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Five Minutes in the Street: First-Due Engine
Your engine is coming down the side street and you can see a black plume header in the air over some roof tops, you do not have a clear view of the house yet, as you’re about a block away. As you come around the corner of the address street you immediately observe smoke showing and flame, as you’re driver just goes past a fire hydrant. You arrive and see it’s much more than a BBQ grill.
You step out of the engine cab and around the front of the engine and take in the view from the street…..There is no one immediately present that is coming up to greet you…the balance of your company personal are getting out of the cab.
Now, based upon what your immediate street observations ; provide a narrative of what your initial radio transmission is going to communicate….Think about what needs to be said, and how it needs to be stated. Provide a narrative transcript of what your transmission will sound like.
Second item on your immediate itinerary is; what are you going to do?
What NEEDS to be done NEXT, or IN-PARALLEL?
What orders are you going to assign?
What do you need to personally do?
Followed by the usual dance card items: Risk Profile, Safety issue, needs….
….did someone say there were 24 oz. steaks and ribs on that grill….?
BTW...you were the only engine (company) assigned to this alarm on the initial dispatch.....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doug on
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24oz. steaks and ribs!?! What a waste. Eh, I don't mind my food a little crispy and well done once in a while.
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Permalink Reply by Marc on
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while driving up the block towards the Reported Address:
"Engine58 to OCD we are 1 block away from the reported structure fire. We have a lume-up, heavy smoke. Go ahead and roll 2 engine co's and a Lightforce emergency."
Once on scene:
"Engine58 to OCD we are on scene. We have a 2story single family dwealing with heavy fire and smoke, coming from the garage, 2nd floor and a possible attic. We also have light smoke coming from the rear of the residents. Go ahead get have all units continue trough emergency, and give me 2 Rescues, 1 EMSCapt, 1 BC command team and 1 arson investigator"
Scnce i am the only Co. on scene here is what i would do:
Have my Hydrant member go hook up to the hydrant with help from the rookie. I would start ground ventilation while this was going on. Once the hyrdant was hooked up to, i would have my rookie come back and grab a 1 & 3/4" hose. Then have my hydrant member get on the wagon battery and start putting water on the fire. While advancing the hose with me rookie we will do a basic SAR operation until the truck can come through and do the advance SAR search. While all this is going on i will be keeping communication with my incoming units and OCD.
Lightforce: truck and Pump
Taskforce: Truck, Pump, Engine
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Permalink Reply by united 289..{Dave} on
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Your engine is coming down the side street and you can see a black plume header in the air over some roof tops, you do not have a clear view of the house yet, as you’re about a block away.
At this point I know I have more than a BBQ on fire. I am putting in for a second alarm then. We will catch the hydrant coming in with LDH. Pull two attack lines. Do a 360 while they are being pulled and my guys are getting packed. This will start out as a defensive attack. Pump operator will hit the fire hard and fast with the deck gun for a quick knock down then work with the attack lines. Second department in will come from the other direction and catch a second hyd. Have them if possible make attack from the C side with possible offensive attack. If condition warrants. I feel the front half may not be safe enough to go offensive. It also appears that there is a back sun porch on the C side. If the sun porch has a solid roof. Ladder it and vent the top part of the roof at the eves.
Your dangers are the car. Possible entrapment. The unknown storage items in the garage.
Radio transmissiom.
Dispatch did you say this was a BBQ fire.
Yes
I am a block away and have heavy smoke above roof tops. Send second department. Have them come in from the east.
On scene.
Dispatch We have a two story front half third of structure totally involved into the attic with a car as an exposure and with possible entrapment.
This is based on what I see. I may attack different if actually on scene
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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County 7E2 on scene single fam dwealing. Heavy fire/smoke in attached gagage, Division 2, and attic A/D side of structure. Possible entrapment dew to vehicle in driveway. Strike my 1st alarm. have 2nd dew engine pick up the plug on the corner of ____ and ____and feed my engine. Have 1st dew truck take the address. If R.I.T. team is under staffed Get 40 R.I.T. on the road dew to heavy fire conditions. Up grade EMS to ALS.
Being the only engine on scene I would use the deck gun to knock down the bulk of fire. Two man/women team forces entry and two streches a 1 3/4 in to the structure. Force entry crew does primary search. By this time we have a water supply inwhich time I would have 2nd dew crew pull aditional line from my engine.
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Permalink Reply by Trainer on
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Dispatch…clover fire,
oh-shitwe have a working structure fire, page again and activate our still. I’ll stop here and say this is our normal response to a structure fire however our dispatch sometimes will screen this type of phone call, maybe not be right, but in their defense they have not been wrong yet, with this response no need for a box. We have rolled and eng co and a heavy rescue.
Now I’ll do my 360, as my company is pulling the pre-cons and preparing for attack. All in-coming units; we have a working fire on a 2 story, heavily involved on the A side, self-vented, smoke on the C side, unknown occupancy, staging is at eng 3, fire ground channel is red, captain Cowser has command.
Command… eng 1…lay in to eng 3…rescue 1…. Prepare for search. Without further pics, I would do something like this.
I’ve got 6 guys ready to go, 2 will shoot the roof briefly on the un-burnt part, 2 going in with an 1 ¾ with 2 behind for search, with the roof guys shortly after. Eng 3 now has my 5in laid in and I have them pulling a 2 ½ for the exterior and the engineer is pointing, not using yet, the deck gun. That’s about all I can do with the information I have right now.
Chris is that smoke from the grill on C side? Might have my scribe go flip those steaks…
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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The alarm upgrade while responding is critical. "Dispatch, Engine 1, we have a large loom-up, upgrade this to a structure fire response."
In my area, there will be a hydrant within 400 feet of this fire.
Due to the delayed backup, we're establishing our own water supply.
Structure Profile: Type V with half-brick veneer. roof supports lightweight trusses and Div. 2 floor probably lightweight trusses as well. The structure sheathing is OSB, Tyvek sheeting, and vinyl siding, thus the rapid firespread and autoexposure up Side A. The interior will have stairs to Div. 2 somewhere near the front door - probably against the dividing wall between the garage and the den.
My engine will have a max of four firefighters, counting me, so initial actions will be limited.
The hydrant firefighter will stay at the hydrant until the driver calls for water. The driver will hook up the supply line. I'll do a 360, while the nozzleman pulls a 1.75 inch line. That line will probably go to the front door for an Offensive operation.
I'll probably have to call for an ALS ambulance on arrival - the dad was probably severely burned by the problem that extended the grill fire to the house. On arrival, my radio narrative will be "Dispatch, this is a Working Incident and we have a burn patient. Dispatch the 4th engine and a medic unit. We have a two-story single-family residence, Type V, with heavy involvement on Side A. Engine 1 is establishing water supply and will be conductiung a Transitional attack."
RECEO - VS Profile
Rescue/Life Safety - Hopefully the mom heard dad screaming and got the kids out. If so, we'll know quickly, because they'll be freaking out over dad and his burns. If the family is out and dad is dying, I'll detail the hydrant firefighter to patient care. If dad is either dead or OK, but family members are missing, we'll enter and Search to the Fire. If everyone is out and dad is OK, we'll just conduct Fire Attack.
Exposures - Interior Exposures only, unless there is something to Side B or C we can't see in the photos.
Confinement - Two options here - hit the basement from the outside, then go interior to cut off the Div. 2 and attic fires, or have the nozzleman and hydrantman go interior with a deck pipe from the outside.
Extinguish - a continuation of whichever confinement method is chosen.
Overhaul - later
Ventilation - autovented
Salvage - later
The box will be filled out with two engines, a truck, and a B.C. The working incident will get one additional engine.
My engine will make or break this one, based on what we do and how well we do it.
Our new engines have dual foam (proportioned, not CAFS) capability. We can proportion at 0.5% and flow 1,000 GPM of Class A for around 10 minutes. Assuming everyone is outside, I'm going to personally do a Class A foam blitz with the deck pipe and a 2 inch smoothbore tip. It should take less than 2 minutes to knock the garage fire with this attack, and the smoothbore should keep us from pushing the fire anywhere. The key move in the Risk Profile is that I need to visualize the Div. 2 floor above the garage fire and inspect the truss/beam condition. If it is intact, then we'll transition to the offensive attack. If not, we have a big problem and the risk just escalated. I'm saying that the trusses are intact, due to the way we got this alarm and the fact that the fire autovented and mostly went up the exterior, so we'll transition to Offensive with the deck pipe shut down.
Once the supply line is charged, the hydrantman will join the nozzleman on the handline at the front door.
I'll shut down the deck pipe and establish a fixed Command Post. The interior team will conduct a Class A foam attack. They'll start by hitting any fire left on Div. 1 and then go to Division 2 and hit the bedroom fire.
Once Engine 2 gets there, I'm splitting their crew. They're taking two additional 1.75 inch lines off my engine, a TIC, and tools, and going interior. The second line is another fog tip with Class A foam. They'll back up my line if needed, otherwise, they'll pull ceilings at the top of the stairs and try for an attic cut-off point. The 3rd line is a 1.75 inch with a piercing nozzle. It's going upstairs, then left, and will get any attic fire that got past line 2's cut-off point. All lines flowing Class A foam at 0.5%.
The Truck will split. The officer and irons will take a TIC, hooks, and support the Div. 2/attic hose teams after they shut off the gas if needed.
The driver and tillerman will throw ladders to Div. 2, Side C for secondary egress. If needed, they'll raise the aerial for attic overhaul help.
Engine 3 is RIT.
Engine 4 is On Deck until needed to relieve my crew. Maintaining that tactical reserve is critical. If the car fire is a problem, they'll get it with either ABC extinguishers or a 4th line. If I commit them, I'll request a 5th engine for On Deck.
Medic 1 will treat/transport the burn patient.
I'll transfer Command to Battalion 1 and will probably be re-assigned to Safety.
The key thing I've been watching is fire progression in the attic. If the structure gets iffy, we'll go Defensive.
I think we can catch this one pretty quickly, but we have to overpower it.
Hopefully we'll have it knocked except for mop-up by the time the B.C. arrives.
Emergency Management will respond and fill the Liaison role. This will include getting the Red Cross to assist the family.
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Permalink Reply by Cory on
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Coming out of the station, I would have to believe you would see the header, I would call for a full run which in all includes 4 engines, 1 tower ladder, 1 medic and our IC which is the Battalion Chief and his Assistant Bt. Chief.
All officers do a 360 with exception of the Bt. Chief which stays in the truck and runs his stuff.
1st due is attack, officer does a 360 and would also ask for the home owner, ask for accountibility of the family and if they had a party?
2nd due hits the hydrant then also goes suction to suction from the attack engine to the tower ladder, then they
start rit operations and as a crew does a 360.
3rd due takes in the back up line. Officer might not do a 360 they might go straight up and shove hose if the attack is inside, the guy riding backwards (we call the hydrant person) will take the back up line with to the door and
spread out the hose and get ready to enter, the driver when ready will take over and push the hose into the house when the officer and hydrant goes into the house.
4th due will take a secondary hydrant, if it is going to be used then the engine will back down to the tower ladder and reverse lay and pump the hydrant for the truck (they will directly hook into the pipe of the truck). After they have gotten set up they will go to command and ask what he wants them to do.
The Medic will go to command and ask what needs to be done, which they will normally help the truck company.
The tower ladder: Driver and the guy behind him will get utilities 2nd means of egress, ladders, vent either horizontal or vertical which at this point it looks like it doesn't need it since it is self vented. The officer and the guy behind him will do search, after that is completed which it looks like it shouldn't take long in this house then they will open ceiling and walls as needed by the engine company.
On scene I would say a 2 story residential structure type 5 construction, fully involved garage that is attached, it looks like fire has rolled into the second story and also it has into the attic also I would add if there is any exposures to contend with. I would say I want the truck to come in from another direction IF there isn’t enough space for the truck to get around the engine. I need the 2nd due to hit the hydrant (they should know by just the size up they will have to hit it anyways) (what I'm going to do) I'm going to start with the deck gun with a blitz attack along with a 2 1/2" blitz "dump the tank on the fire", that should slow down the fire considerably, then I would advance into the house with a 1 3/4" as long as it slowed down the fire enough to safely do so, and as long as we had another engine there we ride 3 on an engine, and 4 on the truck. If the hydrant has been made and the 5" is being laid if I can safely go into the house and check in the interior conditions I would do so.
Problems that arise to me with this picture, the car in the drive I would not have parked the engine in front of the drive way, due to the car possibly blowing struts, and bumpers and for some reason if it would begin to roll backwards, also the tree might be in the way a little for deck gun ops but it shouldn’t be to much of a problem. Also parking a little back would give the tower ladder room in front of the engine to run the ladder if needed.
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Cory,
Good point on the engine positioning.
There is an alternative for this if the aerial is long enough. That option is to park the truck in the far lane and reach the ladder over the engine.
Some departments have a SOG that states that the engine gets the closest spot for structure up to 3 stories, and the truck gets the closest spot for 4 stories and taller where the aerial angle is necessarily steeper and the horizontal reach is limited by the height requirement.
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Thank you. Our outriggers on the truck go way out so we would want to keep it on the cement. But it is an idea if there is the space for it. Normal we don't have to much of an issue our officers will normaly think of the truck so it all usually works out.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
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On Scene Arrival: Engine 6 is on scene with a 2 story single family occupancy with fire showing from an attached garage engine 6 will be operating in the rescue mode this is a working fire, we will be establishing the (street name) command.
I would have initially layed in because I saw black smoke and they told me it was a fire so I belive them and I will act accordingly. By saying working fire in my initial radio report the dispatcher would know to send me 2 more engine, 2 special services, 1 als fire medic unit, 1 battalion chief, 1 ems supervisor, and 1 air utility so I would not have to ask for them individually.
SInce we have response templates based on the occupancy I would not have to tell the incoming units what to do but since you cant see them I will tell you what they are. The First due truck would defualt to search and rescue, the 2nd engine would either in line my supply line or pump to me while there crew would form an IRIT, the third engine would secure a secondary hydrant and then form the RIT then having the second engine bring in a back up line, the second special service usually a squad would assist the 1st truck/special service, the battalion would assume command, the ambulance would set up rehab, and the EMS supervisor would assume the safety officer duties. Upon the arrival of the Utility they would be under the supervision of the ambulance and the rehab group.
Actions: Since no one is meeting me telling me that everyone is out then I am assuming that they are still inside. Since I am one engine company I am gonna do the nest thing I can do....and thats put the fire out. If I abandon the fire attack for the search the fire continues to grow and I will be putting my crew and the occupants at further risk. Therefore I am choosing to eliminate the reason they are in trouble and put the fire out. Plus I only have 3 (driver officer and firefighter) so putting the fire out will protect life safety, stabilize the incident, and conserve property....searching only protects life safety.
I am also going with the big gun I am pulling the 2 1/2. I will give it a good shot from the exterior ( we have a smooth bore so I am not worried about pushing fire) then enter the building from the A side door and begin to hit the fire from the attached garage door more than likely located in the kitchen. This should cut the fire off and protect the occupants from the advancing fire. If we can achieve a knock down and the other units are not on scene yet I would go and search the first floor or adjust the assignment as I see fit to facilitate the rescue.
I don't see this as to difficult a fire even though it obviously has a head start on us....If I can't darken it down within a few minutes we can always retreat and hit it with the prepiped deck gun and then try to make another run at it. I think she goes out pretty quick with the 2 1/2 and then we can utilize the back up lines to check the voids and the attic.
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Permalink Reply by rescueortruck on
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Engine 82 onscene have a 2 story brick house heavy fire showing from side alpha. Car involved as well. Engine 82 will have an 2 1/2 for attack, possible rescue, crew going in to search. Need to pull normal house box. ( consisting of rescue, truck one -two more engines, and BC) engine 82 will have comand. Will advise shortly on hazards and extensions. Have the 2nd in wagon hook to hydrant at elm and oak and lay supply to 82.
Have (hopefully full crew) so have one FF pull duce1/2 off and one get thermal camera and search. Do a quick walk around to find hazards and any extensions. The FF with nozzle to hit fire from ground first.
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Robert, one question. If you're going for the "big gun", why not just start out with the deck pipe instead of the 2.5 inch line instead of the other way around?
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