MORE ON TRUCK FUNCTIONS
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON…
NOW WE HAVE the qualities needed by the firefighter selected to perform truck, i.e. extinguishment support, functions (see “Random Thoughts,” January 1990). What are some of the duties of a “truckie”— those tasks that must be accomplished at every occupied structure fire if we are to be safe and effective in our extinguishment operations?
Locate the fire. Most will say that the first job is to rescue life. But as we said before, you will never know who is in the most danger until you can mentally locate where the fire is or, in some cases, make a trained guess. Is it in the front or rear of a building that is separated by a public hall? Is it in the shaft? What floor is it on? What is the exposure problem above it? Is it on the top floor? Whether because of poor pedestrian directions, fire conditions, or atmospheric problems, just which of the buildings under the smoke or with screaming civilians at the windows is the actual fire building?
Position of apparatus. This is accomplished by preincident planning, communication, and training. Proper position is onlypossible if you physically and mentally slow down. Do your size-up, outguess the fire, and pick the best place for maximum effective use of your aerial device and its equipment.
Force entry to the fire area, the building, the fire occupancy, and the internal and external exposures. Knowledge of tool use and the recognition and operation of lock assemblies are necessary today. Gone are the days of the size-eleven boot and the linebacker shoulder. The effectiveness of the firefight depends on what doors you select and how efficiently you force them.
Isolate the fire—temporarily at least. Quickly get to the seat of the fire. Size up and know your enemy. Gain some time by using an extinguisher or closing a door after a quick search. Communicate the location to the advancing hose crew. Effective position of the handline that’s the proper size will gain you even more time and calm you down.
Search, rescue, and life support are all major responsibilities at occupied structure fires. The primary search must be as rapid, orderly, methodical, and effective as possible. You primarily are responsible for the fire floor and the floors above it. The people located in those positions are real rescues. Those located in horizontal exposures and the floors below are not. You secondarily assist in their removal. The floors below the fire and the horizontal exposures are part of the secondary search.
Ventilation. Insufficient, ineffective, or improper venting can destroy the firefight and the rescue effort and cause additional injuries and even deaths. We are responsible for venting the fire building vertically (immediate at most fires) and horizontally to support the search and/or extinguishment effort. It is not simply a cut-and-bust operation. We are professional and select primary and secondary channels to improve conditions and positively impact the fire behavior based on an ongoing size-up. The vent procedure can be simple at lower-floor fires or complex and ongoing at high-rise and topfloor fires.
Laddering. We are responsible for providing alternate entry to and exit from the fire structure by properly positioning ladders) of the right size at the front, rear, and/or sides of the building. Complex procedures may involve peak roofs, parapets, cellars, attics, and stair replacements. Innovative tactics are necessary for rear areas of large or attached row buildings.
Examine for extension. This is usually part of the search effort, but a ladder company function nevertheless. Knowledge of fire behavior, intimate understanding of building construction, and experience coupled with imagination are qualities necessary to carry out this duty effectively.
Overhaul. The fire is under control. This methodical, thorough, and controlled examination of the fire building for all possible extension of fire and its extinguishment is another truck responsibility. At completion we must be able to say that there is no possibility of a rekindle after we leave the scene.
Salvage. Although ongoing from our arrival, the salvage efforts eventually catch up with the fire area during overhaul. The watchword for efficient salvage operations is care—care about structure and personal belongings. Remembering that 80 percent of fire loss is not related to the flame itself can place added emphasis on this exhausting and often unrewarding task.
Lighting is another ongoing function early at the exterior and later to the interior. There is never enough lighting on any fireground, which is indirectly proportional to the amount of overhauling injuries.
Utility control. A thorough knowledge of gas, electric, and water supply systems is necessary to perform this function. Assess the condition and shut down services when necessary. One of the “nevers” in our operations is to restore electric power or gas service after shutdown.
Automatic extinguishment systems also require expertise. Sprinkler, carbon dioxide, and halon systems all have different activation and control systems. Each has its own hazards. We must understand each to control and, in the case of sprinklers, repair and restore the system before leaving.
Safety. Ensure that the building or fire area is in as safe a condition as possible for returning civilians and passersby. Block or bridge all openings and other internal hazards. Remove any hanging or loose building parts that may fall at a later time. Clear the sidewalk and street of debris or other hazards. Rope off all areas dangerous to traffic— vehicle and pedestrian.
As I’ve said before, we have to learn to market ourselves. These functions just scratch the surface of the operations that must support extinguishment. It’s unthinkable that a municipal official could logically support assigning one or two firefighters to even begin to fulfill the tasks of a truck company.