THE SUNDAY PREACH

“We bring water”

 “What is consistent is that it does not matter what the specific situation is, hose will be laid in the street and we will be shortly filling it. There is a no valid excuse in hydranted areas why an engine company on a reported residential structure fire would

not lay out. The following are some excuses that may

be used:

• Complacency: “We have been to this place two

times today,” or “We never run fires.”

• Ignorance: “I thought the second due would

get the water,” or a complete lack of defined

procedure within the organization.

• Time consuming: “No one wants to rack 4-inch

large diameter hose at 3 a.m. in the rain.”

 Would any of these excuses serve as a consoling statement to the family that lost their children because

the fire that was burning in their home was merely waiting for you to arrive and pop the door to show itself?

Would the children of the firefighters who died in the line of duty understand why the room flashed over and

killed them as they ran out of the 500 gallons of water in the onboard tank? Absolutely not!” Chapter 16, Page 166

The job of the Engine Company has not changed but the environment we operate in, the enemy we face, and the obstacles we must overcome are always changing. We must bring water to every fire because when it is properly delivered and directed it will have the single greatest impact on a successful outcome. 

Discuss and train today on some of those challenges to getting water to the fire and how you will overcome them. The primary water supply can many times be the easiest but do you mandate multiple water supplies when the primary is not “easy”? How will you overcome some these challenges? We must train the way we plan to play and then we will play the way we train.