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Five Minutes in the Streets: "Heavy Smoke Showin.."
You've arrived on scene at a working structure fire in a single family residential occupancy. It's an early evening on a weekday, there are two cars in the driveway, no one has greeted you upon your arrival. The call originated from the adjacent home.
What's your Risk Assessment and Size-Up Gauges telling you?
What's your incident action plan...strategy and tactics?
[Select one..]
If this is a hydrant serviced area, how will y0u handle the alarm?
If this is a NON-hydrant service area, how will you handle the alarm?
[Select a Role...]
If you're the first-due Engine Company, your the Company officer....you're it for the next five minutes...
If you're the first arriving command officer, and you've assumed command...you're it for the next five minutes...
What are you going to do...?
What are the three (3) most significant actions you must take, within these first five -ten minutes?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marc on
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If you're the first-due Engine Company, your the Company officer....you're it for the next five minutes...=
1) Give a size up: "Engine 58 to OCD (dispatch) we have a 2 story single family structure with fire and heavy smoke showing. all units continue emergency. "
1.5) see if there is a truck co (roof ventialtion) and at least 2 more engine co.s enroute
2) have my hydrant member lay a suppy line from a hydrant
3) have my nozzel member(most likely the rookie) grab an 1&3/4 inch line
4)Then have my hydrant member go to the caller and find out if there are ppl in the house
5)After this radio to all units whether there was ppl in the house or not
6) join my nozzel member and start fighting the fire, slowly moving inwards (if ppl were in the house)
otherwise i would do exposer protection and go defensive
7) Then have my hydrant member start doing gound ventialtion (greaking wndows, doors, 2nd floor windons with pike pole)
8) Then have my hydrant member grab another line 1&1/2 and do exposer protection
9) Continue radio chatter with other co's and nozzle member updating me on exposers and ETA
10) Hold the fort down and wait for more Co's.
If this is a not hydrant serviced area, how will y0u handle the alarm? = 1) pull an inch line and radio that we need water ASAP
(an inch line b/c it would give me 8-12 minutes of water befor the engine is low/empty)
2) not to use wagon battery/secondary line
What are you going to do...?
What are the three (3) most significant actions you must take, within these first five -ten minutes? 1) Start a line
2) get info from caller and relay it to all incoming companies
3) start fighting fire and wait for additional units
Explorer Marc Hurwitz
Los Angeles City Fire Department
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Am I the only one reading the profile that this is most likely a wood truss floor? The fire seems to be between the first and second floor with the fire on Side C showing at the same level as the floor joists/trusses would be. (a good indicator of the fire having free range between the joists or trusses) With this in mind, the fire has quite a head start and has already potentially flashed.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on
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OK Everyone...There have been some good comments and insights. Good defined strategic and tactical plans. There have been some excellent comments on projected fire intensity, degreeof fire invovlement, fire loading and reading the smoke profile....what I'm not hearing, is much on an adequate risk profiling that would either justify OR restrict an interior operation. Again, I'm just suggesting that we look at the presenting structure and fire risk profiles and see how these factors are actually defined in your IAP. In other words, what are your basis for going in, what is the gain, is there no risk for compartmentized collapse, rapid or escalating fire growth and spread, is the risk to firefighters balanced with what we know, and what we are assuming? (...don't forget about rover and fluffy...)
I think everyone can benefit from some good dialog on risk versus gain versus risk on this call.....what's making this fire offensive, marginal or defensive in your eyes and why? Remember, a reactionary tactically driven IAP, may not be the best formula when risk profiles are screaming an alternative direction in battle plans.....what are your thoughts?
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Permalink Reply by John on
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True, Alot depends on initially what the conditions look like at the fornt door, and the preplans of the structure,new construction verses older style. whether the residents are already out Etc. We talk about risk verses gain in training all the time, and that we may go from offensive to defensive and back many times during the fire attack. Another great post Chris, always like those that make you think.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
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I got a hydrant and I am the first in engine company.
I am assuming that this was dispatched as a fire so im my FD It would sound something like this " Engine 6 Engine 7 Truck 6 Squad 18 and Battalion 2 respond for the residential fire (address and street) @ (time dispatched)"
While enroute I would give my pre arrival assignments according to our tactical template for residential occupancy fires. I would also state my water supply plan. That would sound something like this " Engine 6 to Engine 7 we will be laying out from the hydrant at the corner of (blank) and (blank) pick up our line and place us in line on the hydrant and assume IRIT"
On scene report: "Radio Engine 6 is on scene with a 2 story single family structure fire and smoke showing this is a working fire and were establishing (blank) street command"
This on scene report and by saying the term "working fire" automatically signals the dispatcher to send me and additional Engine also 1 ambulance, 1 ems supervisor, 1 air utility, and a second battalion chief.
My update to radio would be that we are going into rescue mode since no one has given us any form of occupant accountability. My two person entry team is going to be stetching a 2 1/2 inch line through the A side door and advance it to the door to the attached garage. We are going to initiat fire attack and try to get a knock on the fire.
If possible I will primary search the first floor.
I am choosing the 2 1/2 becuase in order to protect any victims inside I have to put the fire OUT not just hold it in check. In order to do that I have to meet or exceed the required fire flow in my opinion the 1 3/4 is inadequate. Plus the stream reach on the 2 1/2 with a smooth bore gives me about 80 feet of reach. I can hit fire on the second floor from the first floor if I have to. Obviously looking at the smoke the fire is rapidly extending to the bedroom over the garage so I need to make an impact on it now and not later. The 2 1/2 also gives me the ability to seamlesly transition to exterior operations to a defensive operation if need be. I am not owrried about the manuverability becuase one we train on it all the time and 2 we utilize webbing to gain a mechanical advantage to advance the line. Basically you girth hitch the webbing on the charged line then place the webbing over your should and utilize your leg muscles to stretch the line...its hard to explain but it works great...learned it in CHarlotte NC from FDNY Batt Chief John Newell and 2 Charlotte FD captains.
Hopefully by this time the second in companies are there and I can assign the first due truck to VES over the garage, and have the 2nd engine stretch a 2nd line (once the 3rd engine arrives and secures a secondary water source and assumes RIT duties from the 2nd engine). One of these other critical roles can also be filed by the ambulance crew if they arrive prior to the other units.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Young on
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Black Fire......someone's been to Dobson's class. I agree totally.
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An earlier post mentioned black fire. That is what we have here. There will be no one alive in the C,D areas, in both Division I and II. The only possible chance for rescue is in the A B corner, but with the smoke coming out of the basement, thats not looking good. I would risk a quick look in the AB and throw a ladder to Division II A and B to see about possible rescue there. As far as an attack line, you can get 170+GPMs out of a 1 3/4"......smooth bore. It's gonna take alot of water to finish this one.
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Permalink Reply by Nathan Whoric on
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this is alot of great info!! helps us younger guys to better understand what to do without constant direction from the officers. i like reading posts like this because it helps with the muscle memory that is oohhh soo important on fire calls. i consider it a refresher to all the training that we have gone through.
stay safe and have a great day
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just knowing the guys/officers on my engine we would make entry through the garage and attempt an initial attack if we were pushed back by heat from makin a further entry into the house and depending how far out our second engine is, we may hit it with the deck gun and try entry again.... ive only been in 2.5 yrs so not alot of experience but i have seen that done in a neighboring town. the fire was 3-4 blocks from the fire house and our engine was 1 min out and another engine layed in right behind the first due. they knocked the fire down and made entry and saved most of the house....
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Nathan,
Just curious...why enter through the garage? What strategic goal or tactical objective would this accomplish? What interior partition layout would you expect to encounter?
I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Ben
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Permalink Reply by Rick Westerman on
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I guess I'm spoiled a little, I work for a fire dept. just west of Phoenix. We affectionately call "Big Red" or the "Big TI_!" Any time there is a fire there seems to be no shortage of manpower,equipment or water. More often than not there are several trucks circling your header like land buzzards hoping to get in it and get dirty. I'm an 11 year veteran firefighter, and I love your forum here, I'll take a crack at it.
What I see here is an ordinary two story residence with a basement, early evening with cars in the drive. Heavy fire on the B side with smoke from a basement window well. And a small flash of fire at the rear balcony.
My radio report: Engine 1 to alarm... We are on scene of a two story residence with a working fire with extension to the second floor. We are laying a supply line from the east,pulling an 13/4" for search and rescue and fire attack, we'll be operating in the offensive strategy, and engine 1 will be Smith road command. The alarm room repeats your report. Supplement report: Smith road command to alarm...engine 1 will be north side accountability, IRIC will not be in place due to rescue profile, dispatch PD for traffic control,proper utilities, and an investigator...give me the balance of a first alarm.(5 engines,two ladder trucks, three command BC's) the initial dispatch would include 3 engines a ladder and two command staff. Level 1 staging will be at Smith and 1st street.
The major concern for me with the given info is.1) life safety 2) the fire 3)the building 4) resources
Because the time of day and the vehicle in the drive, I have a high index of suspicion that there are people inside, nobody is outside to confirm everyone is out of that building. 2) the fire appears to be rapidly advancing, with it's origin possibly in the basement.3) This does appear to me that the house is of ordinary construction balloon frame by the way the fire is moving in the wall. Truss and floor joist with a vinyl exterior,tar shingle roof.4) what equipment do I have coming and what assignment do I most need to use them for.
With the life safety profile given we need to make an interior attack and work to obtain an "all clear". Once we get the all clear, rapidly re- evaluate the IAP and the building and consider a change in strategy. If the floors are intact and we are making progress in our attack efforts then I would continue in an offensive posture. If signs of building fatigue are present we would call for emergency traffic to the alarm room who would advise all interior crews to exit the building. At which time they would call for a PAR (personnel accountability report). Once everyone has been accounted for, set up for defensive operations and protect exposures.
Goal#1 save savable lives,#2 operate in a safe effective manner #3 confine the fire to the area,room or building of origin. #4 protect exposures.
If the firefight continues, second engine would secure a second water source and join the interior sector with a second charged hose line. First ladder would secure utilities, go to the roof provide a ventilation profile and a roof report. If ventilation is required, that would be coordinated with interior sector. 3rd engine would(if possible) secure a third water source and assume RIC (rapid intervention crew). The IAP would now(hopefully) would be evaluated by command staff, and any info from interior and roof sectors obtained and the strategy would be adjusted accordingly.
Thanks to the men and women that make this site happen, and to the people who participate. This is a great training tool that all professional firefighters should take full advantage of.
Fraternally,
Rick westerman
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well if the fire did start in the basement, it would allow for access to the fire on the first floor without having to cross a possible unstable floor. this would be used to attack fire a second team would enter through the front door(A side) or through the D side windows for a search.
on another note... with the neighboring house being brick and brick can be seen below the siding of the burning house, is it a very good possibility that the house is actually brick construction?
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