IEDs & the Firefighter

Although rare, you must be ready to face the challenge of explosive devices & terrorist incidents

After the attacks on 9/11, the manner in which the fire service does business has completely changed. The incidents that occurred that day opened up many eyes to the threat we all face. Make no mistake about it: The fire service has evolved tenfold since that day, and the level of the training bar has been raised. Technology and availability of funding for new equipment has made us more efficient and safer.

When you go on regular calls, you’re probably not thinking about 9/11 and terrorists. But the truth is, you should address the threat of terrorism in your size-up when responding to certain types of incidents. Some will argue that a fire in a wood-frame private dwelling in a rural area might not warrant such a mindset. Let me enlighten you a little.

Look at It Another Way
You pull up to a two-story wood-frame structure with fire showing out three windows on the second floor. Routine structure fire, right? Not so fast.

Even though such an incident doesn’t necessarily indicate terrorism, we might just have ourselves some sort of drug lab, or a possible bomb-making factory. And although a frame dwelling in a rural area is not a likely place for a terrorist, this could be the place the terrorists are using to make the device they’ll eventually use in a more populated area. That is why terrorism should be in the back of your head.

Getting Specific: IEDs
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) pose a real threat to firefighters here in the United States; they’ve already been used extensively overseas in places such as Spain, Russia and the Middle East. In worldwide terrorist attacks, an explosive device is used nearly 50 percent of the time. Here in the United States, that percentage is much higher, around 86 percent.

There are many reasons why terrorists like to use these types of devices: They are low risk to the terrorist because they require minimal skills to construct, they can be detonated remotely and material needed to build them is readily available.

 The most common IEDs are the devices worn by suicide bombers. Similar devices are also placed in trains, planes and automobiles; as a result, a routine operation such as an automobile fire can actually be something much more devastating. You must reevaluate and adjust your standard operating procedures (SOPs) to take into account all the intelligence we gather on terrorism and apply it to each individual incident.
IED classification can be broken down into three types:

• Type I—A device left in a package or a bag.
• Type II—A device worn by a person, such as a vest on a suicide bomber, and detonated in a crowded area.
• Type III—A device inserted into a vehicle. These devices pose a greater hazard because more explosives can be loaded into them. A car trunk can hold up to 150 lbs. of explosives, a small pick-up can hold up to 3,000 lbs. and a large truck up to 4,000 lbs. We don’t need to imagine the damage that a large truck bomb will incur—the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 gives us a good idea.

What to Do
The ATF has issued guidelines for evacuation distances required for various types of IEDs, taking into account the blast range, the minimal evacuation distance and falling glass hazards. Regardless of the type, you should be prepared for devastation at the scene, large fire on arrival, building collapse and hazmat concerns—not to mention the issue of a secondary device intentionally set to injure or kill first responders.

Unit assignments to these types of incidents will vary depending on jurisdiction, but the basic elements remain the same: Fire, police and EMS response will be required. Smaller jurisdictions should have a mutual aid plan in place and be able to execute it when needed.

However, operational elements at these events at any locale should remain standard:

• Rescue or evacuate endangered persons;
• Use monitoring equipment to check for the presence of a CBRN weapon;
• Administer first aid to those needing it;
• Extinguish the fire;
• Ladder the building if possible;
• Conduct searches of all affected areas and structures;
• Stabilize collapsed structures;
• Mitigate hazards; and
• Report actions taken to affected agencies.

Safety Concerns
When carrying out the above actions, you must be cognizant of safety as well. Things to remember include:

• Establish an initial isolation zone;
• Rescue and remove people as necessary in a safe manner;
• Monitor the atmosphere;
• Extinguish fire from a safe distance if you suspect a secondary device; and
• Be aware you may be working in a crime scene area.

Always be ready for a secondary device. Avoid tunnel vision, and refrain from using your radio unless necessary. Identify suspicious vehicles and packages and do not approach them. If you suspect a secondary device, evacuate the area.

Apparatus positioning is also important. All engines should be hooked up to a hydrant or a dedicated water supply. Aerial and tower ladders should be used for rescue and then repositioned away from the affected structure. Tip: Place a tower ladder out of the collapse zone and use it as an observation platform.

Be Prepared
These are some of the issues and concerns confronting the fire service at operations that might look routine, but can quickly turn out to be anything but. Prepare yourself and your members to respond and operate at these incidents through training in explosives and terrorism awareness. Remember: This can occur on your shift. Will you be ready?

Chief Fred LaFemina is a 24-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), presently chief of Rescue Operations. He has been with Special Operations for more than 20 years and is the task force leader for New York’s Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue team. He is also the operations chief on the USAR IST White Team. LaFemina has written many articles on fire operations and technical rescue and lectures throughout the country. He is a technical editor of FireRescue.