How many chiefs still make entry ? We have a small dept. so i am still a fire fighter . I don't ask the others to do anything that i won't do . iI like to fight the beast are there any more out there .

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My 2nd Deputy is not far behind the initial attack line in his hip boots and long coat checking on the interior conditions.
i will go inside but they want let me anymore im oldest on my dept im 50 i have 18 younger than me
Not many chiefs that I know of, still go inside.
Being an Assistant Chief I don't generally go in, although I do keep my interior rating up to date as a back-up just in case. But being on the wrong side of 50, I am content to let the younger folks have the fun.
I still do entry but most of the time I end up pumping and as far as cant be in charge of scene inside that is correct but if you are from smaller departments like ours a lot of the time our fire attacks are made by 5 or 6 people and somtimes all hands have to be working several jobs to make it all work.
A Better question might be how many chiefs even show up. Having been on both sides, it was my experience that on the volly side the chief acted more like a company officer. The paid side, it took a huge multiple or FF injury to get the chief out of his bed.
Chief Officers should not conduct interior attacks under normal conditions. The chief should be outside commanding the incident, monitoring structural integrity and fire and smoke conditions, maintaining firefighter accountability, ensuring adequate water supply, ensuring that RIT is staffed, etc., etc.

If the chief is inside, all of the above tend to go by the wayside.

In a volunteer department with a lower-ranking officer arriving and taking command, the chief should generally relieve the initial commander and that officer can then make entry with a team if needed.

We occasionally have a chief go inside, but only under ALL of the following conditions must apply:

1. Several chiefs at the scene
2. Command, Safety Officer, and the rear (Sector C in our terminology) previously staffed
3. Special need for a chief officer to be inside (Fire Attack, Interior Staging, or other command role at a high-rise fire, overseeing a foam attack on an interior Class B fire, etc.)
4. Interior chief officer qualified and medically cleared to perform interior firefighter duties and to wear SCBA
5. Interior chief assigned to his/her role by Command
6. Interior chief has ALL necessary PPE including SCBA
7. Interior chief is not alone (i.e. is with an assigned partner or company at all times while inside)

The bottom line is that chiefs are command officers, and command belongs outside watching the big picture, not inside watching the inside of a SCBA mask.
My brother and I kind of started this thing were the Assistants on up to chief ride in the back and the Capts and LT ride the seat. We do alot of mutual aid so while thier not in charge of the scene, they get experience running a sector in some cases. For the first few months an higher rank will stay with them on scene until they get comfortable in that position.

The nieghboring companies know that while a chief or deputy is on the engine the LT might be in charge. The highest rank rides the seat for anything in district.

This year things changed alot which i'm not going into because my mom always told me if you have nothing good to say don't say anything.
We have to tell our chief to stay put in the command area so we know where he is at when we need him if someone ask where he is at. Since we are in an area that the surrounding counties dont have the same radio channels as we do. But he is a great chief and we would all follow him any where.
You betcha, everyone needs to be prepared. Just like you said don't ask anybody to do something you wouldn't do. Of course I do some stuff I wouldn't want anyone else doing
I have good quaility trained people and if they are doing a good job i let them run the scene . If you dont't they will never learn hands on and training is a must .
Ben, you answered the same way I was going to, right on, it's no longer the Chiefs job to go into a burning structure unless its an emergency, he need to his job as a Chief, and if any of you have an active interior attack Chief that goes in on a regular basis then you need to restructure your department.

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