You’ve probably seen the game show “Deal or No Deal,” in which contestants must make the “right” choice among many briefcases filled with money, using a process of elimination.
Every time we pull up in front of a burning building, we participate in our own version of “Deal or No Deal,” with one big exception: It’s not a game. The process we use to make our decisions has a direct impact on our customers’ lives and property. And it’s a life-or-death deal for the folks riding the fire apparatus with you.
In our version, the “deal” is an offensive operation where we take our fire company into a burning building or some other dangerous situation based on our training and past experience. The “no deal” choice is a marginal or defensive operation where we attempt to limit our exposure to the dangers associated with interior firefighting. Remember: Just because we are in those marginal or defensive operations doesn’t mean there isn’t associated danger.
Whether you are aspiring to become a company officer or have years of experience, you must work at developing and maintaining the skills required to be a good fireground decision maker. This month’s drill is an excellent way for future fireground officers and more experienced personnel to hone their skills in deciding whether to go offensive or defensive. It also lets us preplan buildings in our own response area. Remember: We don’t play a lot of “away” games; most of our work is right in our own backyards.
Drill 1: Make the Call
Setting: Around your response area
Time: 10-20 minutes per structure
Equipment Needed: Apparatus, notepads, pens
Step 1: Before conducting this drill, take some time to drive around your response area and select up to five different types of buildings or complexes that represent your area. Start out with single-family residences and work your way up to a big box-type of store or a large school. The types and number of buildings you select is up to you, based on the time you have available.
Step 2: Make some notes on each building, focusing on hazards, construction types, forcible-entry needs, access, apparatus placement and water supply.
Step 3: Create several possible fireground scenarios you might face when responding to an incident at each of the buildings. Examples include:
- Single-story frame residence; 0430 hrs; heavy smoke with no visible fire
- Large commercial building that’s been vacant for several years; 2400 hrs; heavy fire present on arrival (approximately 30 percent involved)
- Two-story garden apartment complex; 0830 hrs; one unit well involved with smoke and fire extending to the upper floor
- 200′ x 75′ strip shopping center; 1400 hrs; light smoke conditions in the attic of two units
- Electrical distribution yard; 1100 hrs; one of the transformers heavily involved in fire
Step 4: Take your crew and apparatus to each of the selected locations.
Step 5: Based on the conditions presented in your scenarios, allow each participant to present their reasons to support offensive (deal) or defensive (no deal) operation.
Step 6: After each member has an opportunity to explain their responses, discuss each building as a group before moving to the next building. This is a good time to play the old “what if?” game. What if you had heavy smoke at that vacant building instead of light smoke? Would you still choose the same strategy?
Drill 2: Roles & Responsibilities
Setting: Around your response area
Time: 10-20 minutes per structure
Equipment Needed: Apparatus, notepads, pens
Step 1: Using the same set of building scenarios, drive to each of the locations one at a time, riding the apparatus you normally use with a standard crew complement. Based on your fire department’s riding assignments, ask each member to explain their roles and responsibilities when responding to the outlined scenario. These responsibilities may include:
Company Officer
a) Perform the initial radio report based on the outlined scenario;
b) Explain risk vs. benefit to support either “deal” or “no deal” strategy; and
c) Based on the size of the building, estimate the fire flow requirements.
Apparatus Operator
a) Initiate apparatus placement;
b) Secure primary and secondary water-supply locations; and
c) Identify fire protection systems and fire department connections.
Firefighter
a) Perform tool assignments; and
b) Carry out predetermined duties based on building type.
This is a great opportunity for you as the instructor to evaluate your members’ skill levels. You can also ask members to drill on the level above them, such as firefighter to apparatus operator, before they have to perform at a real incident.
