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Working Structure Fire
Let's do something productive...
Given the following scenario and images; Assume a key operational position and discuss what you would do. Anyone else taking a similar position, provide feedback or state what YOU would do. Think about strategy, tactics, logistics, operations, decision-making, risk managment, situational awareness, safety, command presence, etc. OK assume the position and let's see if we can put this one out.
Single Family Residential: Wood Frame
Occupied at time of alarm and dispatch
Saturday Evening; 19:30 hours
Resources: Per your Organization/Department
You develop the Incident Action Plan (IAP)
Assume a postion:
Incident Commander
Division(s)
Operations
Safety
PIO
Fire Attack
Search & Rescue
Ventilation
Utilities
RIT
Rehab
EMS
Firefighter
Etc. (You pick others..)
Company Officer, firefighter, team member or apparatus operator on a(n): Engine, Truck/Ladder; Rescue; Squad; Tender; etc- you select
You select: First Due, second due, third due, mutual aid etc.
What are you going to do, and why?
What are your priorities ?
What are your assumptions?
What are your needs?
What are your safety concerns?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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My plan would be very similar to Tom's, with a couple of other considerations;
I might have the first engine hit the fire with a straight stream for a couple of seconds on the way to the front door. No fog stream, and definately don't do anything that would push the fire into the interior, but a little water on the free-burning fire can slow it down enough to make the interior attack safer.
Once the 1st engine makes entry, their assignment would be "Search to the Fire". In other words, they're inside primarily to get water between the main body of fire and the potential occupants, but if they stumble across a victim on their way in, their priority changes to making the immediate rescue.
I'd also consider PPA if the house is buttoned up all around and if a PPV fan is readily available. The PPV fan has a good chance to create some breathable air at the floor level and to potentially buy any victims more time. If the autoventing created too many/too large openings for PPA/PPV to be effective, then the 1st due truck driver and tillerman would be all over outside vent while the officer and irons searched the interior. I'd also have the OV team open up the rear.
I'd put the EMS unit on the upwind street side, away from the supply line and smoke and within easy walking distance. I'd put the EMS unit on scouting the neighbor's homes to see if the occupants of the fire building had run to a neighbors and could verify that everyone was out of the fire building. The EMS unit's second assignment would be to staff Rehab as long as there were no civilian victims to treat.
Safety Officer considerations - Structural integrity, especially in the heavily involved area, and the speed and intensity of the fire spread. Ensure that IC has identified the attack mode (Offensive, in this case) that adequate water power is being employed, and that adequate resources are on scene or enroute. A very important S.O. consideration is RIT staffing and positioning. In this case, a two-firefighter Initial RIT (IRIT) would be staffed by the 3rd due engine, and a complete RIT of at least four firefighters would be staffed when manpower was available. In this situation, an "All Hands" unit (engine, truck, rescue, doesn't matter which taxi they ride as long as the firefighters get there) would be assigned to the full RIT. The IRIT can fill the On Deck function and go interior for the secondary search once the full RIT is on scene.
I'm with Tom on going defensive if necessary - that's the responsibility of the IC, but the SO or any company officer can recommend this to Command, based on observed conditions and the success or lack of progress on the primary search.
This fire should be knocked down pretty quickly - if not, then I'd consider a 2.5-inch line with a smooth bore tip to the main body of fire to make sure the water power overmatches the fire.
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Permalink Reply by mike wright on
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I do agree with both of these well trained individuals. With the resources that we would have coming in and when they got there should be with in 15 mins for most of them. I would have the rescue team for survivors and a team inside trying to push the fire back toward the garage. This may save part of the house and help stop the fire flow from getting into the house. When the rest of the help gets there put a direct attack on the fire itself and put it out.
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Permalink Reply by HangingInThere on
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First I'd determine if the house had value and since it is only partially evolved and there is only light gray smoke on the windows on the delta side of the fire I would come to the conclusion that there was a value. Next I'd figure out how much time I had... the construction is newer than 1950 so i'm going to give it 10 minutes and then It's obviously a structure and not a contents fire because the shingles and gables are sweating. So for time we have 10-. I would determine the amount of water I needed... about 200 gpm fire. I would set up command and call the street side the A side of the fire building; also, I'd set up staging about a block away to clear the traffic of apparatus'.
Next I'd write down my problems...
Fire on 1
Smoke on 1
Possiple Occupants on 1
Exposure to the rest of 1
Fire in the Attic
Smoke in the Attic
Fire in the Garage
Smoke in the Garage
Possible Occupants in the Garage
Exposure Vehicle on the AD corner
Exposure Trees on C Side
Then I'd determine my strategies and tactics...
F1 - Transitional Attack - Defensive to Offensive
Defensive - Masterstream C-A Until Sufficient Knockdown
Offensive - Handline A-C Until Fire Knockdown
S1 - Horozontal Ventilation
PPV - A-C - Set Up Fan before Offensive Handline Goes In
Natural - Open C Windows After Fire Knockdown
PO1 - Determine/Locate
Primary Search - B Side of Fire
Ex1 - Cool - Offensive
Handline - 1 3/4 Fog Nozzle B-D
FA - Defensive
Masterstream - 1 1/2 Solid Bore A-C Through Gable End
SA - Vertical Ventilation
Open Roof with Arial Apparatus After Fire Knockdown
FG - Transitional Attack - Defensive - Offensive
Masterstream - 1 1/2 Solid Bore D-B Through Gable End
Handline - 1 3/4 Fog Nozzle AD-BC
SG - Horozontal Ventilation
PPV - A-C Before Handline Enters
Natural - Break C Side Windows after Fire Knockdown
POG - Determine/Locate
Secondary Search - No one would survive stage 3 fire in garage
ExC1 - Monitor Trees in Back
ExA1 - Move Vehicle
Then I would assign jobs...
F1 - E1 (2 Members on MS/2 Members on HL/Obtain Water Supply)
E2 Driver/Pump Man (Standby on Pump for E1/Leave truck at staging)
PO1 - E2 Crew Chief/Firefighter (Primary Search of FL1)
FG- T1 (Pump Man/Driver Water Supply/Hit Gable End with Stick MS)
E3 (2 Members Pull HL to AD Corner of Garage/After Initial Knockdown-Make Entry)
RIT - E3 (RIT for E2/E3 HL After PPV Set up)
SG - E3 (2 Members set up PPV at AD Corner Behind Handline)
Ex1 - E1 (After Initial MS Knockdown Pull Handline off T1 and protect the D side Ex1)
FA/SA - T1 (After Initial Knockdown of Garage Hit Attic on AB Side with Stick MS/After Knockdown, Ventilate Vertically)
ExVehicle - MED1 (Move ExV)
ExC1 - IC Monitoring
Complete FIRE KNOCKDOWN
POG - E2 Crew Cheif/Firefighter (Secondary Search of G)
S1 - E1 (Set Up PPV from A-C/Open C side Windows)
Does that sound like an ok plan??
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I'm only a firefighter lol so don't be TOO harsh on your critique-ing
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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Ok...these leave alot to be desired. One, nobody asked what the rear of the building is looking like? Could it be that this fire is one of those looks good on arrival but the majority of the fire is exactly what you see. Knocking the fire on the front porch down will put most of the fire out. What do we have around back?? Fire blowing out every window in the rear? that changes things dont you think? I am concerned that noone questioned that.
From the looks of these two pics we have a possiable fire extension into the attic, and the garage,i would get the roof opened, will make the advancement of handlines a little easier, and the check for fire extension Keep the PPV on the truck, you dont know where the fire is and it can be in 4 areas of the house, the room with the porch, the garage, the main house and the attic. Until you know thew location of the fire, keep it on the truck.
First engine will knock down the bulk of the fire on the porch with a 1.75 handline then turn to enter the main house. First ladder company will prepare to open roof, perform search for occupants, search for seat of fire and vent as needed, Second engine will back up first eng with a 2.5 handline. third due engine with help from second truck will open and if needed will put out fire in garage. Rescue will perform secondary search, vent as needed and assist with ladder companies in overhaul.
Rit will stage with IC
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Permalink Reply by Dan Thomas on
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I agree with everyone on here but with a few different ideas. The first due engine would stretch a line and perform search and rescue considering that IT IS a Saturday night and there is a car in the drive way. The 2nd due engine would establish a water supply and stretch another line and begin extinguishment. My first due truck would attempt ventilation either horizontal or vertical depending on the status of the roof by the time they arrive. IC would, more than likely, be set up across the street or maybe at the beginning of the drive way so you can see at least 2 sides of the building. My 3rd due Engine would probably coming from a volunteer department who would respond, at this time of day, with a crew of 10-12 personnel. RIT and a back-up line would be established by them along with EMS at that time.
From the outside it looks like a "run of the mill" house fire but like Tom was saying I think we need to base more training on what we have learned in the past by those who have fallen.
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Forgot to mention our running card. 3 engines 2 ladders 1 rescue and 1 chief on the box. F/A will send a rit engine on the Box as well. All engines will provide own water supply by dropping a line and secureing a hydrant.
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I wouldn't open the roof until the fire is knocked down BECAUSE if it's fire in the attic then the O2 from venting before fire knockdown could only fuel it. You should go with a horozontal ventilation until you're sure and put water on the attic fire right away yeah?
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I disagree, by opening the roof will draw the fire and smoke in the attic up and out and allow your engine companies an easier time getting to the seat of the fire. By opening the windows you will draw the fire to those openings and doing exactly what you said in fueling the fire. Heat builds at the top and works it's way down, vent the roof, where the heat and fire want to exit. this will confine the fire. If you start pulling ceillings with fire in the attic and only windows opened, the fire can drop down and search out your vent opening. When you hit the fire with no roof opening in the attic u can draw all that steam and heat down onto you. Open the roof and draw all that crap out away from your interior teams
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thats part of my transitional attack, i'd go defensive initially so the steam can put out the big stuff then send handlines in to get the small stuff after venting
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yeah from the outside shoot the master on the stick through the gable to put out the attic fire mostly THEN vent vertically if you want and use a round nozzle in your vent hole to act as a make shift sprinkler to put out the rest
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