GRABS Podcast

Grabs 183 Orlando, FL (11/4/25)

• LT Bassel Ibrahim 
• Orlando Fire, FL 
• From one Ems call to another, they see smoke 
• Front to back duplex, fire and smoke showing, bars on all windows, chained gate and people waiving. 
• Told people are trapped when they arrived, while trying to get their gear on. 
• Trouble getting on radio to request the rest of the alarm. 
• Someone trapped behind security gate on A side. 
• Popped door, made the grab.
• On scene to removal was under 1:00.  (Vict went from conscious to unconscious) 

[email protected]

Grabs 182 Cape Girardeau Fire Department, MO  (12/20/25)

• Andrew Juden Fire Captain
• Cape Girardeau Fire Department
• 10:30 P report of 2 houses on fire
• Single Family Dwelling-Rescue Mode 90% involvement-Report of Victim 
• VES-Located conscious victim immediately. (One man in) Moderate smoke and heat, door starting to fail at top. 
• 2nd man in to help get pt “unstuck” Pt with dog. 
• Ammo started to cook off, they covered pt until it was passed. 
• Hose line moved into room from window, because window started to light off. 
• 2 firefighter lift out a 1st floor window-200 LBS, passed the victim out and finished the search. 
• 5-6 minutes
• Take the water can with you. 
• "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"
• Training Makes the Difference-In high-stress situations, you don’t have time to think through every decision you rely on training and repetition. This rescue was a direct result of preparation and muscle memory, not improvisation.
• Teamwork Saves Lives-Successful rescues are never the result of one person. Clear communication, trust, and everyone doing their job played a critical role in the outcome. 
• Decision Making Under Extreme Pressure-Conditions change rapidly, the unexpected happens, and decisions must be made with incomplete information. This incident reinforced the importance of staying calm, trusting your assessment, training, experience, and committing to a decision quickly.
• Time Is the Biggest Enemy-Fire growth and smoke conditions escalate faster than most people realize. This rescue highlighted how every second counts and how quickly survivable conditions can disappear.

[email protected]

Grabs 181 Owensboro Fire Department, KY (12/1/25)

• Josh Knies - Firefighter (K-Niece) 
• Brad Hamilton - Firefighter
• Date of grab: 12/1/2025
• Type of building: Type V 2 story garden apartment 
• Possible victim inside with limited mobility (radio traffic) 
• 700 SQ FT
• Limited Visibility
• Approx time from arrival to removal: 6 minutes from first arriving apparatus.
• Weight of the victim: 150 lbs
• Method of removal: dirty drag.
• Takeaways: 
  • Speed of making entry. 
  • Everyone knowing their job.  
  • Victim survivability with close proximity to the fire.
  • Clearing a path to drag the victim.
  • EMS waiting for the victim.
  • Getting a second ambulance. 
• https://www.wevv.com/news/kentucky/owensboro-firefighters-rescue-person-from-apartment-fire/article_3bd85af1-7c42-4df6-b93c-3f1de96223e4.html

[email protected]

Grabs 180 Grand Prairie, TX (11/20/25) 

• Stephen Hromcik-BC, Brady Tedrow-LT, Nolan Wade-FF
• Talk a little IC perspective. 
• Battalion Chief was first on and attempted the rescue before the engine arrived. 
• Type of building -Single family residence, single story, approx 1300-1500 sq ft, brick veneer-wood frame
• Approx time from arrival to removal-1st on fire engine to removal- 2 minutes 
• Weight of the victim (approximately)-140lbs
• Method of removal -Directed VEIS - Two rescuer wrist drag at floor level to exterior door. Approximately 8 feet. 

LT/FF Takeaways:

• Early upgrade to second alarm and response of additional units for a known/possible rescue with multiple victims led to a positive outcome
• Whether or not to mask up on fires with known victims.

BC takeaways: 

• Upgrading to second alarm early, request additional ambulances for victims and personnel on scene. 
• Command post location, using TIC on exterior 360, gearing up if first on scene of a reported 

[email protected]

Grabs 179 South Bend, IN (1/21/2024)

• Brian Williams (Captain) 
• People working out of position. 
• Initial reports-no entrapment.  Dinner time.  2-3 blocks from firehouse. 
• Enroute 2 trapped and multiple calls. 
• 2 story balloon frame-heavy fire out of every window and door on 1st floor. Heavy smoke on 2nd. 
• Bystander said 4 kids.
• Stretched line 1 3/4” got pinned down with fire everywhere
• Officer found stairs, brought hose to base of stairs to hold. 
• Met up with second engine company and flowed water on second floor.  Found shut door. 
• Captain E7 found 2 kids in bedroom (DOA) 
• Searching another room found kid (boot first) 
• Dragged her out (over knee with her head down) passed her off to another FF. 
• Continued to search that room (heard glass breaking-E4 VES and found another girl right under window sill.) Brian continued to search bed-tic swung and caught his attention and he found an 18 month old wrapped up in the bed-passed baby off to another FF.
• FF Mayday occurs when FF fell through floor.  Ended up going defensive.  5 total kids removed. 
• Reports of one missing.  Shut down ladder and found last kid in blowtorching room. 
• 3 rescues/3 recoveries
• Take-Aways
   
  • Closed doors by time-even with heavy fire
  • Search beds thoroughly
  • Mental side-peer support  
• https://wsbt.com/news/local/fire-flames-smoke-children-dead-house-home-investigation-cause-fund-fundraiser-family-smith-six-laporte-avenue-south-bend-indiana

Contact Brian [email protected]

[email protected]

Retired Battalion Chief Darby (28 years) and Firefighter Kevin Allen (7 Years)

Danville Fire Department (Illinois)

Grab date 11/6/2025

1.5 Story wood frame with detached garage

22:48 arrival 1st unit....23:00 victim removed from division 2 window

140-150 lb male victim

Ladder assisted rescue

Take aways....continue to prioritize search, we confirm by searching that the building is clear, constant sizeup during fire suppression

Be humble because at some point in your career you will be humbled

[email protected]

Grabs 177 Pulaski Fire Department, Virginia (4/30/25)

• Lt John Hall 
• Pulaski Fire 
• April 30, 2025
• One station combination dept 
• 3 story apartment complex, downtown 
• Heavy fire C side, 3rd floor 
• Victim presented at window, 3rd floor. 
• Victim on counter top sticking head out kitchen window. 
• They wanted to take her out the window to the bucket of the ladder truck but it wasn’t there yet.  
• They assisted victim to walk out from 3rd floor. 

[email protected]

Grabs 176 North County Fire Protection District (7/28/25) 

• Thomas Outzen Captain
• North County Fire Protection District
• July 28th, 2025
• Double wide mobile home
• Arrival about 0656 hours and removal around 0704
• Approx 275lbs+
• Initially attempted to under arm drag, needed assistance and went with push/pull
• 1. Everything moving quick and going "right" still doesn't mean a successful outcome
• 2. be heads up on the fire ground for comms and as proactive as your departmental scope allows
• 3. don't be afraid to make a decision and stick with it, but be ready for the what ifs both internally and from others
• 4. have a good debrief, look after everyone

[email protected]

Grabs 175 Columbia, SC (October 8, 2016)

• Morgan Craver, Volunteer Firefighter
• Columbia-Richland FD
• During Hurricane Matthew 
• Phone call from BC, reporting tree on a house. 
• Rural area with Engine and Tender 2 on each 
• Tree split manufactured home in half with the home on fire. 
• Line pulled and fire knocked from outside
• Lots of family members-ran up to report grandma inside. 
• Family showed where victim was (behind door, they couldn’t open) trapped behind locked door and tree. 
• Mule kick door open (a few tries) smoke at about 3’ duck below allowed him to see victim. 
• Backward drag under victim’s arms 
• 250-300 lb victim 
• Engineer and family member assisted with removal. 
• < 5minutes 
• 24 minutes until second arrival rig due to trees down. 
• Take-Aways
   
  • Develop a routine 
• 
  
  • Plan for Audible when you’re far out from incoming companies 
• 
  

[email protected]

Nick speaks with Matt Goodner about a rescue made on March, 26th, 2023.

Name and Rank:

Matt Goodner - Firefighter

Department Name:

Danville Fire Department (IL)

Date of Grab:

March 26th, 2023

Type of Building:

Two-story, type 3, eight unit multi-family low income apartment building.  Four units per floor connected by open hallways with open stairwells on each side of the building.  This complex has 30 buildings of the same size and construction.  

Approximate Time from Arrival to Removal:

6-8 minutes

Weight of the Victim:

325-350 pounds

Method of Removal:

Extension ladder to a second story window.  

Takeaways:

The physical and psychological effects of stress and adrenaline are real.  Auditory exclusion and tunnel vision came crashing in hard on this call.  Training was crucial because my body went into autopilot mode. 

We needed predetermined plays for our crew that Identified which circumstances and indicators would cause a shift from fire attack to victim rescue. 

Parallel ladders should be the play when possible.

In the days and weeks after the dust settles, there's an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows, pride and humility, and second-guessing and what-ifs.  Navigating all of those thoughts and scenarios wasn't something I ever expected.  

[email protected]