Similar Experiences?

[Shanks101]

Hey guys

My big brother was injured awhile back in a structure fire. The floor he was standing on gave out and both legs went through into the crawl space below. While this happened the bottom of his pants got caught and pulled up exposing his legs. He ended up with second degree burns all the way around his lower legs and a little area of thrid degree on his left leg. He got out and is okay, but I was wondering if anyone has heard of any similar incidents? Do burns where the pants get caught and come up leaving the legs exposed happend often?

Thanks
Shanks

[fireinfo10]

Most frequently occurs when there is a lowlife bottomfeeding lawyer looking for a city (one with deep pockets) to sue.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Hey guys

My big brother was injured awhile back in a structure fire. The floor he was standing on gave out and both legs went through into the crawl space below. While this happened the bottom of his pants got caught and pulled up exposing his legs. He ended up with second degree burns all the way around his lower legs and a little area of thrid degree on his left leg. He got out and is okay, but I was wondering if anyone has heard of any similar incidents? Do burns where the pants get caught and come up leaving the legs exposed happend often?

Thanks
Shanks

It does happen... it's part of the dangers of the job.

[JD1234]

This is a well known and longstanding problem in the fire service. OSHA has numerous published reports on the issue. Do a search for OSHA and bunker pants and crawl space. You have to sift through the hits, but you'll find it. I think you are missing a few other culprits here, and I'll give you some leads:

1. Boot makers--falling through the floor would not be a problem if firerfighter boots had a wider footprint, like snow shoes. Definitely should look into that.

2. The maker of the flooring material. When burning floor material gives way, it should not make edges that will catch firefighter bunker pants. After all, this is a foreseeable result of a firefighter falling through the floor. Do another OSHA search, and you will come up with some leads.

3. The home builder. Multiple reasons here. After all, if the house was built properly, it would not have caught fire. He could have used fireproof materials to build that floor.

4. Don't forget to sue the incident commander, your big brother's partner, and all of the apparatus operators at the fire scene. They each could have done more to prevent this injury. He had no business going inside a burning structure. This is too dangerous. As a matter of fact, you may be able to get an expert witness from this board. He is well versed on this line of reasoning.

I'm sure I am missing numerous other parties that could be added to the law suit.

Good luck with your case. Sounds like a winner.

[Shanks101]

Thanks for the responses. I am not looking for any money here. I am not trying to sue anyone. I am also not a "lowlife bottomfeeding lawyer". I was just curious about this kind of accident and wondered if this whole pants riding up thing has happened before or if it is a rare occurence. I realize it is a dangerous job and stuff happens.

Thanks again
Shanks

[Bushwhacker]

Thanks for the responses. I am not looking for any money here. I am not trying to sue anyone. I am also not a "lowlife bottomfeeding lawyer". I was just curious about this kind of accident and wondered if this whole pants riding up thing has happened before or if it is a rare occurence. I realize it is a dangerous job and stuff happens.

Thanks again
Shanks

Ah well hell, I will bite. It is a well known problem that spurs will ride up and rock back on a boot when you least expect it. One way to counter act that is a bottom strap that holds the spur horizontal. the strap rides in the arch of your boot, you never notice it, and it works amazingly well.

If you want to help, Talk to a Manufacture about adding that type of a strap to the bottom of Turn out Gear.

[slackjawedyokel]

Get you a couple of inner tube straps and 'blouse" the liner to your boots --- problem solved -

[FWDbuff]

Thanks for the responses. I am not looking for any money here. I am not trying to sue anyone. I am also not a "lowlife bottomfeeding lawyer". I was just curious about this kind of accident and wondered if this whole pants riding up thing has happened before or if it is a rare occurence. I realize it is a dangerous job and stuff happens.

Thanks again
Shanks

Then why not ask your client....errrr ahhhh I mean your brother about it?

[CaptOldTimer]

This as far as I am concerned was a useless post by a suit, mouthpiece, aka lawyer trying to fish out from the astute longtime fire department members, within these hallow halls of threads, to quote and use a good answer against a boot maker, for a lawsuit.


BTW - If you are inside a structure and doing your job, one should expecting that the floor may give way and a members or members may fall through. If he was on the first floor and feel only a few short feet into the crawl space, that was a lucky fall.

Many members, including myself, have been working on upper floors and fell waist deep through a floor that became weak from fire. I've been burned but never sought any damages from the book, turnout gear maker or the department because I was inside doing my job when this happened.


It is part of the job, which we have chosen!

[Shanks101]

Once again, I am not a suit or a lawyer. I do not have clients and I am not a low life bottom feeder as you guys put it. I actually just got hired on a volunteer dept and am in the process of getting my ff1 and ff2. No one is sueing anyone. Thanks for the responses (even the sarcastic ones). Now this thread can die and I'll go back to just reading the forums.

Thanks
Shanks

[FWDbuff]

Once again, I am not a suit or a lawyer. I do not have clients and I am not a low life bottom feeder as you guys put it. I actually just got hired on a volunteer dept and am in the process of getting my ff1 and ff2. No one is sueing anyone. Thanks for the responses (even the sarcastic ones). Now this thread can die and I'll go back to just reading the forums.

Thanks
Shanks

How does one get "hired" on a Volunteer Dept

[Shanks101]

Maybe "hired" was the wrong word. Selected? Accepted? Passed the interview and physical and put into the recruit class? However you would like to spin it. I'm not trying to get into an online argument here. I came here with a simple question bc I was curious. As I can see it's not something that is going to get talked about without thinking I'm trying to sue someone. I have nothing to prove so we won't talk about it anymore.

Thanks
Shanks