Strategy & Tactics For First Arriving Engine Company

[Lucky 13]

Good article by Capt Wines of Roanoke Fire/Rescue. Courtesy of VA Fire News.

A lot of it makes sense to me, but I'm also a n00b at this and I'd welcome the views of the old hats on the site concerning this article.

[94onair]

It does make pretty good sence. We Have somewhat a similar approach that he explains. Like putting fire out while searching where we can. But yeah lets hear some of the more experianced folk weigh in.

Thanks for posting that Tommy.

[fireball]

interesting article,just i found this about "ride assignments":

http://brianbastinelli.powweb.com/wp...ssignments.pdf

do you do the same thing in your FDs?

[DragonSlayerEMS]

Fantastic article!! It would be a tough call to have to make there, especially as the first in officer, but he presents a very valid, hard to argue explanation there. Realistically, with the staffing being what it is nowadays, you would be better off starting out with attack, and doing a search from the line initially. Now if you have the crew to do it, assign 1 to attack and another to start search and have next in companies start backing up both areas...

[Fire Capt]

Well, I don' know nuttin', and I usually do a pretty good job of proving that, but I will take a few stabs at some points brought out in the article...

First of all, folks whenever you are composing an entire article, or just trying to convey a few sentences on a subject, please remember your composition rules which mandate that anytime that the subject "changes" from the current sentences or idea, then a new paragraph is required in order to ensure even flow of the idea and to help alleviate the reader(s) becoming lost in the maze of what you are trying to say..

The article dealt with an all too familiar situation that affects departments around the country on just how to deal with running a "shorthanded" company. The term "shorthanded" here is my term that I will choose to use when talking about an understaffed unit--or a unit running with 3 total, as Captain Wines described in his article. As far as discussing just how many IS a shorthanded company, you could make an entire new thread on that matter.
Anyone who feels froggy on that subject--leap on! and we'll banter about with our usual FWUS aplomb on the question...

I ran with 3 man companies in my professional career, with an exception of approximately 4 years after OSHA's "2 in- 2 out" mandates and my department's strategic decisions on just how to properly staff the outlying companies, as best, in order to, ensure a 4 man capability in a fire attack situation while these companies "made do" until thier backups could arrive.

So the basic geste of the article is absolutely correct in that a first due officer's initial decisions [i]could[/I ]make or break the entire operation. His or her's strategic decisions must be co-ordinated with their tactical operations if they have any hope of a smooth, effective outcome.

In other words, ya gotta do, what ya figgered ya oughta, and ya gotta be as right as conditions will allow. Strategy and Tactics 101....

But there were several things in Captain Wine's article that I disagree with, one in particular. And while he makes an attempt at noting its presence, and no one can not acknowledge its presence, it's something that has and will plague the fire service forever and will continue to do so, probably 3 days after hell freezes over.

quote: "Tunnel vision and adrenaline now take over. It's not our faultthough because it's what's been drilled into our heads from day one and why we do what we do"[/quote][i]

Tunnel vision takes over, troopers because WE ALLOW IT TO! There's no one in this business who has not, who does not, who will never experience this natural phenomena. Tunnel vision is not drilled into us, normal human phsychological response is what causes it.

We simply gotta look! We wanna watch!

We call it rubberneckin', out on the highways, while traffic eases by at 3 mph with their own versions of " Holy Sheet, that/them car(s) are tore/fu**** up!". We're rubberneckin' when we pull up on a scene ourselves to various degrees...But how do we handle this? How do we control this from happening? Think about sitting around a nice campfire...Sure, ya may be tossing back some liquid refreshments or some 'smores, or whatever you choose do while watching the flames dance...

While watching the flames dance...See what I mean? People are naturally attracted to fire. I'm not going to delve into the pyschology behind that, I'll let someone else smarter than me (that's about anybody--Kimmy's pretty smart for a girl! maybe she will). Now tie all the factors of a fire or rescue scene together, us, the reason(s) that someobody dialled 9-1-1- to start with, and the human body's natural tendencies to be inquisitive and want to know WTF is going on....

Voila' and you have tunnel vision...So how can you control it....I will give my own personal experience and methods for controlling, not only it, but the adrenaline rushes as well. It may sound really crude and unusual. It may sound "unprofessional". It may be offensive to some (grow a pair and get over it!) It definately sounds disrespectful-but its intent is FAR from being disrespecful at all..

When that bell hits, I listen for the pertinent info (HOPING the dip-patchers giving it out are doing that very thing), I get on the unit, I ride to wherever, all the way thinking to myself:

Who gives a flip? It ain't mine..It ain't me..I didn't cause it, I didn't set it on fire, I don't own it..Why should I care?

Sounds pretty bad, huh? Let me tell ya folks, you are reading (junk, trash, stoopidity at its finest!) from the undisputed and undefeated world's heavyweight champion of former tunnel visioners and adrenaline fools. I'm surprised that I am still alive as a result of it. It stuns me to be here writing this because of allowing myself to be drawn into the narrow mindedness and weakness that is tunnel vision...

Trust me, you CAN control tunnel vision!It may as simple as simple as , again, adopting another tactic as I did.have of simply thinking, 'Whoa! watch out for that powerline!"

What actual powerline? Maybe there, most likely actually not, but I learned to use that euphemism to wake me back up and allow me to focus on seeing the entire picture---I'm looking for that powerline! Imagine just what all else see as a result of being careful! This works great for me on fires and ems/rescue scenes. Try it and see if it might work for you.

Your actual mileage may vary...

"When I say "visible to the officer", that's excatly what I mean. ONLY if you can see them would I go straight for them. Reports of the victim being in this location or that would not change my decision."

Do what??? Somebody just flunked search and rescue. How many times have we heard it drilled into our heads (or drilled it ourselves into others' heads?) that search time can be drastically reduced if you have reliable information just as to where the victim(s) may be? Trying to think back to the successful rescues that I have made over the course of my "3/30" time incarcerated here, I can only remember 3 times where we had no idea, at all, where the victim(s) were located prior to discovering them. If you have reliable witnesses, family at 3:00 am or a co worker who works next to Joe himself, ect, who can "attest" and i use that term loosely here, as to where to start your search, that's time saved. Where would you start your search at 3:00 am anyway, with 2 cars in a driveway? How about at 3:00 pm in the same sitch with no cars in the driveway but children running around out of school??

I'll take reliable info and run with it any day--the key word here?? RELIABLE!

The article is based on strategy and tactics for operatiing with reduced manpower in implenting offensive operations involving S&R...Anyone who has been in the service for more than, say 2 weeks, KNOWS that each and every situation can and will be different. It's up to the competant officer, beginning at the company level, to have the brains to strategize and then implement tactics which will have the best chance of proven or hoped results. So many factors play into this decision making and the officer needs to know that there is much more at stake than simply his/her ego at wearing a red (or whatever color) helmet.

Lives are at stake here...Yours, the lives of your crew, the lives of your entire team and the lives of innocents. Captain Wines is totally correct when he says that decisions made by the first arriving officer dictates the outcome of the incident. I only insert the word 'COULD' because, subsequent and sometimes countermanding decisions made by command staffers on thier assumtion of command could dictate a change in tactics with results varying from success to total disaster (Remember the Charleston 9 ) Does the term C.H.A.O.S sound familiar? Think that some little Johnny thought this ditty up one day while sitting in the dunce corner at school?

Look at the entire situation...Do I attack and then rescue "who is in the most danger?" Do I have fire already vented? that'll by me some anti-flashover time, maybe..Do I have personnel that I trust enough to put a line in proper place? To vent the proper window? NOT to crank a fan UNTIL it's knocked down and an exit is established?

THINK ! SLOW DOWN, HOT ROD! IT AIN'T YOURS! YOU DIDN'T CAUSE IT! YOU AIN'T THE ONE SHOT! ect ect ect.....

And watch out for that powerline! and snake too!

[Lucky 13]

Originally Posted by Fire Capt

First of all, folks whenever you are composing an entire article, or just trying to convey a few sentences on a subject, please remember your composition rules which mandate that anytime that the subject "changes" from the current sentences or idea, then a new paragraph is required in order to ensure even flow of the idea and to help alleviate the reader(s) becoming lost in the maze of what you are trying to say.

In his defence, I don't think that was his fault. VA Fire News has done that to a few articles before. I think that happened during the cut and paste progress (sometimes pasting multiple paragraphs will cut the spaces out) and the editor didn't really pay it much attention to it before posting.

So how can you control it....I will give my own personal experience and methods for controlling, not only it, but the adrenaline rushes as well. It may sound really crude and unusual. It may sound "unprofessional". It may be offensive to some (grow a pair and get over it!) It definately sounds disrespectful-but its intent is FAR from being disrespecful at all..

When that bell hits, I listen for the pertinent info (HOPING the dip-patchers giving it out are doing that very thing), I get on the unit, I ride to wherever, all the way thinking to myself:

Who gives a flip? It ain't mine..It ain't me..I didn't cause it, I didn't set it on fire, I don't own it..Why should I care?

Sounds pretty bad, huh? Let me tell ya folks, you are reading (junk, trash, stoopidity at its finest!) from the undisputed and undefeated world's heavyweight champion of former tunnel visioners and adrenaline fools. I'm surprised that I am still alive as a result of it. It stuns me to be here writing this because of allowing myself to be drawn into the narrow mindedness and weakness that is tunnel vision...

That actually makes a whole lot of sense. I haven't tried it yet in regards to the fire service, but I've used that same attitude in other areas in order to curtail anxiety levels, adrenaline, etc.

Thanks Cappy for taking the time to put your spin on the article. I never like to take something blindly just becuase it is written somewhere and this gives me an additional point of view to look at. And of course I know there are plenty of other views too. I'm sure you put 10 crusty Captains in a room and ask them the same question, you'll get 10 different answers (with varying degrees of crustiness. ). Thanks again!

[sc_flametamer]

Got to agree with Cappy on the tunnel vision deal. Everybody with a pulse gets it, and sometimes it strikes even the most seasoned vet.

I know of a 20 year vet who carries a laminated index card with a few pointers on what the initial IC needs to do handwritten on it. I asked him once why he carried it after all these years, he told me it was to give him focus when he was the first due officer. He said if he arrived after command was established he was fine, but when he arrived first he would often get so bad a case of tunnel vision that he would be useless. He said usually it only takes looking at the first entry (do a walkaround) to get him refocused.

[Lucky 13]

That card is an excellent idea. For me, at my level, it's knowing I've got new guys to look out for. Worrying about their lives and their safety forces me to always look at the bigger picture. Not to say I still don't get hit with it. As you both said, it affects everyone, but it's certainly help limit it.

[FloridaFireLt.]

I'm in concurrance with Tommy in that the index cards/card are/is a fantastic idea. Reminds me of the old "MRC Cards" we used in the military whenever performing maintenance on our aircraft. We may have performed the procedure a thousand times, knowing each step blindfolded, but get caught working on an airplane without those cards in your possesion and open to the appropriate page for the maintenance task your performing and you could possibly find yourself spending a little time in the brig at the most, Standing tall before the Skipper at Captain's Mast at the very least. Certainly I dont advocate anything quite so drastic in the fire service but maybe issuing a standard set of cards like that to every new officer might be big help. I would add that I'd stress making a habit of looking at the cards while on our way to the fire instead of after we get there.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here when I say that most of us, if not all of us, practice some kind of similar preparation ritual as we respond to a reported fire in our district. I typically go through a mental checklist starting with the basics like dialing in the correct tacticle frequency on the apparatus radio, making sure the portable radio I'm carrying is also tuned in, getting my gear donned properly, assuring that my engineer (driver) and I are in agreement as to the location and best route to the reported incident and then those basic tasks that must be performed at every fire no matter what it's size or what level of life hazards are present.

I'd be remiss if I didn't add the importance of good pre-planning, familiarization and re-familiarization with those commercial and large residential target hazards and also a general knowledge of the predominant construction type and layout of the single family residential structures within our response zones. I find it extremely helpful in making tacticle decisions in regards to attack and S&R when I have a good idea where potential victims might be in a structure. In my response area almost all of the single family homes are of similar construction type and layout. When I pull up I can look quickly at the house and know..."The bedrooms are to the right in this one, The kitchen is in the middle just past the living room and the garage is to the left". I process that information with what signs I see that indicate where the fire might be in the house and it gives me a very good place to start. I will say that it's been my experience that in the case of a residential structure fire with occupants trapped inside, an aggressive attack on the fire by the first arriving engine company has proven to save many a life. I personally have never witnessed a situation where placing a hoseline between the victims and the fire has done more harm than good. I am fortunate to work for a large city fire dept. where my next arriving company is only seconds or just a few minutes behind to conduct a complete search as the fire attack is in progress. I realize this isnt always the case in smaller or rural depts. and a different tactic may be better.

I also agree with Cappy when he speaks of "reliable information". It's a great help when we know what or who we are looking for and where they are. Unfortunately I have not had the same positive experiences he has had when it comes to reliable information. I will admit I have less than an over abundance of experience having had only 4 occasions in my 20 years of service where there were actually victims to be rescued. My experience has seen the victims never being in the place that the "reliable" informer led us to. As it was said in the original article, victims panic, they move about in a frantic, disoriented manner and are quite frequently found in the most inobvious places. Once gain, my experience has shown that a rapid and effective attack on the fire with simultaneous search and venting, manpower permitting, produces fantastic results. In those instances where a choice has to be made between one or the other because of staffing issues, I'd have to opt for fire attack first almost every time. Abandoning fire attack and allowing fire conditions to deteriorate will in most instances hinder any search and rescue operation and increase the chances of disaster to occur.

I'd like to share an account of just such an incident that I was personally involved in several years ago as an example of what I'll describe as "My opinions' above....."

On the morning of October 15, 1999, a maximum full assignment (a compliment of 3 engine co's, 1 ladder co, 1 tanker, 1 rescue (ambulance) and 1 district chief) was dispatched to a single story residential structure fire at (address omitted). With additional reports of occupants trapped inside the dwelling, the first arriving unit, Telesquad 22 ( a 50Ft Pierce Telesquirt Quint), reported a W3 ( working fire) with heavy fire and smoke. Quickly performing an additional size-up of the situation, it was further noted that occupants were indeed trapped inside the structure with additional complications of an exposure fire to the structure next door along with downed power lines in the front yard. Telesquad OIC quickly dispatched two lines, one designed to cover the exposure fire and the other to attack the fire at the front entrance thus providing aid for search and rescue efforts while attempting to halt the potential loss of property. During this time, both Fire 6 (District Chief) and Ladder 10 arrived on scene with Ladder 10's orders consisting of an immediate participation in search and rescue efforts. 3 of the 5 member crew of Ladder 10 entered the structure to begin thier search as the remaining 2 crew members began an outside perimeter search. Simultaneously Telesquad 22 intensified the attack on the fully working fire in progress. Under intense heat and smoke conditions , L-10 OIC discovered a small female child on the floor behind a large space heater in the main hallway. With heat conditions rapidly intensifying, L-10 OIC placed the child on his body and began to crawl toward safety. L-10 FF quickly provided assistance dragging L-10 OIC by the collar of his bunker coat along the floor with the child still being held securely against his chest. Once outside the victim was placed in the care of R-22 paramedics. In the meantime, both of the remaining L-10 crew members had made thier way to the west side of the structure and located the windows to the bedroom. Upon entering , the two discovered an adult victim lying on the floor unconscious and not breathing. As the two began to remove the victim from the intense conditions of the fire, a third L-10 FF joined and assisted in placing the victim on a bedspread in order to bring the patient outside. Once outside the adult female patient was quickly treated, transported and survived the horrible ordeal. The rescue efforts for the child, however, were not enough as the young girl succumed to the tragic ravages of smoke inhalation two days later.
Although this entire incident encompassed only a few minutes and claimed one life, the heroic efforts of the units involved were able to save the life of one potential victim and prevent extensive property damage from taking place.

While I was a participant in this incident, I dont share it to brag or gloat about my actions that night. I most definitely acknowledge the heroism of every FF on scene and in particular the members of City of Jacksonville Fire Dept Ladder Company 10. I do, however,believe in my heart that if it were not for the immediate attack on the fire by the first arriving company (Telesquad 22) of which I was a member, the outcome would have been even more tragic than it ultimately was.

I should also note that all events described aboved took place before the other 2 assigned engine companies arrived on scene. They unfortunately were assigned the laborous tasks of salvage and overhaul operations.

[FFnj]

I agree with Capt on the tunnel vision. I think the ability to correctly size-up a scene comes in time as you experience more. That all important word experience just comes up everywhere! This article is talking about the bread and butter type job. The famous two and half story private dwelling. So all of us have operated at these. We've seen what works and what does not.

As for the first due Engine in my experiences there is little variation of the first hoseline's position, regardless of the fire situation. Certain basic tasks, such as protecting the stairway or protecting occupants, are so important that the fire situation doesn't actually affect the general attack plan. The first hoseline must go to the seat of the fire via the interior and cut off any threat to the interior stair or sleeping areas. This is accomplished by two FF's most of the time an Officer and a FF. Once the first hoseline is in operation, (that is flowing water on the fire), the second man on the hoseline may start a primary search off the line. Not the best situation, but this is what must be done with limited manpower. This is not compliant with 2 in 2 out, but when a fire company arrives at a fire they usually operate in a rescue mode inwhich the 2 in 2 out does not apply and once a primary is complete they turn to a surpression mode and the 2 in 2 out is more followed as more units arrive.

The article over all was ok and the responses on this forum are great!

[Daywalker]

neat little article and definetly very interesting posts by everybody.


I do know one thing, its really nice to have the next arriving company coming with in a minute and often the next two will be there within a minute of you getting there.




one question for everyone, I've noticed alot of people when discussing riding positions neglect to have the nozzleman carry a tool. I've always been told to carry a tool. Some officers would have the tip guy bring it just to force entry and then leave it at the door, others would have the tip man carry it all the time even if only on his belt.

[sc_flametamer]

Originally Posted by Daywalker

one question for everyone, I've noticed alot of people when discussing riding positions neglect to have the nozzleman carry a tool. I've always been told to carry a tool. Some officers would have the tip guy bring it just to force entry and then leave it at the door, others would have the tip man carry it all the time even if only on his belt.

I like for my nozzleman to carry a boxlight, but only if some idiot hasn't removed the carrying strap.

He can take the strap, put it over his neck and shoulder, and be able to provide forward lighting with minimal effort. That frees up whoever else is on the line to carry the other tools, and allows my nozzleman to freely maneuver the tip wherever I need it to go.

I know a lot of officers prefer not to carry one of the larger tools and take the light themselves. We are typically shorthanded so I rely on my personal light and if given a choice I carry the married set.