LSFD Tackles Difficult Vinewood Inferno

On Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 5:45 PM, 5 LSFD Engines, 2 LSFD Ambulances and the EMS Bureau Chief responded to a multiple alarm structure fire at the Vinewood Street Burgershot branch, under the direction of Lieutenant Gregory Caravello.

Firefighters were summoned by multiple 9-1-1 calls and the branch's fire alarm, arriving quickly to find thick smoke showing from the back of the building. Traffic on one of Los Santos' busiest streets came to a stand-still as barricades and roadblocks were erected by members of the Los Santos Police Department and San Andreas Sheriff's Department.

Unable to ascertain whether or not there were people still inside, an Interior Attack team was immediately mobilized and the order to make forcible entry was given. The crew made their way through the partially involved dining area and began swiftly suppressing the bulk of the fire that was advancing from the kitchen.

The flames were extremely stubborn and continued to leap back at the firefighters despite their best efforts to quell them, and so an exterior team began strategic vertical ventilation via the building's roof, curbing the flashover-like conditions inside. The Interior Attack crew's primary search had also, at this point, not yielded any victims.

The intense assault on the blaze continued as a second team entered in response to a radioed request for assistance. The diligence of both these groups quickly paid off as the fire was brought under control, with no indications of re-kindling being likely.

Having achieved a successful knockdown of the fire, a secondary search ensued, with no results. The Los Santos Fire Department were able to salvage most of the dining area and bathroom fittings, but a maul of soot and rubble was all that remained of the kitchen.

Despite the absence of sprinklers in the building, damage was limited to only $75,000 ($50,000 structure & $25,000 contents), thanks to the exertion of Los Santos firefighters.

The cause remains under active investigation, but arson officials have speculated that it was simply down to faulty kitchen appliances.

No civilians or LSFD personell were injured.

Submitted by Brett Carnahan, Community Liaison Officer
Los Santos Fire Department

Stubborn El Corona Residential Fire Lights the Night

On Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 2:55 AM, 1 LSFD Engine and 1 LSFD Ladder Truck responded to a two-alarm residential structure fire with firefighter injury at 3 Numb Alley, El Corona, under the direction of EMS Bureau Chief Brett Carnahan.

Firefighters were met with a distraught resident claiming that their kitchen was overcome with smoke and flames. This was immediately evident by the light fire showing at the rear of the single family dwelling. Multiple handlines were set-up and an Interior Attack team made swift, forcible entry into the property, mounting an aggressive offensive on the seat of the fire. Vertical ventilation via the house's roof simultaneously ensued.

The fire was knocked down in approximately 20 minutes with no injuries reported. However, during the salvage and overhaul operation, a member of the Interior Attack team (who had been left alone for reasons currently unbeknownst to investigators) was allegedly overwhelmed by the conditions of the house, left incapacitated.

Dollar loss from the fire has been estimated at $150,000 ($100,000 structure & $50,000 contents).

The injured firefighter was discharged by medical personell on-scene.

Submitted by Brett Carnahan, Community Liaison Officer
Los Santos Fire Department

LSFD's Best on Show at ASGH

On Saturday, March 12, 2011, the Los Santos Fire Department held a car show across the All Saints General Hospital for the citizens of Los Santos. Under the eye of Fire Chief Jason Scotts and later Commissioner Stuart Collins, the Department presented their most important vehicles and equipment to the eager citizens. Soon after the first announcements went through radio and television broadcasts, a small group of interested people joined the show.

It was clear to see that a good handful of people wanted to know more about the work and apparatus of the Fire Department. Under guidance of Probationary Firefighter Leon Kardinal, Firefighter I Peter Brennan and also Lieutenant Gregory Carvarello, the group were brought to and taught about each individual vehicle, from ambulance to Lifeflight.

Karinal exhibited each and every piece of equipment found on the fire engine used for the usual firefighting runs and was quick to answer the questions of his intrigued audience. Brennan made a quick excursion into the world of the Rescue Ambulances and demonstrated several lifesaving equipment and techniques, from applying a C-Collar up to the administration of IV fluids. The people showed an equal amount of interest between each vehicle.

Soon thereafter, the crowd grew bigger and more and more people joined the show with definite excitement. One aspect that became clearer throughout the night was that most citizens were not familiar with some of the vehicles and arsenals of equipment. As a result, we received questions like: What is a HAZMAT truck and how is it different from a normal fire engine? - all of which were quickly answered.

The fleet tonight was:

- 1 LSFD Fire Engine
- 1 HAZMAT Response Truck
- 1 LSFD Ladder Truck
- 1 Rescue Ambulance (RA)
- 1 Fire Rancher
- 1 Administration Premier
- 1 RID Sultan + 1 RID Rancher
- 2 Air Units (Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV & Sikorsky S-76 Spirit)

Submitted by Femke Watson, Public Service Officer
Los Santos Fire Department

Firefighter Trapped in Downtown High-Rise Inferno

On Monday, March 7, 2011 at 9:55 PM, 5 LSFD Engines, 4 LSFD Rescue Ambulances, 3 Battalion Chiefs and a Rapid Intervention Unit responded to a Greater Alarm structure fire with firefighter injuries at the San Andreas Network company building ('SAN Tower') in Downtown Los Santos, under the direction of EMS Bureau Chief Brett Carnahan and Fire Chief Jason Scotts.

Responding to several 9-1-1 calls and the building's fire alarm, first-due LSFD Firefighters arrived quickly to find the 73 story commercial building showing heavy smoke and fire from the lobby and the first, second and third floors. Multiple persons were unaccounted for in the evacuation efforts and were believed to be trapped inside.

Firefighters mounted an immediate, aggressive offense with multiple handlines and powerful master streamers, whilst a three-man Interior Attack crew made forcible entry on the uninvolved lobby doors. The team continued their search through the smoke-charged lobby, suppressing the flames that were now ascending the main stairwell.

Several minutes into the intense fire fight, the Interior Attack crew were relayed information about the specific whereabouts of the trapped workers, through radio communication with a fellow SAN employee outside. Multiple smoke-exposed but uninjured persons were subsequently found and led outside, among which were SAN executives Kaylis Wyatt and Thomas Henderson (who were broadcasting at the time of the fire).

An all-out attack on the blaze continued as the trio of firefighters re-entered to complete their Primary Check of the structure, quickly making their way up the now unhindered stairwell and accessing the third floor. However, whilst performing a systematic room-to-room search, a partial roof collapse occurred, trapping one of the team members.

The imperiled firefighter immediately activated the 'emergency trigger' on his handheld radio, alerting the Incident Commander of his circumstances. Despite the other two crew members' best efforts to free their trapped colleague, the fallen rubble was too heavy to clear, and so an on-site Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) was assembled outside and swiftly deployed to carry out the rescue extrication.

The RIT company used powerful hydraulic pistons to shift the fallen rubble, freeing the pinned firefighter in a matter of minutes. Soon thereafter, he was quickly brought out of the building and admitted treatment for moderate bruising and smoke inhalation.

The rescued firefighter and four civilians were all discharged on-scene, having only suffered minor injuries.

It took Los Santos Fire Department personell approximately 50 minutes for a complete knockdown of the fire. The cause itself remains under active investigation, and the dollar loss is still being tabulated.

Submitted by Brett Carnahan, Community Liaison Officer
Los Santos Fire Department