If Not Us, Then Who?

We will ALWAYS be watching...

Every day we loose more and more correctional staff and the reasons are many: “the job is not for me”, got walked off after a relationship with an offender, introduced contraband, etc. The reasons may be many but the end result is the same: we loose staff.

One of the most disheartening things to hear from new correctional staff is that older, more experienced staff did not take them under their wing and teach them what they needed to know. Any pre-service academy serves the same purpose: teach the foundation of the job based on policy and procedure. Since every facility is different in how they operate, the nuts and bolts of the job are left to the facility to teach. Experienced staff dedicate themselves to this mission.

The days of having offenders teach new staff on how to do the job are long gone. Although it is true that this still takes place (in a way), it is the older officers that should be taking that new officer and training them how to do the job. A facility FTO can only do so much and the training of an employee never ends. I don’t care how long you have been working in corrections, you always learn something new.

Have we really thought of the ramifications of not teaching that new officer how to do things the right way? We have no problem teaching them the shortcuts, but how about the right way to do things. It may take more time but in the end, it’s worth it.

When we neglect these new officers, offenders take notice. It is for this very same reason that offenders will go after the new staff and try to turn them into something that they should not be…a danger to the rest of us.

I want you to think back to when you first started working at your first facility. Did it really feel good to have the older staff look down on you and not pay attention to you? Did you truly enjoy when you would ask a question and they would give you a BS answer only making it harder to learn what you needed to learn? How about when you needed help and no one would take the time to help you? I would bet that there was an offender that saw this take place and gave you “friendly advise” on what you needed to do.

It is this same helpful offender that will be there for that new staff member and try to turn them. We know that it starts small but at what point does it end? When will we put an end to this?

There are many veteran officers that will, and do, take the time to teach these youngsters how to do things the right way and will always be there for any staff member.  To those of you that are in this category, thank you from all of us. You ARE noticed and we could not do what we do without you.

Keep the lamb away from the wolf and watch it grow into a sheepdog. They are always lurking in the shadows just waiting for the opportunity to strike. If not us, then who?


Note: This article appeared in Corrections.com

Training Your Mind

For the last few days I have been in a turkey-induced comatose state (just like most of us have been) and it got me thinking today: working in either Law Enforcement or Corrections we know that we have to physically prepare ourselves for any situation that may arise. We train physically so that our bodies can sustain the pressures of our chosen profession. Unfortunately, many of us do not train our minds as well.

It takes the average person 1000 repetitions of doing something for it to become muscle memory. In other words, we don't have to think about what we are going to do, we just do it. But when it comes down to our minds, do we really do the same thing?

While it is true that most of us do not have the time to sit there and practice our response to a scenario 1000 times, nothing says that we can't think about what are response will be when we are faced with a situation. Think about the amount of time that we have to think throughout the course of our day: in the shower, cooking (or waiting for our order at the drive thru), waiting in line, driving (not so safe but we still do it anyway), in the bathroom...

We have the time to think about what are response will be to any situation that we can come up with. Most of us will never be Bruce Lee so we can forget anything that is going to involve a lot of complicated moves unless we have the time to physically practice. The Inverted-U Hypothesis states, in a nutshell, that as our stress levels (arousal) increase, our fine motor skill will decrease and is therefore detrimental to our performance. What do we have left then? Gross motor skills.

If we repeatedly practice just a few simple responses to situations that do not involve fine motor skills, our performance during times of increased stress will improve thereby increasing our chances of survival. This also applies to our mental exercises. If we repeatedly think about the same adequate response to a certain situation, eventually you will not have to think about "what will I do," you will just do. Just remember the KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

When it takes an average person 1.5 seconds to close a 21' gap, do you really have 1.5 seconds to think about what you will do as a response and take action? Guess how long it takes that average person to see something, recognize it as a threat, formulate a response and put it into action? Yep, 1.5 seconds.

I know I don't have the time to think about it. Do you really do?

I want to know what you think!

Some of the Benefits of Kevlar Tactical Gloves

Thinking that any pair of gloves will protect those little sausages attached to your hands is the same as thinking that a pair of tennis shoes will protect your little piggies in a steel factory...it just isn't going to happen.

Kevlar was developed by DuPont in 1965 and was first commercially used in the 1970's as a replacement to steel in racing tires. Since then the uses of Kevlar have expanded and continue to do so to this day. It can be made into yarn, fiber, paper and building material for home/commercial construction. The real limitation is the human mind.

Law Enforcement first saw this wonderful material used in bullet proof vests. Although there had been "bullet proof vests" prior to 1976 (medieval Japanese used heavily reinforced silk garments as soft body armor), it wasn't until the late 19th century that the U.S. started to see soft body armor. Flak Jackets in the 40's, 50's and 60's were a great addition to the military when under fire but it was not only too bulky for every day law enforcement use, but too expensive.

So, how many people do you think would shoot themselves because they truly believed in their product? Richard Davis sure did. His company Second Chance has been a leader in soft body armor since the 1970's.



Do you think he is nuts? I don't. He knew what he had and he believed in it. He didn't just say, "hey, this works!" he said "let me show you how it works." Talk about testicular fortitude!

When it comes down to our hands, it is just as important to protect them. Kevlar Tactical Gloves does just that. They protect your hands. With the likelihood that we will be cut during a pat/strip search, or searching an area, or having to defend ourselves against someone who has a weapon is extremely real. Check out this review and demonstration of a pair of kevlar tactical gloves:




See what I mean? If you don't use protection you may find yourself in trouble. There are some added benefits as well to kevlar tactical gloves. They can be used not just in law enforcement, but every day life. If you work with sharp objects you can use them. Many of the styles out there on kevlar tactical gloves are also heat resistant or fire resistant as well.

Use protection! If steel workers all wear safety toed boots, why don't we all wear kevlar tactical gloves?

What's your excuse?

Fire Safety in a Correctional Setting

One of the most, if not the most, dangerous situations in a correctional setting is a fire. Our nation’s correctional facilities, for the most part, are constructed of steel, concrete and bricks. Windows either do not open or are designed to open very little due to security concerns and our mandate of providing public safety. Natural ventilation is greatly reduced. As a result of these building designs, what we have is either a chimney or an oven that we work in.

There are safeguards built in with the building design such as sprinklers and hose reels/fire hoses as well as fire extinguishers available for use throughout the facilities and it is imperative that we know not only where they are located, but how to use them effectively as well.

A fire that starts in one area of a correctional facility can spread relatively slowly based on the location and fuel available, but the smoke will spread much faster. Those that have perished as a result of a fire in a correctional facility have not died from burning, but from smoke inhalation.

Let’s take a look at some of the basic components of a fire.

Fire Tetrahedron and Classes of Fire:

We have all heard about the Fire Triangle: fuel, oxygen and heat. However, for a fire to develop, it must have 4 elements: fuel, oxygen, heat and a chemical chain reaction. These four elements are known as the Fire Tetrahedron.

Solids and liquids, in its natural state, will not burn as a flame. It is the combination of the heat and oxygen that will take the solid/liquid and transform it through a chemical chain reaction into a gas that will in turn burn as a flame.

Picture this: you light a candle (or bon fire) and watch the flame. When you are looking at the flame you will notice that the flame itself is not touching wick (or log). What is burning is the gas that is just above that is the result of the chemical chain reaction. Same principle applies to a liquid. If we interfere with any of the four parts of the fire tetrahedron the fire will be extinguished.

Classes of Fire

Class A: A Class A fire is comprised of ordinary combustibles. Wood, paper, plastics and even human bodies are all examples of a Class A fire. This class can be extinguished with water.

Class B: A Class B fire is comprised of flammable liquids/oils. Either a class ABC fire extinguisher or BC fire extinguisher can be used to combat the fire. Smothering the fire in order to take away the oxygen can also be done.

 Class C: A Class C fire is comprised of energized electrical equipment (it has to have a current going through it). Either a class ABC or BC fire extinguisher can be utilized to combat the fire. If you remove the power source (unplug the item, flip the breaker, etc) it will change the class of fire from a Class C to a Class A (unplug burning fan and you now have burning plastic).

 Class D: A Class D fire is comprised of combustible metals and combustible metal alloys. This class of fire can only be put out by a Class D fire extinguisher (Type I: Sodium Chloride or Type II: Copper based dry powder)

Class K: Class K fires are fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances. This is for commercial kitchens, including those found in restaurants, cafeterias, and caterers.

So why do offenders start fires? There are multiple reasons why offenders start fires. Some of these are:

• Harass staff – Do I need to say more?
• Aid in an escape – Starting a fire in one area of a facility will attract staff attention there therefore exposing another section of the facility.
• Suicide – Some offenders will start a fire in order to commit suicide
• Riot – Fires are a normal part of a riot. It creates havoc by destroying property and diverting the attention of responding staff to the area of the fire in order for the rioters to achieve their primary goal (murder, retaliation against other offenders, etc)
• Pyromaniac/Arson – Some offenders just like fire and use it to their amusement

How Offenders Start Fires Without a Flame

There are many ways in which an offender can start a fire without a flame. Some of the most common methods include steel wool, eyeglasses, batteries, pencils, friction and chemicals.

Steel Wool:

An offender can start a fire by using steel wool in conjunction with a battery. Take the steel wool and attach some of it to the positive end of the battery along with the negative end of the battery and enough heat will be created to start a fire. A paper product must also be used with this method.

Eyeglasses:

Eyeglasses can be used as a magnifying glass in conjunction with the sun in order to start a fire. Just think about what we did as kids…same principle.

 Batteries:

Batteries, in conjunction with either steel wool or razor blades can be used to start a fire. When used with razor blades, it will require two batteries and two razor blades. Once the connection is made between both razor blades, enough heat is generated to start a fire or light a cigarette.

 Pencils:

Break a pencil open and remove the graphite lead core. Insert a piece in of the lead in both sides of an outlet and attach a third piece to a small rope made out of twisted toilet paper. Lower the third piece onto the two pieces that are protruding from the outlet and this will close the circuit causing the toilet paper to catch on fire. When soap is gently rubbed onto the toilet paper, it creates a nice long burning wick that can be used for extended periods.

Friction:

Some offenders are former military with survival training as well as others that were boy scouts. Give them some wood and it is survival 101 for them.

Chemicals:

In most correctional facilities it will be the offenders that do all the janitorial work. This will involve the use of chemicals. An offender that has the knowledge can find a way to mix the right amount of chemicals and of which types in order to create a fire, or worse, a bomb. This is one of the reasons why chemicals are so tightly controlled within correctional facilities. 

 There are other ways in which offenders can start fires that may be more complex but the ones listed here are just the most common ones.

 Fire Suppression vs. Evacuation

 There is a fine line between when you go from fire suppression to evacuation. Our job is to maintain offenders in specific locations for periods of time. Whether they are in the housing area (cell or dorm), at work, education, recreation or dinning area, our responsibility is to keep them safe and in that particular area for a predetermined amount of time. They are not permitted to come and go as they please.

So how do we know when we have to evacuate them from a specific location when a fire breaks out? For the most part, it will be a judgment call. There is no specific set standard as to when to try to put the fire out and when you get every one out of the area. What I teach is “if you can’t get it put out with one fire extinguisher, get out!”

Make sure that you know your agency’s policy regarding fire prevention and evacuation routes by heart and follow them every time.

To understand at what point we go from fire suppression to evacuation we must first understand the stages of a fire.

There are 5 stages to a fire:

1. Incipient
2. Growth
3. Flashover
4. Fully Developed
5. Hot Smoldering

 Incipient:

 This is the initial stage of a fire. During this stage the fuel, oxygen, heat and chemical chain reaction combine to start the fire.

Growth:

 During this stage the fire is starting to gain momentum by consuming the fuel that is available to it. Temperature in the area starts to increase until it reaches the flashover point (800-1200 degrees depending on the type of fuel present)

Flashover:

The flashover is the most dangerous stage of a fire. During this stage the atmospheric temperature has increased to the point that all fuel present in the area will burst into flames. Firefighters are killed every year during flashovers.

Fully Developed:

 During the fully developed stage all available fuel is burning simultaneously. Temperatures exceed 1100 degrees in the area and the toxic atmosphere is lethal.

Hot Smoldering:

 During this stage all fuel is nearly consumed. Visible flames are no longer present and all we have left is charred remains in a smoldering state. The fire may start grow again if more fuel or oxygen is introduced.

 It is imperative that if you are going to attempt to put a fire out it be done no later than the beginning portion of the growth stage. Remember, if you can not put the fire out with one fire extinguisher, get out!

Special Considerations:

 There are special considerations that we must take into account when dealing with a fire in a correctional setting. These include location of the fire, toxic atmospheres and backdrafts. 

• Location. We are going to deal with a fire differently in a recreation yard differently than we would in a dinning area, cellblock, open dorm style housing area or in a cell. Building design will be key in how to combat the fire.
• Toxic atmosphere. Depending on what material is burning you may have chemicals such as cyanide, PCB, dioxins, etc in the atmosphere as a result of the fire. If the fire is located in a chemical storage room, do not attempt to put the fire out. Your primary goal in this instance is evacuate.

• Backdrafts. This is the most dangerous of all. A backdraft occurs when the oxygen in the area has been reduced to the point that it can no longer sustain a visible flame. However, the gases inside the area as well as the atmospheric temperature remain higher than the flash point. If oxygen is re-introduced an explosion may/will occur. So how do you know if a backdraft is possible? Look for the warning signs.

 Warning signs of a backdraft: 

1. The surrounding environment will be extremely hot
2. Puffs of yellow/brown are wafting out from under door or small openings and getting sucked back in
3. Windows appear black or brown when viewed from the outside
4. Doors or windows are rattling
5. Soot is present on the inside of the window and in cracks

 What to do in case of a fire

 Now that we have covered the basics, what do you do if you have a fire in your area of responsibility? First thing first:

• Notify everyone that you have a fire.
• Make sure that you provide location of the fire (be specific) as well as the class of fire (this will ensure proper fire suppression equipment is utilized).
• NEVER attempt to put out a fire before letting someone know where you are
• If you must evacuate, use the primary evacuation route as specified at your facility. If the primary evacuation route is not available, use the secondary evacuation route. Most agency policies will state that a supervisor may not contradict an evacuation route/decision unless they are present at the scene. Life safety must come first.
• If an offender(s) refuse to evacuate, make a note of their location and continue the evacuation of everyone else. The lives of many others far outweigh the lives of a few.

Equipment:

When it comes down to what equipment to use, you must be very familiar with what equipment is available at your facility. There will be fire extinguishers within easy access to everyone and located appropriately. There may even be fire hoses available for use. Make sure that you are familiar with this equipment and its proper use.

Make it a habit to check your fire suppression equipment every day while working. If there is a fire extinguisher, check the pressure gauge to ensure that it is charged. Also check the hose and inspect it for cracks and dry rot. Look inside the nozzle for any obstructions. Give the hose a turn to ensure that it has not become loose thereby not allowing for proper operation. If there are any defects or deficiencies with the fire extinguisher, notify a supervisor so that it can be taken care of.

If there is a fire hose (either on a reel or in a cabinet) make sure that you know how to use it. It is imperative that you not only inspect it on a daily basis for deficiencies, but that you also know the maximum length of the hose.

Another item to keep in mind is a pair of Kevlar Tactical Gloves. Most Kevlar Tactical Gloves are not only cut resistant, but they are also heat/flame resistant. Having a pair of Kevlar Tactical Gloves available to you may allow you to grab onto something that is too hot to handle with your bare hands. Kevlar Tactical Gloves will offer you some added protection in the case of a fire for a limited amount of time. It might be that the Kevlar Tactical Gloves gave you just the time that you needed in order to get everyone out.

As correctional professionals our primary mandate is to provide public safety. A close second is life safety to visitors/volunteers, staff and offenders and it is done in that order: public, visitors/volunteers, staff and offender. Performing security checks is an essential function of what we do every day.

It is as a result of security checks that we can prevent fires, suicides, assaults (physical and sexual) and maintain order and discipline within our institutions. Remember that we are not fire fighters. We are correctional professionals. Even if you happen to be a fire fighter on the outside, while on the inside, you are a correctional officer and your primary responsibility is the safety of the individuals inside, not the fire.