Q&A
Safety concerns and equipment for canines during investigations
1:00:57
·
3 min
Chief Fire Marshal Flynn discusses the safety measures and equipment used to protect both fire marshals and canines during investigations. He emphasizes the importance of scene evaluation and proper protective gear.
- Fire marshals wait until the scene is safe before conducting investigations
- Canine handlers evaluate the scene for potential hazards before deploying dogs
- Protective equipment for dogs includes booties to protect their feet from sharp objects
- Fire marshals have various protective equipment, including helmets, bunker gear, and respirators
- The department is piloting new gear specifically designed for fire investigation
Joann Ariola
1:00:57
Okay.
1:00:57
And just just are there any safety concerns?
1:01:01
And is safety gear used for the the dogs?
Daniel Flynn
1:01:04
There there's always safety concerns in any any incident with with the marshal also, we are very concerned, and we try we do not operate in what we would call hot zones.
1:01:15
We wait until fire operations has has extinguished the fire, conducted their overhaul process, searched for pockets of fire, made sure that the scene is safe.
1:01:25
So we want to evaluate that scene prior to conducting any investigations.
1:01:29
And as I mentioned
Joann Ariola
1:01:36
Okay.
1:01:37
We're gonna ask you chief just to move the mic a little closer.
1:01:40
They can't hear you out over in the media.
1:01:43
Sure.
Daniel Flynn
1:01:45
Yeah.
1:01:46
So I
Joann Ariola
1:01:46
hear you just fine, Esther.
Daniel Flynn
1:01:47
I'm sorry.
1:01:47
The so we go there and we will evaluate that scene.
1:01:51
Of course, in every scene, not just the canine related scene.
1:01:55
We will have to make sure that we're gonna be safe there.
1:01:57
So we do provide equipment for not only the canines, but our marshals as well.
1:02:02
So we want to make sure that we are operating with best practices when it comes to fire investigation.
1:02:09
So we will go there and evaluate everything not just for the human hazard, but for the canine hazard.
1:02:16
So the canine handler will get there.
1:02:19
Take a look at the area because it may be jagged glass on the floor, and we don't want to run the door.
1:02:25
We do have booties for the dog that will cover their feet to protect their feet from any sharp objects.
1:02:32
But that determination will be done by the handler ultimately.
1:02:35
We're never in a force a hand or to conduct a search that does not feel that it's safe.
1:02:41
But some of the personal protective equipment that we give to the marshals, we give them a helmet, a regular fire helmet.
1:02:47
You keep that helmet when you become a marshal.
1:02:49
We also give them a hard hat type helmet with a light on it.
1:02:53
We give them they keep a set of bunker gear.
1:02:55
That's the fully the firefighting gear, structural firefighting gear.
1:02:59
We keep one set of those.
1:03:01
We're actually piloting multiple other sets of gear that we think may be specific to fire investigation, which actually it would be revolutionary in the world of the fire investigation.
1:03:11
None exists right now.
1:03:12
We we would be developing the only the newest and most revolutionary fire fire investigative gear probably in the world.
1:03:22
So we have 3 sets of gear.
1:03:23
We've been piloting that for a year now, and we think we're pretty close to making a decision on what that would look like because the bunker gear is generally not the best practice for fire investigation.
1:03:33
It's very hot, and it's it's not you know, the dexterity is lost in in that as well and you become you may be operating for an extended period of time and it could be bad for the for the marshal.
1:03:44
We give them pair of bunker boots, which is regular structural firefighting boots.
1:03:48
We also give them a pair of tech rescue boots, which is is probably better for for us to operate in long term.
1:03:54
They get 1 coverall, which is kind of like a mechanics jumpsuit.
1:04:00
They also get a pair of work gloves, and we also provide them with a half face respirator with p 100 cartridges, which we believe would be sufficient in most cold zones in fire to filter out particulates from getting into their respiratory system.
1:04:15
And we also give a pair of safety goggles.
