By Douglas J. Mitchell Jr.
The department radio crackles to life: “Engine 163, Ladder 139, respond for the report of fire in a dwelling … 321 Buttercup Court.” As the members mount the rigs, the dispatcher gets back on the air … “163, 139… getting a few calls on this; sounds like it might be a job.”
Flawless performance on the fireground does not happen by accident or when left to sheer chance. The consistent attempt to achieve flawless performance is, however, the cornerstone of the “combat ready” fire company. While nothing in the fire service happens overnight, you can make this your department’s reality and mantra. It takes time and effort to mold and sculpt your membership to achieve fireground mastery.
RELATED
Jim Duffy: Residential Fire Tactics
Making Sure Your Entire Water Delivery System is Combat Ready
Some may say this notion is not plausible in their departments. I’d venture to say those naysayers are likely the same people who would rather play video games or clean out their landscaping truck than grab a hoseline or a ladder when at the firehouse.
It Starts with the Individual
You must initiate action to better yourself and inspire that excellence in others. Although all may not jump in the first few times you start the saws and grab some tools for drill, over time, most will and those who do not will likely, in time, move along to another place where they are “more comfortable.” Complacency has no business in our business.
Ask yourself:
• What have you done to mentally challenge yourself with regard to residential fires?
• What have you done to prepare yourself physically to meet these fires head on?
Combat-Ready Apparatus
Once you set yourself up for fireground success and have “infected” the firefighters and fire officers around you, it’s time to take a long, hard look at your apparatus, your tools, and your equipment. As our communities change, so should our apparatus, tools, and equipment. Our rigs and the tools on them must be malleable in our rapidly changing communities.
Do you have the same complements of equipment and hose loads because “it’s always been that way,” or have you adopted change as change occurred around you? You must be open to at least trying out new ideas that may better assist you to meet the challenges in your area. We must be adaptable to remain effective and efficient on today’s fireground.
Ask yourself:
• Why do you have the hose loads you have on your rigs today, and are they the most effective and adaptive?
• Why do you carry the ladder and tool complement you carry, and do they still match the needs of the community?
Talk to Me
Initial arriving units set the tone for the operation. They have the greatest impact to affect the overall outcome of a fire. The fireground actions that those companies set forth must be communicated to all who will later arrive. Set policy for units to deliver on-scene reports, conduct 360˚ checks, and follow up that 360˚ check with a statement known as a “situation update.” Company officers should conduct unit to unit and unit to command with CAN (conditions, actions, and needs) reports.
Ask yourself:
• What to you say when you arrive on location?
• Do you have an assigned member take a lap of the structure?
• How do companies communicate needs from the inside to the incident commander (IC)?
The Modern Fire Environment
Although the application of water still extinguishes fire and our searches still locate trapped civilians, the art and science behind how to mount the attack are being questioned. The initial company-level actions can make or break the operation. Are you and your teams best prepared to operate in our modern residential environment? Don’t think so. Know so.
Ask yourself:
• Have you reviewed recent scientific data and deciphered how it affects your operational protocols?
• Have you discussed how building styles will impact fire travel in today’s petroleum-rich fires?
The Engine
The backbone of the fire service, the engine company, brings water and holds a limited initial supply, which may get the company started. We must, as professional firefighters prepare to augment this limited supply early in the operation. Engines must plan to put hose between the water source and the fire on each response. Playing catch-up on the fireground can be deadly. Hose loads must be adaptable and extendable to provide the greatest coverage for your team and the homes in your areas.
Ask yourself:
• Do you routinely lay supply line for every reported fire? If not, why not?
• Are your hose loads adaptable and extendable for the changing construction in your town?
The Truck
Truck company members may be tasked with a multitude of jobs at the residential fire. The best approach is often the two-team concept of smaller functional inside and outside teams. Forcing entry, search, portable laddering, ventilation, and opening up are just a few of the traditional truck-company functions. Again, in today’s modern fire environment, communication and coordination are key, perhaps now more than ever. Every action of the truck company will have a reaction on the fire. Members must realize that without a charged hoseline moving in to extinguish, the fire environment may change with each and every window or door being opened.
Ask yourself:
• Have you adapted your truck company duties to reflect the science of the modern fire?
• Have you instituted simple riding assignments and delineated tasks for inside and outside duties?
The Residential Fire Attack
Engine 163 marks on the scene and gives a clear concise on-scene report: “E163 on location; we have fire showing from two windows on the alpha-bravo corner of the first floor of a two-story peaked roof private dwelling. We have our own hydrant in front of 311 Buttercup; stretching a 1¾-inch hoseline and will operate in the offensive mode.”
Ladder 139 arrives seconds later with the chief, and as the engine is starting its stretch, the officer takes his entry firefighter to the front door to prepare forcing entry and locates and clears a path for the engine to the fire to start its search. The ladder company chauffeur begins to place portable ladders against the building to the level of the windowsill and announces the placement of such over the radio. He then teams up with the vent firefighter to vent-enter-isolate-search the second-floor bedrooms after communication and permission from the truck boss.
The engine officer returns from a 360˚check, joins the nozzle team, and transmits a situation update that denotes “three stories in the rear and basement clear of smoke and fire.” He communicates the attack path with the truck boss, pushes in, and extinguishes the bulk of the fire.
Both the engine and truck officer communicate actions with the incident commander using CAN reports, and the IC notes the actions and placement of the members operating within the structure–primary search complete, water on the fire, additional resources now arriving.
This wasn’t always the case for 163 and 139. This orchestrated performance was achieved through desire to perform flawlessly, efficiently, and effectively. It came to pass with set policy and tireless preparation and practice.
Never in our fire service history has there been such a delicate balance within the interworking between the engine and the truck company. Clear, concise communication is a must. Understanding of the firefighting roles, which may seem simple on the surface, must be understood and coordinated by all members.
Ask yourself:
• Have you set yourself and your fire company up for ultimate success?
• Have you set expectations in your firefighters and company officers?
• Have you set clear communication policies for coordinating operations at residential fires?
By answering the series of questions in this article honestly and making positive changes, you will make a difference in yourself, your department, and your community. Stay a student of the job; never stop learning.
BIO
DOUG MITCHELL has more than 20 years in the fire service. He is a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York, assigned to the 7th Division. He previously served with Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue. He has a BS degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. As a vice president of Traditions Training, LLC, he instructs on fire service topics nationwide. He hosts a monthly Blog Talk Radio program and has authored articles for Fire Engineering and co-authored 25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and Line-of-Duty Deaths (Pennwell, 2013).
