As the day tour reported to work on the morning of January 23, 2005, word was filtering down that the Fire Department of New York had lost two brothers in the line of duty. As the members of Ladder 35 and Engine 40 gathered around the apparatus floor, other members were on the phone trying to find out as much information about the fire in the Bronx as they could. As information became available on the injuries sustained at this fire (two fatalities and four serious injuries), we reflected on what could have happened and discussed ways to make the job safer.
One of the members of Ladder 35, Firefighter Robert Menig, approached and asked, “Hey, Loo, what do you think about having a FAST (firefighter assist and search team) engine?” As we discussed the concept of having a FAST engine and a FAST truck at all fire scenes, the idea became more intriguing.
The FAST engine could work similarly to a FAST truck but would have different areas of concentration and responsibility. The FAST engine would report to the command post with equipment different from that of the FAST truck, such as extra lengths of 13⁄4– and 21⁄2-inch hose (to replace burst lengths), extra nozzles, first-aid equipment, and so forth. The company responsibilities would center on water supply and any tasks necessary to keep water flowing at the fire scene; the incident commander would use the company to respond to any problem/emergency that required immediate attention.
The FAST engine would provide handline protection for the FAST truck if needed. The interior hoselines fighting the fire need to maintain their position. Backing up the FAST truck with a FAST engine would be a better tactic than relying on hoselines already in position.
Water supply problems can allow things to spiral out of control quickly. If a FAST engine is available, the IC can immediately respond to situations such as a burst length or when a line is needed to protect either a firefighter or civilian showing at a window or to help relay water if pressure is lost at a hydrant.
Some departments may not have the staffing to have both a FAST truck and a FAST engine, but our FAST thinking must change to consider resources needed to address water supply problems. A burst length on an attack line is a life-threatening situation for all interior forces. Having a team available to immediately address this situation could mean the difference between life and death.
When should the FAST engine be called?
Most departments have protocols for dispatching their FAST truck; usually the unit is assigned when the first unit on-scene confirms a working fire and a full first-alarm assignment is assigned to the box. The FAST engine could be added to that assignment. As with the FAST truck, you want the FAST engine on-scene as quickly as possible and not as an afterthought when a problem develops.
FAST engine tools.
The FAST engine should bring the following tools to the command post:
• a rolled length of 21⁄2-inch hose;
• a rolled 13⁄4-inch hose (or whatever size your department uses as a handline);
• first-aid equipment (if your department is trained in this area);
• an extra nozzle;
• an extra SCBA;
• spanner and hydrant wrenches;
• a portable radio for monitoring all fireground transmissions; and
• a standard high-rise kit.
Command considerations.
Since we have worked with FAST trucks, we have seen the advantages they bring to the fireground. An officer of a FAST truck approaches the fire scene with a different set of priorities and functions than one who responds as a first- or second-due truck company officer. The truck officer looks to locate the fire, gain entry, and conduct primary searches.
A FAST truck officer is concerned with safety issues and what is available to him if everything suddenly goes wrong. The tools and appliances carried are truck tools that will help effect a rescue of a fellow firefighter or a civilian.
Likewise, the FAST engine officer’s priorities and functions differ from those of the first- and second-due engines, who must secure a reliable water supply and make sure that there is sufficient water flow to extinguish the fire.
The FAST engine officer will
• report to the command post;
• coordinate with the officer of the FAST truck;
• conduct an overall size-up, assessing the volume of fire and the engine company resources (staffing) available to fight it;
• inventory the available hydrants, standpipes, sprinklers, and so forth, and see if an engine is standing by at another hydrant;
• assemble the tools and equipment needed to address water emergencies (see FAST engine tools above);
• survey the scene to see where each handline is stretched and from which apparatus; in an emergency, the officer needs this information beforehand; and
• monitor radio transmissions, which may be the first indication that there is a problem on the fireground.
The officer is responsible to ensure that all of the above is accomplished. The FAST engine and FAST truck members must also be aware of the different responsibilities of a rapid intervention team and approach the fire scene with a different mindset.
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Can the idea of having a FAST engine alongside the FAST truck work for your department? Some departments may already have something like this in place and use it daily. Let’s see if we can make the concept of a FAST engine as beneficial as the FAST truck. ■
■ JOHN MILES is a lieutenant with the Fire Department of New York, assigned to Ladder 35. Previously, he served with Ladder 34 and Engine 82 and as a volunteer firefighter with the River Vale (NJ) Fire Department and the Spring Valley (NY) Fire Department.
■ JOHN TOBIN, a 30-year fire service veteran, is assistant chief and training officer with the River Vale (NJ) Fire Department, where he previously served as chief. He has a master’s degree in public administration and is a member of the Bergen County (NJ) Fire Academy Advisory Board.
