By THOMAS DUNNE
So much was happening all at once. Fire was blowing out of upper-floor windows, residents were streaming out of the tenement, and the engine officer was screaming on the radio to charge his hoseline. Several units were standing right next to me, anxious to go to work, and asking me what I wanted them to do. A message came in from the dispatcher indicating that people were trapped on the floors above the fire.
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An experienced chief would have been challenged by the situation—and I wasn’t even a chief at that time. I held the rank of captain, a company officer. My job normally consisted of functioning inside a burning building and supervising a unit of four or five firefighters. I was well experienced and very comfortable with this role. Today, however, for this particular tour, I was filling the role of acting battalion chief (or, as it was often called, ABC), a job established for instances when the department just didn’t have enough actual chiefs available to fill the 50-plus battalions across New York City.
I had done many past tours as an ABC, but those tours turned out to be somewhat routine and unchallenging. Now, for the first time, I was being required to perform as a first-due incident commander (IC). I was expected to address all the vital tactical and strategic decisions that came with the position. As I struggled to establish a starting point and make my initial assignments, I was relieved and grateful to see the deputy chief arrive on scene. He would assume command of the fire.
The gray hair poking out from his well-beaten helmet indicated that he was a very experienced senior chief. He projected a calm, confident grace as he walked toward me, an unlit cigar butt clinging to the edge of his mouth, looking very much like this was just another fire in his long career. I struggled to remember what assignments I had already made and wondered what other information he might possibly ask of me. He glanced up at the building; turned to me; and, with a heavy New York City accent, casually inquired, “Whaddya got?”
First Impressions
When you assume command of a fire, you must evaluate three initial elements: the fire situation, the strategy that has been set in place, and the person who established that strategy. These elements are interrelated. Each one will affect the overall safety and success of the operation. As the person taking command, you can choose to keep the initial strategy in place; refine that strategy; or, based on an individual size-up, initiate an entirely different plan of action. No matter what, you must be capable of maintaining a broad perspective of the fire and evaluating how well several key elements have been addressed. These include the following:
- Accepting the responsibility.
- Getting the big picture.
- Getting the specifics.
- Organizing.
- Calming the situation down.
Important Questions
In a sense, you must size up the initial IC just as he sizes up the fire. It’s important for you to understand how effectively the initial IC has managed the operation to that point. The answers to the following questions will help with this assessment:
- Has the initial IC clearly and comfortably established himself as the person running the operation and accepted the responsibility that comes with that role?
- Does it look like the IC has been struggling with the challenge?
- Have possible avenues of fire extension, staffing needs, and water supply issues been properly addressed?
- Has the initial IC’s perspective of the fire been too myopic?
- Is the initial IC organized enough to know the location and function of all the specific units that are on scene?
- Has the initial IC projected a sense of calm control toward the firefighters or do you sense anxiety?
- Has the initial IC added to the chaos of the operation?
If you are relieving an inexperienced chief or a company officer who has been temporarily placed into the role, it is entirely possible that he has maintained his ingrained tactical view of the firefight rather than adopting the broad strategic perspective that is called for in this situation. A lot of individual tactical work may well be underway but there may be no overall strategy in place.
Setting the Tone
Depending on the scenario and the experience level of the initial IC, you may perceive a confused, somewhat overwhelmed “deer in the headlights” look from the person you are relieving. If that happens, it’s important to establish a sense of control.
Often the first and quickest action to take is to simply lead the initial IC to a spot that’s a short distance from the fire building. This immediately removes both of you from all the noise and distraction of the ongoing firefight. It also allows for better communication and an easier transfer of information about the building and the deployment of personnel.
This is not the time to pound the initial IC with a lot of questions. The goal is to create calm—not to create even more stress. A full list of size-up considerations may well consist of 13 or more individual factors. But here’s the reality: Humans are not mentally capable of rapidly handling that level of complexity, particularly when we are functioning in a demanding situation. It is better to start with the basics and further refine the size-up process as the operation evolves.
The Three Ws … and the Fourth W
At any firefight, three pieces of information must be established as quickly as possible, as they are vitally important, easy to remember, and form the basis of a safe operation. They include the following:
- Who have you got?
- Where are they located?
- Was a water supply established?
It is relatively easy to establish the three “Ws” in the exchange of information that occurs between the initial and relieving IC. Knowing who you have on scene, where they are located, and whether a reliable water supply is in place will establish a solid starting position.
Once those facts are determined, the fourth “W” should be a priority. That “W” stands for a “way out” of the building for the operating personnel. This could be an interior stairway, ladder, fire escape, or any means of safely removing firefighters from the building in the event a sudden change of strategy is needed.
Gathering this information from the initial IC will help keep everything simple, allow for focus, and put the initial IC much more at ease. Once the relieving IC assumes command of the fire, the initial IC can be assigned to a specific task or sector of the operation.
If the initial IC was a company officer and was uncomfortable with the command role he had suddenly been thrust into, he will no doubt feel a sense of relief once he is detailed to a more familiar, tactical job or a smaller segment of the operation.
Gut Reactions
After exchanging basic information with the initial IC and assigning him to a specific job, you, as the officer assuming command, can identify any challenges that seem likely to arise. Every operation has its own peculiarities, and often a gut reaction based on your previous fire experience will serve as a guide on what to expect.
You should consider the initial strategy that was established and proactively evaluate just how effective it will likely be. Questions to consider include the following:
- How will the firefight go over the next five minutes?
- Are there any anticipated issues if the fire is not contained as soon as expected and, if so, will additional resources be required?
- Are the initial IC’s decisions adequate for addressing any potential problems, or is it time to reevaluate?
(1) Photos by Bill Tompkins.
(2)
Refining the Strategy
The large body of fire showing in photo 1 would most certainly have been the focus of the first IC. However, has enough consideration been given to both the amount of water and the number of operating and relief personnel that will be required to extinguish this fire? How long has the fire been burning at this point? Given the volume of fire and frame construction of the building, are there any concerns for a partial collapse of structural elements? This scenario also reveals a severe exposure issue that should require proactively deploying firefighters to contain the fire.
The early transmission of a multiple alarm or mutual aid is certainly in order as well. Even so, an inexperienced IC may sometimes be reluctant to take such a request. Ideally, the initial IC will have recognized and addressed these issues early on. If not, they’ll become a priority for you.
The fire in photo 2 would easily overwhelm the initial response of even a large urban fire department. In the past, there have been entire city blocks lost to such an incident. The wood-frame construction produces a virtual lumberyard in the cockloft areas of the numerous attached exposures. Given the likelihood of inadequate fire-stopping between the buildings, it is likely that there will be rapid horizontal fire extension. Numerous hoselines will have to be positioned to cut off the fire and, given the life hazard, an extensive area will need to be searched.
This creates a situation that will require far more work to be done than the initial units are capable of accomplishing. The initial IC will need to have the discipline to skip some of the exposures to get ahead of the fire. It is not an easy task to quickly define just how far the fire may have extended. And it is certainly not an easy call to initially ignore a building that is obviously on fire. However, given the limited staffing available from the first-arriving units, the initial IC will have to deploy available resources in a manner that effectively flanks and contains the fire. On assuming command of this incident, your priority will be to ensure that such a strategy has been set in place.
In photo 3, a great deal of activity is occurring on the roof of the commercial building. As the officer assuming command of this fire, you would quickly need to determine if the fourth “W” has been addressed. In addition to the two visible tower ladders, have a sufficient number of portable ladders been positioned to allow the firefighters a quick means off of the roof if conditions rapidly deteriorate? Clearly established lines of communication will also have to be established. Tactics are underway on the roof, in the structure below, and by the personnel in the tower ladder buckets. All are capable of affecting each other positively or negatively, and their work will have to be carefully coordinated.
If you’re relieving an inexperienced IC, the roof area might be an appropriate location to assign to him. (This is assuming that any required sectors have already been staffed.) The number of firefighters working on the roof would warrant designating a direct supervisor. In addition, the task would give the initial IC an opportunity to gain some valuable experience. It could serve as a confidence builder for future IC experiences.
(3)
(4)
(5)
Assessing Safety Concerns
The initial IC may have determined that an outside attack on a fire in a commercial building is the best initial strategy, given the volume of fire and the construction of the building (photo 4).
This will require deploying, staffing, and supplying water to several exterior streams. It will also involve directing, coordinating, and communicating with many firefighters. On arrival at the operation, you would have to quickly ensure that all that activity did not distract them from addressing some basic safety concerns.
Structural collapse is a definite possibility in this scenario, particularly a collapse of the parapet. There is an inherent “ticking clock” involved; the longer the fire burns, the greater the danger. When you assume command, it’s critical that you evaluate what important tasks have not yet been accomplished. Establishing and enforcing a collapse zone would be vital in this operation; as the chief assuming command, you would have to assign a safety officer to address these concerns.
Maintaining a Broad Perspective
It’s easy for the first-on-scene commander’s perspective to be too myopic given all the immediate demands that exist in the early stages of a fire operation. One of the goals for the person who steps in needs to be maintaining—or establishing—a broad view of the incident.
The strip mall fire operation in photo 5 shows the importance of managing numerous personnel who are operating several exterior streams. At the same time, the collapse zone must be established and enforced. That’s a lot for one person to control and supervise.
However, you must look beyond the initial strategy and consider the possible repercussions of the fire. Photo 5 demonstrates a scenario where a good initial strategy has been implemented and the chief taking control is adding to the initial decisions.
One of the adjoining buildings in this scenario is an occupied apartment house that’s being exposed to a heavy smoke condition. There is a possibility of smoke and carbon monoxide building up inside that structure, which would create a hazard to the occupants. And there is always the danger of fire extending to that building. You may have to consider transmitting additional alarms to address those concerns.
The considerations above will require time, resources, and personnel. They are based on the information that is exchanged between the ICs at their meeting in front of the fire building. Their preliminary conversation holds great importance, as it forms the basis of all subsequent fireground decisions. The success of the operation will often hinge on how well they communicate with each other.
Relieving Command, Again
The process of relieving command may occur several times over the course of a prolonged and complex incident. Properly conducted, it can supplement the size-up process, create a safer work environment, and prove to be a training opportunity for the initial IC. It is important to note that it is not a test of the initial IC’s abilities but a means of offering support and gathering vital information. Any deficiencies or areas for improvement noted should be addressed individually after the incident is concluded.
A True Learning Experience
My first effort at functioning as a new and untested IC turned out well, thanks to the excellent work performed by my firefighters and the help I received from an experienced chief. As I progressed in my career, I ultimately found myself in the role of senior deputy chief. I became the one who relieved other chiefs at a fire. I became the person asking, “Whaddya got?”
In firefighting, as in life, it seems that the student often becomes the teacher. It helped to recall how it felt to be on the other side of that working relationship and just how challenging the role of initial IC of a fire operation can be. The art of supporting and guiding someone who is placed in that position can be an important supplement to the tactics and strategy of the firefight.
To quote The Art of War, “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Some things never change, even after 2,000 years.
THOMAS DUNNE is a retired deputy chief and a 33-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York. He has extensive experience working in midtown Manhattan and the Bronx. He has written numerous articles for Fire Engineering and lectures throughout the country on a variety of fire service topics. He is the author of the FDNY memoir Notes From the Fireground and the novel A Moment in Time.
