25 Years Later... Hackensack Firefighters LODD

[RWC130 594]

Hackensack tragedy from a quarter-century ago changed the way fires are fought

SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY JUNE 30, 2013, 1:25 AM

BY HANNAN ADELY

STAFF WRITER

THE RECORD

When firefighters responded to the Ford dealership on River Street in Hackensack 25 years ago, they did not know how deceptive the blaze would prove to be, nor how ill-equipped they were to fight it. They did not know that five of them would not survive.

That fateful day, July 1, 1988, the firemen rushed inside to knock down a fire they thought to be like any other they’d faced.

After 35 minutes, the dealership’s 60-ton bow-truss roof collapsed, killing three firefighters. Two others were trapped inside, radioing for help, but they could not be rescued before their air ran out.

STORY: http://www.northjersey.com/news/Hackensack_tragedy_from_a_quarter-century_ago_changed_the_way_fires_are_fought.html

REST IN PEACE BROTHERS!

[Bnechis 3,961]

We were sitting in station 3's kitchen watching the news of the fire in Hackensack before the collapse and we could not believe that they did not know it was a truss building. We saw that is what it was and how advanced the fire was. I remember the descussion that they needed to backout and then it collapsed.

I will never forget.

If you and your dept. did not learn the painful lessons of that day, then shame on you!

If you do not train every member in building construction and how fire effects it (and how it effects fire) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do building inspections or at least walk throught and document hazards you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not have seperate fireground and dispatch channels (and use them everytime) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do accountability (so you know where your firefighters are operating) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

if you do not operate a command post with enough people to track resources and be able to hear all radio traffic (because the chief is trying to multi task to many jobs) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not evaluate & reevaluate conflicting condition reports you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you exceed proper span of control you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not stage tactical reserves you did not learn the leasons of that day.

In Westchester, many of these lessons were never learned or they have been forgotten.

I will never forget.

[RWC130 594]

As Bnechis pointed out a lot of lessons to be learned from that day.

Let no man's ghost return to say his training let him down.

[38ff 250]

I knew Captain William's son, Craig. Unfortuately, Craig took his own life a few years back, and his fathers loss had a lot to do with it.

[X2321 133]

A nice video done by the Bergen Record on the 25th anniversary of the Hackensack Ford fire.

http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/Hackensack_tragedy_from_a_quarter-century_ago_changed_the_way_fires_are_fought.html

[SmokeyJoe 161]

We were sitting in station 3's kitchen watching the news of the fire in Hackensack before the collapse and we could not believe that they did not know it was a truss building. We saw that is what it was and how advanced the fire was. I remember the descussion that they needed to backout and then it collapsed.

I will never forget.

If you and your dept. did not learn the painful lessons of that day, then shame on you!

If you do not train every member in building construction and how fire effects it (and how it effects fire) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do building inspections or at least walk throught and document hazards you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not have seperate fireground and dispatch channels (and use them everytime) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do accountability (so you know where your firefighters are operating) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

if you do not operate a command post with enough people to track resources and be able to hear all radio traffic (because the chief is trying to multi task to many jobs) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not evaluate & reevaluate conflicting condition reports you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you exceed proper span of control you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not stage tactical reserves you did not learn the leasons of that day.

In Westchester, many of these lessons were never learned or they have been forgotten.

I will never forget.

Thanks Cap! Great points

[CFI609D 119]

We were sitting in station 3's kitchen watching the news of the fire in Hackensack before the collapse and we could not believe that they did not know it was a truss building. We saw that is what it was and how advanced the fire was. I remember the descussion that they needed to backout and then it collapsed.

I will never forget.

If you and your dept. did not learn the painful lessons of that day, then shame on you!

If you do not train every member in building construction and how fire effects it (and how it effects fire) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do building inspections or at least walk throught and document hazards you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not have seperate fireground and dispatch channels (and use them everytime) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not do accountability (so you know where your firefighters are operating) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

if you do not operate a command post with enough people to track resources and be able to hear all radio traffic (because the chief is trying to multi task to many jobs) you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not evaluate & reevaluate conflicting condition reports you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you exceed proper span of control you did not learn the leasons of that day.

If you do not stage tactical reserves you did not learn the leasons of that day.

In Westchester, many of these lessons were never learned or they have been forgotten.

I will never forget.

Very well put, Captain.

I can think of no better way to honor the memory of these brothers than to learn from this tragedy and make ourselves safer and smarter firefighters. Spread the word and share the knowledge on this sad week for the fire service. Look into the mirror and ask yourselves the questions posed above.