General Fire Suppression Operations

Section 2 - EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

PURPOSE:

To provide specific tactical level procedures used by the Incident Commander (IC) and followed by all members operating on the incident scene to secure strategic objectives by deploying and directing resources in a safe and effective manor.

PROCEDURE:

Establishing Command

• The first fire department Officer or Acting Officer to arrive at the scene of an alarm shall normally establish Command and take all necessary actions required to satisfy the functions of the IC until relieved of command or until the incident is mitigated and command is terminated.
  • At minor incidents such as routine EMS and auto accidents, the Officer in Charge (OIC) will use his/her unit designation for communications purposes, and shall be responsible to perform all Command functions.
• When the first officer to arrive is part of a Company (Engine or Quint) the Officer may deploy his/her crew appropriately and remain outside and establish a command or pass command to the next arriving officer.
  • Passing Command - If the situation warrants immediate actions that cannot be safely accomplished without the Officer, the Officer may elect to pass command to the next arriving officer and join his/her crew. The officer shall advise the dispatcher that he/she is passing command and reports the actions the crew is taking. The Dispatcher shall immediately advise the next due officer.
• Examples of actions taken by the first arriving Engine Company:
  • 3-person engine arrives first: The preferred method of entry shall be that the first arriving officer pass command and enter the structure guiding their personnel to make the initial fire attack. Providing the rescue arrives simultaneously with the first arriving engine the officer may establish command and stay outside with the driver operator and become the 2-out. Two or three firefighters (one or two from the rescue) shall enter the structure to attack the fire.
  • Sole 4-Person engine arrives first: 1 Firefighter and the Engineer can stay out and become the 2-Out. The Officer and the other Firefighter enter the structure to attack the fire and start the primary search. To comply with

the 2-Out, the Engineer would be required to bunker out, don his/her SCBA and be immediately available to initiate rescue efforts.

• • • Investigation Mode – These situations generally require investigation by the first arriving unit. Normally, the officer should go with his/her company to investigate while utilizing the portable radio to maintain Command. This is not an acceptable mode when there is a known IDLH.
      

Command Post (CP)

• The standard Command Position for the IC should be a stationary one located close to the entry point of the building with a view of two sides of the building if possible. The IC shall report the location of the CP, and any changes to that location to the dispatcher who shall announce the location on the radio. A Command vehicle should be utilized as the Command post when parking is available.
• One or more persons should be assigned to the CP to assist with accountability and resource tracking at all greater alarm incidents, where available.
• The IC shall utilize the appropriate command board(s) to track personnel and other resources as required.
• As a minimum ensemble, the IC shall identify himself/herself by wearing a helmet and Incident Commander’s vest or bunker coat.
  

Transferring Command

• This procedure should be performed face-to-face and shall include information about unit locations and assignments, what tactics have been implemented, and any recommendations to the new IC.
• The transfer of command is not complete until the Officer assuming command announces, “I have command,” and the locations and actions of assigned personnel are updated on the appropriate Command Board. The Officer assuming command shall notify the dispatcher that he/she has command ie: “Battalion-45 has command,” and the dispatcher shall announce: “Command Transferred to Battalion-45.”
• The arrival of a ranking chief officer on the fire ground does not mean that Command is automatically transferred to that officer.
  

Arrival Report

• The first unit or member on the scene shall provide a brief arrival report on the radio that includes:
  • Radio ID on the scene
  • Brief description of the building or event (number of floors, construction and occupancy type)
  • Description of situation found as seen when pulling up; i.e., nothing showing; fire showing from 2nd floor window Quadrant-D Side-A; white laminar smoke showing from open door 1st floor Side-A.
  • Announce the establishment of Command and location of the CP or the passing of command.
  • Initial actions to be taken
  • Announce mode of operations Offensive Operations, Defensive Operations or Investigative Mode
  • Request additional resources or reduce responding resources as needed.
    

Size-Up
The IC shall be responsible to see that a proper size-up is conducted on all incidents which shall include:

• A physical observation of all sides of the building or complex (may be done by Command or delegated)
• Review of any Pre-Fire Plans
• Consideration of all known and unknown conditions relating to the operations and safety of both members operating at the incident as well as any civilians involved.
  

Staging
Arriving units will report to the scene or stage based on the following direction, unless directed otherwise by Command.

• Level-1 Staging: The default staging level until a level-2 staging area is initiated.
  • Chief Officers and EMS Officers shall report directly to the scene unless directed otherwise.
  • First arriving pumping unit reports to the scene
  • Second arriving unit shall normally establish a water supply unless otherwise directed by the IC.
  • All other first alarm units respond to the scene and report directly to the command post for assignment unless otherwise directed by the IC.
• Level-2 Staging: Formal location(s) designated by Command for all greater alarm units to report to and await assignment.
  • Chief Officers and EMS Officers shall report directly to the scene unless directed otherwise.
  • The first officer to arrive at staging will become the Staging Officer and manage the staging process until formally replaced.
  • Units in staging should park in a unified manner that facilitates their immediate deployment, or allows their vehicle to remain unmoved should the crew be deployed on foot. If vehicles are staged in the street, they should be parked on the same side of the street, and Law Enforcement requested to provide traffic control.
  • Crews shall remain with their vehicle for a rapid deployment.
  • Units at staging and enroute may be assigned to a non-fire ground radio channel. The staging officer shall monitor both the staging channel and the fire ground channel when this occurs.
    

Risk Management

• The following Risk Management principles shall be utilized by the Incident Commander:
  • Activities that present a significant risk to the safety of members shall be limited to situations where there is a potential to save endangered lives
  • Activities that are routinely employed to protect property shall be recognized as inherent risks to the safety of members, and actions shall be taken to reduce or avoid these risks.
  • No risk to the safety of members shall be acceptable when there is no possibility to save lives or property.
• The incident commander shall evaluate the risk to members with respect to the purpose and potential results of their actions in each situation.
• In the situations where the risk to fire department members is excessive, as defined above, activities shall be limited to defensive operations.
  

Incident Action Plan (IAP)
A verbal or written plan that establishes the overall strategic decisions and assigned tactical objectives for the incident.

• The Incident Commander shall be responsible for developing and/or approving an IAP. The plan shall be communicated to all staged and assigned members at an incident.
• The IAP shall include such key strategic decisions as offensive verse defensive operations, as well as include any tactical level or task level assignments in support of achieving the strategic level objectives.
  

Modes of Operations
The IC shall determine which mode of operation members will be operating in and communicate that direction to everyone staged and assigned to the incident.

• Investigative Mode – Actions that are intended to determine if there are any emergency conditions requiring the services of the fire department. This mode of operation is only used when there are no known IDLH atmospheres.
• Offensive Operations – Actions generally performed in the interior of involved structures that utilize a direct attack on a fire to control and extinguish the fire.
• Defensive Operations – Actions that are intended to control a fire by limiting its spread to a defined area, avoiding the commitment of personnel and equipment to dangerous areas.
  • No member shall enter any building or hazardous area that has been designated by Command as defensive operations for any reason unless approved by Command. Once designated, this mode does not change even after the fire is out, unless approved by Command.
• Command may authorize both Defensive and Offensive modes when members are operating in large or multiple buildings, in which case Command must ensure adequate supervision for the safety of all the crews operating in the different modes.
  

Organizational Structure
The incident Commander shall develop an organizational structure to effectively manage the incident utilizing the following:

• The basic components of the Command structure include four levels:
  • Strategic Level – Incident Command
  • Control Level – Section Chiefs
  • Tactical Level – Divisions and Groups
  • Task Level – Unit, Companies and Crews
• The most basic structure for a routine incident involves only two levels. The role of Command combines the strategic, control and tactical levels. Companies report directly to Command and operate at the task level.
• In more complex situations, Command will group crews to work in Divisions and Groups. These supervisors operate at the tactical levels, directing the work of several crews within their divisions or groups. Command continues to operate at the strategic level, determining and directing the overall strategy to deal with the incident.
• The development of the Operations Section Chief at the control level is normally reserved for very large incidents involving 20 or more companies or crews.
• When assigned, Divisions and Groups shall be identified on the radio by the following standards:
  • Geographical Assignments
    • Division-A (Side-A of the building or area)
    • Division-1 (first floor of a building)
    • Roof Division
    • Lobby Division
    • Basement Division
  • Functional Assignments
    • Staging Group
    • Ventilation Group
    • Medical/Rehab Group (Unit if under Logistics Section Chief)
    • Extrication Group
    • Evacuation Group
    • Search and Rescue Group
      

Tactical Priorities
The following bench marks represent critical functions that need to be satisfied at most fire incidents in order to mitigate the emergency. Command will be required to promptly assign and direct resources to accomplish each function based on the specific needs of the incident. Those functions and associated completions include: