Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue VALOROUS UNIT AWARD BRONZE AWARD SILVER AWARD

At0728

Units were dispatched to Dumfries for a structure fire with flames in the basement. Responding units were informed that the caller’s grandchild was still upstairs. Engine 503, Truck 523, and Engine 523 arrived nearly simultaneously finding a working basement fire with fire extending into the first floor. An enormous amount of smoke and high heat met Engine 503 and 523 as they entered the basement and first floor for fire attack. Truck 523 immediately pulled ground ladders and set up on side Charlie for Vent, Enter, Search, and Isolate on the second floor. To do so Truck 523 had to set a ladder to the deck and lift a heavy ladder up and onto the deck to access the second floor. As Truck 523 searched the room they located an unconscious female lying inside the bedroom closet. The patient was barely breathing with agonal respirations. The crew, expecting to find a small child, was unprepared to find a large adult victim and couldn’t exit the structure without additional resources. The crew elected to protect in place. With aggressive ventilation crews created a tenable condition.

Lieutenant Dempsey and Technician, I Wallace took turns removing their SCBA providing air to the victim while positioning themselves beside the open window to access clean air. Aggressive fire attack took place below by Engines 503 and 523. An aerial ladder was placed to the second-floor window for victim removal. The patient was speaking with crews prior to being placed in the medevac.