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The engine company’s main duty is to establish a water supply, stretch the hose line and extinguish the fire. Members train so this process goes like a well choreographed dance. Watching a well-trained company stretch in and go to work is a thing of beauty. More often than...

In my previous article we touched on the importance of positioning the ladder truck. In this article we will explore more of the foundation for optimizing your position. One important key to any truck company is knowing your district. I cannot overstate the importance of this...

In previous articles we talked about the truck company as a team and the role and responsibility of the truck  driver/operator. In this segment I want to touch on the subject of just where we put that large toolbox on wheels when we arrive. The Truck Driver Many, many people have...

Being a volunteer fire chief with a rather large response area (26 square miles); I am not only often first due on an alarm but also might be tasked with operating alone for some time before the “cavalry” shows up. Whether it be an EMS alarm, motor vehicle accident or structure...

As stated in Part 1 of this series the application rate (Flow Rate) and the type of stream used are the two critical factors that determine the speed of extinguishment. So far we have focused solely on the application rate but if we are to have a clear and thorough understanding...

The role and responsibly associated with the job of ladder truck driver/operator or engineer or chauffeur or whatever you call it, is one of the most important in the fire service. Without being redundant, if the driver doesn’t get us there, we don’t help anyone. That is also...

It has become very obvious to me from seeing the changes take place on the fire ground and from reading all of the research available that fires are hotter and more unpredictable than any time in the history of the fire service. The main reason for this problem is the heat...

    In a previous article I wrote titled  The Engine Company’s Primary Mission I stated that the engine company officer will have to make rapid and accurate decisions to quickly identify and initiate the appropriate course of action at the scene of a fire. After...

The Right Place Now we have the right line for our fire conditions and we have determined the correct length that will enable us to reach the seat of the fire. Now we must determine the right place to put that line into operation. We can ask ourselves three questions… 1)...

Last week I introduced you to the theory of the 3 R’s and we reviewed the first R  the right line. Today I will discuss selecting and stretching the “right length”. The Right Length In order for us to reach the seat of the fire we must ensure that we have...