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Ten Minutes in the Street: Fire on the Number Two Floor-Doubtful
It’s an early evening. There’s been some activity and buzz, but nothing notable. The radio crackles, the tones and bells come in, and with the printer simultaneous chattering and the dispatch alerting your company for a reported structure fire at an address you know all too well. You’re first-due, and as the Engine Company rolls down the street, you can see by the glow, you’re in for some work.
• The Engine comes to a stop short of the address,
• You can see that there’s heavy fire on the number two floor of a two story row frame residential.
• It appears there’s fire on the number one floor as well, and its evident the windows have been blown out.
• The dispatcher indicates the call originated from across the street.
• Additional calls are indicating the fire may be communicating; dispatch is attempting to gain more information from the caller, as to what unit they are calling from.
• You have a four staffed Engine Company, the hydrant just happens to be right across from your location, mid-way in the block on the chauffer’s side.
• The occupancy is a two story type III brick and joist, SFD. There are sixteen (16) total units in the row from the end unit to the unit break along the row.
• You have three additional engines a truck and heavy rescue company on the initial alarm assignment. RIT/FAST Engine is enroute along with the normal compliment of BC’s and other staff and command units. An ALS EMS unit is also enroute
Let’s discuss strategies and tactics;
• Where’s the fire going?
• What’s the expected fire behavior within this type of occupancy?
• Strategic IAP?
• Risk Profile…?
• Safety Considerations?
• Tactical Assignments?
• Needed Resources?
• Suggested Alarms?
• Fire Suppression and Initial Fire Attack?
• What’s your game plan…..?
• What should you plan for strategically?
• What is mission critical tactically?
• You add and expand…give us YOUR perspectives….
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on
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It is often said: Put out the fire and your problems go away"...or something along those lines. While this is a good point, we can't forget that smoke kills more victims, and even though we need to get water on it as quickly as possible, nothing will save more lives than a quick, aggresive search. Smoke spread beyond the fire area of involvement is just as much a problem for potential victims.
That being siad, it should be obvious that with the timely arrival of a few fully-staffed engines and truck companies, this fire should be fairly routine. Yet the challenge in question that FF Naum illustarted is in the tactical decissions of the first-due engine Officer with the rest of the assignment being delayed or altered out of the norm. Right?
Good points that there are some indications this could be a vacant dwelling. It may also be previously fire damaged as well. But going with the unknown, and the fire as presented, there may be an engine company of four, forced to operate alone for several minutes with an unknown occupancy. It's pretty basic what the assignments of the entire box will be, given four and two, or three and one...etc. But how about that first engine alone?
I may have taken one post out of context. But I have experienced lines opened up from the exterior "pushing" fire back on us when operating inside. However a dash of a smooth bore from the exterior aimed at the ceiling area will certainly serve to slow down the fire initially, if only briefly. Let's go with possible occupants. We may have shot at VES from the rear. Do we try to put an initial hit on the fire from the exterior briefly using one FF on the line, and having two' including the officer access the adjacent properties with a ladder to attempt VES off the rear?
Do we instead use two to attempt to move the line inside, and make the way up the stairs, with only one FF attempting VES off the rear? What if that one finds a victim? Do we have the pump ops attempt to secure a supply, or gamble with the (most common in an urban setting) 500 gallon supply and use the pump op to have two-two FF crews?
Once the rest of the assignment arrives it's not that hard. But here is the reality of being short-staffed that many of us face every day.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher J. Naum, SFPE on
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Thanks Cap, for some great insights and comments....
(BTW, heading down your way to the shore this weekend..to AC...)
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There's some great comments and insights being generated by this scenario, especially by those who do not regularly engage in similar structures and occupancies. Some of the observation and gut based comments are the learning tools that provide everyone else with different sets of perspectives sometimes need to "really see" what we are seeing when we pull up on curb side and have to make those hard and fast decisions....keep it up. For those of you who are reluctant to jump in with your thoughts, do so.. this is your forum and learning center....
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Enjoy AC. Hope you win $$$ if that's your destination. The FD is a hotbed right now!
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Permalink Reply by B.L.P.S. 13 on
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Two things...
Never use your quint, (I hate this disgusting option), for more than one purpose. It's either an engine or a ladder truck. You or your dispatch SOP's choose, I don't care, but pick one.
Why is your pump operator stretching your attack line? Shouldn't this be handled by the able bodied soul you choose to run the line?
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Permalink Reply by EngineLadder on
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I work for a city were this is 90% percent of the fire. Alot of the county guys around us do not understand why we always go in on these they allways saw that all we fight is 2 story dumsters but what they fail to reolize is that if you do not go in and get it you will end up with a block long dumster. And always remmber its not vacant till it is searched. taking a 2.5 in is a wast of time and energy nothing a 1 3/4 cant handle
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I agree
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