On Tuesday May 2nd , sixteen members of the Cutchogue Fire Department attended an exercise at the Suffolk County Fire Academy intended to help firefighters understand fire behavior during flashover conditions.

Flashover is imminent when heat generated by a fire can no longer be absorbed by ceilings, walls, and room contents. Heat begins to radiate back toward the room, raising the temperature of unburned gases, room contents, walls and flooring.

At approximately 750 degrees the entire room ignites creating a condition called flashover.

Firefighters wear protective clothing, referred to as turn-out gear, to protect themselves. However, a flashover creates such extreme temperatures that turn-out gear cannot provide adequate protection.

A firefighter caught in a flashover has only 2 seconds to escape the harsh conditions before being overcome. This represents only 5+ feet of movement once the flashover occurs.

Training is essential to understand the signs to look for, and how to react to a flashover.

Participants were able to observe an actual flash over and everything that leads up to it from inside the controlled environment. Firefighters crouched low to the ground and safely away from the extreme heat above them for about 20 minutes, only to watch as the air and smoke turned to fire just above their heads.

Though conditions were controlled and firefighters were kept out of the worst heat, the experience inside the trailer was still extreme.

This training will assist our members in recognizing the signs of a potential flashover condition that may occur while battling a fire.

Thank You to the Suffolk County Fire Academy for providing this valuable training.