truck company, fire department, fire dept, ventilation, search, ladder

1. Considerations for the Truck Company

2. Primary Tasks
Primary search
Rescuing victims
Laddering
Ventilation
Forcible entry

3. Arrival Considerations
Safety
Size up
Position fire apparatus
Proper tools and equipment
Assignment of functions
Adequate personnel
Primary search and rescue of victims

4. Other Aspects
Coordinated, team effort
Role of incident commander
Consider safety of fire fighters

5. General Considerations
Truck Company Tactics

6. Size up Information
Pre-planning
Arrival size up
Conducted by the first arriving crew
Building type and occupancy
Day and time
Weather conditions
Reconnaissance of the building
Observing what is taking place on the fire ground
Precise, accurate communication of findings

7. Size up Information
Variable factors
Types of structures
Construction features
Occupancy of the fire and exposure buildings
Number of apparatus responding to alarm

8. Size up Information
Other considerations
Time of day
Traffic
Road conditions
Weather conditions

9. Size up Information
Make sure a 360o size up is done
Generally, if two ladder companies responding
First company: front
Second company: rear
Modify according to the situation or pre-plan
information

10. Size up Information
Fire conditions may vary from the front to
the rear of an involved structure
 Maybe light smoke in front and heavy fire in
rear
 Maybe fire in front and victims in rear window

11. Size up Infomation
Possible victims
Extent and intensity of the fire
Locations of exposures
Rear stairs, porches, and basement entrances
If engine personnel need assistance in the rear
Availability of windows
If ground ladders are needed

12. Apparatus Positioning
Truck Company Tactics

13. Apparatus Positioning
Apparatus must be positioned properly
Consider guidelines and pre incident plans
Efficient
Proficient

14. Positioning the Apparatus
Efficiency of coverage area
Aerial device for rescue
Gaining access
Using master stream appliances

15. Positioning the Apparatus
Report directly to the assignment.
The ladder company receives direct orders and knows
its tasks.
Ladder trucks that are not yet assigned should be
staged.
Staging area should be away from the fire building.

16. Positioning the Apparatus
Be aware of the positioning needs of other fire
apparatus
Allow room to work
Do not block hydrants or standpipe/sprinkler
connections
Do not compromise points of entry/egress

17. Positioning the Apparatus
Check overhead for obstructions
Ensure that the area under the ladder truck is stable
and will carry the load
Check for tires on hose lines
Make sure ground jacks will extend fully

18. Positioning Considerations
(1 of 2)
Safe operating angle
Can reach to perform assigned tasks
May be necessary to reposition

19. Positioning Considerations
(2 of 2)
Varies for specific situations
One- or two-story buildings
More than two stories
Large apartment or commercial buildings
Row buildings

20. Positioning Considerations
For coverage of the front of a structure, the first-arriving
engine should be positioned according to the approach of
the first-arriving ladder truck.
Same direction of approach, pull past the building
Opposite direction, stop short

21. Positioning Considerations
For large structures, the ladder must be positioned to
accomplish the most important operations.
Rescue
Fire confinement
Ventilation
Water application

22. Portable Ladders
Truck Company Tactics

23. Ladder Selection & Placement
Appropriate sized
ladder for task
Firefighter survival
Victim rescue
Ventilation
Height of floor to be
accessed

24. Ventilation
Truck Company Tactics

25. Ventilation
A planned, systematic procedure for reducing,
redirecting, or removing heat, smoke, and fire
gases from a structure and replacing them with
clean, fresh air.

26. Ventilation Principles
• Ventilation for life safety
• Ventilation for incident stabilization
• Ventilation for property conservation
• Ventilation to support other tactical operations.

27. Determine Where Ventilation Is
Needed
• Planned, systematic approach
• General location priorities
• NIST/UL/ATF studies

28. Select Appropriate Tactics
• Horizontal ventilation
• Vertical ventilation
• Combination.

29. Ventilation Methods
• Natural ventilation
• Self-ventilation
• Forced (mechanical) ventilation.

30. Types Of Forced Ventilation
• Fog streams
• Building heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
(HVAC) system
• Negative pressure
• Positive pressure.

31. TTyyppeess OOff FFoorrcceedd VVeennttiillaattiioonn
• Proper apparatus placement
• Proper hoseline placement
• Entry
• Selection and placement of ladders
• Lighting
• Breathing air.

32. Ventilation Hazards
• Opening below fire or at same level
• Opening too soon
• Opening in wrong place
• Opening into blind attic
• Insufficient opening
• Delayed too long.

33. Ventilation Coordination Issues
• With rescue
• With entry and fire attack
• Hoselines should not hinder ventilation.

34. Ventilation
Vent for two reasons:
fire
life
(Battalion Chief John Norman,
FDNY)

35. Venting for life begins as soon as a life
hazard is realized
May intensify the fire
Venting for fire is delayed until attack
teams and resources are in place

36. Traditional Fire Development

37. Fire Development Today

38. Fire Development Today
When a vent is opened, such as when the fire
department enters a door, oxygen is introduced
Oxygen mixes with the heated gases in the structure
and the energy level begins to increase
This change in ventilation can result in a rapid
increase in fire growth potentially leading to a
flashover

39. Two Types of Flow Paths
Bi-directional
Fresh air and exhausted air sharing the same opening,
or
Two openings at the same height
Uni-directional
Fresh air and exhausted air have openings at different
levels

40. Bi-directional flow
If you create second opening high (upper floor
window for example) fire will be drawn to that
opening
Will become uni-directional

41. Uni-directional flow
High velocity
High temperature
Zero visibility

42. Ventilation
Must be accompanied by water application to absorb
the heat in the environment.
The more you vent, the larger the fire will grow
unless you apply water.
After knock down, more vent means more cooling.

43. Search
Truck Company Tactics

44. Rescue
Rescue is a systematic process used
to locate, protect, and remove
occupants and fire victims safely
from a structure and convey them to
a place of safety.

45. Rescue Tactics
• Conduct primary search
• Conduct secondary search
• Provide for rescued occupants.

46. Conduct Primary Search
• Rapid search of all areas involved in or exposed to
fire
• To verify removal and/or safety of occupants
• Removal of victims
• Report “All Clear”.

47. Search
Move rapidly
Close interior doors
Stay in contact with walls
Search with a partner
Use tools and lights
Search without a hoseline ONLY when there is
reasonable certainty that a victim is inside and
conditions suggest survivability is likely.

48. Search
Requires a commitment of resources to areas
most likely to contain victims.
 Bedrooms
 Interior travel routes
 (hallways & stairs)
 Outside the structure

49. Narrowing the Search
Where were victims were last seen?
Cries for help heard?
Is the structure occupied or not?

50. Vent-Enter-Search (VES)
Advantage - search personnel enter structure
from safe atmosphere (outside), search small
areas (sometimes single rooms), then exit.
Disadvantage - often conducted ahead of
hoseline on “fire” side of structure. If PPV
is initiated, your entry point can become
exhaust port for PPV.

51. Isolate
Now Vent, Enter ISOLATE, Search
Do not compromise the protective “membrane” of
the compartment that surrounds you while you are
conducting search operations
Even hollow-core wooden doors can protect
firefighters performing primary search

52. Must be
coordinated through
Incident
Commander.
VES should only be
used when
probability of finding
victim is high!

53. Provide For Rescued
Occupants
• Victim removal paths
• Move victims to triage area
• Treat victims
• Transport victims
• Provide for uninjured, displaced
persons.

54. Conduct Secondary Search
• Extremely thorough search of interior fire area
• After initial fire control, ventilation, and interior lighting
are completed
• Ensure that there is no possibility of victims remaining
undiscovered.

55. Rescue Coordination Issues
• Teamwork, organization, and good
communication
• Rapid ventilation
• Keep fire away from people and protect escape
routes with hoselines
• Laddering to ventilate and advance protective
hoselines.

56. Support For Rescue Operations
• Timing
• Protective lines
• Entry
• Ventilation
• Laddering
• Confinement/Extinguishment.

57. Support and Other Activities
Truck Company Tactics

58. Support Activities
• Support activities are tasks carried out at
fire incidents to support ongoing tactical
operations.

59. Principles Of Support Activities
• Control all utilities
• Provide compressed breathing air
• Provide scene lights and electricity
• Provide for firefighter rehabilitation and re-hydration
• Provide for medical monitoring and treatment of
personnel.

60. Control All Utilities
• Use appropriate personnel
• Coordinate with other operations and IC
• Control fuels
• Shut off electricity to involved areas
• Control water.

61. Other Support Activities
• Air supply
• Scene lighting and electricity
• Firefighter rehabilitation and re-hydration
• Medical monitoring and treatment

62. Overhaul Operations

63. Overhaul
Overhaul is the action taken to expose
hidden fire and to assure complete
extinguishment.

64. Principles Of Overhaul
• Extinguish all smoldering contents
• Check for and extinguish hidden fires or
extension.

65. Overhaul Tactics
• Extinguish spot fires and smoldering fires
• Open walls and voids
• Prevent rekindles
• Do not work in unsafe areas.

66. Overhaul Coordination
• Coordinate with salvage operations
• Firefighters may complete overhaul while
completing salvage
• Coordinate with investigators.

67. Evidence Preservation
• Recognize basic area of origin
• Understand the importance of physical evidence
• Secure the scene using rope of barrier tape.

68. Summary
Initial size up is needed to ensure proper
positioning of the apparatus for efficient
fireground operations.
Firefighters must be well-trained and supplied
with equipment to perform their assigned tasks
efficiently and safely.

69. Summary
Truck companies have several tasks to perform
on the fire ground.
Initial tasks include rescue, including the primary
search and removal of occupants, forcible entry,
and ventilation.