BY JESSE QUINALTY
Last year in America, fire departments responded to more than 480,000 structure fires. When the crew arrives at the structure on fire, everyone has a job to do. The firefighter is pulling hoselines and grabbing tools, catching a hydrant, and performing forcible entry. The company officer is conducting a size-up, giving a condition report, conducting a risk assessment, and verifying whether there are any occupants. The crew then goes into action, completing tactics such as search, rescue, fire attack, and ventilation. The engineer is securing a water source and pressurizing the hoseline. Then, what does he do?
Once the engineer secures a water supply and gets water to the crew, he can look for ways to assist at the scene for a smoother operation. Several other overlooked duties that the engineer can perform on the fire scene are outlined in the acronym T.H.E. P.U.M.P. P.A.N.E.L. below.
Note: The first three items may not always be the engineer’s job; however, they are very important and crucial functions to help control chaos at a fire scene.
T-Traffic Control
Unfortunately, too often, drivers drive through emergency scenes. Controlling the traffic at a fire scene is critical to operations, primarily for firefighter safety. This includes putting out cones or flares; closing off the entire street; or, preferably, finding a police officer to do this. Either way, it is imperative to control the traffic without completely blocking it to incoming apparatus.
The incoming apparatus can also be a part of the engineer’s traffic control. He can help additional apparatus with spotting their locations, including ensuring that the ladder truck has the room it needs, the supply line can be laid, and other vehicles are not in the way. If possible, you may have to ask residents to move their vehicles to open up the area, especially on narrow roads. Police vehicles, such as the vehicle of the officer helping to direct traffic, may interfere with traffic control. Often, patrol cars parked in the middle of the street are locked or unattended or are parked in front of the fire hydrant.
At a recent fire, the private ambulance company parked its emergency vehicle directly behind the first-due engine, making access to the supply line difficult and taking the spot meant for the ladder truck. On the ladder truck’s arrival, the ambulance moved out of the way but was boxed in between the ladder truck and the supply line. If this ambulance was needed to transport a patient, getting out would have been a challenge. It is imperative to train with these assisting agencies so that they understand their role at these incidents and know where to park.
H-Hazard Control
The engineer can also be the eyes and ears of the incident commander (IC) regarding safety; many times, the engineer is the first line of defense for mitigating hazards. Usually, the engineer has a different perspective of the fireground and, thus, increased situational awareness. The engineer does not have a tactical assignment and is usually set back from the scene, almost on the outside looking in. In watching a video of a working fire in which things are not going well, ICs will often ask, “Why didn’t we see these problems?” The answe is that they are too close to the action and they are overloaded with information. If the engineer is not constantly watching the pump panel, he is looking at the fire. Make sure he knows what to look for and when and how to report it.
At the same structure fire mentioned earlier, we experienced a partial roof collapse while crews were inside. The engineer at the panel came up and notified me. At the time, I was the rapid intervention crew (RIC) supervisor. This was clearly a safety issue that I should have seen, but I was too close to the fight. I had a crew to manage and multiple companies to watch with regard to safety. We were setting up a tool cache, conducting a RIC size-up, and monitoring radio traffic. This engineer was the driving force behind changing to a defensive strategy by noticing the event and telling someone about it. Engineers must be able to speak up and say something to company officers on the scene.
There are a host of other hazards that the engineer may be able to spot and report to the IC. The engineer may also find himself flagging down powerlines, trip hazards, swimming pools, or other hazards. For life safety hazards, you should flag using the “three stripes, you’re out” configuration (photo 1).
E-Entry Control
With his wider perspective of the incident, the engineer can also spot people entering the incident scene without permission, including residents, neighbors, insurance agents, reporters, public officials, and utility workers. The engineer should set up a scene perimeter with caution tape or other barriers and continue to monitor and take action as needed. We have seen family members arrive on scene and run into burning homes, children wandering in the backyard of the fire scene, and reporters getting too close to the operation or into unsafe areas.
 |
| (1) Photo by Craig Rose, Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department. |
Sometimes, the engineer may observe someone in the crowd who looks suspicious, distressed, anxious, overly excited, or catatonic. Such people may have been inside the structure and are affected by carbon monoxide, drugs, alcohol, or the stress of the situation. Or, it might be an arsonist just watching the show.
P-Pump Operations
Pumping a fire engine during a fire is still a complicated and demanding task. Anyone who says an engineer’s job is as simple as knowing the rules of 50, “Bake at 350, pump at 150, and wake up at 7:50,” needs to take it a little more seriously. A professional is required to manage the pump and additional tasks. The engineer taking care of the additional functions outlined in this acronym must first be an engineer who is in tune with his apparatus. It’s not just about knowing how to do pump calculations and get the crew water; it’s also about knowing when the calculations won’t work and when they can’t get you water.
Last year, we had a commercial fire that the sprinkler system was containing on our arrival. The engineer spotted the apparatus and hooked up to a hydrant as the firefighter pulled a hoseline. During the transition from the sprinkler system to the hoselines, another engine crew shut off the sprinkler system at the post indicator valve for the complex. We did not know that somehow the business complex’s hydrant loop was hooked into the sprinkler system water supply. The engine immediately lost water to the pump. The engineer radioed me that there was a loss in pressure and that he was switching over to the tank while troubleshooting the problem. He determined that the two water systems were connected, and he had the system recharged.
During the after-action review, I asked the engineer how he figured it out. The impressive thing was that he wasn’t just standing at the panel looking at the gauges when this happened; he was setting up a tool cache when he heard the change in tone of the pump’s sound. Looking over at the supply line, he could tell there was a loss of pressure. This might be an example of when the engineer is ready to handle more than just the panel. Can your engineer tell when the pump is cavitating by feeling the intake hose or the manifold and not by the gauges? Can he make educated decisions on when your crew needs foam? Can he flow multiple lines and the deck gun and still know what he has left in water reserves?
The engineer must be competent in operating the pump before he can take on any other task; likewise, he must be competent in performing these additional tasks. It depends on how complex your pump operations are. If they are extremely complicated, you should assign an additional engineer.
But you should not just “set it and forget it.” The crews inside depend on the engineer to get them the water to fight the fire and also to protect them. Check the panel often; if you choose to take on some of these additional tasks, do them quickly while monitoring the pump between tasks.
Once the pump has been operating for a while, mark the gauges using a grease pencil so you can see if there has been a change.
- Has there been an increase in oil pressure or temperature?
- Has the pressure on your hoselines increased or decreased?
- What is your intake pressure?
- Do you have residual pressure for additional lines?
All of these items do not even include the first priority of an engineer-to get responders to the scene safely, another topic in itself.
U-Utilities
Although the first-in officer, the truck company, or the RIC usually shuts off the utilities, it is not outside the realm of duties for the engineer. This is especially true in departments that have gaps in the arrival times of apparatus and this safety concern must be addressed. Even at a fire department such as mine in which all of the units are arriving quickly, there is still a time to complete this. If my engine company arrives on scene and we have an immediate life rescue, I will pass command to the next-in unit and I will go interior with my firefighter. I expect my engineer to do a 360° size-up, control the smoke flow or air track (See the section “Natural/Mechanical Ventilation” later in this article), and shut off utilities. It is important that the engineer know how and when to shut off the utilities and have a tool in his pocket to do so. Check the breakers before shutting them off to see if any are melted, warm, or tripped; this is important for the fire investigator.
M-Medical/Rehab
Commonly, the engineer will set up the initial medical cache and rehab area. This is a must and should be done early. The medical cache should be readily visible and identifiable for medical crews to identify and staged close to the engine where the engineer can manage it until a medical group is established. If something goes wrong in the beginning stages of the incident, this is where the injured crews will probably end up anyway. It is also quite common for a fire victim to end up at your fire engine with a medical complaint shortly after the fire attack has begun. The engineer should be prepared for this, and it is a good training scenario during basic pump operation drills. The engineer should start medical treatment and then call for additional resources.
With the increased use of and the protocols set for rehab areas, it is another item that the engineer can set up. Set up the rehab area in the shade (if available) away from the pump noise and the exhaust. There is an ever-increasing push for cooling stations and pop-up tents at incidents.
The engineer can also monitor the rehab areas for firefighters feeling ill unless a rehab manager has been designated. Sometimes, this is as simple as the voice of reason telling those crews to hydrate and strip off their turnout coats. Crews should realize that rehab is an assignment, not just a rest break, and they should remain there until they are reassigned to the incident. The engineer may also want to take crew members’ vitals before they return to the incident. The engineer can put this in motion until someone else is assigned to the rehab area.
P-Protection Systems
With the increased installation of sprinkler and other fire protection systems, it is critical to understand these systems and how to support them. The engineer must know how to locate the fire department connection (FDC), access it with hoselines, and hook up to it.
To locate the FDC, the engineer can use preplans and maps, but a good engineer would know his district, paying attention to FDC locations when going out during routine operations. The engineer understands that the FDC will usually be close to the street side of the property and probably on the opposite side of the building from the inspector’s test.
Hooking up to the FDC can sometimes be challenging. In many areas, locking theft-resistant caps have replaced breakaway caps. If you just pulled 200 feet of hose to the FDC and did not bring that fancy FDC key, it might not be a fun day (photo 2).
 |
| (2) Photo courtesy of the Knox Company. |
Another FDC hookup problem is multiple connections that are poorly or inappropriately marked for the address. You could make a bad situation worse by pressurizing a system that was not activated by the fire.
Other FDC issues include improper design and poor maintenance. The engineer should also know whether the FDC is supplying the standpipe, the sprinkler system, or both. He should be able to determine if it is a wet system or a dry system and know what pressure the system requires.
In photo 3, this FDC has two siamese inlets going into the same piping. If a crew is hooking up with the standard dual 2½-inch lines, members would need to hook up one hoseline to each at the top and bottom.
P-Personnel Accountability
In the initial phases of the incident, some departments will have the engineer track the personnel. When it comes down to it, the engineer should understand where the crews are assigned and operating. In some cases, the engineer will have a better perspective of the scene than the IC.
Accountability can be handed over to the RIC or another person assigned to the personnel accountability officer position. The Los Angeles City (CA) Fire Department assigns the engineer of the company assigned as the RIC as the personnel accountability officer. This gives even more incentive for engineers to become familiar with the accountability system and how to track resources.
 |
| (3) Photo by Firefighter Michael Carney, Upland (CA) Fire Department. |
If multiple crews are working on multiple hoselines, it may be even more important for the engineer to keep track of the resources. When Engine 54 asks you to increase the pressure on the hoseline, it will be easier if you know where the engine crew is. If you have three preconnects off the engine and they are all going through the front door, it may be hard to figure out which hose needs the increased pressure. Many departments use different-colored hose sections to assist with this. “Engine 54, are you on the yellow preconnect or the red hoseline?”
Another reason the engineer should know which hoselines the crews are on is that a firefighter may be in distress or call a Mayday. The engineer would be able to identify the color of hose the member is on so that the RIC can follow it in. The Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department uses company labels that attach to the hoseline near the pump panel to identify which hose the company is working from.
A-Air Supply/Management
At many fire incidents, the engineer changes out self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cylinders on scene. This is a huge help to the crews, but even this can be taken to a higher level. If you agree that the engineer should be monitoring the rehab area as discussed earlier and he has some responsibility in personnel accountability, then he should also be monitoring the crews’ air consumption. If the engineer is changing out cylinders for a crew for the second time or if the crew has used up the bottles so quickly that ice is forming on the cylinders, then the engineer might suggest that the crew go to rehab.
If your department also uses the rules of air management (ROAM), then your engineer can be a key component of them. He can record the beginning air pressure and the time for each crew member and the ending air pressure and time to assist the crew members in determining their rate of air use.
If each crew member knows his air management cycle, the engineer can assist when changing cylinders by putting the cylinder with the appropriate air pressure with the correct crew member. If possible, the engineer should be putting full cylinders on everyone’s back.
N-Natural/Mechanical Ventilation
If you look back at the scenario discussed in the utilities section, it may also be a time for the engineer to manage the air path in the house by creating an exhaust port or exit path. If the first-arriving crew members have gone straight into rescue mode and the door through which they entered is the only exit for the smoke to travel through, then there will be a problem. The engineer must get around the structure and open a window or a door as close to the fire room as possible. He must coordinate this with the inside crew, and personnel must thoroughly understand fire behavior and ventilation practices.
If your department conducts a positive pressure attack, there will be plenty of opportunities for the engineer to set up the fan or blower at the door. He should start the fan facing away from the structure and turn it into the doorway only when the conditions are right; an exhaust port or exit path must be provided beforehand. Again, extensive training is required for this technique to be done correctly.
E-Equipment Management
The engineer must also be the equipment manager. If equipment is removed from the apparatus, the engineer must keep an inventory of who removed what tool. This will be important when tracking down the equipment later. You never want to leave a scene with something missing. This will also remind the engineer when he is back at the station what equipment he needs to inspect or have maintenance performed on.
Many departments use that first-arriving engine as the toolbox and remove equipment from it to keep the other apparatus in service. This can be hard to track if multiple companies are coming up to pillage your engine. Make sure they check in with the engineer before taking equipment. If you respond with mutual-aid companies, you may need to direct them to where to find the equipment and possibly how to operate it.
The engineer may also be able to see the need for equipment and send it out to the crews. This may include special equipment like rotary saws to something as simple as a longer pike pole. He may also be required to do field repairs of tools and equipment on the scene.
L-Lighting
Getting the proper lighting on the scene is essential to firefighter safety. Lighting is also important for the IC to make good fireground decisions. Many fireground commanders are now being taught to “read smoke,” but we cannot read the smoke if we can’t see it.
It does not always take complicated wiring and setting up multiple portable lights; it may be as easy as just flipping a switch. Most apparatus today have decent flood and scene light packages. Unfortunately, if the engineer does not flip that switch or push that button, the lights are of no help. Our department also uses little portable generators with a floodlight attached that can be quickly deployed around the rear of the structure to illuminate hazards such as swimming pools and clotheslines.
Another good option is to use the truck company to illuminate the scene with the lights on the end of the aerial ladder. This provides overhead lighting of the scene, including the roofline and that looming column of smoke. It also puts the lights above eye level, avoiding blinding personnel with bright light.
Whatever the engineer is doing on the fire scene must be manageable, and that member must be confident and competent in accomplishing those additional tasks. With the normal do-more-with-less contingencies we all face in the fire service, many departments are already asking this of their engineers. The overall goal is to provide for a more efficient and safe operation.
Reference
Bernocco, S, M Gagliano, C Phillips, and P Jose. (2014) “Is Your Department Complying with the NFPA 1404 Air Management Policy?” Fire Engineering, February 2014, 103-108. http://emberly.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-161/issue-2/features/is-your-department-complying-with-the-nfpa-1404-air-management-policy.html.
JESSE QUINALTY is a captain with the Upland (CA) Fire Department and a state advocate for the Everyone Goes Home Program. He is certified as a master instructor and is the owner of Red Helmet Training.
Engine Company: You’re an Engineer; Now What?
The Engineer’s Bag of Tricks
The First-Due Engineer
Fire Engineering Archives
