VOLUNTEERS CORNER ❘ By RICHARD RAY
Success is achieving a favorable or desired outcome and, in today’s fire service, it can have many meanings. Fireground success, too, can be measured in several ways. It does not matter whether you are a career or a volunteer firefighter, the successful fireground is challenging and requires a lot of moving parts working together. A winning fireground requires all those moving parts to work together in a systematic and coordinated way.
The struggle is real when it comes to coordinating the fireground, especially for the volunteer fire service. A successful and coordinated fireground comes as a result of practice, preparation, and taking a proactive fireground posture.
Standard Operating Guidelines
For the volunteer fire department, fireground success lies in how much members are willing to prepare for and work prior to any incident. Here, standard operating guidelines (SOGs) are a must and lay the foundation. Most volunteer departments understand the need for SOGs, yet they still do not have them or their SOGs were from another organization and they do not fit. So, when writing SOGs, make sure they match your organization in terms of the resources available and response area. SOGs written for an urban department typically will not work for a rural organization and vice versa. The objectives are the same, but the process to achieve the objectives will vary. SOGs should be relevant to the firefighters and the department, which are built off past successful and unsuccessful fireground experiences.
Volunteer Departments: Winning on the Fireground
Early Fireground Decisions Determine Operational Success
SOGs work great when they are used and followed. Many times, departments will have SOGs in place but will not follow them; they then wonder why they have not achieved fireground success. SOGs should also be the focal point of the department’s training, which is where firefighters can determine if the SOGs are appropriate and truly work. If a change is needed, it is better to find out in training rather than at an incident. Additionally, when SOGs are applicable and work, it reduces stress for the incident commander (IC) and works toward alleviating freelancing. It also narrows the focus for the firefighters and allows them to make a positive impact no matter when they arrive on scene.
Review and revise SOGs every three to four years; this gives the department an opportunity to stay in touch with current industry trends and changes within the department. Changes in the fire district, apparatus, equipment, and personnel are just a few reasons your SOGs should be a living document. The safety of the citizens and department personnel demand this.
Training
Once your department has established and agreed on its SOGs, training is a must and the key element to achieving success and the desired performance (photo 1). What does your department’s training program look like? Do you have 100-percent participation from members and officers? Or do you have a bunch of members watching while only a small number actually perform the drill?
(1) Photo by author.
Training is a tremendously important attribute of the volunteer fire department when it comes to fireground success and safety. Training should promote proficiency, muscle memory, and teamwork. Training is the element that allows firefighters to work together to build high-performing teams. Trust is built when firefighters are comfortable working together and understand each other. This trust is the cornerstone of any team. Firefighters will then start to understand that they are part of something that is much bigger than them. This brings value to the training and firefighters understand the importance of their skill set.
Training also allows the officers to get input from firefighters on how to improve the department’s fireground performance. Volunteer fire departments should actively seek training events to send their personnel, whether it is a chief, line officer, or firefighter. Then, when personnel return from training, they must share the information, similar to an experienced firefighter sharing his experience with a new firefighter.
Many times, when information is brought back, a group of members may respond negatively. Remember, the only way to grow as a department is to actively seek information and skills through training and then share it with the department.
Additionally, your training program should focus on the basics. All members should have a strong understanding of and ability to perform basic firefighter skills. Members may think they will perform at a certain level, but the level at which they will perform is the level at which they have been trained.
The New Firefighter
A challenge facing many volunteer fire departments today is training the new firefighter. Many times, when a person steps up to volunteer for a fire department, the initial training provided determines the member’s longevity. The department should put a program in place that addresses the training program for the new member. The training should be hands-on and focus on a mastery of the basics—member safety and how their participation on the fireground brings value to the operation. They need repetition and encouragement, but allow them to fail as much as you allow them to be successful.
When appropriate, also allow them to participate in as many fireground activities as possible. This does not necessarily mean they stretch the first or second line, force a door, or throw the first ladder. However, with supervision, they can perform these skill sets, where appropriate, on actual calls. This will make them feel like part of the team and that their efforts are valuable to the success of the incident. This may be all they need to be successful when doing it for the first time under stress or in a critical situation.
Fire Suppression
Today’s fire service, whether volunteer or career, is expected to respond to and mitigate several types of emergencies. Training in emergency medical services, hazmat, and technical rescue is extremely important, but do not forget that the priority is fire suppression. Your training program should focus on a fire suppression skill set accompanied by other skills.
Many times, departments lose focus on the mission, which is the ability to stretch and advance lines, conduct search, effect rescues, throw ladders, force entry, and so on. With this loss of focus, the citizens we serve will suffer, and we increase the risk of injury to our members.
Volunteer fire departments that have established and worked on the above are well on their way to achieving fireground success. However, it is just a part of the whole. Once on the fireground, initial actions taken, performance, and teamwork will further determine the outcome of the incident. For the volunteer fire department, a good size-up with a strong incident command can help get things going in the right direction.
Command and Control
Command and control are also an extremely vital element of any successful fireground operation. Fire departments that operate with a command presence ensure that the fireground is coordinated, efficient, and safe. For volunteer fire departments, command and control is one of the more difficult and critical tasks that truly impact the fireground. Some volunteer departments do this very well, while others struggle.
All firegrounds should have a dedicated IC commanding the incident, but for many volunteer fire departments, command is mixed in with completing other tasks because of staffing issues. This lack of command and control, caused by trying to multitask, has a direct correlation to firefighter injury and death. Make every effort to ensure the IC is focused on command and control, not some other task.
In volunteer fire departments, the members come with varying degrees of experience and knowledge, which presents challenges. Command and control begins when the first member arrives on scene. This firefighter could be a 50-year veteran or someone who has less than six months on the job. Confident decision making is based on job competency. Many departments end up losing on the fireground because of the initial decision-making process. SOGs and training are great tools to help guide personnel with command and control and rapid decision making.
Size-Up
A good size-up provides the IC with the information he needs to start making decisions on the fireground by applying departmental SOGs to the situation. If possible, the first-arriving unit or member should conduct a 360° size-up of the building.
There are several components of a size-up, so keep it simple. Focus on the life hazard, fire conditions, the building, staffing, resources, weather, and hazards. You can usually address these items quickly and, with the help of SOGs, you can properly execute the strategy and tactics. The struggle for volunteer fire departments is when members who have less experience arrive first and may not make the best decisions or accurately size up the incident.
Consider the following tactics to help your members conduct a size-up. First, have first-arriving personnel move with purpose but also slow down. Fireground success lies in the ability to accurately identify the problems and the actions to address the problems. Slowing down allows the member to take in the whole scene and see the “big picture.” Once the situation has been evaluated, devise a solid plan. Again, this is where SOGs can really help your members.
Second, size-up is ongoing and doesn’t stop until the incident is over. When talking about size-up, there is a lot of discussion on what the firefighter sees from the exterior, but what about sizing up the interior? Are members taking a tactical pause prior to entry to note conditions? Look under the smoke at the opening and note “FLL” (Fire, Life, Layout). Also, ask if firefighters are continually monitoring interior conditions and relaying that information to command. If not, they should, since that is critical information for the IC. That information could change the strategy and tactics.
Third, regarding size-up terminology, ask yourself, Does everyone understand what is being said? I have been to many fires where the size-up given over the radio did not match the incident found. For example, a room-and-contents fire is different from a building being fully involved with fire. “Nothing visible” means nothing. Just because on-scene units give a verbal of nothing visible does not mean that there is not a significant fire on the interior. Communication plays a large role in initial fireground operations, and members should understand that communicating the size-up should paint the picture for responding units. Additionally, the way the information is communicated sets the tone for the operation. Is the member calm or screaming when communicating the size-up?
All fireground actions are important, but for volunteer and rural firefighters, the priorities should be fire attack and search. Many times, volunteer fire departments arrive on scene with a small number of firefighters. When this happens, volunteer fire departments should get the first hoseline into operation and dedicate what few personnel there are to getting water on the fire.
Address the problem quickly. If the products of combustion can be stopped and the toxicity reduced inside the structure, it is then that we start giving any occupants a chance. However, the right decisions regarding the fire attack must be made. The right size hose, length, and placement on the fireground are critical to the success of the operation. The rule of thumb is to position the hoseline in the interior of the structure between any fire and the victim. If staffing, resources, or fire involvement doesn’t allow the initial line to be positioned to the interior, position the line where quick water can be applied to the fire. Make every eff ort to stop the forward progression and then move to the interior as soon as possible.
Hoseline Placement
For a successful fire attack, you must place the right size hoseline into operation. For many, there are two size attack lines: the 1¾-inch and 2½-inch. Members should know the target flow for every attack line they use on a fire because the fire drives which hoseline is placed into operation.
Overwhelm the fire! Water damage is not a concern during the fire attack. Additionally, the weight of 2½-inch hose should not stop firefighters from using it. If water damage is a concern of your firefighters, training is warranted. Also make sure to pump the appropriate pump pressures. When using the 2½-inch, more is less when pumping. When the 2½-inch is overpumped, it is difficult to move and handle.
Volunteer fire departments should flow test their equipment to know exactly what they will be able to flow on the fireground with their hoses, nozzles, and pump. Understanding and knowing the equipment will aid the firefighter in making a better decision on the fireground and increase his performance.
Conducting Search
Search is an equally important fireground action that must be done early on in the incident, at every fire and every structure, preferably with the fire attack. While one crew attacks the fire, one crew conducts the primary search. It is the fire department’s job to determine when the building is clear of occupants.
Additionally, if, on arrival, an on-scene bystander advises that everyone is out, thank him for the information, but don’t repeat it over the radio, and search the structure. A search is a planned event—firefighters must know where to search and why. They also must expect to find occupants when searching and to remove them. Remember, conventional crawling is neither efficient nor effective, and using tools is not smart. Use your hands when searching.
Vent-enter-search (VES) or vent-enter-isolate-search is a great search technique, especially for volunteer firefighters, and allows the firefighters to search a specific room or areas adjacent to the fire when the fire is blocking a doorway. This is the most effective form of search. Firefighters must understand conditions and the importance of isolating the search area and train on this type of search technique. Speed and efficiency paired with ability and desire are elements of a successful VES.
Last, the firefighter must decide whether to remove the victim or protect him in place until fire conditions have been addressed. Remember, the firefighter’s job is to give the victim every opportunity for survival.
No matter how many resources are responding, the fireground is demanding and unforgiving, which requires quick thinking, rapid decision making, and swift action. The decisions made and actions taken by first-arriving firefighters will have a huge impact on the outcome of the incident. Having a plan that is easily understood will ensure everyone starts on the same page. Be determined, and be prepared. The citizens who are served expect the department to handle their problems with professionalism, knowledge, ability, and speed.
RICHARD RAY is a 28-year fire service veteran with volunteer and career experience. He is a captain with the Creedmoor (NC) Volunteer Fire Department and a career firefighter and battalion chief with the Durham (NC) Fire Department. He instructs on a national level, has written for Fire Engineering, and is a member of the UL FSRI Residential Home Size-Up and Search & Rescue Operations technical panel.
