Flow Path

In “Searching the Flow Path,” P.J. Norwood and Sean Gray state that the American fire service dropping the ball on new tactics and the understanding of fire. Norwood and Gray point out that our enemy, fire, is not the same as it used to be. Additionally, the authors add that our training is preparing us well enough. They had that this lack of training is giving firefighters a false sense of security on the fireground. Undoubtedly, the authors believe that right hand/left hand search patterns are not the best option for today’s searches. Likewise, they believe that controlling doors is one of the most important safety tactics for firefighters. Later in the essay, Norwood and Gray highlight on the importance of carrying tools on the fireground. Above all the authors want readers to know that is essential to understand the flow path. To some people, the American fire service is not where it should be right now. Norwood and Gray argue that, “We, the American fire service, are behind in some aspects of our tactics and understanding of fire behavior”(59). Here I agree with Norwood and Gray because they are many examples of what needs to be changed. If you look at other fire services around the

Norwood and Gray suggest that, “We are giving a false sense of security when we fight only fuel-limited fire during training”(59). If new firefighters have never been exposed to an out of control fire before they reach their actual jobs they will be dumbfounded once they see the difference between that and what they are used to training with. In my experience I have seen both fuel-limited training fires and out of control fires. I would have to agree that out of control fires are very dangerous and different compared to these training burns. The heat and intensity of the out of the control fires is much higher and