Fire Ground Operations

Fire Ground Operations Command Structure Responsibilities Roles

Command Structure Incident Commander Outside Sector Officer Inside Sector Officer Safety PIO Truck Company RIT Engine Company

Incident Commander • Overall responsibility for all operations. • Directs fire operations. • Communicates with dispatch. • Communicates with Sector Officers, Safety and PIO to gain information needed for fire attack. • Assigns fire ground responsibilities based on information gathered from subordinates, dispatch, public or any other means.

Outside Sector Officer • Reports to Incident Commander • Monitors fire status and situation outside the structure. Relays information to IC. • Monitors and directs outside activities. • Requests crew assignment as related to outside activities.

Inside Sector Officer • Reports to Incident Commander • Directs inside operations. • Maintains accountability system. • Requests crew assignments as related to inside activities.

Safety Officer • Reports to Incident Commander • Oversees fire ground safety. • Ensures all operations are conducted as safely as possible. • Makes recommendations or changes to questionable safety situations. • Consults with IC, Inside and Outside Sector Officers as necessary and gives status reports as incident matures. • Has the authority to terminate ANY activity immediately considered unsafe • Establishes and monitors Rehab.

Public Information Officer • Reports to Incident Commander • Gathers information pertaining to incident. • Consults with Command Staff on information gathered to prepare a press release • Relays and reports information to the media. Press release.

Rapid Intervention Team • Reports to Safety • Establishes RIT Staging area with associated tools and equipment required for assignment. • May be involved in various outside activities as long as no interference with ability to go inside if activated. • Upon activation, performs search and rescue of firefighter or assist in emergency evacuation of inside crews. • MAINTAINS TEAM CONTINUITY. DOES NOT FREELANCE. STAYS WITH TEAM UNTIL REASSIGNED

RIT TeamTOOLS • Tarpolean- set up RIT staging area • RIT Bag – contains SCBA Cylinder, regulator, spare mask, transfill hose. • Search tools • Halligan • TNT Tool • Axe • Light • Rope • TIC • Others as required

Truck Company • What Is A Truck Company? • Truck companies are sometimes called “ladder" companies, "hook-and-ladder" companies, "aerial" companies, and "snorkel" companies. Such labels might partially describe ladder company apparatus, but they do not even hint at the planning, personnel, equipment and training that are coordinated in an efficiently operating ladder company. A ladder truck and a driver do not make a ladder company, any more than a pumper and a driver make an engine company. • The ladder company provides access to, and exits for, all parts of a fire building. Ladder company crews also are responsible for removing heat, smoke and gases to allow greater visibility and permit engine company crews to move rapidly and safely within a fire building or exposed buildings. These examples do not by any means include all the duties of a ladder company, but they do illustrate two important points about ladder company work. 1. Ladder work is required at every fire. 2. Ladder operations either accompany or precede engine operations.

Truck Company Ops The ladder company should be thinking about • Access and egress • Life hazard • Fire location and spread • Window type and positions • Forcible entry • Building height and construction type • Roof type and loading • Ground ladder placement • Defensive operations • Collapse • PPV possibilities • Vertical ventilation profile • Rescue • Type and location of utilities

Truck Company L.O.V.E.R.S.U. • Ladder • Overhaul and Salvage • Ventilation • Entry – Forcible • Rescue • Search • Utilities

Truck Company Ops • Except for rescue, the duties may not necessarily be performed in the given order, and it may not be necessary to perform all of the duties at every fire. • Crews performing the initial duties associated with the Truck Company should be organized into inside and outside teams if manpower permits.

Truck Company Ops The inside team shall be responsible for the following: • Forcible Entry • Immediate search and rescue of victims • Assist engine company in locating the fire • Ventilate as required

Truck Company Ops The outside teams shall be responsible for the following: • Laddering for access, egress, rescue work and exterior horizontal ventilation. • Vertical ventilation - at the roof • Where possible – perform a perimeter search of the building for persons who may be trapped or have fallen –from the roof • Locating the fire – from the roof • Transmit vital information to the I. C.

Truck Company Ops • COMMUNICATION- • Communications must be maintained with the I.C. to monitor progress of engine company operations and the I.C. shall be kept up to date on the progress of the crew, update should include but are not limited to: difficulty or failure to complete the assignment, the assignment has been completed or the crews position has been changed and the reason why.

Truck Company OpsTOOLS • Axe (Flat or Pick) your preference or pending job type • Sledgehammer • Light • Ladder(s) • Salvage Covers • Hook – Halligan, roof, drywall • Pike Pole • TIC • Chain Saw • PW

Engine Company Ops The Engine Company should be thinking about. • Life hazard • Fire spread • Building construction and type • Fire flow needed to extinguish • Water supply • Hose line placement

Engine Company Ops • Primary Objectives • Attack and extinguish fire • Act as a supply pumper and provide water to other engines engaged in fire attack • Supply water to fire protection systems and standpipes • Supply water to master stream appliances like those found on aerial ladders or platforms. (perhaps some day for us).

Engine Company Ops Roles and responsibilities • Rescue • Exposure protection • Initial attack line • Heavy streams • Water supply • Fire protection systems • Second line • Overhaul

Engine Company Ops The engine company officer/crew leader should begin gathering information that will assist the crew(s) in stretching lines rapidly and accurately to the fire area: • Incident scene radio transmissions from IC‑Truck Crew • Type and location of stairways • Occupants location and best means of egress • Search area for victims • Attempt to determine the seat of the fire • While gathering information concerning the hose line stretches for the primary and secondary attack lines, the company officer/crew leader should be alert to building occupants with information relative to persons trapped or distressed. Removing victims in immediate danger shall take precedence over advancing an attack line. Whenever possible, advancement of the attack line should be conducted simultaneously with the rescue of victims. • The selection of the size of the initial attack line shall be determined by the conditions evaluated on arrival. A back up line should be put into operations as soon as possible, preferably the next larger hose line in case the initial line cannot flow the necessary water to control the fire.

Attack lines are recommended to be deployed according to the following priorities: Between trapped occupants and/or rescuers and the fire. Protect primary means of egress. Including stairways. Protect interior exposures. Protect exterior exposures. Fire control and extinguishment. Operation of Master Streams Engine Company OpsHose Line Deployment

Engine Company OpsHose Line Selection PRIVATE DWELLING – One or two family with possible basement or attic apartment: 0 to 25% involvement • 1st attack line 1¾” • 2nd attack line 1¾” 25% to 100% involvement • 1st attack line 2½” • 2nd attack line 2½” or portable monitor

Engine Company OpsHose Line Selection MULTIPLE DWELLING – Three or more family dwelling with possible basement apartments and larger apartment buildings: Single dwelling unit fire • 1st attack line 1¾” • 2nd attack line 1¾” Multiple dwelling units, or fire on upper floor driven by high winds • 1st attack Line 2½” Greater than 50% involvement • 1st attack line 2½” • 2nd attack line 2½” or portable monitor, fixed, apparatus mounted monitor

Engine Company OpsHose Line Selection • COMMERCIAL – Row stores one or two story, big box store (strip mall, taxpayer). Smoke visible • 1st attack line 2½” • 2nd attack line 2½” or portable monitor Fire visible • 1st attack line 2½” • 2nd attack line 2½” or 2nd portable monitor with 2 supply line • Fixed, apparatus mounted monitor

Engine Company OpsHose Line Selection INDUSTRIAL – Factory type, mill construction multi-story • 1st attack line 2½” • 2nd attack line 2½” • Back-up line 2nd 2½” or portable monitor, if possible Greater than 25% involvement will require going directly to portable monitors or fixed, apparatus mounted monitor.

Engine Company OPSA.D.U.L.T.S. When to use a larger hose line…… A- Advanced Fire Conditions D- Defensive Fire Operations U- Undetermined Fire Location L- Large Area Structure T- tons of water needed for extinguishment S- Standpipe Operations

Engine CompanyTools • Your PPE of Course…and radio. • Light • Hoseline • TIC • Set of Irons • Small hook or pike

Your Personal Responsibility and Duty on EVERY Scene or Incident • Arrive to the scene safely. • GO TO TACTICAL CHANNEL. • Have ALL proper PPE on required for the incident. Make sure it is in proper working order. • Report to IC. • Report to Accountability and deposit your tag. • NO FREELANCING. • Go to staging if not immediately assigned. • If not assigned STAY IN STAGING. THIS IS IMPORTANT. MANDATORY. • Do your own size up. • You are responsible for your personal safety and your teams safety as well. • When assigned to a team or group report to Accountability. • Stay with your team at all times. NO FREELANCING. • When assignment is complete report to your Sector Officer for additional assignment. If no assignment, GO TO STAGING OR REHAB. Ensure your assignment “status” is updated with the Accountability Officer. • Remember – if you do not have and assignment or are not in Rehab, you are to be in the Staging area.

You Should Have…. • Your PPE- obviously, coat, pants, gloves, helmet, flash hood… and your SCBA mask! • Accountability Tag • Radio • Visibility vest - for roadside scenes • Flashlight • Wire cutters • Screwdriver • PER (Personal Escape Rope) with carribeaner.

Things to think about • Resources-Equipment-Water • Size up • Rescue – Everyone out? • Offensive -Defensive • Plan of Attack – where’s the fire? • Ventilation • RIT – 2 in 2 out • Accountability • Rehab • Salvage and Overhaul

Fire Ground Operations