It’s Occupancy Risk NOT Occupancy Type
The traditional attitudes and beliefs of equating aggressive firefighting operations in all occupancy types coupled with correlating, established and pragmatic operational strategies and tactics MUST not only be questioned, they need to be adjusted and modified.
Risk assessment, risk-benefit analysis, safety and survivability profiling, operational value and firefighter injury and LODD reduction must be further institutionalized to become a recognized part of modern firefighting operations. Aggressive firefighting must be redefined and aligned to the built environment and associated with goal oriented tactical operations that are defined by risk assessed and analyzed tasks that are executed under battle plans that promote the best in safety practices and survivability within know hostile structural fire environments.
Aggressive: Assertive, bold, and energetic, forceful, determined, confident, marked by driving forceful energy or initiative, marked by combative readiness, assured, direct, dominate…
Measured: Calculated; deliberate, careful; restrained, think, considered, confident, alternatives, reasoned actions, in control, self assured, calm…
Our current generation of buildings, construction and occupancies are not as predictable as past Conventional Construction; Risk assessment, strategies and tactics must change to address these new rules of structural fire engagement. You need to gain the knowledge and insights and to change and adjust your operating profile in order to safe guard your companies, personnel and team compositions.
Again strategic firefighting operations; Strategies and tactics must be based on occupancy risk not occupancy type. The occupancies and buildings ( of all types and vintage) that require combat fire engagement and structural today demand firefighting strategies and tactics that are NOT the same as they were twenty or even ten years ago.
- Although each occupancy type presents variables that dictate how a particular incident is handled;
- Most company operations evolve from basic strategic and tactical principles rooted in past performance and operations at similar structures.
- This basis is based upon Predictability of Performance.
- Modern building construction is no longer predicable
- Command & company officer technical knowledge may be diminished or deficient
- Technological Advancements in construction and materials have exceeded conventional fire suppression practices
- Some fire suppression tactics are faulted or inappropriate, requiring innovative models and methods.
- Fire Dynamics and Fire Behavior is not considered during fireground size-up and assessment Risk Management is either not practiced or willfully ignored during most incident operations
- Some departments or officers show and indifference to safety and risk management
- Command & Company Officer dereliction
- Nothing is going to happen to me (us)
