Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment and Survivability
Ventilation can make or break the outcome of a fire. Achieving the desired effect requires the knowledge of how the tactic works and the precautions that must be taken. This class breaks down ventilation, detailing its relationship with fire dynamics, firefighting operations, and victim survivability to identify how it can be leveraged to positively influence the fireground. By coupling past experiences with the latest research and data, the common pitfalls and misconceptions are addressed to reduce potential errors and avoidable losses. A set of guiding principles and practices is provided to establish an operational baseline. The framework is universal and can be applied to any environment–from rural to urban communities. With a practical understanding of ventilation and the means for its execution, participants can more consistently make the right call for their fireground.