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PURPOSE

To establish safe operating procedures to support effective structural firefighting operations.

PROCEDURE

• Arrival and 360

  The Incident Commander will perform a 360 upon arrival.

• Engine Company Functions
  • Search, rescue, and treatment.
  • Stretch and pump hose lines (utilize water supply to best advantage).
  • Two-Out or RIT.
• Truck Company Functions
  • Truck teams may be divided for general fireground functions. Each team has pre-determined tasks unless otherwise dictated by the Incident Commander.
  • It should be understood that the assignment to ‘truck operations’ is the normal practice on the bulk of residential incidents; however, at the discretion of the Incident Commander, the truck company could get reassigned to any function that the Incident Commander may deem more important at the time.
  • In the absence of a truck company, these functions may be assigned to an engine company.
• Tactical Priorities – Primary

  Objective	Benchmark Communicated To IC
  Rescue	Primary search complete
  Fire control	Under control
  Loss control	Loss stopped

• Tactical Priorities – Rescue
  • Consider
    • The number, location, and condition of the victims.
    • The effect the fire has on the victims.
    • The ability of the available resources to enter the building, remove/protect victims, and control the fire.
  • Conduct a primary and secondary search in all involved and exposed occupancies.
  • The completion of the primary search will be reported to the Incident Commander utilizing the term ‘primary search complete’.
  • The completion of the secondary search will be reported to the Incident Commander utilizing the term ‘secondary search complete’. The Incident Commander will communicate the ‘all clear’ benchmark to dispatch.
• Tactical Priorities – Fire Control
  • Stabilize fire conditions whenever possible through the use of a well-placed interior fire attack.
  • A critical command decision, both initial and on-going, relates to the offensive/defensive mode of the situation
    • Offensive Mode – Interior attack and related support quickly bringing the fire under control.
    • Defensive Mode – Exterior attack directed to first reduce fire extension and then bring the fire under control.
    Incident Command will communicate the mode of operation to all personnel on the fireground.
  • Initial attack efforts should be directed toward supporting the primary search.
  • If the structure is deemed lost, or the fire is beyond the control of the immediate available resources, implement a defensive fire attack strategy.
  • Anytime Incident Command changes the mode of operation it will be communicated to all personnel on-scene.
  • If the fire attack strategy has been changed from offensive to defensive, Incident Command will account for the safety of all personnel by conducting a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR).
  • The completion of bringing the fire under control is reported utilizing the standard radio reporting term, ‘fire under control.’
• Tactical Priorities - Loss Control

  When basic fire control has been achieved, the Incident Commander should direct companies into ‘loss stopped’ activities and should communicate ‘loss stopped’ to dispatch.