LookoutsCommunicationsEscape RoutesSafety Zones

“LCES”

By Les LitzenbergerFranklin Co. FPD#3

Objectives

Describe the role that LCES has in the Risk Management Process.

Knowledge of the history behind LCESDescribe the attributes of a good LookoutDefine good Communications practicesDescribe the attributes of a good Escape

RouteDescribe the attributes of a Safety Zone

ObjectivesDescribe a procedure for recognizing escape

routes and safety zones when engaging a fire. Given a set of fire line conditions, estimate

minimum safety zone size Describe a protocol for negotiating an unsafe

assignment.Define Decision Point and Levels of Engagement.

The Father of LCESPaul Gleason

Click on box below for video

LOOKOUT ATTRIBUTESLookouts need to have one eye on the crew and their position in the fire environment and the other eye on the fire itself.

Lookouts need to have one eye on the crew and their position in the fire environment and the other eye on the fire itself.

Conscious of changes and how those changes can affect the crew

Over a large area or rough terrain a number of lookouts may be required

Very tuned into fire behavior and potential

Decision PointsA pre-identified or anticipated event (time, place, or condition)

that, when it occurs, initiates a pre-planned response.Hitting a Decision Point means pause, evaluate the situation,

and make a decision. Ask yourself “What changing factor(s) can affect our mission

success and safety today?”• Trends in weather?• Changes in fuel type and terrain?• Tactical progress?• Logistical support?• Decision points vary by Geographic area and fuel type.• What things should you do on a fire so you are able to

identify valid trigger points?

CommunicationsCommunications starts with a thorough Briefing

Communications is the vehicle which delivers the message to the firefighters, alerting of the approaching hazard

Frequencies must be coordinated via a Communications plan

Communications must be prompt and clear

Radios are limited and at some point the warning is delivered by word of mouth

Although more difficult, it is important to be timely and clear with your intentions when communication is by word of mouth.

Levels of engagement

What do you do when a Decision Point is hit:

• Validate continuing with full engagement of the fire…or

• Implement your pre-planned response.Contingency plan Plan B

Stop advancing or pull back a short distance.• Buys time to re-assess.• Fireline can be improved. • Troops can regroup and catch a break.• Escape time can be shortened.• Allows for faster re-engagement.

Hold in Place

Stop advancing or pull back a short distance.

• Buys time to re-assess.

• Fireline can be improved.

• Troops can regroup and rest.

• Escape time can be shortened.

• Allows for faster re-engagement.

Stop advancing or pull back a short distance.

• Buys time to re-assess.

• Fireline can be improved.

• Troops can regroup and rest.

• Escape time can be shortened.

• Allows for faster re-engagement.

Let’s hold up here. If the wind switches back, we’ll go after it again.

Change Tactics

Disengage from the fire, change tactics, and re-engage the fire.

• Line location can be improved.

• Hazardous areas can be avoided.

• Direct versus indirect line can be considered.

• Negotiate changes within the chain of command. IRPG Orange page 17

Disengage from the fire, change tactics, and re-engage the fire.

• Line location can be improved.

• Hazardous areas can be avoided.

• Direct versus indirect line can be considered.

• Negotiate changes within the chain of command. IRPG Orange page 17

Disengage & Retreat

Move directly to a safety zone.

• Immediate and full activation of all components in the LCES system.

• Extreme situations may require crews to drop gear in order to move faster.

Move directly to a safety zone.

• Immediate and full activation of all components in the LCES system.

• Extreme situations may require crews to drop gear in order to move faster.

Reverse tool order and move back to the

safety zone now!

A Process to Use

Observe the area

Visualize fire spread

Identify valid safety zones

Time the escape

Inform others

Evaluate conditions

Observe the area

Visualize fire spread

Identify valid safety zones

Time the escape

Inform others

Evaluate conditions

Escape Routes & Safety Zone Recognition

We have been talking about decision-making:

When to engage the fire?

When to disengage?

How do we recognize effective escape routes and safety zones so we can make those decisions?

Adequately sized for all resources.

IRPG green Pages 6 & 7

We have been talking about decision-making:

When to engage the fire?

When to disengage?

How do we recognize effective escape routes and safety zones so we can make those decisions?

Adequately sized for all resources.

IRPG green Pages 6 & 7

Observe

Personally observe potential safety zones and escape routes in the work area.

Step 1 – Situation Awareness of the Risk Management Process.

Personally observe potential safety zones and escape routes in the work area.

Step 1 – Situation Awareness of the Risk Management Process.

Visualize

Build a mental picture of the fire behavior you would expect if conditions existed that would enable a crown fire to burn around your potential safety zone.

• Anticipate flamelengths.• Anticipate convective

influences.• Consider all resources

needing to use safety zone.

Build a mental picture of the fire behavior you would expect if conditions existed that would enable a crown fire to burn around your potential safety zone.

• Anticipate flamelengths.• Anticipate convective

influences.• Consider all resources

needing to use safety zone.

Identify

Compare the fire behavior you visualize with the size and location of potential safety zones you observe in order to identify any true safety zones available.

Refer to the green page 7 in your IRPG for Safety Zone selection criteria.

Compare the fire behavior you visualize with the size and location of potential safety zones you observe in order to identify any true safety zones available.

Refer to the green page 7 in your IRPG for Safety Zone selection criteria.

Time

Have the slowest team member time the route from the work location to the potential safety zone(s).

Take fatigue and temperature factors.

IRPG green page 6

Have the slowest team member time the route from the work location to the potential safety zone(s).

Take fatigue and temperature factors.

IRPG green page 6

Inform

Communicate the location and path of travel to those who work for and around you.

Flag or otherwise mark if the escape route or safety zone is not obvious taking into consideration visibility issues during night shift.

Communicate the location and path of travel to those who work for and around you.

Flag or otherwise mark if the escape route or safety zone is not obvious taking into consideration visibility issues during night shift.

Evaluate

You must continually evaluate your escape and safety plan to insure that it will still work.

• Time of day and fire intensity changes.

• Tactical progress and travel distance changes.

• Continually evaluate the Risk Management Process IRPG green page 1.

You must continually evaluate your escape and safety plan to insure that it will still work.

• Time of day and fire intensity changes.

• Tactical progress and travel distance changes.

• Continually evaluate the Risk Management Process IRPG green page 1.

Uphill Escape Routes

Avoid steep uphill escape routes.

Firefighter travel rates are significantly slower.

Remember the smart firefighter knows that fire goes faster uphill and people go slower!

Avoid steep uphill escape routes.

Firefighter travel rates are significantly slower.

Remember the smart firefighter knows that fire goes faster uphill and people go slower!

Adjusting LCES

When safety margins shrink below 5 minutes, it should be considered a standard Decision Point.

Conditions on fires seldom remain constant, you may need to adjust any or all parts of your LCES system several times during a shift to reflect changing conditions.

When safety margins shrink below 5 minutes, it should be considered a standard Decision Point.

Conditions on fires seldom remain constant, you may need to adjust any or all parts of your LCES system several times during a shift to reflect changing conditions.

Safety Margin

Your Safety Margin is simply the time you estimate it will take the fire to spread to your location….minus your known escape time.

This number needs to be a positive number!

Your Safety Margin is simply the time you estimate it will take the fire to spread to your location….minus your known escape time.

This number needs to be a positive number!

LookoutsEvery time

CommunicationsEvery Time

Escape RoutesEvery Time

Safety ZonesEvery Time

If they were not discussed during Briefing, They were not established!