Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Randy Totten on February 24, 2011 at 10:28am

Trust. In you partner, to have your back. In your command, to do what they are supposed to do. Your self, to know that this is a team sport and to trust them so you can do your attack. Also remember that little voice in your gut to fill in when all else fails.

Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on February 24, 2011 at 10:51am

on arrival :
size up - type and occupancy of structure
time of day - number/type/location of residents
how long has it been burning
360 (or some variant) walk around - determine extent, location of fire, hazardous conditions, victims in windows
present, changing and future conditions as determined by smoke

interior:
awareness of (changing) heat and smoke conditions
sounding the floor while advancing
pushing in, locating seat of fire
extinguishment

concurrent with interior attack:
ventilation
primary search
backup line(s)
RIT
IC/Ops - monitoring of all conditions

Permalink Reply by HeightsFF on February 24, 2011 at 12:34pm

be aware of the conditions around you. You start feeling a lot of heat on your ears, neck, shoulders or your air starts getting hot, you should thinking about having area cooled w/ hoseline or back out.

always keep a bow in the line so the nozzle team can keep advancing. Nothing sucks more than not being able to advance the line and you can't hit the seat of the fire.

Permalink Reply by FETC on February 24, 2011 at 1:16pm

Jack/DT: you let me down bro. I thought it would be to remember tp turn on your air bottle before sitting in the jumpseat, then don your SCBA, and put your mask on while enroute, and constantly clearing the screaming pass device while going Code 3.

Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on February 24, 2011 at 1:56pm

FETC,
The OP wanted to know what to do for an interior attack, what you mentioned is really while responding. And as such you forgot to mention: using the bypass to de-fog the mask, passing up your CD mix of best songs to listen to while responding, taking a picture with your cellphone of yourself all geared up and keep asking everyone, "what's going on," "is it a big one?"

Permalink Reply by Clay Reynolds on February 24, 2011 at 2:20pm

It's good to be gung ho but always be aware of your surroundings. Even if it's smokey and you can't see anything beyond your mask use your other senses, Touch what are your hands/tools telling you about your surroundings and what can you feel--heat. If something feels squirrely it's your gut telling you to get out. Also never go interior without a tool, halligan, axe, TIC, flashlight, pry bar, could be almost anything but have something. NEVER GIVE UP YOUR TOOL, IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE YOU BROUGHT THE TOOL YOU'LL DO THE TASK.

Permalink Reply by Alan McGuigan on February 24, 2011 at 4:41pm

Interior attack
Just to add to some of the excellent advice already given make sure to maintain contact with your partner through verbal communication and touch don’t get separated. Make sure you radio to your sector commander or IC your location as you move room to room, if you get yourself into trouble they can find you easier based on your last radio communication ie second floor entering front room ( this depends on how your department commutates or divides the scene up example sector A second floor and so on )Always have a second way this should be based on your original assessment of the house on arrival by getting an outside visual of the house you will have an idea of the layout and potential escape routes Know your departments policy on setting up ladders to the second floor etc our policy is to set up two ladders to the second floor on opposite corner of the house for fire fighter emergency egress

Permalink Reply by Alexander Korsunsky on February 24, 2011 at 7:01pm

thank you for all the great replies gentlemen it really
helped out on my question.

Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on February 24, 2011 at 10:42pm

First is everyone out of the Structure. Is the fire already breaking the roof top. Are you going to be taking a change of killing or Hurting your Firefighters by doing a Interior attack. You must let this be in your mind. Remember man made things can be replaced human life cannot. Is a Interior Attack going to make a change in this fire? Remember if you do go in and there is no change in getting the fire out in 10 minutes get out. There is no one to save but your team. Safety of your Firefighters is always the most Important part of any call.

Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on March 6, 2011 at 6:15pm

Don't forget to keep a Snickers bar in your pocket for those fires when you could "be there for a while".

Permalink Reply by Alexander Korsunsky on March 6, 2011 at 8:16pm

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm melted choco yummy :P