Staffing is the key to success. Without doubt or discussion, the more firefighters that you can assemble at a house fire early in the operation, the more successful that you likely will be. That said, we also must acknowledge that staffing varies greatly across the country, and many fire departments are fortunate to have three firefighters on many of their apparatus. So, how do you handle all of the jobs that must be completed at a house fire? The first rule here is that there isn’t one way to handle any situation, and different officers can, and will, handle identical situations differently.
Let’s take a look at a two-story, peaked-roof, wood-frame private dwelling fire that involves a kitchen fire in the rear of the first floor.
First-arriving
So, Engine 207 arrives on scene at 2:00 a.m., with visible fire out one window, and reports of possible people inside. This engine—and all additional arriving engines—are staffed with three firefighters. The officer orders a line to the front door and then conducts a rapid 360 of the house. He observes fire venting out of the kitchen window in the rear and smoke pushing from many other windows and doors. When he arrives back at the front of the building, the first line is at the front door, flaked out, and ready to be charged and advanced. The second engine is arriving, and that crew lays a supply line from the hydrant to the first engine. A chief officer pulls in right behind them.
What next? What would be the most effective and tactically helpful assignment for this second engine crew?
Don’t assume that a second line should be stretched at this point. Obviously, a second line will be helpful to cover extension or even to back up the first line, but neither of those situations has become obvious. What I am saying is, yes, another line will be needed, but not right now. Why? Because there’s a report of people still in the building. The second crew would be operating proactively if the members grabbed hand tools and entered for a primary search.
Should all three members conduct this interior search? Should the engine driver stay outside and perform some other important operations? Good question. The answer is that the officer and a firefighter should enter for search, and the second engine driver should position a couple of portable ladders to second-floor windows on two sides of the house. Most second-floor windows on houses are bedrooms and that likely is where people are at 2:00 a.m., waiting to be rescued.
Third-arriving
So, we have two engines on scene—with just six firefighters—and we have four separate and vital operations underway. We have a supply line in position, a primary attack hoseline attacking the fire, the primary search inside of the building started and a portable ladder being positioned for rescue and removal of victims from the exterior.
The third engine comes rolling in several minutes later, and the chief now has three more firefighters. Many departments assign the third-arriving unit to rapid-intervention duties, and the chief at this operation does just that. The chief orders the three firefighters from the third engine to assemble the tools and begin RIT operations and then calls for an additional alarm or more companies to the scene to augment and relieve the first-alarm units.
Three requirements
What’s described here isn’t an actual fire, but many of the details, such as the number of companies going to work, the staffing of the units and the tactical assignments, are very common and acceptable situations. What is needed here is planning, training and discipline. Three-firefighter crews are common, and, yes, those firefighters work hard. If every crew is used effectively, including using single firefighters for several of the outside or exterior assignments, a three-firefighter crew can get the fire attack operation underway. That can be followed and augmented by the second crew, which initiates the vital primary search and, finally, assisted by the third crew, which begins RIT operations.
Get going!
John J. Salka Jr. | Battalion Chief
JOHN J. SALKA JR., who is a Firehouse contributing editor, retired as a battalion chief with FDNY, serving as commander of the 18th battalion in the Bronx. Salka has instructed at several FDNY training programs, including the department’s Probationary Firefighters School, Captains Management Program and Battalion Chiefs Command Course. He conducts training programs at national and local conferences and has been recognized for his firefighter survival course, “Get Out Alive.” Salka co-authored the FDNY Engine Company Operations manual and wrote the book "First In, Last Out–Leadership Lessons From the New York Fire Department." He also operates Fire Command Training, which is a New York-based fire service training and consulting firm.
