First arriving how to#
First arriving windows#

Some are even experimenting with two-inch hose and one-inch tips for the foundation of their fire attacks. Many fire departments are choosing 15/16-inch smooth bores or 185-gpm fogs. One of the biggest pushes out there is greater volume from initial lines. Variables will forever exist, and nothing is set in stone but, as firefighters, we plan for a fight. Setting up a rig with a plan for extended operations or waiting for the cavalry to arrive before you act only puts you closer to engaging a different fire than the one you are seeing (catch up).

To provide a very brief overview before I expand on the idea, every engine company should be designed with a first-due “Plan A” to attack whatever you have with all you have. So, if we are dealing with exponential fire growth, limited staffing, and rapidly changing fire conditions, the entire fire service-not just a few inspired firefighters–should be evaluating their fire stream systems from the source to the nozzle because we need to find ways to leverage our efforts at every point.

First arriving windows#

You cannot argue that fire behavior in enclosed structures is changing faster than ever before and our windows of opportunity to act, which were once measured in minutes, have been reduced to seconds. If the statement that a fire doubles in size every 30 seconds is wrong, so be it. At 30 seconds of operation, 75 gallons of water would be delivered to that room, likely resulting in total room cooling, not just fire control.Ĭhief Isakson’s message to shift from gpm fire streams to gps fire streams could not be more appropriate. At 2½ gps, 40 gallons of water is delivered to that bedroom in just 16 seconds of operation. If the current bedroom fire takes 40 gallons to control and it doubles in 30 seconds, then 30 seconds from now, it will require 80 gallons and at one minute, it will require 160 gallons. A 150-gpm stream is a 2½ gps stream. Let us say that a fire doubles in size every 30 seconds. It is overkill to take a 150-gpm fire stream to such a minor fire” This thought process has always frustrated me but to be honest, I always struggled with articulating a counterpoint until I began to consider the importance of exponential fire growth and gps. Have you ever heard this before? “If you take the XXXX fire formula, it would take only 40 gallons to control a typical bedroom fire. Chief Isakson was speaking about the importance of rapid water application, and he instantly shifted my thinking when he began to discuss fire stream flows in terms of gallons per second (gps) vs. The exponential engine idea came to me while I was sitting in a class at FDIC delivered by Chief Curt Isakason from Escambia County (FL) Fire Rescue. Both ideas have merit these members are attempting to find the right solution for their departments’ addressing the modern fire environment. I would like to present one more way to combat exponential fire growth–with an exponential fire attack plan. Others are advocating for immediate fire stream application for the exterior if there is an opportunity for an interior follow-up to “reset the fire” and interrupt that exponential growth. Some firefighters are pushing for greater volume on all initial lines with the use of intermediate lines and tips like 15/16-inch and one-inch tips on two-inch attack lines.

First arriving how to#

I think that most engaged firefighters would agree with that point, but how to attack swiftly and with dominance has many forms when it comes to fire streams. When I consider something doubling in size, I think of exponential growth and I believe that if we view the fire as an enemy, exponential growth of the enemy’s force is a power curve that must be addressed swiftly and with dominance. The point that always has stuck with me from that adage is the term “double in size.” The difference in time between 30 seconds to two minutes has never bothered me too much since I consider both relatively fast. The times given range from 30 seconds to two minutes. In various firefighting and fire prevention documents, you will find a statement that states that if given appropriate fuel and air, a fire will double in size every XX seconds or minutes. Flashover Times for Legacy and Modern Rooms Courtesy of UL Exponential Attack 1¾-inch, 2½-inch, and engine-mounted master stream as initial attack options.įigure 1.Water as the extinguishing agent (no compressed air foam system option).Two-person attack line (officer, firefighter).Three-person staffing (operator, officer, firefighter).First, I will explain my observation and, therefore, the context of today’s most common engine company as it pertains to this article: This article addresses the masses and focus on first-arriving engine operations. Extending from a Trunk Line to a Hose Bundle Definition