating and documenting” individual skills proficiency as required in OSHA 1910.146 PRCS, but how confident are you in your skills when you perform them once a year? Continuous training is crucial for the success of any rescue team.
Both trades will face various situations throughout their career that produce another factor that can impact the outcome of a situation, it is called stress. Lack of preparedness and performance will drastically impact this factor and will assuredly make a bad situation worse. Coming in with 2 outs and nobody on in the 7th to protect a lead will create significantly less stress than coming in with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th no outs with a 1 run lead. The same applies to a rescuer responding to a worker with a sprained ankle who can’t climb a ladder in a non-hazardous environment. This situation will produce minimal stress for a rescue team that is not quite up to par with their skills and preparedness.
However, the same team attempting to rescue three individuals who are unconscious in a confined space with a hazardous atmosphere will experience an exponentially increased amount of stress, which will certainly play a part in the outcome. Both of these situations require skills to be performed, but a team that is not capable in their skills and rescue decision-making process can potentially cause more harm than good for the unfortunate souls needing rescuers to save them from a perilous situation.
The bottom line is this, rescue teams must train often and with a purpose to ensure that they are ready at a moment’s notice, prepared to face the direst of situations, and capable of achieving the best possible outcome. This includes individual rescuers as well as the team working as a unit. No one wants to bear the scars of a rescue gone wrong. Rescuers want to be the ones that made the difference and let someone get home to their family safely.
So, when the skipper comes out in the 9th and calls for the lefty out of the pen, what rescue team will you be? One that is a pitch away from being sent down to the minors or worse sent packing because of their performance? Or the ace reliever who puts the team on his shoulders in game 7 to bring home the Commissioner’s Trophy? Play Ball!
Check out our Quick Drills for some in-house practice, or join us for one of our Compliance Rescue Refreshers™.
My team has always attended the Roco Industrial I/II, will team members attending the new Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ course have difficulty fitting in with the team?
Not at all. The concept of the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ course is still focused around producing a well-rounded, proficient rescuer. The primary differences you will notice center around streamlining the techniques utilized by rescuers to be more proficient in “must have” skills, use of updated equipment created through advances in technology, and performing as a member of a team. One of the primary reasons for the course evolving is to provide students with the ability to return as a better TEAM MEMBER and not just a proficient rescuer.
– Chief Instructor Troy Gardner
I previously attended an Industrial I/II course, but it has been several years. What are some of the differences the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials course provides?
There are several noticeable differences you will find in the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials course. The biggest difference you will notice is with the equipment utilized during training. The technological advances in rescue equipment over the last several years are impressive to say the least and offer a safe and more efficient approach to rescue.
For example, the Petzl I’D has been the staple of rescue operations for two decades now. It is hard to find a rescue team that does not utilize the I’D as their primary device, or at least knows of its capabilities. Petzl introduced the Maestro in 2020 which dramatically increased the efficiency of our rescue systems with an intuitive design and ease of functionality that makes it well-received by the beginner and the experienced rescuer alike. Also, devices like the ASAP Lock fit the need of being an engineered safety device while increasing the efficiency and reliability of the operator.
We also recognized, through input from our instructors, that rescuers would benefit by replacing skills that required continuous practice, such as diamond lashing for patient packaging, with manufactured systems like CMC’s Patient Tie-in System. This allows new rescuers the ability to gain confidence and proficiency by using a simple system vs. trying to absorb more advanced skills and still perform the tasks.
Our instructors also recognized the need for students new to rescue to gain a true understanding of how important proper belaying is for safety. To build proficiency in this skill, students are required to “belay a falling load” where they learn the skills necessary to safely and effectively “catch” the load using various techniques.There are several other exciting changes we have made that will benefit the student and produce a higher level of rescuer.
– Director of Training Chris Carlsen
I work at a fire department that does not respond to any industrial facilities. Would I benefit from attending the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials course?
Choosing the right rescue class can be a daunting task. At Roco Rescue, our instructor cadre is well represented by the fire service and would like to include a few questions for you to think about when determining which course you should attend.
If you have ever had any of these questions come up, or one of the many other related questions that apply to fire departments across the globe, then Roco’s Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials should be at the top of your list. It addresses both the needs of municipal (urban) rescue as well as that of industrial or manufacturing facilities.
– Chief Instructor Brad Warr
The Industrial I/II course was already a full week with a lot to learn. Will my team members struggle to keep up in the new program?
Not at all. In fact, we believe you will have rescue team members returning to your organization with a higher level of retention than ever before. There are some incredible new advancements in equipment and techniques out there, which make it even easier for the novice to acquire the skills to become a proficient rescuer.
Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ has been streamlined to provide a stronger emphasis on key areas of instruction. We have also incorporated numerous improvements in teaching methodology as recommended by our most experienced Roco instructors. This allows students to gain more repetitions in needed skills and retain a higher level of information.
Our goal is to make a better, more prepared rescuer. We believe the new Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials™ from Roco will do just that.
– Chief Instructor Eddie Chapa
Will sending our rescue team members to the Urban and Industrial Essentials course meet OSHA requirements for confined space rescue?
Although OSHA does not provide a specific checklist of the skills or exact performance objectives required to be deemed a competent rescuer, 1910.146 Permit Required Confined Spaces does give us some guidance of what a rescuer should be. In 1910.146 (k)(1)(iii)(A) it states that a rescuer shall “Have the ability to reach the victim(s) within a time frame that is appropriate for the permit space hazards(s) identified”. 1910.146(k)(1)(iii)(B) further states that the rescuer shall be “equipped for and proficient in performing the needed rescue services”.
The Roco Essentials™ course is designed for developing a rescuer who is confident and proficient in the skills necessary to perform rescues in both urban and industrial environments. This ensures that students will be able to return to their team and execute the required tasks necessary to expedite rescue efforts safely and effectively.
OSHA 1910.146(k)(1)(ii) also requires that the host employer “evaluate” a rescue team’s ability – in terms of proficiency with rescue-related tasks and equipment, and the ability to function appropriately while rescuing entrants from the particular permit space or types of permit spaces identified. Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials courses conducted at the Roco Training Center provide students with realistic scenarios from all six (6) confined space types, including elevated vessels and towers. The course also includes simulated rescue from IDLH atmospheres requiring the use of SCBA. These scenarios can be used to document a team’s practice requirements listed under 1910.146.
– Director of Training Chris Carlsen
I would really like to send our team members to a Roco certification class, but we do not have the time or funding to dedicate to a Fast-Track course. Is the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials course a good compromise?
I would not consider the Roco Essentials™ course a compromise by any means. It is a building block of rescue knowledge that your team can use to create highly proficient rescuers. The course is designed to give the rescuer confidence in many of the skills needed to obtain certification to NFPA 1006 by utilizing a very heavy “hands-on” approach to training. Rescuers who attend the Urban/Industrial Rescue Essentials course not only obtain a high level of proficiency in these skills, but they also gain a great understanding of what it takes to make a Rescue Team effective. Rescuers completing this course can also achieve Rescue Technician certification by attending our Confined Space Rescue Technician course.
– Chief Instructor Kenny Greene
We are all being confronted with a pandemic that is compelling us to make significant changes in how we go about our day, both on and off the job. Although we are still hosting training at RTC almost every week, we are hearing from many teams that employers are still placing restrictions on travel and offsite training. We are challenged to adjust our behaviors while still being prepared to perform our rescue duties if called upon, and it is still vitally important to keep your skills sharp. Maintaining rescue skills proficiency was already challenging enough before Coronavirus. As always, it’s important to be ready.
We would like to offer some tips to help you maintain both your individual and team proficiency. These tips are not intended to provide the same level of proficiency that attending a formal refresher class would, but we feel they will go a long way in helping you keep your skills at an acceptable, if not a highly polished level.
Our Roco training department has put together a list of skills to concentrate on while doing your own in-house independent training. We based these on the skills that have demonstrated the highest degree of erosion or loss of proficiency over time, and also the skills that are most likely to be called upon for your rescue duties.
First on the list are knots. We should all be able to tie the knots we will need for any given rescue system, but let’s take it a step further and strive to become knot craftsmen. So break out your rope and webbing shorts, and go through your knots. The beauty of this practice is you can certainly maintain social distancing as you practice either alone or in small groups.
Let’s go beyond the basics of dress, load and safety, and start to tie knots that make the system more efficient and safer. For anchor knots like the figure 8 on-a-bight, start gauging how much rope you need to tie the knot with the resulting closed loop being more compact. My gauge is to end up with a loop that I can easily clip three carabiners into, but not much bigger than that. Those big loops end up being a hindrance when we are trying to clear a litter out of a vertical portal, or getting a rescue package up and over a parapet or guardrail. By keeping those finished closed loops nice and compact, you economize and maintain that headroom.
Work any twists or crossed material out of the knot before loading. This isn’t just a question of appearance, but in many cases helps maintain the strength of the rope or webbing as you tie the knot. The biggest advantage of reducing or eliminating twists or crossed material is that it is much easier to untie the knot and is certainly easier to recognize the knot as being correct during final safety checks.
Practice tying knots around anchors coming from different angles and positions relative to the anchor. It is easy to tie a clove hitch around a horizontal pipe. Now start practicing tying it around a vertical anchor. Or better yet, while you are standing on the opposite side of the anchor from where the standing section of rope is coming from. It is the same knot, only now you are seeing it from a different orientation.
So, challenge yourself to become a knot craftsperson. Tie knots in the dark or blindfolded, behind your back, with winter gloves on, or any other way that is more challenging than in an air-conditioned well-lit room.
To identify the skills that you should be practicing beyond basic knots, refer to your rescue preplans and list the skills required for your most likely rescues, as well as your worst case scenarios. Don’t worry about building scenarios yet, instead divide the individual and team skills into discernable categories using the equipment that you have in your rescue cache. During your rescue plan reviews, make sure to keep an eye out for any plans that need to be updated.
The most common skills used, and the ones that seem to have a high degree of perishability, are:
Anchor rigging is half science and half art. Of course, we need to identify the anchors that we can use as either single point or multi-point anchors. Single point anchors are generally easier, but even they can be done with an eye for efficiency vs. just slapping a sling around it and calling it good. Can we extend that single point anchor to be in a better position to see the load or to be able to communicate more efficiently? Should we extend the anchor out from the wall a bit to allow room to operate a friction control device, versus being jammed against the wall and having to be a contortionist to operate the device?
For multi-point anchors, can we consistently end up with a two-point bridle that approximately shares the load equally between legs? Are we maintaining safe angles and not approaching that 120 degree critical angle? Are we hogging the anchors and leaving the safety line system with few or no options for their anchor?
If we anticipate converting a lowering system to a haul system or vice versa, can we make the conversion efficiently? This is where the use of modern friction control devices makes our job so much easier and safer. If you are using a device like the Petzl I’D or Maestro, the CMC MPD or Clutch, or any device that can be used for friction control and as a change of direction and progress capture in a haul system, it is good to practice the conversion back and forth from haul to lower and lower to haul, even with a load suspended.
"Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."
If you have a rescue manikin in your facility, now is a great time to practice social distancing by practicing patient packaging. No matter which type of litter you are using, there is a lot of value in practicing with that litter to correctly secure the patient in the litter and then to create a safe and efficient bridle to attach the rescue system. Practice this for both rigid and flexible litters and for horizontal and vertical orientations.
For all the skills we have already listed, you can perform the practice solo and then step back to let one of your teammates do a quality and safety check on your work.
Finally, we all like to have some fun when we practice, so why not inject a bit of competition into the scene? We love to have races to see who can build mechanical advantages fastest, but the most important thing is not the time. When scoring your contest, focus on the accuracy and safety of the finished product. You can set up multiple lanes separated by the social distancing guidelines and have one team member be the timer and score keeper.
So remember that team performance is dependent on individual skills coming together to build and operate the right system for the situation at hand. Now is a great time to focus on individual skills so when this pandemic is finally past us, we can rock it as a rescue team.
(article updated and republished from April 2020)
RescueTalk™ (RocoRescue.com) has been created as a free resource for sharing insightful information, news, views and commentary for our students and others who are interested in technical rope rescue. Therefore, we make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information and are not liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Users and readers are 100% responsible for their own actions in every situation. Information presented on this website in no way replaces proper training!
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