FIGHTING FIRE WITH FOG

Year Published: 1948

Format: 16mm

Description: This silent film from 1948 shows the training of a group of volunteer firefighters, demonstrating the elimination of large fires on industrial sights. It opens and closes with the extinguishing of a fire at an oil well. Title plate (:11-1:03). Sign for the Purisima Number 44 oil well (1:04-1:07) near Lompoc, California. Long shot of the oil well, completely ablaze. A man with a hard hat runs past camera. Pieces start to fall off the rig, at first small, then larger, more structurally integral pieces (1:18-2:11). A jet of water is being sprayed onto the fire (2:12-2:19). Several men in hard hats approach the well. The rig collapses on itself. Closer shots of the fire thrown from the well (2:30-3:15). Long shot of trainer wheeling out a fire house, surrounded by volunteers (3:31-3:48). Closer shot of instructor addressing volunteers. Shot of his hands twisting nozzle of firehouse (3:58-4:13). Mid shot of trainer twisting nozzle further then releasing a jet of water, continues to twists to produce ‘fog’ (4:21-4:41). Volunteers are gathered round a burning pit. Instructor releases a stream of fog, then different volunteers step forward to have a turn at tampering with the nozzle to produce different jets of water (4:45-5:10). Instructor approaches a burning motor pump, using fog to protect self from the heat. He closes the valve to extinguish fire. A volunteer imitates this procedure, touching valve then retreating (5:22-6:10). A fire department chief in formal uniform is seen turning the valve (6:16-6:21). A pipe trench is ablaze. Instructor begins to extinguish first section of trench with hose, flanked by volunteers. Then volunteers have a turn (6:28-7:13). The fire chief extinguishes remainder of trench (7:18-7:40). Instructor extinguishes a fire burning inside a shed, shielding self from flame with the doorframe (7:51-8:10). A student follows suit, with close supervision from instructor (8:13-8:43). The group walks across training ground. The nozzle men advance forward, stopped at various positions by instructor. Each line advances alternately. Men kneel, then begin to duck-walk forwards (8:47-10:36). Men are seen crouched and spraying fog, parallel with one another. They duck-walk backwards (10:44-10:55). Instructor lights ‘gaso-line’, swiftly producing a huge fire (11:03-11:19). Lines advance. Cut to nozzles open, using fog to shield selves from the flame and smoke (11:25-12:32). Instructor dives ahead of the lines, and shuts of valve. Students begin to slowly retreat from flame (12:40-13:05). Instructor steps out of training and substitutes a student instructor. Lines change positions frequently to preserve selves from heat of the flame. Student instructor dives in to turn valve (13:14-15:00). Return to the burning well. There is a pile of twisted tubing lying over the hole (15:15-15:24). Shot of a conference between the firefighting crew and officials on the site of fire (15:37-15:47). Hose is laid. Shot pans over to the pumper (15:56-16:05). First hose is seen in action. Crew members approach tubing under cover of fog, and begin to attach cables. A machine drags the tubing out of the way (16:14-16:56). Crew are seen in an adjusted formation, spraying water in a ‘V’. Two crew members form a cable tie under cover of fog (17:08-17:40). Lines are now in a new formation, preparing for the shut-off. Conversation seen between in distance shut-off man and crew leader. Shut-off man begins to enter the cellar, and begins to turn cock, with a crew member in tandem creating intense shield of fog as he does so. With no success, he leaves cellar (17:48-19:04). Close-up on a conversation between crew seniors. Shut-off man dives back into the cellar to attempt to bullplug the cock. He succeeds, exits cellar, then re-enters to shut the bailing gate, eventually extinguishing the fire (19:15-20:10). Crew member uses a portable fire extinguisher to eliminate a small fire remaining in the cellar. Final fog released from line to complete the procedure (20:20-20:36). Shot of the wreckage (20:36-20:40).

Complete Record: This silent film from 1948 shows the training of a group of volunteer firefighters, demonstrating the elimination of large fires on industrial sights. It opens and closes with the extinguishing of a fire at an oil well. Title plate (:11-1:03). Sign for the Purisima Number 44 oil well (1:04-1:07) near Lompoc, California. Long shot of the oil well, completely ablaze. A man with a hard hat runs past camera. Pieces start to fall off the rig, at first small, then larger, more structurally integral pieces (1:18-2:11). A jet of water is being sprayed onto the fire (2:12-2:19). Several men in hard hats approach the well. The rig collapses on itself. Closer shots of the fire thrown from the well (2:30-3:15). Long shot of trainer wheeling out a fire house, surrounded by volunteers (3:31-3:48). Closer shot of instructor addressing volunteers. Shot of his hands twisting nozzle of firehouse (3:58-4:13). Mid shot of trainer twisting nozzle further then releasing a jet of water, continues to twists to produce ‘fog’ (4:21-4:41). Volunteers are gathered round a burning pit. Instructor releases a stream of fog, then different volunteers step forward to have a turn at tampering with the nozzle to produce different jets of water (4:45-5:10). Instructor approaches a burning motor pump, using fog to protect self from the heat. He closes the valve to extinguish fire. A volunteer imitates this procedure, touching valve then retreating (5:22-6:10). A fire department chief in formal uniform is seen turning the valve (6:16-6:21). A pipe trench is ablaze. Instructor begins to extinguish first section of trench with hose, flanked by volunteers. Then volunteers have a turn (6:28-7:13). The fire chief extinguishes remainder of trench (7:18-7:40). Instructor extinguishes a fire burning inside a shed, shielding self from flame with the doorframe (7:51-8:10). A student follows suit, with close supervision from instructor (8:13-8:43). The group walks across training ground. The nozzle men advance forward, stopped at various positions by instructor. Each line advances alternately. Men kneel, then begin to duck-walk forwards (8:47-10:36). Men are seen crouched and spraying fog, parallel with one another. They duck-walk backwards (10:44-10:55). Instructor lights ‘gaso-line’, swiftly producing a huge fire (11:03-11:19). Lines advance. Cut to nozzles open, using fog to shield selves from the flame and smoke (11:25-12:32). Instructor dives ahead of the lines, and shuts of valve. Students begin to slowly retreat from flame (12:40-13:05). Instructor steps out of training and substitutes a student instructor. Lines change positions frequently to preserve selves from heat of the flame. Student instructor dives in to turn valve (13:14-15:00). Return to the burning well. There is a pile of twisted tubing lying over the hole (15:15-15:24). Shot of a conference between the firefighting crew and officials on the site of fire (15:37-15:47). Hose is laid. Shot pans over to the pumper (15:56-16:05). First hose is seen in action. Crew members approach tubing under cover of fog, and begin to attach cables. A machine drags the tubing out of the way (16:14-16:56). Crew are seen in an adjusted formation, spraying water in a ‘V’. Two crew members form a cable tie under cover of fog (17:08-17:40). Lines are now in a new formation, preparing for the shut-off. Conversation seen between in distance shut-off man and crew leader. Shut-off man begins to enter the cellar, and begins to turn cock, with a crew member in tandem creating intense shield of fog as he does so. With no success, he leaves cellar (17:48-19:04). Close-up on a conversation between crew seniors. Shut-off man dives back into the cellar to attempt to bullplug the cock. He succeeds, exits cellar, then re-enters to shut the bailing gate, eventually extinguishing the fire (19:15-20:10). Crew member uses a portable fire extinguisher to eliminate a small fire remaining in the cellar. Final fog released from line to complete the procedure (20:20-20:36). Shot of the wreckage (20:36-20:40).