You're the officer on the engine

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris Piepenburg on November 3, 2008 at 7:23pm

When our guys come in for work in the morning their first task is to put their stuff on the rigs and get a pass down from the off-going shift. Once the pass down is complete I would have the off-going driver hang for a couple of minutes while I talk to the new driver and see how comfortable he is with driving his newly assigned rig. If the new guy has any questions that I cannot answer about the rig the off-going would be there to answer them.

After the q&a I would conduct our morning meeting with the entire crew and go over our procedures for getting and calling for water with the entire company. After the morning meeting, barring calls and preferrably out of service, I would take the company out for a couple of quick drills to ensure that everyone is on the same page and the new driver has a chance to pump from his new rig.

Permalink Reply by Jim Mason on November 6, 2008 at 2:10pm

Excellant, but you know me SO - let's get specific for the rest of us CSF people

Can you describe ( short version ) what are the most critical ways that you get a positive source of water to the pump and what you would tell this guy (again, short version ) about what you need from him for the engine to be successful in this regard?
What are the most typical ways that your engine company stretches hose line for an interior attack and what you would tell this guy (again, short version ) about what you need from him for the engine to be successful in this regard?

Permalink Reply by Jim Mason on November 6, 2008 at 2:18pm

Also Excellant, but you know me like I responded to Chris P above, let's get specific for the rest of us CSF people

Can you describe (short version) what are the most critical ways that you get a positive source of water to the pump and what you would tell this guy about what you need from him for the engine to be successful in this regard?

What are the most typical ways that your engine company stretches hose line for an interior attack and again, what you would tell this guy (again, short version ) about what you need from him for the engine to be successful in this regard?

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on November 29, 2008 at 9:28pm

My department has the advantage of 2 engines out of the same house, if everyone was home when the fire came in, that engineer would have the help of the second engineer to ensure we had a water supply and the preconnects, if those were pulled, had the right pressures. My job as the officer is to work with this FF when he comes in that morning. making sure he is familiar with the apparatus, providing him with a copy of our hydrant map, and getting the entire company involved in helping the new guy make it, before the fire came in.

Permalink Reply by Jim Mason on December 5, 2008 at 2:36pm

I think one of the most imprtant thing an officer can do with a pump operator to ensure he gets the water in a timely manner is to describe when to send the water from the tank. If I'm using a 200 foot pre connect I will tell the operator to send the water when he can see that the hose is stretched out. The reason is, a pre connect is short and the operator can , in fact , see most of it.
I also tell him that when we get 2 1/2 off the engine I'll call him on the radio to tell him when to send it. Since these stretches are usually much longer when using this hose, the operator can;t see when we are ready. We also do both forward and reverse hose lays for supply. Although mostly it is reverse lays. Each one has an advantage and a place on the fire ground. I;ll go through both of the situations of when we could expect to use it. We have a dedicated hydrant FF who is assigned a radio in the past year or so for communciations from hydrant to operator, but I also go through what the communciations between the operator and this hydrant FF is in case the radio is over loaded with transmissions or just out or service for some reason or another. This way we are not depending just on technology to get a positive source water to the nozzle.

Do your dept's do both forward and reverse supply line lays and why or why not?

Jeff Schwering said:

My department has the advantage of 2 engines out of the same house, if everyone was home when the fire came in, that engineer would have the help of the second engineer to ensure we had a water supply and the preconnects, if those were pulled, had the right pressures. My job as the officer is to work with this FF when he comes in that morning. making sure he is familiar with the apparatus, providing him with a copy of our hydrant map, and getting the entire company involved in helping the new guy make it, before the fire came in.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on December 5, 2008 at 9:06pm

Jim, our engines can do either forward or reverse lays. We our set up for a forward lay, but, remove a coupling and we can do reverse. The officers make a choice and talk to each other enroute to the fire. Other factors are going to come into play for my dept are dead end streets, or overly congested streets especially around this time of year. Our policy is set up so that the first engine out of the house is the water supply engine, second out is attack. Communication between officers plays the key, as to whether, we forward or reverse lay. In any case, however, a new engineer, would still have some help on his first working incident.

Permalink Reply by Jim Mason on December 6, 2008 at 9:49pm

You don;t have to make room for a truck at the front of the building?

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on December 6, 2008 at 10:17pm

We definately try to make room for quint, but, the streets in town pose a problem. Commercial buildings are a different story, we definately get the truck in front. I need a lot more time than on here, to explain St. Louis County to you Jim. Quickly 42 separate fire depts. with separate operating procedures. Training between Departments is a must.

JEFF

Permalink Reply by Jim Mason on December 8, 2008 at 3:37pm

I know what you're saying Jeff. We have 100's of "fire depts" in the city alone
take care,

Jeff Schwering said:

We definately try to make room for quint, but, the streets in town pose a problem. Commercial buildings are a different story, we definately get the truck in front. I need a lot more time than on here, to explain St. Louis County to you Jim. Quickly 42 separate fire depts. with separate operating procedures. Training between Departments is a must.

JEFF