Side Charlie Engine Assigments

[bcarey]

Some departments have guidelines that require an engine company to report to the rear (Side Charlie, Exposure 3, etc.) on the initial alarm or working fire. With that assignment the company may have to report on what is showing and then stretch a line to a specific area. Some departments operate 'by the book' such as Washington D.C. for example. The second-due engine is responsible for checking the basement, even if the structure is a 10-story high-rise and a fire is reported on the sixth floor (this rules out possiblity of a compactor fire). Other departments have similar directions, and for some it may be made up as they and the Incident Commander go along.

What are the responsibilities for the first engine company to the rear of your working structure fire?

[PFDTruck18]

Our 2nd due engine reports to the rear. When put in service they are expected to be stretching from the rear. When not in service they are to locate a hydrant, flush it then standby at the truck. BC is looking for a report from the 2nd due ladder officer about conditions in the rear. This report will sometimes be given by the 2nd due engine officer if he makes it back there first.

[hwoods]

Third to the Rear (Charlie)........... Third Due normally lays in, with the 4th Due picking up the Hydrant. If a situation warrants, the 4th due might Reverse lay from the 3rd to the Hydrant, or sometimes Both may work a Split Lay......... Whatever it takes to do it, the 3rd is responsible for providing the initial attck line in the rear, while the 4th Due is responsible for seeing that the 3rd has a continious Water Supply.....

[nyckftbl]

With us, its usually not feasible or necessary to have an engine automatically respond to the 3 side. On occasion it happens, based on building type, location, and water sources. But our engines are 99.9% of the time used solely for "engine" company responsibilities. 2nd due engine is responsible for insuring that the 1st due engine has water, and backs them up on the line (and assists with the stretch if necessary). 3rd due engine has 2nd line (usually stretched off 1st due rig) with the 4th due engine holding the same responsibilities to the 3rd due as 2nd to 1st.

Obviously there will be deviations, but thats our basic SOP.

[Weruj1]

we do not have an SOG/P for this ............if there was fire and we had access we might direct a rig to the "C" side.

[JohnVBFD]

And here I thought that the Tower Ladder Poll was scary.

We have awesome pre-plans for car seat installing and other items of that ilk, but only 4 people who answered this poll have any sort of plan when responding to a structure fire.

And we wonder why.....

[upstater]

And here I thought that the Tower Ladder Poll was scary.

We have awesome pre-plans for car seat installing and other items of that ilk, but only 4 people who answered this poll have any sort of plan when responding to a structure fire.

And we wonder why.....

Now, now. My department, and I'm sure most others have plenty (too many?) SOPs on fighting structure fires. This poll was about responding to and operating from the C side of buildings. In our land of frame houses with access between, and few if any alleys, responding to the rear of a structure is a moot point.

If you work in an area with a lot of abutting/row type houses, then a C-side response plan is important. With other places it's kind of pointless.

[Bones42]

I agree with most of what upstater said. If you want an engine on the "C" side of many of my dwellings, you are in the front of another house, about 150' away from the house on fire.

We send an engine to "C" (or a truck) when it's appropriate.

[JohnVBFD]

Well, I am seeing this as Bill never said drive to the rear. He said "report". This can be accomplished by driving or walking, by the engine officer walking back there and reporting conditions.

Either of which require a plan and forethought ahead of time.

[Bones42]

Here is the question.....What are the responsibilities for the first engine company to the rear of your working structure fire?

I took it differently than what you did. I took it as whether an engine company is assigned to the rear.

Taking it your way, "He said report. This can be accomplished by driving or walking, by the engine officer walking back there and reporting conditions." - we always have someone check all sides of the building. That is part of the OV's (first due truck) assignment.