This week the tactical fire problem is a residential with possible victims.

1.) Using your own first due engine or first alarm assignment, explain how you deploy resources and personnel based on this scenario.

2.) What is the most likely room that the fire is showing in?

3.) What do the victims exterior tell us? What caused the father to be overcome? Is there anyone from the family missing?

4.) Are these victims….do they require immediate treatment by 2 medics (EMTS) or do you assign 1 for the two and commence primary search and fire attack?

5.) What size lines and where? What is your plan? Where is this fire going to go next?

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week we look at a well advanced fire in a fast food restaurant. In addition to our normal questions we ask you need to so some “homework” or “research” on previous fires in these type of facilities and the fact that we have had LODDs in these establishments.

1.) Are the conditions different from the first floor and the roof? What should an IC do when evaluating conflicting information?

2.) What do you know about the roof construction in these type of structures? What is the roof load and how is it distributed?

3.) What are your first actions and what will you be investigating when entering or initially responding?

4.) Why is what you have showing different from a fire in the ductwork system? Or is it?

5.) Using your department’s first alarm resources, develop your plan. Where are you deploying apparatus, personnel and lines? What size lines and where?

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

Take a look and think about the challenges you might face in handling this problem. These can be small remote sites in small towns, or they can be sophisticated automated facilities.

As we discuss each week, get out and take a look at your facilities in your response area?

1.) How large in area is the facility? How long is the hose stretch and where is the water supply?

2.) Think about what material is burning here? Tires, seats, oils, ???

3.) How often do you train with using heavy equipment and loaders in conjunction with suppression operations? How do you protect the civilian operator if you use them?

4.) What impact will heavy streams be on the stability of stacked autos? Will the runoff have to be collected as in a hazmat situation?

5.) What are the additional personnel hazards that might be present in this scenario? List a bunch for yourself and describe how you would mitigate them.

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week we take a look at the challenges of an enclosed shopping mall.

1.) Conflicting information immediately comes to mind. This should be a fully sprinklered building, how did I get this much smoke showing?

2.) Is your highrise or extended lay hose pack equipped with 2 1/2 inch line? Less friction loss for long lays, hooks directly to standpipe, plenty of firepower if you need it.

3.) What are the ventilation challenges, do you understand the systems used to handle smoke? Pay attention to members working in an area far beyond their air supply.

4.) How do you handle the people, how to you “search”?

5.) Fires in these structures are rare, but consider contents, large storage, vehicles and displays in main concourses, large open areas, and always remember the possibility of a fire in a void space. A small fire in a void space can generate a lot of smoke.

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week we don’t have specific questions, because this scenario requires you to use your minds eye, and to make you think and go out and preplan and “what if” in your own response district.

Fire at a flea market

What could this fire be? Is it a number of tables? Is it the parking area with multiple vehicles? Is it a group of lean to, canopy type structures? Is there an enclosed open auction type building?
What does it do to your apparatus placement and hose stretch for the first hoseline?

If you have one in your area, go while the venue is open and take a look.

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week we are looking at a significant roof fire in a supermarket.

1.) One of the first considerations at a structural fire (after life safety) is the size of the structure. What does the size of this structure indicate about, the volume of fire, length of hoseline needed, and air consumption of SCBA?

2.) What heat and smoke conditions might you encounter on the main floor?

3.) Does the supermarket in your area have a second floor area, or partial mezzanine for offices in front or for stock in the warehouse?

4.) What do you know about roof construction?

5.) Based upon what you see, what is the plan? Can you gain access from an inside ladder and scuttle? Should you? Can your thermal imager give you a good reading from 30 feet away? (Inside floor to roof)
What amount of work will be involved? How long has this been burning?

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week we ask some questions about fire behavior and fire attack in a small bungalow.

1.) What impact does the small size of this house have on fire growth and flashover potential?

2.) What is the difference in what you see in the two D side windows? One window has fire showing in the top half, clear in the bottom half. What does that indicate to you? The rear window has heavy black smoke pushing out the full height and width of the window. What’s the difference, what can it tell you?

3.) Are the interior doors in these rooms open or closed ?

4.) What size lines and where? What is your plan of attack?

5.) Would any of your decisions change if this was a larger house? How is fire behavior affected by the size of the container? (Size of the structure)

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2014

This week a fire in a library of an older building.

1.) What factors such as age, construction type, and layout must be considered during attack?

2.) What would you estimate is the length of the stretch?

3.) Because of the size and area and the occupancy loading will you order additional alarms?

4.) Does salvage operation become any more important because of this occupancy? Often we do not have manpower for salvage, but is it more important here?

5.) What will be your consideration if the fire spreads rapidly into book stacks?

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013

This week a fire in a bed and breakfast. Is it “just a house fire” or something more?

1.) Do you even know where the bed and breakfast establishments are in your community? Are the licensed and/or inspected?

2.) When you fight a residential fire people are familiar with their residence. How might human behavior in this situation?

3.) In this scenario we have a 1 1/2 or two story with an attic space. What are your tactics for this daytime fire?

4.) Are there any exterior factors that will have an effect on operating around the exterior!

5.) What length attack line will you need to make that room?

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013

This week, fire in commercial occupancy.

1.) Does your department have an sop that indicates a larger attack line in commercial occupancies?

2.) Estimate the length of the hose stretch needed for this attack. What do you use as a rule of thumb for figuring that out?

3.) How much air does it take to advance an attack line up a flight of stairs and then extend at least one full length? Might be a good drill idea, eh?

4.) Depending upon the contents and storage methods of the occupancy, what are the weight loads, what are the weight loads after water absorption, what are our escape routes?

5.) What is the layout of apartments located above stores and is there a common interior stairway?

If you would like to see a building simulation from your area, just send pics of four sides of the building (or just one side if you want). I will post it (with or without your name or department, you decide) and you can just use the website for your drill. Send the pictures to pete@petelamb.com

Pete Lamb
Copyright 2013