GRABS Podcast

Grabs 154 Midwest City, OK (1/18/25)

Grant speaks with Dan Herren about a grab they made on 1/18/25

Captain Dan Herren

6:30 AM Toned to mutual aid fire (Spencer)

Engine on scene already from Spencer with line stretched.

Arrival 7:50 after first engine

1 story 800 SF SFD (Fire showing from roof)

Go straight to BC corner

Window search-Upon taking noticed floor to ceiling hoarding conditions

Chose different room to start.  Search room and then into hall and rest of house.

Victim found in bathroom (by second rescuer to search it)

Dirty drag back to front door (path of least resistance) Arms and Legs (Head first)

250 lbs not slippery and fully clothed.

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* Grabs 153 Iona McGregor Fire (Fort Myers, FL) (1/23/25)

* Grant speaks with Nick Fischer about a grab he made on 1/23/25

* BC first arrive on scene

* Light smoke showing.

* Reported victim inside

* Engine 2 minutes behind BC

* BC went in-smoke down to 3’, ducked under smoke and found victim in bedroom

* 150 lb vict-put over shoulder to remove.

* Saw the fire in the closet, isolated bedroom on way out.

* Gave incoming units their assignments and did 360 prior to arrival of next in.

* Discussion on go no go for BC arriving before suppression unit.

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* Grabs 152 San Diego, CA (1/19/2025)

* Nick speaks with Michael Culver about a grab they made on 1/19/25

* Name and Rank: Michael Culver, Firefighter 3 / PM

* Department Name: San Diego Fire-Rescue Dept

* Date of Grab: 1/19/25

* Type of building: single story Residential

* Approx time from arrival to removal: arrival 18:32, removal 18:35

* Weight of the victim (approximately): 110 lbs

* Method of removal: lift and cradle carry, handled to another firefighter out the window.

* 3-4 takeaways for show notes: assignment flexiblity, don't attempt something mult times if not working, risk considerations

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* Grabs 151 Watauga Fire Department, TX (1/7/2025)

* 1/7/25

* Grant speaks with Clayton Miller about a grab they made on 1/7/25

* FF Clayton Miller

* 2 story residential

* 2317-2325

* Vict weight 285

* Under arm and leg drag to window, out the window of the room

* On scene, family told us exactly where he was in the house. Victim said that when he couldn’t get out, he got as low as he could and waited for our guys to come get them. Guy was stable upon removal and medic crew that found him transported him. Cyanokit was administered. House was high content load, the fire was relatively small but conditions in the fire room were good. Good visibility, but everything in the house was cluttered

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Grabs 150 East Madison, IN (6/12/24)

Nick speaks with Kyle Thomas about a grab they made on 6/12/24

Kyle Thomas, Captain

East Madison Fire Territory

6/12/2024

2 story single family home

Approx time from arrival to removal (4 minutes to removal)

Weight of the victim (approximately 110lbs)

Method of removal (Simple grab and drag)

A few takeaways I had were people are hot when they're in a fire and very slick.
I did a simple left handed search and located her.  Probably should have used my TIC but honestly didn't think about it.

I found her with my hands and probably would have missed her if I had tried searching with a tool.

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Grabs 149 Spokane Fire, Washington (4/20/24)

Grant speaks with Brennen and Cliff about a grab they make in Spokane on 4/20/24

Brennen Cooke (FF) and Cliff York (Driver)

Story and a half balloon frame house 1600 SF

Heavy Fire front of structure (neighbor called, unknown occupants)

Split Search

Hoarder Conditions

Arrival to first victim out- about 7 minutes

7 minutes from first victim to last victim out

2 year old boy, 7 year old boy, ~275lb adult male, ~300+ lb adult female

All 4 came out the half story window

If forcing a door, do life fire layout immediately; don't clear jamb and then finish what you're doing first

Actually might have to dig for victims in hoarder conditions

Do more training with cyano-kits

Bring a ladder every time when assigned for search

Make sure to do a victim 360

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* Grabs 148 Bowling Green, KY (1/26/2022)

* Jeffrey Bryant speaks with Corey Mahaney about a grab made on January 26th, 2022

* Some takeaways that I have are, I wish I would have flipped him over on his back. Because I was so close to the door and he was just laying on trash I drug him out face first. When we got off the truck we had a bystander in the yard saying that the victim ran back inside to look for his cat. We knew his last known location and did a targeted search based off our information. I remember there was thick black smoke pushing out of the front door and it was banked down to within a couple feet of the floor. Once I got right inside the door I could see his feet and knew he was face down. Quick mask up time is one thing that I think made this a quick grab. I was masking up as I was walking across the yard and when I got to the front door I was ready to go in. After the victim was out in the yard I opened his mouth and it has just a coating of black soot inside. Other firemen on scene took over patient care then the Patient was transported to a burn center. He is still alive as far as I know. After this me and my captain did VES to other rooms. The first victim was the only person located. The first room we tried to do VES through a window and stuff was stacked from the floor to ceiling we couldn’t make entry. The 2nd window I was able to climb in, while my captain stayed out with the tic. I was climbing on trash and I will never forget it was clear as could be in the room and before I got the whole room searched I had fire on top of the ceiling just rolling toward the flow path the broken window made. I know this is not part of the grab but it was the only experience I have had on the fire ground like this.

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* Grabs 147 Cobb County, GA (Dec 7, 2024)

* Jake Rogers, Captain Sean Gray

* https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SzbLMjyczK0

* Jake’s first fire, second week on the job.

* Residential fire right around the corner.

* Basement fire with flames showing.

* Initial plan was stretch 1.75” line, 30’ setback to bravo side.

* Met by woman at AB corner, screaming that her husband was inside. (Soot on her face)

* In bed, disabled and had dementia, right inside front door to the left.

* Pivoted to rescue mode and made entry in front door.

* 15’ down and 15’ back from door.

* No viz and hot

* Cobb county uses feet against the wall.

* Called out when he got to room, was quiet and heard groaning. Found Hospital bed with lots of blankets and victim.

* Pulled victim to legs and then ground from the bed. 160-170 lbs

* Wrist lock for removal and protected his head as best he could.

* Went out using bottle against the wall until met by LT. LT lead him the rest of the way out.

* Victim out before second due arrived. 1:30-2 min.

* Passed victim off and continued with fire attack.

* https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Keugk3hwb5G-pJdMEmyVv2BPaochHgJ

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* Grabs 146 Rural Metro

* Nick Ledin Speaks with Nick Johnson about a grab they had on Dec 6, 2024

* Nick Johnson, Resident Firefighter

* Rural Metro Fire

* Dec 6th 2024

* Single Wide Trailer

* 3-4 minutes

* 180-200 pounds

* Drag method

* Listening to occupants on the location of a victim is absolutely necessary to ensure a quick rescue.

* Planning in the truck enroute to call the also helps speed up rescue time as each member knows their job when the company is in rescue mode.

* Backseat guys need to absolutely be ready to go interior coming off the truck.

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Grabs 145 Mandan Fire, ND (1/14/2024)

JB talks with Lt Erik Short from Mandan Fire.  They talk about a grab that was made on 1/14/24

Air consumption rate during a rescue.

How smaller departments can/ need to have a culture of being aggressive.

Getting solid Intel on possible victims.

Practical training.

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