Basic Tactical Considerations

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on July 26, 2011 at 11:50am

-Jason, you say that companies couldn't make the hall on the first push. And yet when I look at the photos I have to wonder, "why the hell are the windows still in tact"?

-I understand that the photos are a moment captured in time. Evaluating the scenario you give using these pictures raises these questions.

-Take the windows out and the heat and smoke condition will improve. Not venting the windows in these photos is a tactical mistake that would have changed the outcome in the scenario. 

-With aggressive window venting this should be a very routine fire. There is no need for vertical venting; horizontal window venting can be performed quickly and easily providing results immediately, allowing the engine to push in easily and quickly. 

-There are far to many pictures from the fireground showing this very scenario over and over. Horrendous conditions to fire companies, serious fires that should have been routine and buildings sustaining heavy damage with all the windows in tact.

-Glass is one of the easiest and lest expensive things to replace in a structure. Glass is also the fastest, easiest, lest manpower intensive routes for immediate ventilation.

-"Vent and ye shall live"

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Permalink Reply by Jason Hoevelmann on July 26, 2011 at 8:30pm

That is actually a part of why I posted this.  Normally this fire would have had the windows taken a lot sooner and I don't have a good reason why they were not.  In addition, the second in crew started pulling ceiling when the first team backed out and found a lot of fire and smoke above them.  Your right and hopefully someone will read your comments and put it to good use at their next fire.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Hoevelmann on July 26, 2011 at 8:31pm

FYI, I was not in charge of this fire.  It all ended good too.

Jason Hoevelmann said:

That is actually a part of why I posted this.  Normally this fire would have had the windows taken a lot sooner and I don't have a good reason why they were not.  In addition, the second in crew started pulling ceiling when the first team backed out and found a lot of fire and smoke above them.  Your right and hopefully someone will read your comments and put it to good use at their next fire.

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Permalink Reply by John Kriska on July 27, 2011 at 6:26pm

Regarding taking out the windows.  I would refer readers to the following link:

http://content.learnshare.com/courses/73/306714/player.html

 

Also I would suggest visiting the following blog:

http://cfbt-us.com/wordpress

 

I think we need to re-think "the way we have always done it" pertaining to opening the place up.  I advocate the the use of PPA when appropriate and as part of my teaching of PPA, I am in the process of revising my suggested SOG for implementing PPA to take into consideration controlling the creation of an air tracks to the fire.        

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