How Do You Operate?

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on June 4, 2010 at 9:00am

1. As an engine Captain 2. Engines only 3. We try to use the first engine to the front of the house, second engine picks up a plug. This changes with the situation. 4.With a three person company, no 5. Our two companies know their jobs, automatic aid assigned where needed hopefully while they are still enroute.

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Permalink Reply by Alex Sharp on September 17, 2010 at 4:43am

1. Engineer

2. All Engine companies, the volunteers have the rest of the equip.

3. first engine fire attack, second engine back up and plug if one is available, the third and fourth engines are loosely based on ventilation and R.I.C. but that can change depending on the IC and the needs of the incident.

4. No we operate with 2 sometimes 3 person crews for the full time so we basically do the same thing every time.

5. If a Chief officer is on scene and has established IC or there is someone who is opps. we contact them about 30sec. out and they tell us what they want us to do.

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Permalink Reply by John Barrett on September 17, 2010 at 10:22pm

Plano FD - TX

4 man engine/truck companies

Trucks are suppose to operate as a truck at fires, still have some Captains who prefer to be a quint instead.

SOP for 1st alarm (working) fire (5 engines/2 trucks/1 medic/2 battalions):
1st engine - fire attack; 2nd engine - command/water supply; 3rd engine - RIT; 4th engine - on deck; 5th engine - safety company; 1st truck - search/vent/charlie side (incident dependant); 2nd truck search/vent
1st battalion - command; 2nd battalion - operations or safety (incident dependant); medic may help set up RIT for 3rd engine but primarily set up and run rehab to include taking vitals

we do have riding assignments: nozzle behind officer, hydrant behind driver on engines; irons behind officer, outside vent behind driver on trucks

we typically don't deviate from this unless extraordinary circumstances exist like a known rescue that can be immediately accomplished by 1st or 2nd due companies

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on September 18, 2010 at 2:54pm

-We run four man engine and ladder companies, a four man heavy rescue/squad company and two man ambulances.
-Apparatus are dispatched in the order of expected arrival which determines the function. Obviously things change in reality and adaptations must happen. Usually the first engine dispatched is the first to arrive and thus will be the engine to perform the initial stretch. The second due engine is water supply etc, etc.
-The first arriving ladder performs forcible entry as needed and initiates the primary search. Venting is performed by the second due truck, though any member can perform horizontal venting if needed.
-The department SOG spells out these duties and it is general knowledge. Usually the IC will not have to assign duties because of this pre-designation in the SOG. However, because things do change and unplanned for eventualities happen the IC may reiterate duties per company over the air for all companies to hear and adapt to the changes.
-Riding assignments and the associated tasks are usually done at the beginning of the shift. It is a common practice for the engine company to designate the nozzle man based on which side of the apparatus the incident is on. The same with catching the plug etc.
-The ladders and the squads are more specific and actually assign a task/tools to a member. This is done by the company officer and takes into account the training and experience of the firefighters. Generally the ladders are staffed with senior members while the squads require vast amounts of specialized training for a member to be assigned to a squad.
-Engine officers are lieutenants while ladders and squads have captains.

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