Instructor Guide - Session 1
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Session Reference: 1-1

Topic: Support Operations and Initial Assignments

Level of Instruction:

Time Required: 30 Minutes

Materials:

References:

• Truck Company Fireground Operations, Second Edition, Chapters 1 and 2

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Preparation

Motivation:

Objective (SPO): 1-1

The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of truck company operations and initial tool and personnel assignments.

Overview:

Support Operations and Initial Assignments

• Truck company operations
• Tools and personnel

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Session 1-1
Support Operations and Initial Assignments

SPO 1-1	The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of truck company operations and initial tool and personnel assignments.
EO 1-1-1	Describe the basic duties normally performed by a truck company at the fire scene.
EO 1-1-2	Describe basic tool and personnel assignments which provide the basis for performing efficient truck duties.

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Instructional Guide

NOTE: This course is intended to be a review of firefighter duties that support the supplying and applying of water. This material is intended for any department, regardless of whether or not they have aerial or elevated platform apparatus.

1. Truck Company Operations (1-1 1)
   1. Fire fighters performing truck work should have the training, equipment, and staffing to carry out basic objectives
   2. Truck company duties may be performed by personnel responding on aerial apparatus, rescue squads, engines, or other fire apparatus. The personnel, tools, and equipment are more important in performing the duties than the apparatus being used.
   3. Truck companies
      1. Label describes apparatus but not planning, personnel, equipment, and training
      2. Basic duties
         1. Rescue
         2. Ventilation
         3. Laddering
         4. Forcible entry
         5. Checking fire extension
         6. Salvage/property conservation
         7. Elevated stream operations
         8. Utility control
         9. Overhaul
            NOTE: Elevated streams and aerial or elevated platform apparatus is not covered in this course.
      3. Discuss the various duties associated with a truck company
   4. Truck company may perform some or all of duties
2. Tools and Personnel (1-1-2)
   1. Initial assignments
      1. Operate with limited personnel; important to maintain crews of at least two (buddy system)
      2. Response patterns and operating procedures ensure
         1. Crew members get into action quickly
         2. Most urgent operations begin immediately upon arrival
         3. Incident command system
         4. Rapid intervention teams--duties, staffing, and equipment
      3. Crew members must
         1. Be trained in and thoroughly familiar with use of all equipment on apparatus
         2. Know which tools they will carry into the fire building
         3. Know their duties on arrival
      4. Standard operating procedures should detail parts of fire building to be covered and apparatus positioning
   2. Hand tool use
      1. Forcible entry
      2. Ventilation work
      3. Checking for fire extension
      4. Overhaul
   3. Power tools
      1. Useful when lack of personnel is problem
      2. Powered by electricity, gasoline engines, or air or hydraulic pressure
      3. Except for hydraulic spreaders, power tools can only be used for cutting
   4. Training
      1. Crews must be thoroughly familiar with tools of their trade
      2. Opportunities for tool training rare because it usually involves destruction of property
      3. Take advantages of buildings to be torn down or remodeled
   5. Tool assignments
      1. As part of pre-fire planning, personnel should be assigned tools
      2. Tool assignments should be based on tool location and riding position
      3. Assignment of riding position should include responsibility for tools in position
         1. Entire building should be checked as soon as possible
         2. Fire building must be covered front and rear, inside and outside; rear assignment does not mean truck must be driven to rear; crew must check rear
         3. Through pre-fire inspection and planning, know area for access to rear
         4. Assign interior coverage as part of standard response procedures
         5. Coverage operations must be coordinated with other units

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Summary

Review:

Support Operations and Initial Assignments

• Truck company operations
• Tools and personnel

Remotivation:

Assignment:

===============================================================

Evaluation

Instructor Guide - Session 2
[ Top | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Bottom ]

Session Reference: 1-2

Topic: Search and Rescue

Level of Instruction:

Time Required: 1 Hour

Materials:

References:

• Truck Company Fireground Operations, Second Edition, Chapter 3
• Essentials of Fire Fighting, Third Edition, Pages 142-144 and 149-152

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Preparation

Motivation:

Objective (SPO): 1-2

The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of search and rescue operations, considerations, search techniques, and victim removal.

Overview:

Search and Rescue

• Chronology of rescue operations
• Rescue considerations
• Search

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Session 1-2
Search and Rescue

SPO 1-2	The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of search and rescue operations, considerations, search techniques, and victim removal.
EO 1-2-1	Explain the sequence of events related to conducting a search and rescue operation.
EO 1-2-2	Explain the considerations related to conducting a search in various occupancies.
EO 1-2-3	Describe the various duties associated with conducting a search.

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Instructional Guide

1. Chronology of Rescue Operations (1-2-1)
   Rescue of people in danger is the primary objective of any fire department and is normally assigned to the truck company
   1. Before the alarm considerations
      1. Occupancies
      2. People involved
      3. Hazards
      4. Objective to know in advance approximate type and extent of rescue operations
   2. Alarm considerations
      1. First indication that problem may exist
      2. Initial information includes exact address or more general location
      3. Company should know type of occupancy involved or type of area
      4. Occupancy and time of day important clues to possible presence of victims
      5. Dispatch information is important
      6. First reports should be relayed to company officer
   3. Fireground considerations
      1. Size up - begun before apparatus is stopped
         1. Is fire building a closed-up dwelling with heavy smoke showing
         2. Are cars parked in driveway, front, or rear
         3. Are people at windows of apartment house, office building, or smilar occupancy calling for help
         4. Is fire showing and, if so, where
         5. Given interior construction of building, in which directions will fire travel most rapidly
         6. Extent of fire, size and age of building, and apparent population important
         7. Information can be obtained from neighbors and tenants who have escaped
         8. Special urgency is people still inside
         9. Reports of "everyone is out" might be erroneous
      2. Immediate rescue
         1. Must be attempted in extreme cases - jumpers or people with clothing on fire
         2. All other operations must be delayed (may be performed before a rapid intervention team is in place)
         3. Get attention of victims and calm them
         4. Presence of victims at windows may indicate other occupants
         5. Call for help when rescue operations keeps personnel from other duties
         6. Take immediate action to control other excited occupants
         7. Give positive orders and directions
      3. Obtaining water and placing streams
         1. Separate fire from people closest to it
         2. Control interior stairways and corridors for evacuating occupants and advancing fire fighters
         3. Protect crews searching for victims around and above the fire
         4. Streams should be placed as soon as possible upon arrival to coordinate with search
      4. Search
         1. Begin search immediately if indications of trapped or overcome victims (rapid intervention team must be in place prior to initiating search unless there is an obvious rescue)
         2. Demands coordination with fire attack
         3. Fire spread must be blocked when searching around or above fire
         4. Ventilation, laddering, and forcible entry may be required before search can begin
         5. All personnel on scene must be aware that search is in progress
         6. All activities should be directed toward helping crew engaged in search
2. Rescue Considerations (1-2-2)
   Rescue means removing victims and potential victims from danger
   1. Extent of rescue problem directly effected by
      1. Number of people in fire building
      2. Paths by which fire and smoke can reach them
      3. Routes available to crews for reaching people and removing them from building
   2. Factors depend on construction, size, and interior layout of building
   3. Crew must be prepared for most complex structure
   4. Rescue problem can tax capacity of first units - call for additional companies without delay
3. Search (1-2-3)
   A thorough, planned search for victims should be conducted at every fire.
   1. Search duties - operations to be carried out simultaneously
      1. Locate and remove trapped occupants
      2. Ventilate where needed
      3. Temporarily prevent extension of fire by closing doors and windows
      4. Check for interior an exterior fire extension
      5. When necessary, help locate the seat of fire
   2. Standard search procedure
      1. Search begins immediately
         1. Size up fire situation
         2. Use attack lines to cut off fire
         3. Stay low and check for victims near fire
         4. Attempt to get to upper floors
         5. If area is untenable, ventilation must begin from outside
      2. Search pattern
         1. Search area over fire first
         2. Keep turning in the same direction
         3. At least two fire fighters should be assigned to search an area
         4. Team members should keep track of each other by touch, sight, verbally, and listening for sound
         5. Each should call for help from other
      3. Areas to be searched
         1. Corridors, halls, and open areas in each room should be checked thoroughly
         2. Bathrooms, closets, and space behind large chairs and under beds should be checked
         3. Check near windows for victims overcome
         4. Rescuers should carry axe, forcible entry tool, and handlight
         5. Search fire room if possible then close door to isolate fire
         6. Line should be placed over fire
         7. Vent non-fire rooms to relieve heat and smoke
      4. Indicating that a room has been searched
         1. Establish a standard method to indicate that room has been searched
         2. If door is left open, place piece of light furniture in doorway, lying on side with legs pointed outward
         3. If door is closed, place piece of cloth against door jamb near doorknob
         4. Tags can be used in place of piece of cloth
      5. Other structures
         1. In apartment buildings, residential search pattern should be used within units
         2. Important that searchers leave using same doorway as entered
         3. If fire conditions require use of different doorway, it should be reported immediately
         4. Hoselines may be required to search fire area
         5. Larger structures may require more personnel
   3. Search Techniques.
      1. Doors
         1. Before opening, check to see if knob is hot
         2. Some heat from knob or door may indicate smoke and gases beyond door
         3. If door opens outward, stay low and place full body weight against door
         4. Release lock slowly and open door slightly
         5. If there is strong push or fire, close door and wait for attack line
         6. If door opens inward, release lock slowly and ease door in
         7. If strong push or fire, close door and wait for attack line
      2. Victims
         1. Occupants will try to escape through doors, windows, fire escapes, halls, and stairways
         2. Look for overcome victims near and in such places
         3. Make sure victims not lying against doors pushing inward
         4. Under smoke and gas conditions, attempt to remove victim and then shut door
         5. If needed, call for attack line or help
         6. Victims may be found near doors
         7. Great physical effort may be required to move victims from door
         8. If enough help available, remove victims from structure while search continues
         9. In large structures, move to hallway and vent
         10. Victims found deep in apartments or large areas may require making opening in wall and moving victim to less-charged area
      3. Visibility
         1. Stay low and move quickly when visibility reduced
         2. Use legs and hands to feel for victims and obstructions
         3. Hallways and corridors can serve as directional guides
         4. Open or remove windows when encountered
   4. Victim Drags and Carries
      1. Victim drags
         1. Clothing drag
         2. Strap or rope drag
         3. Blanket drag
      2. Carries
         1. Extremities carry
         2. Cradle carry
         3. Chair carry
         4. Seat carry

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Summary

Review:

Search and Rescue

• Chronology of rescue operations
• Rescue considerations
• Search

Remotivation:

Assignment:

===============================================================

Evaluation

Instructor Guide - Session 3
[ Top | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Bottom ]

Session Reference: 1-3

Topic: Ventilation

Level of Instruction:

Time Required: 90 Minutes

Materials:

References:

• Truck Company Fireground Operations, Second Edition, Chapters 4 and 5
• Essentials of Fire Fighting, Third Edition, Chapter 7

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Preparation

Motivation:

Objective (SPO): 1-3

The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of ventilation theory, ventilation decisions, methods of ventilation, and ventilation techniques.

Overview:

Ventilation

• Definition
• Basic principles
• Natural ventilation
• Forced ventilation
• Smoldering fires

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Session 1-3
Ventialtion

SPO 1-3	The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of ventilation theory, ventilation decisions, methods of ventilating, and ventilation techniques.
EO 1-3-1	Define ventilation and describe the importance of ventilation to the overall fire suppression activity.
EO 1-3-2	Describe convection currents and their effect on ventilation.
EO 1-3-3	Explain natural ventilation.
EO 1-3-4	Explain forced ventilation.
EO 1-3-5	Describe the signs and special ventilating considerations related to smoldering fires.

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Instructional Guide

1. Definition (1-3-1)
   1. Ventilation is the controlled removal of smoke, heat, and gases and the replacement with fresh air.
   2. Ventilation contributes directly to accomplishment of basic fire fighting objectives by
      1. Reducing danger to trapped occupants and extend time for rescue operations
      2. Increasing visibility thereby decreasing danger inherent in other fireground operations and increasing efficiency
      3. Permitting quicker and easier entry to allow search operations or to advance lines
      4. Minimizing time required to locate seat of fire
      5. Minimizing time required to find areas to which fire has spread
      6. Decreasing or stopping spread of fire
      7. Reducing chance of flashover or backdraft
   3. Results depend on size and type of occupancy involved, extent and location of fire, and whether fire is free burning or smoldering
   4. When properly performed, ventilation increases effectiveness of most operations
   5. Ventilation techniques require doing damage to building
   6. Small amount of ventilation damage results in larger reduction in fire damage
   7. Ventilation aids in saving lives
2. Basic Principles (1-3-2)
   1. Fire travel by convection presents greatest fire fighting problem
   2. Smoke moves vertically and horizontally - mushrooming
   3. A separate fire may ignite from hot air and combustion products rising
   4. Accumulation of hot air and combustion products under roof must be allowed to escape
   5. Opening should be under hot air and combustion product accumulation
   6. Accumulation on fire floor should be relieved also
   7. General rule is open fire building so that all accumulations of heat and combustion products leave building by natural convection
3. Natural Ventilation (1-3 3)
   1. Windows
      1. When time permits, windows should be opened; avoid breaking glass, if possible
         1. Double hung windows should be opened two-thirds down from the top and one-third up from the bottom
         2. Open other types of windows as much as possible
         3. Storm windows must also be opened or removed
         4. Shades, blinds, drapes, curtains, and other window coverings must be moved away or removed
      2. Effects of wind
         1. When wind is a factor, windows on leeward side should be opened first
         2. Windows on windward side should then be opened
         3. If windward side is opened first, wind will churn smoke and gas around in interior
      3. Window and roof ventilation
         1. When roof or roof features must be opened for venting, windows on top floor should be opened
         2. If windows on several floors must be opened, begin at top and work down
         3. Opening windows from below first may cause fire and smoke spread
   2. Natural roof openings
      1. In multi-story buildings, vertical shafts carry stairways, elevators, dumbwaiters, electric wiring, heating ducts, and plumbing and sewer pipes
      2. Shafts extend full height of building
      3. Convected heat, smoke, and gases will rise within and around shafts
      4. If shafts are not vented at top, fire will travel horizontally
      5. Pressure will force heat, smoke, and gases throughout upper part of building
      6. Shafts are capped at roof with various closures
   3. Skylights
      1. Positioning of skylights can give idea of building layout
         1. In office or apartment building, row of skylights most likely located over corridor
         2. In shops or factories, line of skylights over work area
         3. Often located over stairways, corridors, elevator shafts, air shafts, and bathrooms
         4. Bathroom coverings may have louvered ends
         5. Area immediately below skylight usually boxed to separate cockloft or attic space
         6. Warning should be given to fire fighters below before removing skylights
      2. Opening skylights
         1. Preferred method of opening skylight is to lift from opening or tip over
         2. Flashing joining skylight to roof must be cut or pried away
         3. For skylights mounting on foundations, flashing must be cut or pried
         4. Lay skylight upside down as warning for fire fighters
         5. If skylight cannot be lifted or tipped, glass can be cut
         6. Less damage done by peeling back metal striping and sliding out panes
         7. If not removable quickly, knock glass out
         8. More than one or two fire fighters may be required
      3. Plastic skylights and roof panels
         1. Mounted same as glass skylights
         2. If skylight cannot be removed, frame should be cut where it meets plastic
         3. Avoid stepping on panels placed in a roof and serving as simple skylights
         4. Plastic panels can be pulled up after roof is cut or pried up along edge
      4. Effects of wind - keep backs or sides to wind
      5. Opening below the skylight
         1. Smoke should flow freely once skylight is opened
         2. May be swinging transom or panel at ceiling line
         3. Be careful to avoid heat and smoke from opening
         4. Cockloft must be vented from opening in roof
         5. Roof scuttle can be used for venting roof if not boxed
         6. Boxed area below skylight can be opened for venting
         7. If fire is directly under roof, make opening as close over fire as safety allows
   4. Roof shuttles (hatches) - placed in a roof to allow access to the roof from the interior
      1. Opening scuttles
         1. If cover is not securely locked, can be pried off
         2. If not easily removable, cut off
      2. Opening below the scuttle
         1. Might be boxed to separate from cockloft
         2. Check to see if scuttle is open at ceiling level
         3. Building and/or cockloft may be vented by scuttle
         4. Ceiling closure must be removed
         5. Enclosure below scuttle must be opened to vent cockloft
   5. Pre-fire inspection
      1. Every building has some natural openings
      2. Only sure way to know which natural openings can be used in fire fighting is by making pre-fire inspections
      3. Pre-fire inspections save time and effort on fireground
   6. Cutting Through Roofs
      1. At times, only way to properly ventilate is cut hole in roof
         1. Roof made of boards can be cut with axe
         2. Roof may of plywood should be cut with power saw
         3. Care should be taken not to cut joists or other structural members
      2. Single large hole is more effective than several small holes
         1. One 4' X 8' hole has twice area of four 2' X 2' holes
         2. All roof boards should be cut through before any pulled up
         3. Keep back to wind when pulling boards
         4. When all boards ripped up, make opening in ceiling below
      3. Special care should be taken when fire is immediately below roof
         1. Open roof as close as possible to seat of fire
         2. If not, fire will be drawn across top of building to opening
         3. Hot spots may develop on roof
         4. If roof is flat, opening should be made at hot spot
         5. On gabled roof, opening should extend from hot spot to peak
         6. Draft can be increased by making an additional opening just above the eave line on side opposite original opening
         7. Care should be taken so that opening does not increase fire spread
4. Forced Ventilation (1-3-4)
   1. Smoke ejectors
      1. Cannot be used as a substitute for natural venting techniques
         1. Heat, smoke, and gases most effectively removed by natural convection through natural or forced openings
         2. Crews should perform natural ventilation and carry out other necessary duties
         3. Fans should not be used in partially or completely confined spaces in which there is fire
         4. May be used in confined areas after fire has been knocked down
      2. Fan placement
         1. Most effective when placed where they tend to increase natural air flow
         2. When fans are positioned in windows or doorways, all shades, drapes, blinds, curtains, and screens should be removed
         3. If possible, open area around fan should be closed to increase fan efficiency by directing air through opening and preventing smoke from re entering
         4. Be careful not to exhaust smoke into congested areas or into heating and cooling intakes
      3. Fans in tandem
         1. Can be especially effective when used in pairs
         2. Place one fan near an outside opening blowing smoke out and other inside room to blow smoke to first fan
         3. Fans can be used to exhaust smoke and draw in fresh air at same time
         4. Exhaust fan should be mounted high in vent opening
         5. Intake fan should be lower
   2. Positive pressure blowers
      1. Introduction
         1. Fresh air introduces to increase pressure
         2. Selective process of opening and closing doors and windows
         3. Initiated outside structure
         4. Has potential of moving fire and fire gases
         5. Generally speaking, initiated between fire fighters and fire or between fire and trapped victims
      2. Advantages of positive pressure ventilation
         1. Can maintain primary and secondary egress routes
         2. Does not require explosion proof fans
         3. Can be initiated from exterior of building
         4. Effective on all structures when doors and windows maintained
         5. Does not require smoke and fire gases to pass through fan
         6. Quicker than negative ventilation
         7. Air velocity within building increased
         8. Works well in large areas
      3. Fan placement
         1. Place fan far enough away from door to fill opening with cone of air
         2. Stacking fans increases volume greatly
         3. For oversized doors, place fans side by side or in tandem
         4. For single fan, place 6 to 10' from doorway
         5. For multiple fans, place 3 to 5' from doorway
      4. Working with positive pressure
         1. Ventilation critical to overall operation
         2. Must identify location of fire
         3. Place pressure zone to support rescue or fire attack
         4. Take care not to destroy integrity of doors and windows
      5. Special situations
         1. High rise buildings
         2. Heavier than air gases and below grade conditions
         3. Confined space
         4. Emergencies involving temperatures
   3. Fog streams
      1. Can be used to start venting immediately after fire has been knocked down
      2. To be most effective, stream should be positioned so fog pattern covers most of window opening
      3. Hold nozzle few feet inside window
      4. Observe smoke movement to determine proper position of nozzle
      5. Fog streams should not be used for venting if they damage
         1. Items removed for protection
         2. Outside of fire building or enter adjourning buildings
         3. Inside of room from which directed
      6. They should not cause ice to form outside
      7. Should be short term operation
         NOTE: The instructor may want to discuss applying natural and forced ventilation to particular situations.
5. Smoldering Fires (1-3-5)
   1. Indications
      1. Much smoke visible, but no open fire can be seen or heard
      2. Smoke rising rapidly from building, indicating that it is hot
      3. Smoke leaving building in puffs or at intervals
      4. Some smoke being drawn back into building around windows, doors, and eaves
      5. Although no flames are showing, windows stained brown from intense heat
      6. Occasionally, one or more panes broken by heat
      7. Small rim of fire can appear around edges of broken glass
      8. Smoldering fire has sufficient heat and fuel to become free burning
      9. Smoldering fire needs only oxygen to burst into flame
      10. Fire can be smoldering in building of any size or type or in only one area of large structure
   2. Backdraft
      1. Smoldering fire must be ventilated before it is attacked
      2. Addition of oxygen to heat and fuel will lead to immediate ignition
      3. Sudden ignition can take any form
         1. Gases and heated combustibles simply burst into flame
         2. Force of ignition might be enough to blow windows, doors, and fire fighters out of building
         3. Could be explosion strong enough to cause structural damage
   3. Venting
      1. An opening must be made as high on the building as safely possible to release gases and allow them to move out of structure
      2. Difference between free burning and smoldering fire is that venting must be done before entering structure in smoldering fire
      3. Natural roof openings can be used for ventilation
      4. If roof venting seems particularly dangerous, knock out tops of highest windows with ladder or solid stream
      5. Avoid approaching building directly to avoid violent explosion - approach from oblique angle or parallel to building
      6. Attack lines should be charged and ready for use during building ventilation
      7. If there is a possibility of backdraft, apparatus should not be positioned in direct line of building
      8. Once ventilated, fire will burn freely

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Summary

Review:

Ventilation

• Definition
• Basic principles
• Natural ventilation
• Forced ventilation
• Smoldering fires

Remotivation:

Assignment:

===============================================================

Evaluation

[ Top | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Bottom ]

Copyright © 2000 Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute. All rights reserved.