The Fire Attack Holy Grail

The perfectly executed, well-coordinated fire attack is, for many of us, the Holy Grail. We read about it, train for it and plan relentlessly to make it happen. Then the alert comes in announcing a structure fire. We don our PPE, board the apparatus, buckle up and head to the scene, all the while expecting that our planning and training will pay off. The plan seems to work exceedingly well in our heads, on white boards and table tops, and even in scenario-based drills.

Then the first engine company makes a wrong turn or misses the plug or parks right in front of the occupancy, blocking out the truck company. The domino effect continues if other firefighters–secret members of the Murphy’s Law Society–don’t follow the attack plan. Perhaps the back-up line goes to the opposite side of the structure from the attack line and begins to put its own hit on the fire from the outside. Flow dynamics are reversed, driving punishing heat and smoke back onto the interior attack team. Or perhaps an individual or crew enters the scene with a different vision of how the plan should be executed and imparts their own will, derailing all efforts to put out the fire in an organized fashion. Colin Powell once said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” This applies to our world:  There are fire attacks destined for success due to intricate planning, only to be overturned by people who don’t follow the plan.

So how do we leverage all the energy we put into planning as we transition from the drill scene to the emergency scene? It takes work, discipline and an unwavering commitment to team performance. It takes study, repetition and a focus on balancing risk with worthwhile outcomes. Part of the process includes absorbing all that we can from the lessons of others–both the good and the not-so-good. Let’s focus on the lessons aspect by analyzing an excerpt from Near-Miss Report #08-334, as well as several other resources, to improve our opportunity for success.

Report Excerpt (#08-334)
“We responded to an apartment fire with persons trapped. Our engine arrived first on scene, parked just west of A side, close to a hydrant. Engine [A] and Engine [B] misunderstood the address and proceeded north. Command did not know the other units missed the address. I thought we were going to be fire attack. Command assigned Engine [A] fire attack, even though they were not on the scene. My engine was assigned search and rescue for a woman trapped on the second floor.

“The brick, two-story apartment was showing heavy fire and smoke on the first floor. We entered the apartment on the A side and proceeded to the second floor. We encountered heavy smoke and heat. I advised the crew to go back and get a 1¾” line. I advised the nozzleman to stay at the door as my other firefighter and I searched the second floor. The conditions started to deteriorate. I advised the firefighter with me to take out as many windows as he came across. I continued to search toward the back of the apartment when the room exploded in flames.

“I was blown approximately 20 feet across the room. I was unconscious for maybe a few minutes. When I came to, I began searching for the other firefighters in my crew. I found the firefighter who was searching in the other direction. Together, we found the nozzleman. He was under a door and some debris.”

Preparation
The greatest prospect for a successful coordinated attack is a comprehensive focus on everyone following the same plan. There are several tacks that can be taken to promote success:
–    Practice makes perfect. Donning PPE, stretching lines, throwing ladders and using tools must be second nature for all firefighters. Company officers must not only master this muscle memory, but must take it a step further, honing their mental command reflexes so that decision-making is also second nature. The first-in decisions make or break the firefight; therefore, it is crucial that company officers be equipped with the proper balance of knowledge, skills and experience. Command officers must be able to foresee where the fire is going, the mental modeling to project where the fire will be in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc., and the capacity to forecast the nexus of fire growth and the attack teams.
–    Firefighting is a team effort. Extinguishing structure fires is a group activity, not an opportunity for spotlighted individual performance. Everyone, from firefighter to incident commander, must understand their role, responsibility, contribution to the successful outcome, and consequences for actions taken outside of the attack plan. Breaking with the plan (aka freelancing) is essentially a conscious act to injure and/or kill another firefighter. The sooner we stop those who arrive at the scene with their own agenda, the sooner the fire goes out, the less likely we’ll have to deal with a mayday, and the better our chances for a successful outcome.
–    Seek knowledge to improve decision-making. The emerging data on fire dynamics is crucial to supporting good fire assessment skills. This data, coupled with anecdotal experience, is telling us that the steps involved in building a successful interior attack are changing. More emphasis on cooling before entering, paying closer attention to air flow, understanding that the timeline to flashover has been shortened dramatically, and recognizing that the heat release of today’s fires is exponentially higher than just a generation ago, are necessary understandings prior to getting off the rig.
–    Ensure personal discipline and team continuity. If there is one truism to pursue in today’s successful coordinated interior attack, it is that all members must have total control of their emotions and stay focused on the team. Reacting in an excited manner at the scene of a structure fire is to place us on the same level as the people who called us to put out the fire. Fires should not be exciting or surprise events for us. We are supposed to be the people most familiar with fire, knowing exactly how to bring it under control quickly and with the highest order of professionalism. If our adrenaline is not channeled and our emotions not checked, we fail to meet the public’s expectations and fall short of our promise to take the public out of harm’s way.             

In Closing
The Roman historian Tacitus (55 A.D.—120 A.D.) said, “… he that is in battle slain, Will never rise to fight again.” The planning and preparation that go into the coordinated fire attack are essential to setting the tone for successful execution. Successful execution of the attack plan provides the greatest opportunity to live and fight another day. An organized application of strategy and tactics in the fire hazard zone, enhanced by personal discipline, a well-rounded understanding of fire dynamics and building construction, and a strong command presence, creates the perfect formula for fighting fire smarter and living to fight again. Be vigilant. Stay focused. Share knowledge. Live safe.    

Sidebar: Links & Other Related Media
The following videos are recommended as training tools. The actions in each video ties in with the theme of this month’s article. Watching them with other members of your team will assist in developing a more cohesive fire attack plan.
–    www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxXtbTdiYrk
–    www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5cjNnEWEk
–    www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggXuGu-ZlRU
–    www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FIRFSjT2QA

NIST Enhanced Effectiveness of Fire Fighting Tactics Project: www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/firetech/project_tactics.cfm

Bshifter magazine: www.bshifter.com/magazine/B_Shifter_Spring_2012.pdf