Samatters Radio

The house that was on fire was a vacant, dilapidated structure with a fire on the second floor. John was part of a crew that was looking for fire extension on the second floor of this large farm-style house. While on the second floor, John separated from his partner – by his estimates – approximately 20 feet or so, and entered a room where the floor was weakened – not from fire, but from rot. With no warning, John fell through the floor and was caught by his SCBA bottle. This resulted in a Mayday and John’s successful rescue. During this interview, John will share some valuable lessons learned, including: The importance of not being complacent and letting your guard down. Simply because you are in an environment that does not contain a lot of smoke and fire, doesn’t mean you are not in danger. John recalls hearing someone announce the structure was in poor condition and the floors had been compromised – yet he still fell through a weakened spot. At the time, the department did not have a mayday policy and f