Five Minutes in the Street: First-Due Engine

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Permalink Reply by Spartacus on February 21, 2009 at 6:16am

Typically in our situation, I'd call for mutual aid while en route -- I can always cancel if I don't need them after all. I wouldn't wait until I was up to my ears in flame. The apparatus I'm probably in (442) doesn't carry enough water to wet your lips on a hot day, so I'm probably not putting the fire out with that...

"Dispatch, 442, I'm on scene with a crew of (How many guys do I have?) at (address) Single family Rez with Attached garage second floor above and attic all showing heavy smoke and flame. Request mutual aid from (dept) 1 engine and 1 tanker (we don't have many hydrants in our district). Over."

My first thought is the people. Where the hell are they???? At least it's daytime.
Attic looks gone. Garage looks gone. Second floor above garage doesn't look good either. I need a 360 and fast. What's on the Charlie side?? 1st and/or 2nd floor access/escape route?? Looks like some smoke there. What's the situation...??

The part of the house to the left on the Alpha side doesn't look involved. I'd get my 1.7 hose over there first, pop the door, see what's what. Try to contain the fire long enough to do a primary there... then hit the fire directly.
No windows on the Delta side. Not good.
If I can man a second hoseline, I'd take it to the Charlie side, depending on what's there.
No apparent exposure to deal with.

I want the next arrivals -- probably our engine -- to pull a 2.5 and hit the fire directly from the Alpha side. Ladder the Charlie side, too.

Those are my thoughts. Comments, anybody?
Thanks!

sj

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Permalink Reply by Joe Rocket on February 22, 2009 at 8:43pm

2 ENG. PER ENGINE CO. COMM TO WESTEND ENGINE CO.1 UP DATE POSSIBLE STRUCTURE FIRE.E1-TO COMM ADVISE E2HEAVY SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM 0.
E1 CALLS COMM HAVE ADDITIONAL CALL YOUR OTHER EMS. 2ND DUE ( E2 RESPONDING FORM BURGER KING )RESPOND IN OTHER DIRECTION TAP A HYDRENT USE THE DECK GUN TO KEEP CAR COOL. ENGINE1 DOSE PRIMARY SEARCH AND STARTS PRIMARY ATTACK WITH BACKUP ONLY 3MIN. AWAY YOUR ENGINE WILL JHON WAYNE FOR ONLY A FEW MOMENTS WHEN PRIMARY SEARCH COMPLETE 3FOUND ALL ALIVE ALL WITH PARTIAL AND FULL THICKNESS BURNS. E2 ARRIVES. PD ARRIVES FINDOUT WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY IS ONE OF THE BURNT.

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Permalink Reply by Captain 70 on March 25, 2009 at 4:08pm

Well after seeing this header I know it's more than a BBQ now.

Deleware County Fire Dispatch Engine 71 is arriving in the area. Start me a full response from Center Twp. and Blountsville and run my tones again for a possible structure fire.

Dispatch Engine 71 be advised we have a working 2 story residential structure fire with possible entrapment. Start DCEMS. 703 will have command.

I will also have the utilities turned off.

I will have my driver grab the hydrant on the way in. We will only lay 2 2-1/2 lines since we don't have LDH.
We will knock down the fire with a 2-1/2 as fast as we can from the outside. I will send 2 guys with a 1-3/4 line in to do a search for victims as well as fire spread.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on March 29, 2009 at 9:12pm

"Engine blankty blank on location ...insert address here...two and half story ordinary residential SFD with heavy fire showing ground floor and through the roof, unknown occupancy...fill the first alarm assignment (2 and 1w/BC), and strike second and thrid alarm...all hands working, Blankty balnk passing command. Advise the next two engines to establish their water supplies".

Crew of 4 (lucky for some, a dream for others)...establish water supply as we made a forward lay. Prepare for engine-mounted deluge gun attack ("wagon battery") using tank until hydrant is completed. Initial attemp to slow fire with heavy stream attack. Officer completes 360 walk around size-up. As soon as hydrant supply is established, Officer and Jake will stretch a 1.75" line to the front door and enter, checking interior conditions. If stairs are immediatly located and not compromised with fire, primary search will begin working from downstairs to upstairs, venting dormers for egress if needed.

If fire extension on ground floor precludes search of that area, VES will be used off second floor division "2" (providing no rear slope is found) off ladders to make rapid primary search.


Given fire conditions and delay of initial full-alarm assignment, this fire will likely be a defensive attack, as by the time the additional companies arrive we can expect much heavier extension through the interior. The use of the 1.75" handline is for protection of the search, and is in no way large enough to confine and control the fire if it has penetrated the interior from the garage area. The line would be stretched to the interior to protect the stairs if need, possibly being stretched up the stairs, but advancing the line will slow the search. The two Jakes will use an oriented search of the upstairs bedrooms, with the line protection remaining in the hallway, while the Officer searches the bedrooms. ANY compormise of the stairwell position to the second floor will require an immdeiate withdrawl out the bedroom windows.

This would have been laddered after the hydrant Jake had completed the connection, with the driver operating the deluge, and the now-free hydrant FF throwing the roof and 24' front and rear accordingly.

Write the dwelling off, make the primary as best and quickly as possible.

Although the master stream may slow down some fire, it is most likely the fire will be extended all the way through the dwelling, given the time required for most additional companies to respond, arrive, and set-up and go into operation. We were way behind the "8 ball" from the get-go with the single engine initial response.

There is a small chance the fire could confined between the garage area and the other part of the dwelling, although this does look to be a renovated/expanded dwelling, likely lightweight contruction.

We should all know what that indicates.

I would rather not use my scenario discriptions with any burned occupants found. Sorry. Although that does affect the operation, enough of that reality already exists, and I would rather keep my fanatsy fire problem-solving victim free.

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