This new book by Deputy Chiefs Frank Viscuso and Michael Terpak features more than 70 operational “field” guides for incidents such as multiple alarm structure fires, water emergencies, natural gas emergencies, electrical emergencies, carbon monoxide investigations, outdoor fires, vehicle fires, hazardous material incidents, non-fire emergencies, general operations, administration and more.
Here's how Operational Guides can help you
Operational Guides is a book that serves many purposes and is designed to help firefighters in the following ways:
As a starting point and as a refresher guide for any firefighter who is seeking promotion at any level.
As an aid to assist firefighters at all levels who are interested in educating themselves and enhancing their job performance.
As field guides for Incident Commanders (IC’s) and company officers who are working at and/or running incidents.
As an easy-to-follow step-by-step action plan for firefighters working in acting capacities, especially those who may be called to act as an Incident Commander.
As outlines to assist IC’s and company officers who are organizing and planning training evolutions and table top drills.
To assist the members of all departments when developing Standard Operating Procedures.
Operational Guides featured in this book include:
Structure Fires: Churches, Brownstones, Attached Row Frames, Private Dwellings, Multiple Dwellings, Garden Apartments and Townhouses, Light Weight Constructed Buildings, Hospitals, Day Care and Nursing Homes, Factory and Warehouses, Taxpayers and Strip Malls, Vacant Buildings, High-Rises, Schools, Buildings Under Construction, andBasements/Cellars. Electrical Emergencies: Downed Power Lines, Downed Lines on Occupied Vehicles, Electrical Facility Fires, Underground Manhole Fires, Flooding Underground Manholes or Vaults and Additional Electrical Emergencies such as incidents involving Overheated Ballast, Electrical Appliances, Recessed Lighting, Pole Mounted Transformers, and Meter Boxes. Natural Gas Emergencies: Outdoor Natural Gas and Indoor Natural Gas Leaks.
Carbon Monoxide Investigations: A thorough step-by-step process to follow when responding to CO emergencies and investigations. Water Emergencies: Water Main Breaks, Flooded Roofs, Flooded Basements, and Broken Water Pipes.
Confined Fire: Chimney Fires, Mattress and Couch Fires,and Kitchen Fires. Outdoor Fires: Dumpster and Trash Fires, Wildlife Urban Interface Fires,and Junkyard Fires. Vehicle Fires and Incidents: Vehicle Fires, Highway Operations, Vehicles Fires in Remote Areas, Vehicle Fires in attached Garages, School and Public Transportation Bus Accidents, and Trucking Incidents Involving Commercial Explosives. Non-Fire Emergencies: Hazardous Materials Operations, Structure Collapse Operations, Chlorine Emergencies, Propane Emergencies, and Bomb Threats. Oil Burner Emergencies: Delayed Ignitions, White Ghost Emergencies, and Oil Burner Fires. General Operations: Fire ground Size-Up, Engine Company Operations, Ladder Company Operations, Switching from Offensive to Defensive Strategy, Emergency Incident Rehabilitation, Rapid Intervention Crew, Elevator Car Operations, Stalled Elevator Rescues, May-Day Radio Guidelines, Urgent Radio Guidelines, Large Area Rope Search, Trench Cutting Operations, and Roof Radio Reports.
Administrative: Guide for Developing Standard Operating Procedures, Guide for Structure Fire Report Writing – Constructing a Narrative, and Guide for Conducting Post Incident Analysis Plus, a Forward by Bobby Halton and a Universal Tactical Worksheet that can be utilized at ‘ALL’ structure fires.
Also included: A CD with all 70 Operational Guides that could be printed out and used as field guides:
Having these Operational Guides with you at an incident is like having a team of highly educated chief officers standing next to you, offering tips to help you safely and effectively mitigate a situation.
The CD features a bonus guide for Probationary Firefighters, listing the 25 things that all "Probie’s" should know and do.
Operational Guides is a book that every firefighter, officer and aspiring officer will want to own
“In writing this book, Frank Viscuso and Mike Terpak have given the fire service a tool of immeasurable importance. These Operational Guides are going to give you a distinct operational advantage and a psychological edge.”
~ Bobby Halton, Editor-in-Chief Fire Engineering Magazine
