Ok, here's an interesting experiment I’m going to try. I posted the following scenario on the Forums Page under Strategy & Tactics. Here are some additional photos that play out the incident. Let's see how the discussion tracks out and see if anyone makes the connect between this Group and the Forum. These photos provide a little more insight into the incident….let’s discover how the Company Officer’s out there or the Commander’s strategy and tactics compare.
You’re the Company Officer (or Acting Officer) on the first-due Engine Company. Chief's on scene with a working fire in a single story wood frame residential occupancy. Confirmed by neighbors that there is an elderly female confined to a wheelchair in the residence possibly with a second resident. Hydrant is near the house as you arrive.
The house was built within the past year. Discuss your immediate actions and why. What’s your assignments based upon a (very liberal) five person crew. ( you weren’t short staffed today). What are your safety concerns, what’s the level of risk to your personnel and where a you going to go first? Where is your crew going to go first? Assuming a second due Engine Company is still 5 minutes out, with the Truck Company being heard in the distance. If you assume the Command Officer’s role; what’s your Incident Action Plan (IAP)? What’s the risk/benefit profile? What are your concerns for the occupants? For the firefighters? (Are you sweating yet?) “Affirmative; Engine, your on scene, now lets get to work”
I agree with Randy. Just goes to show how importand a good size-up and 360 are. With htis new data set, this job is defensive in my book. Look for a founation save. Notice in the third picture how the radiant heat has melted the siding on the neighboring house, and it looks like the deck gun was the tactic, but now I really wanna know whether there were any vics inside.
I'm certain everyone will be asking...yes, the tactic deployed was a very quick knockdown with the deck mounted master stream to "freeze" the fire progress, line to the front door and into the living room to support a potential search and rescue....
the occupants were removed alive and well via the Charlie side patio door....in an unaffected area of the house....
ALL the comments generated by this discuss were valid-all based upon perspectives, factor determinations, experience levels and training. Like all fires, every fire has a story that unfolds upon our arrival and intervention, none are exactly alike, and assumptions and presumptions work for and against us. Size-up an 360 assessments are mission critical as is an understanding of building construction and firefighting tactics AND what your crews and companies are trained and capable of doing under the worst of conditions...
Zounds!!!! In this case the most vital bits of information were not available in the photos! From the last photo, I would not have guessed that the C side was teneble.