Chimney Fires & Covering Jets?

[Messyshaw]

I have been online this evening as I am looking for a walking break in beautiful Scotland in September, when I came across a website which is a diary for a small village 2 miles west of Fort William

Hats off to any fire station crew in such a remote location, as without the benefit of the luxurious back up around the corner like we have in most parts of London & the SE of England, I bet it can be a bit lonely up there when the brown stuff hits the fan

The website shows the local crew in action at a chimney job. I was a bit concerned when I saw the setting in to a hydrant - but have a look at the 3rd photo, a covering jet for a chimney fire?

I will own up, I went to perhaps < 12 chimney jobs in 32 years so my knowledge is limited. But has anyone here used a 45mm hose and covering jet on a chimney before????

http://kilchoan.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/chimney-fire.html

[TandA]

Not sure what equipment they carry on that appliance, the pictures may not tell the whole story and I guess an alp is out of the question but I can only think of one chimney fire where I have had to put ladders up and go anywhere near the pot let alone use a jet to cool the outside of the pot.  I have seen pots shatter explosively due to sudden cooling and that coupled with the steam produced by a good chimney fire means I wouldn't want anyone on the roof applying water.  Stirrup pump, rods and judicious use of water does the trick 99% of the time.

Messy - I hope that your "2 miles outside Fort William" is wrong.  I know you more senior folk drive a little slower than us whippersnappers but the site you link to says two hour drive outside Fort William.  Surely even you manage more than two miles in two hours?  

[Br9mp81]

One of the lads on our is a touring biker last year he was talking to some local volunteers at  a remote station on the top west coast of scotland on their last ever drill night before closure the next "pump" an hour away on a good day.

[Carefree]

Have used the chimney gear once and whilst we went on the roof using the 135 (the fire/embers were quite high up in the chimney) it never got to the stage of using a jet or even a hosereel.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Carefree

[Messyshaw]

1 hour ago, TandA said:

Messy - I hope that your "2 miles outside Fort William" is wrong.  I know you more senior folk drive a little slower than us whippersnappers but the site you link to says two hour drive outside Fort William.  Surely even you manage more than two miles in two hours?  

Not on my zimmer I can't (I get that in before Firestorm does!!).

I was on a FI course at Moreton with the Station Commander of Fort William many years ago. His patch was bigger than the LFB!!

More recently I interviewed a Highlands & Islands Senior officer who had applied for a job post retirement. His stories were amazing. A hazmat incidents with no senior managers attending as it was managed from Inverness 100s of miles away. Visiting remote island stations and needing to book a ferry and hotel - no surprise visits there then

Fascinating stuff

[Mitch]

Had a fair few chimneys where we have gone from the pot down. 

The only reason I can thinks is it could be the structure of the property. Maybe there is thatch under the tiles? (I can't see the pictures at work).  

[Kinmel]

In the dim past I became the Divisional Commander for a patch on the far side of tour county.

Trying to get the measure of my new domain I checked the last 12 months call logs and was amazed to learn that one of the retained stations had developed the art of the 15 minute chimney fire. So I had Control add me to their "tip sheet"; I was now informed of every turnout they made.

Within a few weeks I was close enough to their patch to arrive while they were still getting to work and sure enough; no hanging about, 10.5m ladder to the stack and hosereel to work. 

When I expressed my unhappiness, they were shocked other retained crews did it differently.

A turnout equated to 2 hours pay and if you returned to station in say 30 minutes you could get straight back to your real job and earn some money.