By MICHAEL M. DUGAN
Scenario: On YOUR arrival, a large volume of fire is showing on the second floor of a brownstone building. The engine company needs water—and fast. The stretch is short because of the distance between the engine and the available hydrant (photo 1). This may indicate the need for the engine officer to call the engine company chauffeur for tank water, which would allow for a quick knockdown of the visible fire. It may take longer to hook up to a hydrant than to stretch a line and have it ready to flow water. Most officers would call for the chauffeur to “drop the tank.”
(1) Photos by Rich Doucet. |
All fireground members should be aware of the water supply’s status. The engine company’s chauffeur or pump operator announcing “We have hydrant water” over the fireground radio once a positive water supply is established is one of the most important messages that he can communicate. This tells all members that they have a positive water supply and can now adjust their tactics accordingly.
The second line will be stretched to the parlor floor to back up the first handline. Once the first hoseline is in position and operating on the fire, the backup line will be advanced to the floor above the fire. Members will then be in position to operate on fire that extended to the floor above.
The truck company or member assigned the interior search should keep the front steps clear for the engine to stretch the line and flake it out for a quick advancement on the fire. The search team’s officer or team leader going to the floor above the fire must know the status of the water supply and must communicate with the units operating on the fire floor to ensure they know which teams are moving above. Working physically close with an officer or a member on the fire floor ensures the safety of the team on the floor above. If a problem arises, the fire floor officers should make contact with the unit above and advise them of the situation. Someone has to be assigned to the floor below the fire and other utilities to ensure that the fire does not start below operating forces.
One truck company or vent-enter-search member should go to the rear of the building to check for fire, smoke, and victims. If he does not encounter problems, make entry from the rear. Members are still mandated to radio to Command and their officer, “The rear is clear and making entry from the exterior to the second floor rear.” This tells the incident commander (IC) and the officer the searching member’s location and which task he is presently doing.
The photos show two aerials positioned to give members quick access to the roof for ventilation. Members going to the roof should remove the skylight or scuttle cover over the interior stairs immediately to relieve the building of smoke and products of combustion. The aerial in photo 2 is positioned away from the fire and smoke, allowing members on the roof a safer egress if needed.
| (2) |
This fire indicated the need for a coordinated, controlled fire attack. Members should be aware of what is happening and how the overall fire attack is progressing. The status of the water supply is vital information; all members should know this. Once you have a positive water supply, you can be more confident as you search.
Members must communicate vital information consistently and with the correct terminology to the officers and the IC. This means that you must know how to identify the floors in the building. In this scenario, the parlor floor—or second floor—is the fire floor. If a member on the third floor radios the IC that fire is visible on the second floor, the IC and operating officers might not worry about that. However, if the member radioed that the fire had progressed to the third floor, the IC might have transmitted an additional alarm or asked for more resources. This type of miscommunication may endanger the working crews. A standardized communication and terminology are necessary to help avoid confusion.
Remember, the stairs will be used to stretch the handline. All members should assist in getting the first line into operation and keeping the area clear for the first engine to move on the fire.
This fire occurred during the day; the volume of fire indicated that it may be arson. All members should be aware of any indication of arson and advise the IC if it is found.
MICHAEL M. DUGAN is a 36-year fire service veteran and a 25-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). He is a captain of Ladder Company 123 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Dugan received the James Gordon Bennett medal in 1992 and the Harry M. Archer Medal in 1993, the FDNY’s highest award for bravery. He was also a volunteer firefighter for the Halesite (NY) Fire Department. He is a nationally recognized instructor and FDIC lecturer on truck company operations, building construction, and size-up.
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