THE PRE-ALARM DUTIES OF THE ENGINE CAPTAIN

THE PRE-ALARM DUTIES OF THE ENGINE CAPTAIN

BY SCOTT BARRY

The engine captain carries a heavy burden. The basic unit of the fire service isn`t the firefighter–it`s the fire company. Captains are responsible for preparing and leading this indispensable unit. When captains fail, vital operations often fail and bad things happen.

When a first-due engine company captain arrives at a structure fire with his crew, he is immediately confronted with serious responsibilities. Until the chief arrives, this captain directs the firefighting operation, and the many tactical decisions he makes during the first few minutes after his arrival will drastically influence the outcome of the incident. These duties are dramatic and grave. But no matter what decisions he makes on the fireground, if the captain has failed to properly prepare his company prior to the alarm, dire consequences will almost always result.

Any engine captain intent on doing the job right focuses keenly on the company`s next run. This clear and steadfast preoccupation with the company`s immediate future–the next fire, the next EMS call–will give the captain more power and status with the members than all the bars and horns in his department`s inventory. The captain who takes the necessary pre-alarm steps to ensure his company`s success on the next run is doing more than fulfilling his obligation to prepare for his company`s safety performance and effectiveness. He is doing what he should to establish himself as the company`s real leader. He can earn the respect of the members by focusing this way, and he can seize a big chunk of moral authority, too. He can also make a good start at living up to his enormous responsibilities to the citizens of his district.

MANAGING PERSONNEL

A captain`s pre-alarm responsibilities begin with the proper management of personnel. Sometimes, a captain`s first challenge is to build a company. If charged with recruitment, he will want to attract and retain the most suitable candidates possible. Captains in the volunteer service face different recruitment challenges than captains in career departments, but both will reap great benefits by finding ways to motivate good firefighters to become and remain part of the company.

The captain inheriting a station that is already well established ought to take the time to learn about the people as well as the procedures to which they have become accustomed before making any changes. Taking this time enables him to make sure-handed adjustments to a fire company, a fire engine, or a fire station. Hasty changes often have to be reversed or greatly modified. Much time and energy can be wasted this way, and morale can be adversely affected. The new company commander can come away looking indecisive and foolish if the orders and directives he issues have to be countermanded a short time later.

A new captain`s greatest assets are very likely the lieutenants and senior firefighters assigned to the company. It`s worth the time it takes to allow these folks to step up and reveal themselves. If taking command of a good fire station with strong traditions, the new captain ought to recognize his good fortune and then set about the task of deciding how to keep the operation running smoothly. He should consider how he can best use those strong traditions as aids in guiding the company into the future.

Good crews deserve respect, and a new captain should offer plenty of it when it`s due. Even if there is a major problem to be corrected, a captain should consult with the other company officers and the senior firefighters before implementing changes. Their experiences are invaluable, and their support will be one of the captain`s best assurances of success.

Some companies are companies in name only. In a situation like that, the captain will have to start from scratch in establishing order, ensuring competence, and instilling company pride. Even in these situations, it`s best to operate with a respectful attitude and to rely on good management principles. For instance, many problems can be avoided simply by giving deserved praise in public and administering necessary reprimands in private. A little common sense goes a long way in dealing with our fellow firefighters.

To fulfill our responsibilities to the citizens we protect, we must first fulfill our responsibilities to the men and women with whom we work. It`s foolish to think that we can count on company members to provide a high level of care to the public when their superiors demonstrate a low level of concern or respect for them. Firefighters need to know that their captain has high expectations of them, but they also need the security of knowing that their captain will stand by them and share the responsibility when failures happen and shortcomings are encountered. Whenever possible, the captain should be the buffer between his company members and the department hierarchy, especially in matters regarding discipline. There is no guarantee that consistent use of these basic techniques will produce success in all command situations. After all, there is no single “right way” to manage a crew. But many of us have found that the best way to inspire loyalty in our subordinates is to give that same loyalty to them, publicly and with sincerity.

It`s a good idea for the captain to make sure that the members know that he is interested in what goes on, even when he is absent. If you`re a new captain, make sure the firefighters and lieutenants know that they are to notify you whenever anything out of the ordinary happens. When a member is injured, ask that you be notified as soon as possible so you can go right to the hospital to offer whatever assistance you can to the injured firefighter`s family. There should be a standing order that the captain be notified immediately when there`s an accident with the rig, the company has achieved something remarkably good, there is a disciplinary problem, or things have gotten even a little bit out of whack. For important matters, the captain should be notified immediately, day or night.

Captains should not ignore social obligations, either. When a member`s close relative dies, the captain ought to make it to the wake or funeral or memorial service, if one is held. When there`s illness in a member`s family, the captain should rally the company to help out whenever and however it`s appropriate. Either our brothers and sisters matter to us, or they don`t. If they matter to us, then we should be sure to accord them the courtesies, considerations, and respect they rightly deserve.

It`s easier for the captain to treat company members with dignity when he remembers that these are the people who, in good weather and bad, in the middle of the day and night–and with no promise of recognition or reward–will risk their lives for strangers on the captain`s say-so. He owes them much in return.

CAPTAIN`S AUTHORITY

Every company needs a strong captain to function in a healthy way, but too often captains are given just a modicum of real power. Enlisting the crews` respect and cooperation is an important way to get things done, but captains must be vigilant in guarding the power they have. No changes should ever be made to the rig or the tools or the quarters without the captain`s permission. If the captain is fortunate enough to have a prerogative regarding the assignment of personnel or the acquisition of equipment, he should never relinquish it to subordinates. It is clear that someone has to be in charge of such matters, and it`s best for the company if that somebody is the captain.

Of course, some authority must be delegated. Weak captains will feel threatened by strong lieutenants, but smart captains are grateful for them and the support they provide. The captain should accord enthusiastic support to his lieutenants, and he should make it known that he expects the firefighters to perform well for them.

MORALE

Likewise, smart captains will cultivate the support of the senior firefighters.

What informal training in company matters are the senior members giving to rookie firefighters?

What forums are available for the senior members to pass along their considerable knowledge?

How can the captain bolster lieutenants and senior members to allow them the status they must have to keep the company strong?

A good captain should ask himself these questions at periodic intervals. Coming up with the right answers will make a big difference in the company`s morale and performance.

Little things count, too. For example, there ought to be company T-shirts and a company logo. Involve the members in selecting and producing these items if you don`t have them already.

It`s a good idea to hang photographs depicting scenes and individuals from the company`s history on the wall, but it`s important to have the photographs of current active members on display, too. The idea here is not to create a museum but to design a workplace that draws on tradition to build in the firefighters qualities like pride and a sense of belonging.

Generational, ethnic, and cultural differences should be respected and occasionally celebrated, but the shared experience of being members of a given company at a given time and place should be emphasized. Instances of sexual harassment and racial or gender prejudice cannot be tolerated. The captain must address these problems personally, and with dispatch (following department policies), if he is serious about forming an effective company. Anything that helps the crew to feel and act as a cohesive unit is good. Anything that detracts from unity is bad.

The captain also has a responsibility to help integrate the company into the community. He should make sure that the local politicians know him and know about the good work in which the company is engaged. The holidays are a great time to reach out generously into the neighborhood, but any time is a good time for the company to do service work as a group. We need to be visible and well-publicized so citizens aren`t deprived of knowing what a great job our members are doing for them.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

In addition to managing the human resources in fire companies, captains face many demands regarding the management of materials and equipment. They sometimes must fight for basic supplies, decent rigs, and decent quarters. All`s fair in this kind of fight–companies need to be properly equipped if they are to be as safe and as efficient as they should be. Once these important tools are acquired, of course, a good captain will take the necessary precautions to make sure the crew maintains them in proper working order.

A new captain ought to think hard before altering the layout of the rig he inherits, but if changes are called for, he shouldn`t be bashful. One tactic that I`ve employed is to change something relatively insignificant on the rig during my first week. It demonstrates the fact that I have taken responsibility for the company without the deleterious effect of messing up anything important. It`s good and necessary for the members to know that a new captain is taking charge and that “there`s a new sheriff in town.”

A captain is often given the authority, within certain limits, to set up his rig as he sees fit. On engine companies, the major considerations will focus around hosebeds and preconnects. If the rig is equipped properly, it will be immediately ready for repetitive and typical hazards in the area and can be quickly tweaked to handle the unusual stuff. Hosebeds should be fit to response districts. As districts or tactics change, the setup of the rig should change, too.

Captains are given significant latitude regarding the placement of tools such as water rescue equipment, drafting paraphernalia, standpipe packs, miscellaneous fittings, and spare parts. Form follows function in these matters, and the rig should be suited to the response district.

Nozzle selection is not always left up to the captain. Often, he is simply issued what the department buys. If he is given a choice of nozzles, however, he should take care to acquire the nozzles that best fit his response district and his company`s working style. Arguments can be made about the relative merits of smooth-bore nozzles vs. combination nozzles, but usually it`s best for the captain to stay with the same basic nozzle the crews have been using. Engine companies that have been putting out fires for years with combination nozzles will need to be retrained in stretching techniques if they are switched to smooth-bore nozzles that require lower operating pressures. It`s far easier to kink the line at 50 psi than it is at 100 psi. Likewise, crews accustomed to operating with 1516-inch smooth-bore tips on their 134-inch lines will probably require a lengthy retraining period before they are comfortable and confident with anything else. No matter what nozzle theory the new captain subscribes to, as long as adequate fire flows are already being achieved, it`s probably best to put off a change of this magnitude until he has thoroughly won members` confidence.

PERSONAL PROTECTION

Outfitting the pumper with suitable hosebeds and nozzles is a major consideration, but outfitting the firefighters is extremely important, too. Most departments provide members with adequate turnout gear and personal protective equipment (PPE), and the captain should use all the means at his disposal, both formal and informal, to guarantee that the equipment is being used properly. Do the members always arm their PASS devices? Does everyone–even the company dino-saurs–routinely don SCBA? It`s perfectly all right for the captain to reinforce the notion that members who don`t wear the proper PPE are failing to live up to their responsibilities to the other members and crews.

Rookies should be en-couraged to emulate the senior members in how they use PPE and in what personal tools they carry in their pockets. Of course, this assumes that the senior members are competent and knowledgeable. The hoseline will always be the engine man`s primary tool, but members should equip themselves for some of the common fireground problems they`ll face. Everyone should have a personal light, and engine men should routinely carry a spanner wrench and chocks. Many members swear by a length of personal rope, a utility rope, and a hose strap or hose rope; many others carry golf tees (for plugging leaks), pliers, multitools, screwdrivers–you name it! The captain should know what`s being carried, and he should always be interested in new ideas. Like the rig, the members` personal tools should reflect the vagaries of the district.

ROUTINES AND DISCIPLINE

Once a company is established and the basic tools and equipment are on hand, what routines and disciplines should be implemented to point the members safely toward the next emergency run?

Captains have a duty to ensure that preplanning of the district is being done in a systematic way, whether the department requires companies to do formal fire inspections or not. We shouldn`t be fighting fires in structures as if they had just shot up through the asphalt overnight. Firefighters should be in the habit of looking at buildings as firefighting puzzles from the earliest days in their careers. The captain should insist that his company perform a continuing survey of the response area. Inspections allow us to see new places and to refresh our recollections of the old ones. They also allow us to see what`s changed since our last visit. The captain is the member who must be most focused on the next fire, but he needs to make his focus contagious. A company inspection of a target hazard is an excellent way to focus on the job at hand.

It`s vitally important that the “group memory” regarding buildings and prior incidents be passed from generation to generation in the fire station. Company inspections are great opportunities for old-timers to educate new members.

TRAINING

Company training is another necessary step in a captain`s prefire preparations. It`s his job to make sure the members are intimately acquainted with departmental standard operating procedures (SOPs) and that these SOPs are actually practiced on the fireground and at EMS calls. Citizens and the members of other companies entrust their lives to his crew. They rely on the captain to perform as expected. The captain must be sure his company is training enough to maintain its predictability and competence.

Most good engine companies assign responsibilities by riding position, and it`s the job of the company officer to assign the members to a seat. Typically, there will be a chauffeur, an officer, and a nozzleman. In some departments, there will also be a doorman or “roving linebacker” to help with the interior stretch. Departmental SOPs or clear and written directives from the captain should define responsibilities for these positions exactly. These SOPs must be reinforced relentlessly at emergency incidents and drills.

EXPECTATIONS OF COMPANY MEMBERS

The riding position of the company chauffeur is absolutely critical, and the captain must clearly communicate his expectations to the chauffeur far in ad-vance of any emergency response. The chauffeur should have no doubt about what the captain expects him to do routinely while responding to an alarm, operating at a fire, or preparing for the next run. It`s a good idea for the company commander to generate a daily checklist for the chauffeur`s use, especially if the driving job is rotated among the members.

As a part of his own training, a captain ought to do some serious thinking about what he will do on the fireground when certain repetitive situations arise, especially if departmental SOPs are vague:

Will fires in apparently vacant buildings be fought any differently than those in known occupied structures?

How will he typically comply with the two-in/two-out rule when the first-in?

Will he always lay in?

When will it be best to utilize the “fast attack” and operate one preconnected line off the booster tank while waiting to be fed by another crew? When will it be wrong to do so?

When will a big line be used?

Are the personnel–and competence– available to effectively stretch a 212-inch line into a structure?

Under what circumstances will a deck gun be deployed when first-due?

SOPs are critical, but many departments allow variations from SOPs under certain circumstances. When will nonstandard procedure be used on arrival (POA) instead of the usual SOP? What are some typical POAs the district`s hazards might force on him?

How will size-up be physically performed when first-in at structure fires?

Will he always walk the perimeter of the building before making entry with his crew? When will this not be done?

Will he always determine the location and extent of the fire before entering, or will there be exceptions?

Under what conditions will he stretch into a smoky structure, not knowing where the fire is? When will this not be done?

Will he always check the basement–or the floor below what he believes to be the fire floor–or will he trust another company to do that?

How will he typically operate at a fire in a multiple dwelling? How will this differ from typical operations at fires in private dwellings?

Will he ever abandon the attempt to put water on the fire to effect a rescue? If so, when?

Can he always count on a quick re-sponse from truck companies in his area? If the trucks are delayed, how will his crew force entry? How will he attempt horizontal ventilation from the interior? Who will search the fire floor, and how?

If no formal postfire critique is scheduled, will he always make an effort to organize an impromptu one, at least with the company officers of the other responding crews? Will he always hold his own informal postfire evaluation back in quarters for his members?

The engine captain seriously focused on the next run will always have questions like these to occupy his mind during the day. Before he falls asleep at night, he can add one more question to the litany of questions he already asks himself as he reviews the day: What pre-alarm steps have I taken today to ensure the safety, competence, and professionalism of my company at the next incident?

(1) A company`s fireground operations should reflect proper training. The company should be able to choose the proper size line, estimate the amount of hose needed, stretch the hose using the correct method, and operate the line. Members also should train on supply lines, standpipes, and master streams. (2) The safety of the company members should be paramount in all the captain`s actions. He should lead by example–including wearing the proper protective clothing and SCBA. (3) The captain should control which firefighters are chauffeurs. The safe operation of the apparatus while responding to, operating at, and returning from alarms is imperative for firefighter and civilian well-being. A well-trained chauffeur should also be able to establish a water supply that provides adequate pressures for the stretch and size of line. (4) One of the captain`s duties is to ensure that the apparatus hosebed suits the district`s needs. If almost all the buildings are one-story ranches, a 150-foot preconnect may be sufficient. In a diverse neighborhood, however, you need beds that afford the options of selecting different size lines and stretching from preconnect and static beds. (Photos by Bob Pressler.)

SCOTT BARRY is the captain of Engine 33 in the Buffalo (NY) Fire Department.