AAR - After Action Reports: aka, 'What I Learned from the School of Hard Knocks'..

[SoJer]

So, forgive if I've missed anything like this, elsewhere, but.. Did 'Use the Search, Luke', but didn't see anything Quite like this. So...

The 'concept' is simple: 'AAR's - "After Action Reports" are used (in one form or another..) by EMS / FFs / LEAs, and Military to 'autopsy' either an Event, and/or an Operation, for the purposes of 'what did we Learn from it'. Given that most of us aren't really 'doing Mil-style Ops' regularly (where we'd 'Measure the result against the Plan'..) or engaging in 'dangerous activity' (like EMS / LEOs / FFs, etc) where those 'lessons' are constant, I thought it might be a good thread to share simply 'Things that went Unexpectedly-Wrong - Quickly - and What I Learned from It'.

..And, I don't wanna place Too 'stringent of what "Qualifies" or not', but.. Let's just say that I don't think "bad decisions" should really count, here (ie: that one night ya got Wasted-drunk, and decided to go tease the Gorilla at the local Zoo... in yer Birthday suit. ..Or, ya know.. That One time you 'Didn't use a condom' - and ended up with Triplets.. I mean more like This:

This happened back last August, and I had been meaning to post about it / 'lessons-learned', etc, but, ya know.. "Life", etc.. So.. Got home from work one Evening (I work more pm > late-eve shift, due to 'Covid-mitigation strategies' at work) and it was about 8:30pm-ish. And, whence arriving / got out of the Truck, and noticed a somewhat strong 'Wood-smoke smell'....

...Unmistakably Wood-smoke (not electrical / gas, etc) which I thought 'odd', because - while there Are a couple neighbors near us that have those 'outdoor Patio Fire pits' they like to spark up on a cold-night during the Winter-months (..Thus, filling the 'hood with a pleasant Wood-smoke smell...) ...This was August, so.. It got my '..Huh...' going. But, due to the 'bias' that 'Ahh, prolly just the neighbors burning some old love letters or bounced checks or something..' I 'dismissed it', and went inside.

Now, the Wife, at that time, was working 'Graveyard', so I'd drive her in to Her work, sometime around 1:30am, and be back home around 2am-ish. And, next time I went outside (to let the Dog out..) was maybe ~11:30pm.. And I still smelled the Smoke - now a Bit stronger.. But I didn't See any real 'haze' in the Streetlights, nor any 'columns' anywhere, so.. Again, while I thought it 'Odd' - I dismissed it - because of my 'prolly just a Fire-pit' Biased-thinking..

Same at ~1:30a, when we left - Still smokey - Now I thought 'Man, Wth.. Who is doing a 'fire pit' - in August - at 1:30am.. And Why??' Now, my inclination was to do a quick 'walk around the block', just to do a 'look-see', but.. Had to Go, to get the Wife into work on time. So we left.

Stopped for Diesel, etc, and by the time I get home, it's ~2:15-ish. Step out of the Truck.. Door still open - Smoke-smell still strong - and As I'm 'scanning the streetlight-shine for haze / smoke-sign'... I hear a 'FOOOF!!' - and both the neighbors Houses, across the street, are 'flash-illuminated' Orange. I whip around, and can See the tops of Flames, well-above my ~10' Truck-roof (so I instantly realize - this Ain't no 'Patio fire-pit'..)

..And as I round the Truck-front, I see that the 'Rear-Apt' (small 1 bedrm place), House-House Over from ours has Just 'flashed over' - and is Directly 'BBQ'ing the Power lines that feed Our sector of the hood.. (..This is a 'later shot', maybe about 45 mins Into the 'burn' (so, this is a Much smaller 'profile' than it was Initially, but... gives an idea...

..Ya - warn't no Small 'Fire-Pit fire' - the place was 'Fully involved' - and it was Rapidly spreading Forward.. So, after I get done yelling 'Holy !!!' I immediately ran to the House who's 'Rear-apt' it was, and - oddly - the people (couple of older Asian ladies, Sisters, Iirc) were Already out front (Good!) But I yelled 'Anyone Back there??!!' To-which they said 'No, no just us.. It was empty!' (Thank God..) 'Ok, good! I'm calling the FD, now!'..

..So, I sprint back to the Next-door (to Us), and begin Pounding on the front door (as I'm fumbling to dial 911 on the cell - which Wasn't 'connecting' for some reason, had to dial 2x..) and yelling: '[Neighbor-Name]!! Get up!! Get Up!! There's a Fire next door, Get up!!'.. Soon as she answers, I tell her 'Grab yer car-keys and wallet and Get out - Neighbors rear-place is Totally in flames, and it's already catching thier Garage!.. Gotta get out, Right Now! I'll be right back...'

..as I run to Our House, barge inside, and race to Daughters room (thankfully, She was still Up..) and commanded: 'Honey, grab yer Pack ('BOB') and get the Dog, and get Out Right Now, go across the street!! Neighbor next to [Neighbor's Name]'s place is on Fire, and is gonna kill the lights any minute..' Soon as I finish that sentence - Pop - Lights out. But, since I Always have at Least 2 flashlights on me, lit one up, ran to Bedroom to don my Headlamp / fitted / got it on / Ran thru house towards Back yard to go asses the 'progress' (..and 911 was Still not-yet connecting (!!) Kept dropping the call...

Get to Rear-gate / unlock / unlatch, and As I run thru / around to side-street, 911 Finally connects.. I explain as I'm running towards 'rear-alley', to go check out the rear-side of the Fire-front, but Apparently, the Neighbors who's Apt. it was, had already called it in, so.. I was able, however, to 'update' dispatcher that the Power lines were now On Fire, and progressing towards the Pole-transformer, so they'd better hurry, or we might see this all spread to Other places, etc.. and Man, was that a 'Furious Fire'.. We're not even 10-mins into this all, and the place is Totally consumed / now lighting the Forward - and Side - buildings (one House, two Garages..) up..

Now, I actually Have some decent 'Fire suppression gear / equipment' - 'Hydrantware', and 200' of 1.5" line, and a pretty-decent 'Gas-powered Fire-pump' and even a full 'Turnout Gear' set, proper boots / jacket / helmet / respirator, etc - In case - we ever have one of those Crazy 'wind-driven, neighborhood-eating Fires (from "Wildfire") that are so Infamous out here.. And I gave breaking that Gear-out a quick thought, but.. Since I knew the FD was only a couple more minutes out (we live about 2 miles from a Station..) and I didn't want to be In their way (besides, using a Hydrant under 'these circumstances' would have likely ended up with My Arrest, etc..) I decided to just, at least, do 'low-level protection efforts'..

..Which was: I have 2x 50' 3/4" Heavy-Rubber Hose - 'Primed' - with Water (capped Input end) and 1/2 a bottle of 'Dawn' dish-soap inside.. And a 'FF-grade Pistol-style nozzle', so I can adjust the Stream / spray-pattern, and when that's 'Fully open' (fed from a 1" outdoor hard-Line..) I can easily soak Our entire Roof, and even get over-top of our immediate-Neighbors Roof.. So that's what I start doing (figure, I'll give everything a Good soaking, at Least..) to Our Roof / side-walls (which are Stucco, thankfully..) and spraying the rear-Trees / bushes, and Rear of the Neighbors Roof - Why the Rear? Well..

As-most know, Fires often sort of 'generate their Own weather' - at least Winds - and these were Blowing embers / burning skak Into the Rear of our Neighbors roof - and, to my Horror (revealed by my Headlamp..) I now discover She has No 'screen' over her Attic vents!! So, I literally start 'knocking down Embers', which were nearly blowing Into her Attic! (FF are now on-scene / hoses out / 3 teams were starting to knock it down (since 3 structures were now involved..) And Man - was I freaking out (well, not 'freaking', but I was Hardcore wishing I'd had that 1.5" hose / the Pump, now!!) This, because, well..

...Let's just say that IF Our Immediate Neighbors place 'went up'.. And then Our place 'caught'?? Yeah - Scuba-tanks and other 'items you Don't Want Burning'.. Ya, we'd have likely had to 'call-out to Evacuate Everyone for a Block', I think.. Point being - I HAD to ensure the Immediate-Neighbors place did NOT 'catch', so.. Did what I could, and All 'ended Well', no one hurt, and My Heroes, the FF's got it all under control, and Out. But Damn - What a Long Night That Was.. +_+

Edit: Oops, Sorry, I have to 'split this in Two-posts' - Char-limit and all, derp..

 

[SoJer]

Part II: The 'AAR' part: What did I Learn.. well..

Lesson #1 - 'Where there's Smoke - There's Fire', so.. IF I Had, earlier (at 8:30pm, or even at 11:30p, when I let the Dog out..) simply done a 'Walk-around the Block' (vs just letting Normalcy Bias (Me thinking 'Ehh, prolly just the neighbors Fire-pit', etc..) Prevent that 'due-diligence' - This Whole Thing might have been Prevented (since I - likely - would have been Able to 'trace the smolder' to that Apt.. and 'called it in', earlier. Granted, it wasn't "My fault", but damn-me for Not 'going to check it Out', exhaustively. That Was 'My Failure'.

Lesson #2 - Here's just One angle of the scene (the 'Conflagration' extended Quite a bit to the 'Left', but.. 'Opsec' and all - What do ya'll 'Notice'? Anything 'telling' of something Else we can take away from this? Well...

'Odd', don't you think, that - Despite such a Large Fire (and, obviously a Lot of Heat..) - that the 'little Shed', behind the burnt-out Garage, there, center-photo.. Didn't Burn at All?? Why?? Welp.. Look a little Closer...

..See the 'attic vent' in that Garage, there?...

Yep - THAT'S how that Garage 'caught' - Embers / sparks, etc went Into it, and caught flammable-stuff (papers, cardboard-boxen, Whatever..) Inside.. And that was the End of That Garage, and all inside it (Including an older, but functional Honda Civic (!!!) And - just a Bit longer on that Burn? And the Front / Main House would Likely have caught.. (and God-only Knows what-worse Could have come of that Burn..) SO..

#2 - Fine-Wire Mesh yer Doggone Attic Vents, Ppl!! Even if it's not "Your Fire" - You could 'end up Paying', if it catches Your place's attic.. Same goes for 'open Under-eave / soffit vents' - Best to make Sure those are 'Ember-resistant vents' / screened, etc, even if yer not in a "Fire-danger zone", etc..

Lesson #3 - HAVE SOMETHING READY FOR FIRE-SUPPRESSION!! If I had Not had those 'primed' / Decent-flow capacity 3/4" Hoses - 'Staged' (whether with 'soap' or not - that's not "Necessary", but Can help, a bit..) and Ready to use (since Fire spreads / worsens WAY-faster than you Think it will..) - Who Knows how that Night could have ended..

Lesson #4 - HEADLAMPS, PPL!! Get 5 or 6 - Now - while you Can, and get 'em Fitted, and Run around with them in the Dark / See how their 'pool of Light' works for you / does Not, cuz.. An 'Emergency like this' is NOT when you wanna find out that yer Lamp Sucks (or Batts are dead, etc, etc..)

Lesson #5 - 'Go Bags' - Keys / Wallet / Important Papers / CC-pistol, whatever.. Whatever You Need to 'GTFO' in 1 minute or Less.. And Include Water!! And keep them Near an Exit and Where you Know Where they Are - and a Flashlight at 'Reach' / on yer person, Somehow - and can Find them even in 'the Dark', cuz it could be just like this - Bam - Lights Out, quicker than you expected.

OK, that's enough for this 'Moby D!ck'.. Ya'lls turn, (and No, it doesn't have to be 'this Detailed' / elaborate', etc, but.. What Did YOUR 'AAR' Teach YOU / yours.. Let's Hear it.

jd

 

[dademoss]

When we do an "exercise" with ARES, we do a "Hot Wash" afterwards and evaluate the good and bad points and what we learned. FEMA even has a form for it.

 

[Morgan101]

It is a good exercise, SoJer. Events come and go and we never think about it other than "We were lucky" or "Hope that never happens again." Most people learn very little from the experience, and even fewer analyze it to see what they should have learned.

Yours is another great example of how your world can be turned upside down in a heartbeat. Evacuating in a minute!! OMG. Did the FD ever determine how the fire started?

 

[Caribou]

I don't use my spot headlamps anymore. I use flood headlamps. Whether I'm walking around outside or have my head under the hood of my car I see better.

 

[Alaskajohn]

I don't use my spot headlamps anymore. I use flood headlamps. Whether I'm walking around outside or have my head under the hood of my car I see better.

Those things are better than a mountain made of gold when its dark and you are in a situation where you need to see things.

 

[Tirediron]

just perhaps a handy little device are the rechargable nightlight/ flashlights, They an be set to just charge, or nightlight,and have a decent flash light function. As well as headlights that you know work. this thread has made me decide to move my dry call battery collection very close to an exterior door instead of the furthest place from an exterior door.

 

[goshengirl]

Thanks for that detailed story/report, @SoJer. A very clear explanation of what happened and what you learned, and I could follow along and apply that to myself.

The first thing that came to mind for me was similar in that the neighbors' barn caught fire, but I didn't catch it right away because I dismissed signs for various reasons. But we've never done a "what did we learn" from that. I just now brought that up with DH. I suspect there are more than a few things we could AAR...

 

[SoJer]

...Did the FD ever determine how the fire started?

I'm sure they did (to Some degree..) but last I was able to ask a FF I know at the local house that responded, said 'can't really get into details, but it Is considered "suspicious", Understandable, but.. I have my 'own suspicions'..

..First the fact that the Asian-Lady-owners of that place (living in the House, in Front..) were already Outside when I ran over to them (and this was Maybe 1 min Into the flash-over..) being that this was 2:20ish am (Most neighbors in our 'hood aren't 'Zombies' like me Most seem to be Lights-out, 12am, tops usually..) and, Later that am ('bout 7am, when the FD was 'bout wrapped up..) I went to speak with them about it, and the One Lady says:

'..yes, it was really old apt., but no one has lived there long time.. We tried to get approval to rebuild, but City wouldn't approve for some reason.. But now, it's no problem to rebuild it...' Hrmm... Dunno, but.. Given that they both are (apparently) 'Not arrested', etc, maybe the FD didn't conclude foul-play in the end..

And PS - Just to be clear.. this thread is Not 'limited to crazy Fire stories'.. Can be Anything that 'went sideways on ya's / What was 'Learned', for Others to learn-from..

jd

 

[Morgan101]

Can I tell a story here that is a little off topic, but an appropriate follow up to Sojer's story?

Two old retirees are sitting on a park bench in Florida. Retiree #1 says " So where are you from?"
Retiree #2 says "New York"
Retiree #1 says "I'm from New York. So how did you get down here?"
Retiree #2 says "I had a business. One day there was a fire. I collected the insurance. and here I am. So how did you get down here?"
Retiree #1 says "I had a business. One day there was a flood. I collected the insurance, and here I am."
Retiree #2 thinks for a minute then asks "So how do you start a flood?"

 

[SoJer]

..Retiree #2 thinks for a minute then asks "So how do you start a flood?"

Easy. Start a Fire on the Floor above ya.. then Call the FD.

jd

 

[Caribou]

Here is an AAR on a power outage. Last night just as we were getting ready to turn out the lights, the lights turned out on their own. I called the power company and found out that there was a fire on a pole that took down the entire north end, 15+ miles of homes and businesses. I asked, hours or days? They said, hours. It turned out to be between 3 and 4 hours.

What we did right.
We each had a flood headlamp and multiple flashlights, fully charged. Closed the BR door to keep the heat in. We had plenty of blankets. I have a battery supply for my CPAP. When I'd done all I could do I just went to sleep. We purchased and installed flashlights. They plug into the wall and turn on automatically when the power goes out. We have these throughout the house so Mom can find her way around.

What we could do better.
The wife let her CPAP supplier talk her out of getting a power supply. We'll see if she learned from this experience. I refrained from, "I TOLD YA SO!" We need to get the generator running. The wife unplugged the auto flashlight in our room so she could charge something or dry her hair? Why doesn't matter, we didn't have the light I was expecting, but we got by and found a headlamp. From there getting the rest of the lights was simple. I had let my computer get down to half charge so, had I wanted to read for a few days I'd have been out of luck.

The house got down to 63℉ so not too bad. Late at night, heavy overcast, rain, the only lights visible were from an anchored boat about 3 miles away, it was dark.