Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
Defensive firefighting operations require careful control and coordination by all companies on the fireground. Master stream device safety, observance of collapse danger zones, and careful monitoring of crew activities are some of the responsibilities of officers. Pump operators must monitor water flow requirements vs. available water; consideration of traffic hazards; and apparatus placement to prevent damage from heat.
Firefighters must be aware of overhead collapse dangers, overhead wires, and other fire-spread conditions that could affect their safety. Some general safety rules include:
- always have an escape route from your position;
- do not lower portable master streams below manufacturer stop points for portable use;
- and always consider the potential for collapse.
Night operations will require the use of lighting to observe building components and fire/smoke behavior. In this week’s fire training drill, discuss these operations and review department procedures for defensive/exterior operations.
Download this firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
More in The Fireground Playbook series.
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Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
