Gordon Graham
Category: Law Enforcement

Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. And Today’s Tip deals with life-saving by law enforcement professionals. 

This is a situation where the atmosphere is so threatening that someone who is not properly protected can die or be seriously injured—including first responders.

I can hear you saying, “Gordie. Cops save lives all the time. That’s nothing new.”  And you’d be right. 

But I’m talking about those times when officers recognize that lives are at risk in a fire and rush into a burning building. This is something that cops have been doing forever.   

Now going into a burning structure like a house or an apartment building is something our friends in the fire service call an “IDLH environment.”

IDLH stands for “Immediate Danger to Life and Health.”  This is a situation where the atmosphere is so threatening that someone who is not properly protected can die or be seriously injured—including first responders.   

Remember, not only are dangerous and highly toxic chemicals released by a residential fire, but the fire also consumes oxygen. So we are talking about toxic fumes and the possibility of suffocating due to a lack of oxygen.   

The message here is to think twice before entering an IDLH environment without the proper personal protective equipment.   

And that is Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Gordon Graham signing off.