Fire and Rescue Operations in Extreme Winds

Abstract

Firefighters are frequently exposed to extreme weather conditions. However, most fire agencies lack any form of guideline to determine the continuation or suspension of the fire/rescue operations during high speed wind. The purpose of this research is to provide information about the effects of wind speeds and related factors on the operations of firefighters. Wind tunnel tests were conducted on several mock operations that were divided into firefighting, rescue, and first aid. Three measures were used to evaluate the risk of operation. The first recorded the level of danger that firefighters felt as soon as the experiment was over. The second measured the time taken to walk a given path. The third measured number of footsteps deviating from the prescribed path. The test results revealed that the wind speed which caused significant risk ranged from 15m/s to 22m/s. High-risk operations are classified as tasks involved in wearing turnout gears, carrying big light boxes, and walking on slippery surfaces. Medium risk activities involved hand-bound operations, carrying equipment and objects.