Chauffeur Drill for Minimum Staffing

We are not all Big City Fire Departments

Chauffeur/Driver Drill.

It has been almost a year into my first year as a company officer of a three man Quint.  I have taken time off from writing to learn the “job”, more reading, and developing drills for the company and the department.  

One of the last blogs I wrote was the Chauffeur/Driver position of our Quint. 

http://community.fireengineering.com/profiles/blog/show?xg_source=a...

I haven’t done anything earth shattering in what we have developed or drilled on but I put the drill to paper.  The ladders that are listed in this drill are the ladders carried on the apparatus that can be properly deployed safely by one firefighter.  

Drill:  Empty the Ladder Compartment

Object:  To deploy all single firefighter ladders to a structure in a timed event.  Chauffeur/Driver in Turnout gear no SCBA.

Evolution 1:  Ladder 3 sides of structure

• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Charlie
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Bravo
• 24 ‘ Extension Ladder (Fully Extended) > Side Delta

Evolution 2: Ladder the Roof and 1 side

• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Charlie
• 24’ Extension Ladder (Fully Extended) >  Roof
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Peak of Roof (Deployed as a Roof Ladder)

Evolution 3:  Aerial Ladder Chauffeur Rescue Positioning

• Aerial Ladder > 3^rd  Floor Window
• 24’ Extension Ladder > 2^nd Floor Window
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Bravo
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Charlie/Delta

Evolution 4: Aerial Ladder Chauffeur Ventilation Positioning

• Aerial Ladder > Peak of roof
• 24’ Extension Ladder > Side Alpha (opposite end of Aerial Ladder)
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Charlie
• 16’ Roof Ladder > Side Bravo/Delta 

Evolution 5: Engine Chauffeur Deployment

• 200’ 1 ¾” Hose deployed and flaked out in proper manner to structure, hose charged to proper GPM
• 24’ Extension Ladder > Side Alpha

The timed portion of this drill serves a couple of purposes.  First it sets a benchmark for the company officer to keep in his head.  Now as an officer I know in ‘x’ amount of time I know that my Chauffeur/Driver can preform “said” task.  Second it creates a benchmark for the Chauffeur/Driver which serves a dual purpose, to try to beat his personal and other Chauffeur/Driver times and it shows that tasks can be performed in an efficient time.  Lastly it shows the command staff that the Chauffeur/Drivers can be proactive and assign other functions to incoming companies, i.e. Ventilation, Search, Back-up, or more importantly getting the first line in the proper place (part of the 3 R’s of the Engine Company).