Positive Pressure Attack for Ventilation & Firefighting

Kriss Garcia · Reinhard Kauffmann · Ray Schelble · Raymond Schelble

01/2006 · PennWell Books

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In the past decades, lightweight building construction methods and the use of manmade materials in construction and furnishings have become more and more common. The time until structural failure can be expected in a fire has been reduced, and firefighters have seen hotter fires that generate high levels of deadly gasses. But the ventilation methods used by modern firefighters have not kept pace.

Positive pressure was first used in the fire service to ventilate a structure after the fire was knocked down. Authors Kriss Garcia and Reinhard Kauffmann have taken positive pressure a step further to achieve effective ventilation in coordination with aggressive fire attack, called positive pressure attack (PPA). Properly used PPA allows firefighters great control over the interior environment of a fire building, and starts at the earliest stages of the operation when ventilation can provide the greatest benefit for victims, firefighters, and the structure. With a small investment in equipment and a commitment to training, any fire department can implement PPA at the company level.

Subjects covered in this book include:
- Basics of positive pressure and how to maximize its effectiveness for fireground ventilation.
- PPA: how effective ventilation can be coordinated to support an aggressive fire attack.
- Safety considerations and limitations of PPA and positive pressure.
- Other ways positive pressure blowers can be used to help victims and firefighters in a variety of situations.
- Implementing PPA on a department, and how to train each engine company to become its own firefighting force that can accomplish both ventilation and fire attack.

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Kriss has served in the fire service for 25 years and currently holds the positions of Battalion Chief with the Salt Lake City Fire Department and Chief of the Tooele City Volunteer Fire Department. He has a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration, is a licensed engineering contractor and Paramedic, and is a National Fire Academy Instructor. He serves on the NFPA 1021 Committee and is a voting member of the Air Movement Control Association. His interest in positive pressure ventilation and then in positive pressure attack began in 1989. Reinhard works as a Battalion Chief for the Salt Lake City Fire Department. His career with the department has spanned over 30 years and included service as a Paramedic, Interim Fire Chief, and Airport Fire Chief. He has a Bachelor Degree in Microbiology. His work in positive pressure methods for firefighting began in 1989. Ray is retired after working 29 years as a Salt Lake City firefighter. He has an Associate Degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor Degree in Communications. His experience includes work as an editor for several magazines. He has authored and edited numerous fire service articles and training materials.