Chief Rick Lasky
Coeur d`Alene (ID) Fire Department
Response: Our department has used PPV with some success. We use it to remove smoke or odor from a building and to pressurize a stairwell during suppression operations in a high-rise building.
Depending on the location and size of the fire, PPV may be used during the initial fire attack but most often is used after the seat of the fire has been located and knocked down.
Before its use, PPV must be approved by the incident commander, and other companies operating at the fire must be made aware of its use.
Note: Training and experience have taught our personnel that PPV can be effective in specific situations and in other instances can turn an incident from bad to worse.
