Tactics for Deck Gun Blitz Attacks

MOST FIRES present an officer with multiple, tactically sufficient options for fire attack. However, to quote Captain Nicholas Papa of the New Britain (CT) Fire Department, “There is absolutely a hierarchy of effectiveness when it comes to the tactical options at our disposal. Maximizing the preservation of life and property must remain a core metric of our decision making.”¹ This article examines situations that present a fire officer with a blitz attack opportunity as well as the tactical considerations that should influence whether a blitz attack is ultimately the best option for any given fire. It will help officers determine when a blitz attack is the best tactical option at their disposal.

Fredericks: The 2½-inch Handline

Defining Blitz Attack

What is a blitz attack? The definition varies depending on the department, but, generally, a blitz attack can be considered a rapid exterior fire attack using high gallons per minute (gpm) to knock down most of a fully developed fire. There is some variance in the definition as it relates to the required gpm application. Further, some consider a blitz attack only an attack with a master stream. A master stream is considered a device that flows at least 350 gpm. Therefore, a blitz with this definition would only be considered a fire attack that leads with either a deck gun or a portable monitor. However, many departments will refer to a blitz attack as both a master stream attack and a 2½-inch handline-led transitional attack. For this article’s purposes, we will focus on deck gun application. Therefore, I will use the term blitz attack even though I specifically mean “a deck gun blitz attack.”

Blitz Attacks: Defense/Offense

Blitz attacks can be used in either a defensive or an offensive mode.

Defensively:

Used to achieve a rapid knockdown of a fire that offers no immediate searchable space.
Useful in protecting exposures.

Many defensive fires will use master streams for the duration of fire attack operations. There is a blurred line between distinguishing whether an attack is truly a blitz in this type of mode. What is imagined as a defensive blitz in this setting is a rapid or immediate use of a master stream for either an aggressive extinguishment or a fast stop of the forward progress of the fire to protect exposures (photo 1).

Offensively:

Functions as an aggressive transitional attack.
The goal is a rapid knockdown of the British thermal units (Btus) by overwhelming the fire with a large quantity of gpm, then making entry with a handline to finish it off (photos 2 and 3).

Keep in mind that simultaneous actions can occur to keep this a fast-moving tactic. For instance, on arrival, the driver may begin pump operations, deploy the automated deck gun, and initiate the attack while the firefighter simultaneously pulls the crosslay handline and the officer conducts the 360° size-up. Once the 360 is complete, the handline should be ready for entry with the bulk of the fire knocked down. The number of firefighters on scene will significantly impact how these additional actions are best achieved. The key is to be flexible, adequately trained, and fast.

1. A fire that may take hours to control with handlines may be knocked down within minutes if attacked with sufficient gpm to overwhelm the Btus. (*Photos courtesy of K2M Photography unless otherwise noted.*)

Firefighters Like It!

One common reaction I’ve noticed while training people on this tactic is that firefighters like it—or at least they like the idea of it. In my experience, they tend to like the idea so much that their imaginations tend to run away from them. That is, they start seeing master stream blitz opportunities everywhere! The good news: This is usually the early stage of understanding blitz attacks in general, and while on the one hand it might display an underdeveloped comprehension of them, on the other hand it also demonstrates buy-in and interest. And where those two are present, development and training have plenty of room to influence and direct any individual areas of misunderstanding toward conceptual mastery. It is exciting to watch individuals who are eager to learn and use this tactic work through examples with you and see it “click” within their minds on when and when not to use this tactic. Understanding requires time and training.

Blitz Attack Opportunities

As with any tactic, we want to consider which situations call for it or at least present us with an opportunity for using it. Here are five situations (with some overlap) that may indicate that a blitz attack is your best bet:

Heavy fire self-venting from a garage.
Heavy exterior fire, with the likely origin of the fire being exterior.
Significantly involved front porches.
Exterior involvement on more than one unit of a multifamily residence.
Situations where most of a significant fire is reachable, visible, and well-vented (i.e., it is not deep-seated or vent-limited).

Self-Venting

Most of us have probably been to a fire where there was a fully involved attached garage with minimal involvement of the rest of the structure. When the main garage doorhas already failed and the flame lengths are significant, this is an ideal blitz situation. Significant Btus are being generated, but the core of the fire is directly in front with a wide-open access point. What this fire needs (especially for anything more than a one-car garage) is a hard reset. Flood the garage with 30 to 45 seconds of high gpm, and in under a minute the involved structure will look radically different. Then, we need to just go in and finish it off (photo 2).

Exterior Fire

Exterior fire spread can be a nightmare. If it is of any significance, then it is most likely independent of any interior fire attack.² That is, even if we go inside, we will still need to have an exterior line address the fire on the exterior no matter how successful the interior push may be. Because of T1-11 siding, vinyl siding, and wood soffit panels, once the fire starts running the exterior, it must be checked fast before it gets out of control. Therefore, fires that have initially developed as exterior fires and are well-involved along the exterior on arrival present another prime blitz opportunity. Additionally, heavy exterior involvement with an interior origin may also indicate a blitz attack in situations where both the exterior and the interior seat are reachable (photo 3).

Porch Fire

Similar to the above is a large front porch fire (photos 4 and 5). With plenty of fuel and as much oxygen as it wants, a porch fire can grow rapidly and present firefighters with significant challenging conditions on arrival. Often, the interior may not be majorly compromised for civilian life, but this can change quickly. The clock is ticking and two 1 1/2-inch lines, or even that 2 1/2-inch handline, might not pack enough punch to prevent a well-developed fire from starting to rapidly affect the interior. Blitz it whenever possible. In these situations, you must look at the B and D sides of the structure to determine the depth of the fire. This information will greatly influence your tactical decisions.

2. A fully involved garage that is rapidly spreading across the exterior presents a blitz attack opportunity. Remember, the blitz will only provide knockdown of the main fire. This is a great example of a situation where handlines will have to be used to finish off any fire that is starting to move across the rest of the attic.

3. The front of this exterior is well-involved and could quickly be reset with an aggressive blitz attack.

4. Firefighters sit ready with a handline as the deck gun knocks down most of the fire.

5. A significant amount of fire running across a front porch is often a great blitz attack opportunity.

Eight Blitz Attack Factors to Keep in Mind

Positioning

Positioning matters a great deal with deck gun blitz attacks, even more so than when using a portable monitor or a 2½-inch handline. The first-arriving engine’s default should be to get a clear, three-sided view of the building, leaving room for the ladder to take the front. However, in this specific situation, the officer might make the call for the driver to stop short to provide the best position for the deck gun to reach the seat. Additionally, the driver needs to ensure there is some breathing room between the fire and the apparatus. We want to be close—but not too close to where heat may damage the apparatus and inhibit operations.

Angle

Angle is related to positioning but must also be accounted for. Can the master stream direct its stream low enough to get inside the garage? Can it get both exterior buildings when the fire is running up the sides in the alley between them? Can only a portion of the fire be reached and is it the majority? The angle that the stream will be able to take will affect these factors and may be the final determiners between stretching the 2½-inch handline and opening the deck gun.

Reach

Reach is a key limiting factor. The last thing we want is to open the deck gun up only to find that we are shooting short. That is wasted water. If reach is questionable, pull a line and use a monitor or the 2½-inch handline. When opening the deck gun for an offensive attack, you shouldn’t have to be worrying about reach.

Supply

Supply considerations are another critical factor. Where is the hydrant? Is this a tender operation? How far out is second or third due? Although we want to get our tank water on the seat of the fire as quickly as possible, a distant supply may increase our desire to use a 2½-inch handline for a little more security that our water is getting exactly where it is needed. If there is a hydrant within 100 feet of our engine, that can be a major confidence booster for using a blitz.

Residual Water

Residual water should almost always be kept in reserve. A good rule of thumb is to use half the tank for the blitz and the other half to finish it off. This will vary, of course, but drivers and officers should do whatever they can to keep an absolute minimum of X tank. If nothing else, this residual supply will allow them to prevent any forward progress from the remaining fire until more water arrives on scene.

Speed

Speed is in the name of this attack. We want a rapid knockdown of most of the fire and then a rapid push to eliminate any remaining active fire. Staffing and apparatusspecifics will affect how this looks but have a plan for your crew and your engine. Who should get the hydrant? Can you set a gate valve on your manual deck gun, allowing the driver to charge it and then operate it without tying up additional personnel (photo 6)? Is your backward firefighter free to pull the handline or is that something the officer can do as he prepares for his 360^o? Whatever your chosen operations, make sure you are getting a line on the ground rapidly. Preferably, the moment the deck gun shuts down, the handline should be ready to go. Additionally, if we are self-establishing water supply, how can we make that happen as rapidly as possible while still attacking the fire? If we want to breathe a little easier on a call involving a blitz attack, hearing those magic words, “Water supply established,” will do the trick.

6. For manually operated deck guns, a simple gate valve can be a valuable time and water saver. This allows the driver to charge the deck gun and then climb up top and control the timing on when it is opened without assistance. (Photo by author.)

Size

Size relates to the tip size used on your deck gun, which, of course, will influence how long your driver is able to flow. If using a 1³/8-inch tip, you have 500 gpm and 90 seconds (assuming it’s a 750-gallon tank). Make sure your driver has experience judging how long he has been flowing and that he keeps an eye on the water level indicators.

Safety

Safety should always be in the forefront of our minds while also not succumbing to a “safety culture” that fails to act with the speed, courage, efficiency, and tactical proficiency that our citizens deserve. One safety concern on a blitz attack is for any interior operations. Unless the specifics of a given situation present obvious reasons to do otherwise, it is reckless to have interior crews operating inside a structure that has a deck gun actively flowing into it. That stream could easily penetrate the drywall and significantly injure or rip the mask off a firefighter working inside. Additionally, firefighters must be able to observe the effects that the master stream causes to the building’s stability. The second the master stream is shut down, ideally there will be crews ready for immediate entry for primary search and any remaining fire attack if the stability of the structure allows for offensive actions. Older structures, structures with significant fire damage, and structures retaining significant amounts of water should be given extra consideration and caution.

Multifamily Residence

Multifamily apartments rightly give firefighters much reason for concern. If the fire is still small and doesn’t involve more than one unit, a handline may be all that is needed. However, any exterior involvement that is already burning across more than one unit may quickly overwhelm firefighters who are chasing it with lines on the exterior while also having to address any interior fire and life concerns (which may be extensive). If it can be reached for a quick exterior knockdown with the deck gun, do it. However, due to the complexity of the structure and the potential for interior fire conditions, it is even more important in this type of setting to account for all your factors— particularly the required interior fire attack considerations (how many lines? how big? where? etc.) and any water supply concerns.

Fire Is Reachable, Visible, and Well-Vented

What should be clear from most of these examples is that they present first-arriving firefighters with a sizable fire that is visible, reachable, and well-vented (photo 7). Keep in mind that having a large structure with fire self-venting does not always mean the deck gun will be the most appropriate option. We are looking to hit the seat of the fire, not just an exhaust point.

7. Visible fire, reachable fire, and a well-vented fire all combine to present a blitz attack opportunity.

Considerations to Keep in Mind

Remember that a master stream blitz attack is aggressive. It is about as aggressive as a transitional attack can be (of course, remember that a transitional attack is an offensive attack from start to finish³). As with anywhere in the fire service, as the level of aggressiveness goes up, so does the associated risk. That might mean increased risk to us with an aggressive interior push, which, in turn, may positively decrease risk to any occupants inside. The risk in one area may result in a derivative decrease of risk in another area. This is classic risk vs. gain. As it relates to blitz attacks, the primary risk we are taking is running out of water without sufficiently knocking the fire down. Maybe we weren’t hitting the seat. Maybe the fire just exceeded what our initial 750 gallons of tank water could accomplish. Maybe the water supply was unexpectedly delayed.

No fire will offer firefighters the exact same set of conditions, but when we make tactical decisions, we must understand the consequences those decisions are likely to have, both the positive and the negative. Running out of water may be a horrible consequence if there is too much delay in getting more water on scene and the fire develops beyond what it was when we arrived. Running out of water after significant knockdown, which allows a rapid search and demolishes the forward progress of the fire, is very likely a great positive consequence, even if the public sees us not flowing water for a minute or two while we wait for supply. Professional effectiveness and tactical efficiency should always govern tactics, not public perception.⁴

A Tactic Worth Considering

When an officer pulls up to a working fire where a blitz attack is a viable option, by the nature of our profession and the style of this tactic, he will have mere seconds to analyze the relevant factors and make the call. Ideally, this decision will be an educated one. As this article demonstrates, there is more to consider than just the amount of fire that is showing on arrival. That said, the stars do not have to align for this to not only be an option on the fireground but to be the best option. High Btu generation demands overwhelming gpm application. Although they are not risk free, deck gun blitz attacks offer us one of the fastest and most powerful ways to overwhelm even well-developed fires. If nothing else, they are a tactic worth considering.

ENDNOTE

1 Gustin, Bill. “Tactical Considerations for Engine Company Officers.” Fire Engineering, 1 Oct. 2022, pp. 28-36. bit.ly/3WRt13l.

2. Jose, Phillip. “The Art of Reading Smoke with Phil Jose.” Youtube, uploaded by Phillip Jose, 25 Nov. 2021, bit.ly/4dQEaIO.

3. Martin, Nick. “Aggressive Engine Company Operations.” Combat Ready Fire Training. Author’s note: Martin’s exact quote was: “Transitional Attack is a tactic, not a mode of operation—but it falls within an offensive mode.”

4. Papa, Nicholas. “Leveraging Fire Streams and Ventilation.” Fire Engineering, 1 Mar. 2022, pp. 103- 109. bit.ly/4cyAkTB.

CHANDLER MOORE is a captain with Martin County (FL) Fire Rescue with 13 years of experience. Previously, he served as a training captain for Martin County. He is a state certified pump operator, LFTI, fire officer I, and instructor II. He has an associate’s degree in fire science from Indian River State College and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in emergency management at the University of Florida.