When I think about an All-In Engine Company, I think of a crew in which everyone can do it all, because they have to do it all. For the sake of this article, we will assume that the average engine company rolls out the door with three personnel. With that said, these tasks can always be divided if the crew is less than three or additional tasks can be added if there's more than three personnel. We will further discuss the roles of an officer, driver, and a back-step firefighter as it relates to an All-In Engine.
An engine company, in most cities across the United States, will be the first arriving unit on scene. Whether they will be alone on scene for seconds or several minutes is dependent upon staffing, auto/mutual aid agreements, time of day, and so much more.
Due to the unknown length of time that this company will be by themselves, they will be tasked with multiple objectives. Our mission in the fire service is: 1. Save Lives; 2. Incident Stabilization; and 3. Protecting Property. Considering these three vital strategic goals, there are three "S's" that should be accomplished to support that mission: 1. Search (Save Lives); Suppression (Incident Stabilization); and 3. Supply (Protect Property). Knowing how these fireground tasks correspond to the three positions listed above, we can break down who will be undertaking each of these tasks to succeed in the overall mission.
Officer
This position will have the tasks of both Search and Suppression. The officer will be the workhorse as Search and Suppression would be nearly impossible to accomplish without their efforts.
A 360 and size-up is the top priority; performing one will help determine where bedrooms and other rooms of priority are located. The Officer should perform any immediate searches at windows if needed (or direct crew to make those grabs). They need to ensure that they have tools for forcible entry, as well.
Since the firefighter’s priority is stretching the initial hose line, the officer will be responsible for gaining entry to the structure. After addressing forcible entry concerns, the officer can assist the firefighter in flaking out hose, if necessary. Once inside, the officer must wear many hats. This position will not only be assisting in advancing the line into the structure for suppression, but also must ensure that they are performing a primary search while moving through the building.
Suppression and Search can ultimately occur at the same time, as long as the crew is well in tune with one another. Conditions should always be monitored while performing the primary search. Make sure this position stays in contact with the firefighter at all times. Doors, especially those to the bedrooms, should also be closed as searches are completed to further assist in limiting fire spread.
Driver
This position will have all three tasks put on his/her plate. There’s a reason they say this is the most important position on the fireground inside of the first five minutes. The first priority for the driver is to assist with suppression (unless circumstances dictate otherwise).
The driver must ensure that the hose clears the bed, the line gets charged, and the correct pump discharge pressure is established. Once those are completed, this position must make a judgement call on whether to move on to establishing a water supply or assisting in a search. That should be based on when his next apparatus will arrive and what the water supply situation is (Municipal vs Rural Water).
Regardless, when this person picks Supply, they should ensure it’s done efficiently and always err on the side that they’ll need more water than less. When hydrants are available this means considering tapping into the 2.5 outlets as well as the steamer.
Now, when it comes to Search for this position, they can be the unsung hero. Should a victim(s) be present at a window, this position could make their first priority be Search. If no victims are present and it’s unknown if parties are trapped inside, Search will be either second or third priority for the driver. Whether it’s second or third, the tasks associated with assisting the search must still be addressed. The driver should throw available ladders to key windows. They can also force the rear door(s) and do a quick sweep. If the driver does force any doors, they will need to remember to pull the door shut again in order to control the flow path.
Firefighter
This position will have the task of Suppression and some amount of Search as well. This position will ensure the line is pulled correctly and is staged at the door. They will bleed the line once charged and assist with forcible entry when needed. The main goal of this position is to get the line between potential victims and the fire as fast as possible.
Searching can be done by the firefighter once the line is properly positioned and when the officer may be delayed feeding the hose line during the advance. The firefighter can never abandon the nozzle; instead sweeps can be made with hands and/or feet while remaining in contact with the hose line.
Conditions dictate actions, but this is a generic guide that can be applied to the first-in engine company for most residential house fires. It’s imperative for fire companies to train for any potential of staffing. If you have a possibility of only having two personnel, adjust the job tasks above and train on it.
The same can be accomplished with more personnel, which would allow for better results as well. The biggest takeaway for the Engine Company is to make Search a priority along with Suppression. Supply can be accomplished when it's needed.
