An Actual Fire Service Rescue Story


City of Camden, NJ
The following pages graphically display an actual rescue made by Fire Fighter Dennis Dowhy, In Camden, NJ. The names of the victims have been withheld. Several pictures were taken only seconds apart. The photographer was in the firehouse when the alarm came in and he arrived with the Fire Companies.
Generally, the public has no idea of the hazards a fire fighter encounters when they attempt a rescue. They risk their lives on every fire. View the following pictures and read about the incident.

Camden, NJ, Fire Companies arrived on on location, two story ordinary constructed row dwelling, several children trapped on 2nd floor, heavy fire and smoke showing through front door, second alarm called. Engine Company stretching 1-1/2 inch line, Ladder Company placing a ladder at the window, preparing for rescue. Fire advanced quickly because of non-fire proof interior wall paneling. Civilians screaming in the background about trapped "kids."
Seconds later, ladder is placed below window, Engine Company attacking fire, trying to advance hose line through the fire. Battalion Chief orders windows to be vented.
Seconds, later, screen door is opened, fire fighter aggressively attacking fire. Ladder Company raising ladder to 2nd floor. Fire Fighter Dennis Dowhy is turning on his MSA Air Pak preparing for advancement through 2nd floor window.
The Truck Company vented the first and second floor windows. Fire Fighter Dowhy proceeded up the ladder for entry through window. Heavy black smoke billowed out of vented window. Potential fire rollover could occur at any time. (Rollover is when superheated gases and vapors ignite and a flame front rolls over the ceiling and out the front windows.)

Entering a building above a fire and to do so without a protection line is extremely dangerous. This is not a recommended procedure, however, three civilian children lives were at stake. Engine Company begins to darkened the fire as the water cools down the burning items inside.

Flames from the fire on the 1st floor pushed out the 1st floor windows threatening fire fighters on ladders. The Engine Company holds the fire threat with a hose line. This action was necessary to protect the fire fighter who vented 2nd story windows. Fire Fighter Dowhy prepares to enter 2nd floor window without a protection line .
Fire Fighter Dowhy enters front bedroom window. The room contained heavy heat and smoke conditions. The window blinds sash cord wrapped around the flexible air mask hose line to his face piece shutting off his air supply. He cannot breathe and he exhaled all the air from his lungs. He fell to his knees, is lightheaded, starts to blackout and he remembers the emergency by-pass air valve. He quickly turns it on and gets a rush of air into his face piece. He then untangles sash cord and proceeds to search room quickly in a counter clockwise fashion. Another Fire Fighter enters the room and proceeds down hall to the rear bedroom. The Engine Company enters building and knocks down the fire on the 1st floor. Both Engine and Ladder Companies provided a coordinated effort for the rescue.
The front room was found to be empty. Heat and smoke conditions banked down toward floor allowing the visibility to be about two feet above floor. As Fire Fighter Dowhy crawled down hall, he heard coughing nearby but found no door. When the front bedroom door was open, it concealed the middle bedroom door. The coughing led the way to the door.

Once inside the three children were in their beds but not moving. The bedroom window was smashed to get air into the room and release the trapped smoke. Fire Fighter Dowhy grabs the first limp victim and rushes to front window and passes her out the window to a fire fighter who was going to enter to assist him. Fire Fighter Birdsong was told two more would follow.

The teenager was placed over the shoulder because of her weight and limpness. Fire Fighter Lloyd Birdsong carried the victim down telling others more victims will be passed out the window.
Fire Fighters were waiting to enter the window as soon as Fire Fighter Birdsong lowered the victim.

As soon as he descended, the Truck Company Captain entered the front window to assist in getting the others out.

Fire Fighter Birdsong gently placed the victim down to the awaiting ambulance personnel.
Quickly, the second victim was grabbed and Fire Fighter Dowhy placed this victim into the arms of Engine Captain Roy Moffa. This small child was cradled in his arms as he proceeded down the ladder.
Captain Moffa descends down the ladder. Fire Fighter Dennis Dowhy proceeded toward the third victim. The fire fighters who entered the building without air masks were quickly laying on the floor due to the intense heat and smoke conditions. (This fire occurred long before air masks were mandatory to be worn.) Their eyes and lungs were burning from the intense smoke and fire conditions. As soon as the window was clear, these fire fighters needed air and hung out the windows.

The Engine Company quickly contained the fire to the first floor and knocked down the bulk of the fire. They proceeded up the interior stairs to provide protection for the rescue personnel.

Captain Roy Moffa rushed the victim to the ambulance while Fire Fighter Birdsong proceeded up the ladder for the third victim. All these events happened over an extremely short period of time.
The third victim was the one doing the coughing. As Fire Fighter Dowhy exited the middle bedroom with this victim, a fresh group of fire fighters who came up the interior stairs took the victim from him. Fire Fighter Dowhy quickly went down the interior stairs, removed his spent MSA Air Pak system. This victim was brought to the 1st floor front room.

The single ambulance left with two of the victims and another ambulance was on the way. The fire was out and the building was well vented. The victim seemed lifeless, and Fire Fighter Dowhy was not going to let her die. He immediately gave mouth to mouth resuscitation and breathed life back into her body. Moments later the ambulance arrived and the second rescue team was having difficulty bringing the victim through the front door. Fire Fighter Dowhy grabbed the victim from the exiting personnel.

Fire Fighter Dowhy rushed the victim to the just arrived ambulance personnel.

All victims were alive but in critical condition at the conclusion of this incident. Over the next 24 hours each of these victims did not survive the effects of carbon monoxide poison.

Unlike fairy-tales which end happily, in the real world of fire rescue, fire and smoke contain lots of toxic gases from the burning plastics which kills quickly (5 minutes). The victims died without a single burn mark on them. The results of toxic gases from a typical dwelling fire.