Chief Kalman’s Considerations Learned Over A Career
Here are some considerations that have worked for, or have been experienced and reinforced over the years.
-Mentioned earlier: Solid SOP’s make everyone’s job easier and make for a much more orderly operation. My Dept. had SOP’s for every type of structure. Rarely did I ever have to order what size line to pull, what hydrant to take, or where to search initially.
-Trucks get the front of the building. Engines belong hooked up to or staged at hydrants.
-Commercial buildings such as warehouses, factories, auto body shops, industrial buildings, supermarkets, big-box stores, 1-story” taxpayers” require the use of 2-1/2” hose for fire attack. The structure determines the line size, not always the fire conditions.
-Also follow the A.D.U.L.T.S. acronym for the use of 2-1/2”: Advanced fire conditions, Defensive operations, Undetermined/Under renovation, Large open area, Tons of water & Standpipe operations.
-Always establish a second water supply, or begin to, even for “routine” working fires. It’s better to have redundancy or to be prepared if the fire extends, you have to go defensive or if you have a problem with the 1st due pumper.
-Place the first hose line to protect the known life hazard and the primary search. Then protect exposures. Life comes first.
-Outside ventilation needs to happen and needs to be coordinated with the first hose line.
-Open up thoroughly first before making entry at an advanced fire in an unoccupied commercial building.
-Don’t play “catch-up” with roof ventilation. Start opening up before the fire may extend to the cockloft or attic. Especially if you have limited staffing.
-Speaking of attics or cocklofts, check them and check them again. And then again before you leave.
-“Beware” of the truss and lightweight construction. Typically, if the fire is severe enough to require roof ventilation in a building with a truss roof of any type, they shouldn’t be on it. Unless you can operate from a Tower Ladder bucket; the Hackensack, NJ FD learned this lesson the hard way in 1988.
-Have a “tactical reserve” of a company or two at any fire that is not yet under control.
-At a fire in a frame constructed building, exterior surface fire including fire burning under eaves, needs to be controlled even if an interior attack is underway. This needs to be done carefully, so as to not inject water into the windows.
-Balloon frame construction: if the fire gets into a wall at any level, it’s going to the attic. Also, a great exterior indicator of balloon frame are windows and doorways that “line up” from floor to floor.
-When placing portable ladders, place to the sill; and think about where the members may be searching and need egress from. For example, if fire is venting from a window, chances are nobody is going to be coming out that window until the fire is extinguished.
-Location of fire: the lower the floor of the fire, the more extension probabilities and larger the life hazard.
-Large lightweight multiple dwellings are a tactical nightmare regarding hose, stretches, standpipe ops, ventilation, extremely long hallways and search and evacuation needs. The bottom line is that these are not fire resistive or limited combustible buildings and will need to be evacuated and searched. Even a minor fire will require additional manpower and companies.
-At a fire in a building with a sprinkler system, the first hose line stretched should supply and augment the Siamese connection. when in doubt supply the system.
-Know your available water supply, water main sizes & problem areas in your city or response area.
-Remain calm, cool, and collected. This will set the tone for the operation. If someone gets a little too excited on the radio, tactfully address it.
And finally, you don’t have a computer for a brain. Use a tactical worksheet/checklist so you don’t forget any key points. Take advice from your officers and your peers. Get help at the C.P. when you need it. When changing strategies, use your instincts, education & experience. Go with your gut.