LODD Hackensack, NJ Ford Dealership Fire - July 1, 1988

[RWC130 594]

On July 1, 1988 (5) Hackensack, New Jersey Firefighters were

killed in the Line of Duty at the Hackensack Ford Dealership Fire.

- Capt. Richard L. Williams, Engine 304

- Lt. Richard R. Reinhagen, Engine 302

- Firefighter William Krejsa, Engine 301

- Firefighter Leonard Radumski, Engine 302

- Firefighter Stephen Ennis, Engine 308

You will never be forgotten.

REST IN PEACE BROTHERS!

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Another watershed moment for the fire service. Its unfortunate that this is the only way we change and learn.

Rest in Peace Brothers.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Rest in Peace.

[38ff 250]

I was a personal friend of CPT Williams son, Craig. Unfortunately, he also died before his time. May they both RIP.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Rest In Peace.

[Bnechis 3,961]

On July 1, 1988 (5) Hackensack, New Jersey

You will never be forgotten.

Another watershed moment for the fire service. Its unfortunate that this is the only way we change and learn. Rest in Peace Brothers.

I remeber we were sitting in the Fire House Kitchen when the news of the fire broke and live fotage was interupting whatever was on. We all said: "They do not realize that they are operating at a bowstring truss". We could see it on the news 10-15 minutes before the collapse.

I hate to say it but, the majority of the fire service has already forgotten this or never learned the leason of this fire (and others).

• If we allow our firefighters to respond to and enter structures without understanding the hazards of different construction, we have forgotten.
  
• If we fail to utilize proper communications (including seperate fireground and dispatch) systems, we have forgotten.
  
• If we fail to have enough firefighters during the early stages of a fire and enough in reserve (FAST & Stagging), we have forgotten.
  
• If we fail to regularly inspect (and preplan) structures and allow illegal and dangerious practices to continue, we have forgotten.
  
• When span of control is exceded and ICS not utilized, IC get overloaded and can not protect the members, we have forgotten.
  

The above conditions still occur in many departments and we will again have another incident that we "Will Never Forget".

Does your minimum training include; building construction for the fire service?

Does your dept. know its district and the hazards in it? If you do not do inspections/preplans, than the answer is NO.

Do you have proper communications (every LODD report says most do not)?

Do you have enough staff, early enough and trained properly?

Do you have properly trained staff, with the resources to command and properly run a firefight.

I keep fighting this fight, because I do remember.

"Let no man's ghost return to say: MY Training Let Me Down"

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Once again Cap is spot on, its easy to put a sticker on your helmet that says "Never Forget," its quite another to actually remember.

[SmokeyJoe 161]

Once again Cap is spot on, its easy to put a sticker on your helmet that says "Never Forget," its quite another to actually remember.

Amen brother

[INIT915 1,119]

http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/Research/DealershipHackensack.pdf

NFPA Report

[CFI609D 119]

Let us honor their sacrifice by doing all we can to better understand our common enemy: building construction and other hazards out there. Sadly the risks have only grown with the increased use of lightweight engineered building materials. Keep training and stay safe!

[antiquefirelt 994]

The tragedy in Hackensack happened in the early years of my being on the local VFD. It's the first real incident I remember being used in training at nearly every class for a few years afterward. The fear of bowstring trusses was pounded into us (our response area including normal M/A had none). Until the dangers of lightweight trusses came out, nothing else seemed to be as dangerous. In fact, we put so much emphasis on the danger of the bowstring truss, that we ignored the inherent dangers of other types of construction.

Just a few years ago I sat on a promotions exam board for one of the larger career FD's in the state evaluating the tactical simulator portion or the candidates exams. One part of this had 360 degree pictures of buildings in their city and they had to list concerns/considerations for each. With the exception of one, they all missed a bowstring roof. Sadly, one of the evaluators (a B/C from another larger career FD) didn't get it as two of us discussed this after the testing. Many of these candidates had been firefighters when Hackensack Ford happened, yet it seemed that not everyone learned the same lesson that I'd thought was driven onto us all.

As has been noted with regard to the NYS curriculum and others, our State's FF1&2 program merely glosses over building construction while pointing out it's importance. I truly beleive that my having pounded nails for years helped me immensely from the smallest task of routing out hotspots to be promoted. (Brannigan's Building Construction book is heavily used in our promotions testing)

Anyway, wrapping this up, I'd say the Fire Service seemed to do a good job of turning Hackensack into a "teachable moment" after it happened, and while some other tragic LODD's are used today, many of those from the year before should not be relegated to the past, they still have significant implications.

Edited July 2, 2012 by antiquefirelt

[firecapt32 282]

Firefighter one might as you say "Gloss" over Building construction but as a Instructor i and many of my brother Instructors always state this is just the begining--learn your buildings- take a building construction course. Do not let this be the last you see of building construction.

Capt Nechis is right never say your training let you down

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Firefighter one might as you say "Gloss" over Building construction but as a Instructor i and many of my brother Instructors always state this is just the begining--learn your buildings- take a building construction course. Do not let this be the last you see of building construction.

Capt Nechis is right never say your training let you down

"The building is your enemy, and you must know your enemy" -Brannigan