4

Company
Operations
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Learning Objectives (1 of 7)
• Compare the division-of-labor concept
as used in industry to company-level
deployment.
• Describe structural firefighting functional
assignments.
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Learning Objectives (2 of 7)
• Enumerate engine and ladder company
fire-ground functions and tasks.
• Analyze tactics for the first-arriving fire
company in relation to life safety.
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Learning Objectives (3 of 7)
• Apply engine and ladder company tasks
to coordinating and controlling
company-level deployment.
• Explain the importance of company
unity to incident organization and
accountability.
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Learning Objectives (4 of 7)
• List situations where splitting companies
may be acceptable.
• Evaluate the positive and negative
aspects of pre-assigning tasks, tools,
and fire-ground positions.
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Learning Objectives (5 of 7)
• Assess proper and improper ventilation
methods in regard to achieving the
operational priorities of life safety,
extinguishment, and property
conservation.
• Given the fire and victim locations,
determine the best vent location.
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Learning Objectives (6 of 7)
• Describe safe and efficient positioning
of apparatus.
• Apply engine and ladder company tasks
at a structure fire.
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Learning Objectives (7 of 7)
• Analyze company operations at a
structure fire scenario.
• Develop an incident action plan utilizing
engine and ladder company functional
assignments.
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Overview (1 of 2)
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Overview (2 of 2)
• Primary responsibility is to work within
the overall incident action plan.
– Freelancing cannot be tolerated.
– First-in units can go to work quickly using
SOPs.
• Allows IC time to evaluate options while
maintaining control
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Division of Labor Principle (1 of 3)
• Basis for the Industrial Revolution
• Developing job skills in a concentrated
area allows greater productivity.
• “Jack of all trades, master of none”—
overcome by developing a high level of
expertise in a limited number of tasks
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Division of Labor Principle (2 of 3)
• Stresses need for pre-assigning duties
– Fire fighters should be cross-trained.
– Ensures that everyone is familiar with what
will be expected of them
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Division of Labor Principle (3 of 3)
• Divides tasks into functional areas:
– Command responsibilities
– Engine company tasks
– Truck company tasks
– Emergency medical services (EMS)
– Special operations
– Support services
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Engine Company Operations
• Performing rescue operations
• Establishing a water supply
• Advancing and operating hose lines
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Engine Company Tasks (1 of 4)
• Usually first to arrive
– First-in officer initiates the attack.
– Provides a means of moving water from a
water supply to the fire
• Life safety is the first priority.
– Victims and fire fighters
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Engine Company Tasks (2 of 4)
• Life safety objectives
– Place attack lines in position
– Provide safe evacuation routes
• Conduct a cursory search
– Occupants may only need direction and
guidance.
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Engine Company Tasks (3 of 4)
• Position hose lines or remove
occupants?
– Difficult decision based on:
• Immediate danger to the occupants
• Available staffing and resources
• Time before additional resources arrive
• Extent of fire involvement
• Equipment available to perform rescue
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Engine Company Tasks (4 of 4)
• Life safety is top priority.
• IAP directs resources towards
evacuation of endangered occupants.
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Truck Company Operations
• Conduct primary search
• Rescue trapped victims
• Ventilate
• Force entry
• Ladder the building
• Check for fire extension
• Access concealed spaces
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Truck Company Tasks (1 of 3)
• “Ladder company” = “truck company”
• Aerial device not necessary at every fire
or in every department
– Still necessary to have truck company
functions assigned
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Truck Company Tasks (2 of 3)
• Responsible for a wide variety of tasks
– Staffing is crucial.
• Activities are limited during defensive
attacks.
– Elevated master streams
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Truck Company Tasks (3 of 3)
• Low-staffing situations
– May need to assist engine company
• Not the most effective use of personnel
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Rescue
• Indirect activity for engine companies
– Hose lines between victims and the fire
• Direct activity for truck companies
– Ventilate
– Primary search, remove victims
– Ladder building
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Control and Coordination (1 of 3)
• IC coordinates all activities.
• Truck companies work in areas above
the fire.
• Engine company works at controlling
the fire.
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Control and Coordination (2 of 3)
• If the fire is not controlled, truck
companies need to be notified to
evacuate.
– Retreat protected by engine company
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Control and Coordination (3 of 3)
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Safety and Control
• Operating units must work as groups.
– First-in truck company is exception to the
rule
• Permissible to split into separate crews
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Company Unity (1 of 2)
• It is not freelancing when a crew is split
into separate teams.
– Each crew should have a team leader.
• Other exceptions
– Inside/outside crew
– Must comply with two-in/two-out rules
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Company Unity (2 of 2)
• Operator may remain at apparatus.
• Company should remain together
whenever possible.
• Company unity facilitates accountability.
– Officer can verify safety of crew.
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Quint/Quad Companies
• Multi-function apparatus
– Engine and truck company operations
– Staffing may or may not be sufficient.
• Dictates tasks able to be performed
• Activities covered by SOPs
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Ventilation (1 of 3)
• One of the IC’s most important tactical
considerations
– Given a high priority
• Can have a positive effect on all three
fire-ground priorities
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Ventilation (2 of 3)
• Can adversely affect all three priorities
– Fire stream placed into a vent opening
– Venting in the wrong location
• If inadequate, an offensive attack rarely
will be successful.
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Ventilation (3 of 3)
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Apparatus Positioning
• Company commander’s concern
• Directly related to company’s
assignment
– Must be consistent with objective
• Should keep fire zone accessible and
safe
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Pumping Apparatus (1 of 4)
• Positioning should be addressed in
SOPs.
– Residential fires: locate directly in front of
house
– Depends on the layout of hose bed
• SOPs allow more discretion.
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Pumping Apparatus (2 of 4)
• Used to lay attack lines
– Positioned close to curb line
• Side discharges = aligned with entry point
• Rear discharges = forward of entry point
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Pumping Apparatus (3 of 4)
• SOPs may specify separate water
supplies.
– Attack pumper configuration
• First engine company at front of building,
second engine company provides supply
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Pumping Apparatus (4 of 4)
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Aerial Apparatus
• Aerial device use
– Obtain a safe operating angle
• Aerial device not being used
– Parked out of way but close to entry point
• Access to tools, ladders, and other equipment
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Common Positioning Errors (1 of 3)
• Aerials placed under wires
• Unsafe and unstable positions
• Not allowing enough room to extend the
outriggers
• Apparatus/staff cars blocking access to
the fire area or front of the building
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Common Positioning Errors (2 of 3)
• Pumpers placed where pre-connected
attack lines are difficult to lay
• Blocking streets or fire hydrants
– Large-diameter hose
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Common Positioning Errors (3 of 3)
• Not securing essential attack positions
• Positioning where they cannot be
quickly repositioned
– Dead ends
• Responding through the fire area
– Causes unnecessary congestion
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Summary (1 of 3)
• The IC improves efficiency by
coordinating activities
– Division-of-labor concept
• Engine company
– Basic fire department unit
– Primary duty is to apply water
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Summary (2 of 3)
• Engine company tasks
– Obtaining a water source
– Setting up and engaging pumps
– Advancing hose lines into structure
– Fulfills life safety priority by extinguishing
fire
• Building becomes much safer.
• Checks areas for victims
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Summary (3 of 3)
• Truck company responsibilities
– Gaining entry
– Laddering building
– Controlling fire spread
– Evacuating occupants
– Conducting primary and secondary
searches