Stopping Re-Kindles with Nick Martin

Re-kindles are every firefighter’s nightmare.

When I was a reporter, PIOs would go to great lengths to get me not to use that word if a fire re-ignited.

Avoiding them seems simple enough—use a lot of water and do a a thorough overhaul.

So how do even proficient fire departments have re-kindles?

More importantly, how do we avoid them?

My guest today has some answers.

Nick Martin’s been a firefighter since 1994. He started as a volunteer in a  Philadelphia suburb.

Since then he’s been both a career and volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Nick is currently a Battalion Chief with the Salisbury, North Carolina Fire Department.

Article: Rekindle Fires

Article: Overhaul and Extension

Article: Overhaul and Salvage

Trivia question:

When you’re supplying a standpipe system, what’s the rule of thumb for pressure to add for every story in elevation?

Answer:

When you’re supplying a standpipe system, the rule of thumb is to add 5 PSI for every story in elevation.