Taking it to the Street

April 1, 2015
Engine company operations in private dwellings

"Engine 57. We are on location, 5512 Spruce Street. We have a three-story occupied single-family dwelling, approximately 30 by 60 feet. Fire showing out two windows on the second-floor A/B side.”

“Engine 25. We are on location, 1816 East Tusculum Street, with a two-story occupied middle of the row, 15 by 35 feet, Bravo and Delta exposures are the same as the fire building. We have fire showing from the first and second floors.”

Reports like this are commonplace in every one of our departments. The bulk of our work and our “bread-and-butter” operations are in private dwellings. While a dedicated, motivated and competent truck company (or any company assigned to perform truck company duties) is needed to work in tandem with the attack engine, nothing is more critical than getting through the front door with a line and between the fire and interior steps. The old adage “as the first hoseline goes so does the fire” is dead on and that’s what this article is about – how to position that hoseline and get water on the fire.

This article covers a general set of steps for each position on the engine running with an officer and three firefighters, as noted in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2010 edition, and because this is, for the most part, a realistic number for most fire departments. It also discusses basement fires, first-floor fires and upper-floor fires with position-specific assignments.

Driver-engineer/pump operator

The first position we will discuss is the driver-engineer/pump operator (DPOP), who is assigned to: at dispatch, know the best route to take; maintain full control of the apparatus enroute; position the engine to best serve the first-in ladder company; give water from the onboard booster tank; get water by establishing a continuous water supply from a static or positive source; and maintain water by monitoring pump gauges and the radio. It is safe to say that you can have the most aggressive and competent attack team in the department, but if the person behind the wheel cannot get you on scene or is unable to get you water, then you might as well be at the corner of the fire block directing traffic.

Engine officer

The engine officer makes the call to “take a wrap with a supply line” (forward lay, lay in – whatever your department calls it, we all know what it means). It is the good practice to stop at a hydrant and start a water supply. If your department has the second-in engine connect and supply the first-in engine’s line/hydrant, the officer will call out on radio where the line can be “picked up.” The engine officer will also determine what line to put in the street, depending on the size and type of structure involved, the length of the lay and conditions on arrival. When pre-planning a building in your response area, estimate the amount of hoseline you will need to cover the building and the size of the line you may need, depending on conditions upon arrival.

Next, the engine officer gives the initial report over the radio. This will be a calm, clear and concise report consisting of the address (corrected if necessary), size and dimensions, occupancy, construction, conditions showing, exposures, orders for the incoming companies and who has command initially. The goal is “paint a picture” for all incoming units that lets them visualize what you are seeing.

Once the on-scene report is finished, it is time to estimate the stretch and determine what size hoseline is to be pulled. One recommendation is that the officer take the time to size-up the stretch before committing to it, this is coming from personal experience and a mistake I made.

We were the second-in engine to a fire in a two-story row frame dwelling in southwest Philadelphia. We positioned the apparatus on a hydrant (in Philadelphia, all engines other than the first-in engine position on a hydrant with five-inch soft suction) and proceeded toward the rear of the house through an alley filled with discarded tires and other trash. In my haste to get our hoseline in place, I did not take the time to walk to the rear. We started our stretch of three-inch leader line while the member on the tip carried the “second-in bag” (consisting of 150 feet of 1¾-inch hoseline with a nozzle and gated wye). After stretching about 200 feet of three-inch hose, we hit a brick wall, literally – the alley did not go all the way through. We had to break the hoseline and drive around the block to reach the correct side of the alley, which resulted in a significant delay in getting water to the rear. Now, I take the time to confirm each stretch before committing.

Once the hoseline length and size are chosen, the hose team locates the seat of the fire. Do not get tunnel vision and think that just because you have fire on the top floor that the basement is not on fire; take a peek below you. Once the team is in service and begins its attack, the officer’s next responsibility is to continually monitor conditions and report any progress, or lack thereof, to the incident commander.

Backup firefighter

The backup firefighter is the member behind the officer who must ensure the hoseline is free of kinks and is moving smoothly during the entire operation. Make no mistake, this position is crucial. The backup ensures continuous movement of the line; if the company is going to make an aggressive push, the backup must be constantly working. Aside from keeping the line moving and chasing kinks, the backup must keep all doors chocked to ensure they do not close on the hoseline.

The backup’s job does not end there. If there is no truck company on scene, the backup may have to force entry into the dwelling. If the company is going to the rear and no ladder is on scene yet, the backup may consider carrying irons and bolt cutters, on top of stretching hose. In Philadelphia, the person assigned to the backup position is also responsible for opening and securing any hose gates placed in the stretch. The backup must not forget to secure the gate open; this can be accomplished by tying it off to a banister or some other substantial object. If there is a gate in the line and the team loses water, the backup can trace it back to that position immediately; in zero visibility it is easy for someone to accidentally kick it closed.

Nozzle firefighter

I am going to go out on a limb and say that the majority of those on the engine find the nozzle to be the best position to have on the fireground. The member on the nozzle performs a personal size-up of the dwelling and carries the working length (the first 50 feet); at no time should the nozzle firefighter just grab the nozzle and go.
When it is time to move in, the nozzle firefighter ensures that the stream is set to straight stream (“to the right for fight” on a combination tip), hit the fire high (“straight stream on the beam”), whip the nozzle around, keep the tip well out in front and open all the way, sweep the floor, knock down all visible fire, then shut it down, find a window, fog it out (hydraulically ventilate) and hit hot spots.

Basement fires

The first specific fire scenario to discuss involves basement fires. These fires are inherently dangerous and have unfortunately taken a great toll on the American fire service. Basement fires require coordination, communication and discipline, so a strong command presence by the incident commander is a must.

This fire starts firefighters off in the most dangerous place to be – the floor above. Firefighters descending the interior steps will literally be fighting their way down a chimney. Engine company members operate as one team with the goal of stretching and advancing a hoseline to extinguish fire. When it comes to a fire below grade, if any one member is not doing their job, the entire operation will suffer. The second-in engine is just as important as the first-in engine. Getting a hoseline to the rear of a structure that has exterior rear access to a basement is not an option, it is a must.

“Nothing showing from the basement” cannot be enough for firefighters to rule out the possibility of a fire originating in the basement. As part of the first-in report, the engine officer should note whether the dwelling is a twin, single, middle or end-of-a-row, an apartment or other type of structure. Twins, singles and end-of-the-row dwellings can be a green light for the second-in engine to have easier access to the rear. Some twins, singles and corner properties may have access to the basement from the side of the building, making this the best place to mount an attack. A report from the rear is needed as soon as possible; the officer must get a good look from directly out the back of the structure and not just a “glance down the rear.” This is because the presence of an air/light shaft may obstruct the officer’s view of the basement. An air/light shaft provides ventilation and some light to parts of the house that have no windows, a problem when a house is stuck on the house next door, leaving only the front and back for light and ventilation.

A few years ago in West Philadelphia, companies arrived and had what they thought was a kitchen fire; “fire showing first floor rear” was the report from the battalion chief. When the ladder officer made it to the rear, he found that the fire had started in the basement. He notified the incident commander, who backed out the engine to regroup and change tactics. Not long after they backed off the first floor, there was a partial collapse in the dining room. Had the ladder officer only glanced down the rear or, even worse, had not looked in the rear, the entire unsuspecting engine company could have been dropped into a fully involved basement.

If smoke or fire is showing from the first floor, firefighters must be thinking fire in the basement. Smoke and fire from the upper floors can fool firefighters into thinking that nothing is going on in the basement, but the fire could have run up through the wall bypassing the lower floors because of a lack of fire stops and extended to the upper floor (balloon-frame construction). The fire may also be running the pipe chase from the exposed basement fittings. Firefighters should also shine a light down on the baseboards to see if smoke is pushing from that area; they may also see smoke or fire pushing from the forced-air vents.

Once it is confirmed that fire is in a basement, the officer considers a plan of attack. Will the team make a push down the interior steps? Is there a rear or side entrance that can easily be made by the second-in engine? Can the team make the basement at all or must it go defensive with hoselines through the windows or a cellar pipe? Whatever option is chosen will require an aggressive and smart attack.

In most multi-story dwellings, the steps are under the stairs leading to the upper floors. This is not a set rule, however; in some houses the steps going to the basement can be found through a trap door on the front porch. Part of the size-up on arrival should include checking with occupants to learn whether everyone is out and asking where the fire is and where the basement steps are. If no occupants are available and there is a smoke condition on the first floor, it may be prudent to leave the nozzle firefighter at the front door with the charged hoseline ready to go while another crew searches for the steps; when the steps are located, they can call back for the line. This will reduce the risk of crawling around with the hoseline looking for the door only to make a large pile of spaghetti in the living room or risk knocking something over onto the line, which will hinder a quick advance.

Once the steps are located and it is time to make the advance down, firefighters must ensure that they have enough hoseline. They cannot let themselves become hung up on the steps; it’s either go all the way or don’t go at all. Do not advance down the steps without ensuring the basement windows are vented and that your hoseline is charged and bled of air, also make sure you are set to a straight stream before making the move.

When making their way down the steps, firefighters should stay along the wall because the banister, if there is one, may break from their weight, especially when weakened by fire. If fire is burning under the steps, they may weaken and burn away. Firefighters must descend quickly and get off the steps, then hit the fire. The backup position is extremely important here. He or she needs to ensure that enough hoseline is brought into the house to make a quick pushdown; form a bow in the hoseline in the area of the steps if you have to.

When feeding the hoseline down the steps to the nozzle member and the officer, stay to one side of the door where the line turns to go down the steps; firefighters must not get stuck between the hoseline and the wall. The member upstairs continually monitors conditions. A buildup of heat should be relayed to the officer as fire may have gotten into the walls and the company may have to back out of the basement before being cut off. If manpower permits, once the hoseline is down and advancing through the basement, the backup can move to the bottom of the steps to keep moving the line in while another member stays up top to continue feeding more line down the steps. This lets the officer stay with the nozzle member and monitor conditions.

Depending on the size of the basement and whether it is partitioned or piled high with debris or furniture, firefighters may be able to use the reach of the stream to hit most of the fire from the area of the steps. If this type of attack is chosen, the second-in engine must acknowledge that it is standing by at the rear entrance and not moving in, which could create a dangerous opposing hoseline condition. It would be a good practice to have another line stretched at this time to the first floor to protect the interior stairs and the members searching the upper floors.

If the attack strategy is to let the second-in company advance in from the rear, the first-in engine has the responsibility of protecting the interior steps. An attack this way should be straightforward for the second-in company – get a hoseline to the rear and move in – but a few things must happen before the second-in engine can advance. The first-in engine members must know they are staying upstairs and holding the first floor. If for any reason they must abandon their position, they cannot leave until all ladder company members are down from the upper floors and accounted for.

When the first-in engine finds the basement stairs, they should try to control the door (if there is one). This can be as simple as shutting it; if no door is present, they can take one from another part of the house and place it over the opening. The second-in engine cannot move in until it is confirmed that the first-in engine has a charged line and is at the top of the basement steps with the door controlled. It is imperative that the first-in engine officer inform the incident commander if the firefighters are having trouble locating the basement steps.

Also, while firefighters search for the door, the fire could unexpectedly flash up the stairwell. While crawling around looking for the steps, firefighters should be on air and have a charged line ready to go in case they must open it quickly. This is important because if the basement door is closed, the fire may attack the underside of the interior stairs leading to the upper floors, possibly burning through and extending above.

First-floor fires

The next type of fire we commonly find in private dwellings is fire on the first floor. Once it is determined that the fire is located and originated on the first floor, firefighters can begin to mount their attack, typically through the front door. The hoseline on this fire should be charged on the exterior of the property and then the members can make their aggressive push inside.

Before the company moves in, the officer should ensure that all members are wearing their full personal protective equipment (PPE) – missing gloves and hoods will halt an aggressive attack and could cause injuries to the members on the line. As the company moves in, the officer should continually monitor conditions. If the line is being moved to the second floor, it is important for the officer to let the incident commander know this so he or she can have another company come in behind the team to hold the first floor and mop up. If the stairway treads are compromised, it may be wise for the officer to call for a portable ladder to lie over the stairs going to the second floor. An important extension issue to address immediately is the presence of a servant staircase (second staircase) in another area of the first floor; if fire gets into this stairwell, extension to the floors above will be an issue.

The member assigned to the backup position on a first-floor fire must ensure that the line is free of kinks and not hung up on any obstructions outside. As the hoseline moves in, the backup should chock the front door open and ensure continuous movement of the line. This member must resist the urge to crawl in and bunch up on the hoseline; the company needs him or her pushing the line through the front door.

After getting water, the nozzle member must bleed the line of air and again ensure that the stream pattern is on straight stream, if a smooth-bore tip is not being used. The nozzle member can make the backup’s life easier by taking the hoseline and walking it down the sidewalk, then doubling back to the fire dwelling; this will help flake out the line.

When meeting fire at the front door, the nozzle member hits it high, sweeps the floor and begins to push in. (Be aggressive, but also feel for the floor in front of you with an outstretched leg, and do not be afraid to tell the officer or backup to “hold up” if the floor feels spongy.)

If the fire is in another area of the first floor, such as the kitchen or dining room, the firefighter must be ready to open the nozzle at a moment’s notice. When crawling around in heavy smoke, pausing to listen for crackling or feel for more intense heat coming from one area more than another may assist in locating the seat of the fire.

One last special consideration is for first-floor fires in dwellings that have attached porch fronts to other dwellings. If fire is extending down the porches, it is imperative to flank the fire and push it back into the original fire dwelling. It may be difficult to locate the involved dwelling due to smoke conditions all the way down the porch fronts, so firefighters should not commit a hoseline until they confirm the location of the fire.

Upper-floor fires

A fire on the upper floors of a private dwelling can lead to extension into the cockloft or attic, causing significant exposure issues, so it is crucial to get water upstairs as soon as possible. Once again, the job of the engine officer is to ensure the basement is clear and that all members are in full PPE and ready to push up the steps. The line can be stretched dry into the dwelling and the members can don their masks on the steps leading upstairs before entering the immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) zone. As the officer, I will not tie up the radio to tell my DPOP to “drop the tank,” meaning “give us the onboard booster water.” The backup member can give the DPOP a thumbs-up or, if the company has been working together for a while and has trained on it, the DPOP should know that when the line stops moving through the front door, charge it, because the members are on the steps getting ready. If the officer can peek upstairs as the hoseline is being flaked out, he or she should tell the incident commander how many rooms are involved in fire.

The backup position plays an important role on this fire. He or she must ensure the line does not get hung up on the door leading into the dwelling or on the banister on the stairs. The backup should be positioned from the last point the hoseline turns, as going up and over the banister is a lot easier than stretching around it. One way for the backup to accomplish this is to feed the line over the banister and then face back down the steps and give a few big pulls as the officer and nozzle member advance down the hallway toward the front rooms. The member on the nozzle can lighten the load of the backup by taking the working length into the first-floor front room and flaking it out near the stairwell. Once that length is flaked out, he or she can kneel on the steps and the nozzle, make sure the nozzle is closed and don their facemask (once again outside of the IDLH zone). When the water comes, the firefighter bleeds the line, ensures that the stream is on a straight pattern and pushes up the steps. (It is imperative that members wear their chinstraps because plaster or plasterboard can drop and strike their heads as the stream hits it, knocking off their helmets.)

Tips for success

Firefighters must give all rooms a “good knock” before pushing on. A backup member should let the officer know if furniture in another room is lighting back up as they advance. When firefighters hit the bedroom involved, they should “goose neck” the line into the room to hit the area behind the door, make their way into the room, sweep the floor and fog out (hydraulically ventilate). If they cannot locate a window due to poor visibility, they can run a straight stream along the wall and hear the change in sound from the stream.

If the dwelling is heavily involved throughout and it is new construction or even older Type III, ordinary, construction that has been burning for an extended period, the call to back out, or even start exterior, could be necessary. This can be particularly true in vacant stand-alone dwellings that were once part of a row of dwellings; if the attached exposures are missing, then the dwelling involved is already substantially weaker, even before being attacked by fire.

Engine company operations are all about teamwork. Members should train with one another to ensure they will have a strong working relationship on the fireground. Adjacent and mutual aid companies should be included. Members should strive to reach the point where they can picture what everyone else in the company is doing as the operation plays out. That is the sign of a strong, well-rounded engine company. 

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!