Crime & Safety

Carrying On: Two Generations of Orland Firefighters Reflect on the Changing Service Needs Since 9/11

Firefighter training has evolved to face new scenarios: HAZMAT, weapons and building collapses — and people who want to hurt first responders.

On 9/11, Carl Jones was training at the fire academy when a drill halted and attention turned to a nearby TV. Lt. Scott Olinski, an instructor already 17 years into his firefighting career, took a call from his wife who told him what was happening at the World Trade Center.

Men he knew, three New York City firefighters — Deputy Chief Raymond Downey, chief of rescue operations at the World Trade Center, Lt. Timothy Higgins and Lt. Andrew Fredericks — perished in the towers.

Higgins had trained in building-collapse skills. Olinski had met Downey through the National Association for Search and Rescue, and met Fredericks while instructing at the Illinois Fire Service Institute.

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“We all have a common mission statement: save lives and protect property,” Olinski said. “That’s what those 343 (firefighters) did. They gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

Since 9/11, firefighter training has evolved to face new scenarios: HAZMAT, destructive weapons and building collapses. Olinski remembers the fire service before 9/11 focusing on structural and car fires, as well as emergency medical services. But today, firefighting must encompass a newer array of challenges, and the added possibility that something yet to be encountered will be found on the next call.

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“The day-to-day hazards we used to deal with are enhanced now,” Olinski said. “Besides weapons of mass destruction, there all these different little nuances we need to be aware of. People want to inflict pain and harm to public servants, police as well. It never was like that before.”

Firefighter Jones hasn’t known anything but the reality of a post-9/11 world.

“I wish people would remember firefighters every day like they do when it comes to the time of 9/11,” Jones said. “The fire is not any hotter any other day.”

Both Olinski and Jones agree that the best way they can pay tribute to those who died on 9/11 is to keep training in as many advanced ways as possible.

The added post-9/11 challenges also have a way of creeping into their families’ awareness as well, Olinski said

“The kids and spouse knowing you’re gone for 24 hours, and maybe there’s a slim chance that that’s the last time they say goodbye to each other,” Olinski said. “That was the case with many of the families I met (in New York). They never thought something that devastating would happen.”

Among the 343

Between 8:45 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. on Sept. 11, the New York City Fire Department was in the middle of a shift change when two planes struck the Twin Towers. The shift change made it difficult to know immediately who might be missing.

“A typical example of a firefighter is one who says ‘Maybe I‘m getting off of duty, but something big is going on and I’m going,’” said Orland Fire Protection District Acting Chief Raymond Kay.  “And firefighters were coming from home (on 9/11).

“I don’t think that attitude has changed. I would count on a shift change, if a fire happened, that they’d jump on the rig and go to that fire. I wouldn’t necessarily tell them they had to go, but there’s no doubt in my mind that they’d go.”

Olinski and Kay had heard later in the afternoon that Chief Downey was down in the street when the towers collapsed. In the evening they found out Lt. Higgins was missing, and heard Lt. Fredericks was also not found the next day.

“Ever since that day we talk about ‘never forget,’” Olinski said. “To honor those who perished, take that stuff they initially started and carry it on. Get the added training. Find out what we don’t know so we can better prepare ourselves and transfer all of that knowledge to the younger generations.”

Just a month before the attack, Deputy Chief Ray Downey was put in charge of all Special Operations Command for FDNY. He would oversee rescue, squad, HAZMAT and marine operations. During his 39-year career, he authored a book titled The Rescue Company and produced instructional videos about collapsed building rescue. Chief Downey led response teams in hurricanes as well as the rescue operation when the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. According to a website built in his honor, Chief Downey was nicknamed "God" and Master of Disaster."

Lt. Timothy Higgins worked with Chief Downey to better prepare firefighters for different types of rescues, including underwater SCUBA rescues. He served 23 years as a firefighter.

Lt. Andrew Fredericks was a big proponent of smooth-bore nozzles for attacking fire inside a structure, though using a more fog-like stream of water was the previous method of choice. Fredericks was “headed up the FDNY ladder of success,” according to firefighter publications.

Every day there’s a new twist to what we do,” Olinski said. “We need to take that information, research it, know the new skills and then apply them.”

Kicking Complacency

Chief Kay didn’t go on HAZMAT calls when he first started with the fire service, nor did the fire service handle the number of EMS calls the Orland district does today. But those calls aren’t his main concern.

“The further we get from 9/11, the more complacent people might be,” Kay said. “Some responders think ‘It’ll never happen here.’ But the common thought among Homeland Security is ‘It’s not if, but when.’”

Citizens also need to play a role in mitigating a disaster – even of the natural variety like Hurricane Irene – by stocking up on survival essentials like non-perishable food, bottled water, prescription medicine, before a disaster is predicted, as detailed on the Ready.gov website, Kay said.

Local emergency responders also need to be ready for anything because federal assistance will likely take three to four days to arrive, and state assets will be on hand in a day. Between the event and the time state and federal help arrive to an emergency, the responsibility lies with local departments and districts to assist people in danger.

“The most important part of being a firefighter is to stand up and say ‘I’m going to do this,’” Kay said. “I will put my life potentially on the line for a call. Could be a fire. Could be a person on the roof. Could be a massive terrorist event.”

Olinski said he wants to pass along both the knowledge needed for firefighters facing modern emergency needs and the sheer significance of 9/11 and how it affected fire service.

“As we retire I’m sure the calls and all the other stuff that goes along will become more difficult,” Olinski said. “I now see differences in fires between times when more house materials included wood and cotton, to PVC (pipes) and plastics today. New technology. When I sit down with Carl years later, I won’t know what they’re talking about.”

For Jones, he said keeping up with all of the new challenges is simply part of the job he’s known since his first days at the academy, right around when the towers were struck.

“You have to be aware that the house fire you’re being called to might be something else,” Jones said. “Last year we deployed snowmobiles during a big snow. I hadn’t heard of that before.”


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