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This article is the last of a 6 part series about the engine company’s primary mission and ironically  about establishing a water supply; a tactic that should happen early in the fire. The decision…. There has been much controversy about the 1st engine securing a...

Basic Tactical Considerations Once the appropriate size attack line has been selected the next decision is where to place the critical initial attack line. Keep in mind that the initial attack line stretched at a structure fire is the key to saving lives, the decision on where to...

Now that we have decided which mode of attack is appropriate and what our needed fire flow should be we can now select the appropriate size attack line. Top 3 Factors For Selecting The Best Hose Line: 1. Fire Flow Necessity and the Conditions We Face: As firefighters we are...

Now that we have determined the appropriate “Mode of Attack” we need to determine what the fire flow needs are for the fire we are confronted with. Many fire departments establish a minimum acceptable fire flow (target flow) in their standard operating procedures...

Size-up is all about gathering and evaluating information in order to make good fire ground decisions. In part 1 of this series I wrote about the size-up basics. At the scene of a fire we gather and evaluate information at a very rapid pace. This can create gaps in the decision...

The Engines Primary Mission: Mode of Attack [Part 2 of 6] In my previous article we briefly discussed the engine company’s primary mission at the scene of a fire. If you have not read it, Click Here. This week we will dive into considerations for choosing the proper mode of...

Flammable liquid fires are an often overlooked incident that firefighters may face sometime in their career. These are incidents that are rare in their occurrence and when encountered are often small in nature; such as a ruptured gas tank...

The fire ground decision making process happens very differently than the process we use in everyday life. There isn’t time to evaluate and slowly process information to consider your options or consult others and ask for their advice. Fire ground decisions have to be made in...

Photo Courtesy of Jefferson County   As we continue to discuss the “where” about venting a structure, we must spend some time talking about the where NOT to vent. Over my time in the fire service I have spent a considerable amount of time studying fires that did not go well....

By Michael R. Rehfeld – Firefightertoolbox.com I believe we all understand the need for ventilation at structure fires. The confusion tends to come from when, where and how. In my previous articles we discussed some issues and understanding of what happens when we vent. In...