Fireground Strategy PDF - New Lenox Fire Protection District

Procedure New Lenox Fire Protection District 402 Procedures Manual Fireground Strategy 402.1 PURPOSE The purpose of this SOG is to outline a fireground strategy for use at structure fires. Fireground operationsw...

Procedure New Lenox Fire Protection District 402 Procedures Manual Fireground Strategy 402.1 PURPOSE The purpose of this SOG is to outline a fireground strategy for use at structure fires. Fireground operationswill fall in one of two strategies, Offensive or Defensive. The two strategies are based on a standard Risk Management Plan that shall be employed at ALL structure fires. 402.2 GUIDELINE Considering the level of risk, the Incident Commander will choose the proper strategy to be used at the fire scene. The strategy can change with conditions or because certain benchmarks (i.e. ALL CLEAR) are obtained. The strategic mode will be based on: o The building (type of construction, condition, age, etc.) o Structural integrity of the building (contents vs. structural involvement) o The fire load (what type of fuel is burning and what's left to burn) o The fire and/or smoke conditions (extent, location, etc.) o The rescue profile (savable occupants/survivability profile) The Incident Commander is responsible for determining the appropriate fireground strategy. Once the appropriate strategy is initiated, it becomes the Incident Commander's job to ensure that all personnel are operating within the strategy. By controlling the fireground strategy, the Incident Commander is providing overall incident scene safety. NFPA 1500: 8.1.7 (2013) The proper strategy will be determined based on the following: o Avoiding simultaneous Offensive and Defensive strategies in the same fire area. This typically happens by first committing personnel to interior positions, then operating master streams from exterior positions. This places interior crews in danger of injury or death. o Matching the appropriate strategy to the fire conditions of the structure, and minimizing risk to firefighters. Managing fireground strategy must start with the arrival of the first unit and be constantly monitored and evaluated throughout the entire incident. The initial Incident Commander will include the fireground strategy in the on--#scene report. As Command is transferred to later arriving officers, these officers assuming Command must evaluate the fireground strategy based on the Risk Management Plan. Fireground strategy provides a starting point for fireground operations. Once the strategy is announced, all firefighters know whether to operate on the interior or exterior of the building. The fireground strategy cannot be a mystery to anyone; everyone operating on the fireground must be operating in the same strategy mode. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Fireground Strategy - 1 Published with permission by New Lenox Fire Protection District  New Lenox Fire Protection District Procedures Manual Fireground Strategy 402.2.1 OFFENSIVE FIRE ATTACK Within the framework of the Risk Management Plan, the structure must first be determined to be safe to enter. Once determined safe, an Offensive Fire Attack is centered on RESCUE. When safe to do so, the New Lenox Fire Protection District will initiate offensive operations at the scene of structure fires. The following are guidelines for offensive fire attacks: o Assign IRIC team prior to entry in accordance with the IRIC SOG. o Initial Attack efforts must be directed toward supporting a primary search – the first attack line must go between the victims and the fire to protect avenues of rescue and escape. o Determine fire conditions and extent before starting fire operations. Companies must resist the urge to focus only on the fire. In some cases, the most effective tactical analysis involves an evaluation of what is not burning rather than what is actually on fire. The unburned portion represents where the fire is going and should establish the framework for fire control activities and requirements. Everyone on the fireground must do their best at reading the smoke and predicting what is “coming next”. Command must consider the most critical direction and avenues of fire extension, plus its speed, particularly as they affect: o Rescue activities o Level of risk to fire fighters o Confinement efforts o Exposure protection Command must allocate personnel and resources based upon this fire--#spread evaluation. Command must not lose sight of the very simple and basic fireground reality that at some point firefighters must engage and fight the fire. The rescue/fire control--#extension/exposure problem is solved in the majority of cases by a fast, strong, well--#placed attack. Command must consider the 7 sides (or sectors) of the fire: front, rear, both sides, top, bottom, and interior. Fires cannot be considered under control until all 7 sides are addressed. Failure to do so frequently results in fire extension. Where the fire involves concealed spaces (attics, ceiling areas, construction voids), it becomes paramount that companies open up and operate fire streams into such areas. Early identification and response to concealed space fires will save the building. Early ventilation is a major support item that must be addressed during concealed space attacks. This must be initiated early and be well coordinated. Ventilation openings should be made in the fire area. Command must get ahead of the fire and consider where the fire will be when attack efforts are ready to actually go into operation. If misjudged, the fire may burn past the attack/cutoff position before resourcesand personnel are in position. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Fireground Strategy - 2 Published with permission by New Lenox Fire Protection District  New Lenox Fire Protection District Procedures Manual Fireground Strategy Write off property that is already lost and go on to protect exposed property based on the most dangerous direction of fire spread. The basic variables relating to attack operations involve: o Location/position of attack o Size of attack o Support functions 402.2.2 MARGINAL FIRE ATTACK The only reason to operate in Marginal Situations is rescue. Many times offensive/defensive conditions are clear--#cut and Command can quickly determine the appropriate strategy. In other cases, the situation is marginal and Command must initiate an offensive interior attack, while setting up defensive positions on the exterior. The effect of the interior attack must be constantly evaluated, and the attack abandoned if necessary. Strategy changes can develop almost instantly or can take considerable time. Command must match the strategy with the conditions. Command should abandon marginal attacks when: o A primary all clear is obtained and the situation is still marginal. o The roof is unsafe or untenable. Especially working fires in large unsupported, or lightweight trussed attic spaces. o Interior forces encounter heavy heat and cannot locate the fire or cannot make any progress on the fire. o Heavy smoke is being forced from the building under pressure and is increasing. Command needs to constantly evaluate conditions while operating in marginal situations. This requires frequent and detailed reports from Sector Officers. It is imperative that Command assigns a Roof Sector as early as possible during marginal situations for rapid evaluation of roof conditions. In certain situations Command should strongly consider not committing crews to the interior of a structure unless he/she receives a report from Roof Sector that the roof of the structure is safe to operate on and under. It is better to go from an offensive to a defensive strategy too soon rather than too late. 402.2.3 DEFENSIVE FIRE ATTACK The decision to operate in a defensive strategy indicates that the offensive attack strategy, or the potential for one, has been abandoned for reasons of personnel safety, and the involved structure has been conceded as lost (the Incident Commander made a conscious decision to write the structure off). The announcement of a change to a defensive strategy will be announced as Emergency Traffic and all personnel will withdraw from the structure while maintaining a safe distance from the structure. Company Officers/Acting Company Officers will account for their crews and advise their Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Fireground Strategy - 3 Published with permission by New Lenox Fire Protection District  New Lenox Fire Protection District Procedures Manual Fireground Strategy Sector Officer or Command on the status of their crew. Sector Officers will notify Command of the status of the crews assigned to their sector. A PAR (Personnel Accountability Report) shall be obtained after any switch from offensive to defensive strategy. Interior lines will be withdrawn and repositioned when changing to a defensive strategy. Crews should retreat with their hose lines if safe to do so. If retreat is being delayed because of hose--# lines, and it's unsafe to stay in the building, hose--#lines should be abandoned. All exposures, both immediate and anticipated, must be identified and protected. The first priority in defensive operations is personnel safety; the second is exposure protection. The next priority may be to knock down the main body of fire. This may assist in protection of exposures but does not replace it as a higher priority. Master streams are generally the most effective tactic to be employed in defensive operations. When the exposure is severe and water is limited, the most effective tactic is to put water on the exposure and, if need be, from the interior of the exposure. Once exposure protection is established, attention may be directed to knocking down the main body of fire and thermal--#column cooling. The same principles of large volume procedures should be employed. Fire under control means the forward progress of the fire has been stopped and the remaining fire can be extinguishedwiththeon--# sceneresources;itdoesnotmeanthefireiscompletelyout.Whenthefireis brought under control, Command will notify dispatch utilizing the standard radio report of "FIRE UNDER CONTROL." Dispatch should record the time of this report. Command must initiate a PAR report from all on scene sectors and crews. If defensive operations are conducted from the onset of the incident, Command will notify dispatch that there will not be a primary search completed for the affected structure(s). However, ALL buildings should be searched at some point in the operations, as long as the building allows this. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Fireground Strategy - 4 Published with permission by New Lenox Fire Protection District