Fire Officer CH7
National Fire Academy Size Up system phases: Phase three ONGOING SIZE UP: IC needs to know when:
Assignment is completed Assignment can not be completed Additional resources are needed Resources can be released Conditions have changed Additional problems have been identified Emergency conditions exist
A fire officer is expected of performing the duties of a First arriving officer at any incident including
Assuming initial command Establishing the basic management structure Following Standard Operating Procedures Competent in ICS And function as unit, group or division leader
The second exposure to the left of the fire room is what exposure?
B1
A min of 2 FFs must enter IDLH together and maintain visual or voice contact, as per IAFF & OSHA. In addition at least 2 trained and equipped FF must be available to assist personnel working in the hazardeous area as follows:
Be positioned outside the IDLH Account for the interior teams Remain capable of rescue of the interior team or teams
National Fire Academy Size Up system phases: Phase two Initial SIZE UP:
Begins on receipt of the alarm, you need to answer: What do i have? Where is it going? How do i control it? Start with info on phase one and build on it. Consider specific conditions present, 360 degree walk around, location and size of the fire. Volume, color, movement and location of the smoke. Construction of the bldg, exposures. This stage is associated with the probability step noted by Layman.
The ability to size up a fire situation quickly requires:
Both a systematic approach A solid foundation of reference information
IC is responsible for the following aspects of operations:
Building a command structure the matches organizational needs of the incident Translating the strategic priorities into tactical objectives Assigning the resources that are required to perform the tactical assignment
SOPs list the essential size-up factors which include:
Building size and arrangement Type of construction Occupancy Fire and smoke conditions Other factors such as: weather, time of day
Buildings are designated with side A, B, C, D going in what motion?
Clockwise
Anytime a FF is unaccounted for they should be ...
Considered missing till proven otherwise
Used when the risks outweigh the expected benefits. In this mode the FFs are not allowed to enter the structure or to operate from positions that involve avoidable risks.
Defensive operation
Layman 1st step of size up. FACTS: Pre incident planning allows the officer to quickly
Determine type of construction Presence of any fire suppression system Fire flow requirements Water supply sources Special hazards other significant factors
Immediate command functions include:
Determining strategy Selecting incident tactics Establishing an IAP
There are nine functions of command:
Determining strategy Selecting incident tactics Establishing the IAP Developing the ICS organization Managing resources Coordinating resources activities Providing for scene safety Releasing information about the incident Coordinating with outside agencies
Layman 5th step of size up PLAN OF OPERATION:
Develop the actual plan that will be used to mitigate the incident
The specific size up for a scene begins with the:
Dispatch
Firefighter working on the 5th floor are at what division?
Division 5
After the transfer of command the new IC will determine position for new IC. A company level officer can be assigned to ____.
Division or group supervisor or may remain with the IC at the command post.
Layman presented a 5 step process for analyzing emergency situations:
Facts Probabilities Situation Decision Plan of operation
Layman 5 step process of size up PROBABILITY The __ has to anticipate where the fire is likely to spread.
Fire Officer
Command safety : Initial command is responsible for:
Firefighter Accountability Initial rapid intervention resources when operating at an incident with IDLH
Movement of heat and smoke from within the higher pressure fire area towards the lower pressure areas accessible via doors
Flow path
A fire involving class B combustibles require:
Foams
Long ago fires would consume all of the fuel and die out
Fuel-limited fire
Hot zone
Highest hazard, min number of crew allowed in the area.
Report of a missing FF becomes
Highest priority of the scene
What a first arriving officer does in the first 5 min of the incident dictates how the scene will run for the next....
Hour
The tactical priorities and information gathered from initial sizeup are used to develop the:
IAP
Arrival reports include:
ID of company arriving Brief description of situation ie. bldg size, height, occupancy, severity of collision obvious condition ie. working fire, multiple pts, hazmat biref decription of action being taken declaration of stradegy ie. offensive of defensive obvious safety concerns assumption ID and location of command request for additional resources
Command should be transferred only to___.
Improve the quality of the command organizations
After Scene size up what is formulated?
Incident Action Plan IAP
Which position is the ONLY position that is always filled?
Incident Command
Part of the NIMS command and management component
Incident Command System ICS
During command mode, the role of the initial IC is to direct incoming units to take effective action, while the initial IC remains outside, the rest of the company members should do ONE of the following:
Initiate fire suppression or emergency action with one of the members assigned as the acting company officer which must have portable radio and perform safely without the IC After the IC assigns them the remaining company members work under another company officer Stay with the initial IC to perform staff functions that assist command
Fire officer taking command has to select one of these three operational modes:
Investigating Mode : When first arriving there may be nothing showing, other units assigned may stage and remain uncommited pending results Fast Attack Mode: Immediate action to save a life, imminent danger possibly upper floors Command Mode: when events are so large, complex, dangerous, they require immediate command. In this case company-level officers personal involvement in tactical operations is less important than the command responsibility. BEGIN A TACTICAL WORKSHEET
Layman 4th step of size up DECISION:
Making Fire Attack decisions
Cold zone
Min hazard no restrictions
Warm zone
Moderate hazard, restricted number of emergency personnel. Part of active incident and requires use of some ppe ( helmet boots respirator)
Layman 4th step of size up DECISION: Based on facts and probabilities as well as situation evaluation The officer needs to answer 4 questions:
1. Are there enough resources responding to the scene to extinguish the fire or mitigate the situation 2. Are sufficient resources available, and do conditions allow for an interior attack 3. What is the most effective assignment of on-scene resources? 4. What is the most effective assignment of responding resources.
National Fire Academy Size-up system that includes 3 phases:
1. Pre incident information 2. Initial Size up 3. Ongoing size up
There are 2 types of components to the IAP:
1. The determination of the appropriate strategy to mitigate an incident 2. The development of tactics to execute the strategy
A fire in class A combustible normally indicates:
A direct attack with water
Exposures take letters as?
Adjacent side of the building
The end result of a good sizeup is an IAP that considers:
All pertinent information Defines strategy and tactic Assigns resources to complete those tactics
What is the NFPA for, Standard for Incident Management Personnel Professional Qualifications
NFPA 1026
NFPA Describes required capabilities of RIC
NFPA 1407
Standard for training fire service rapid intervention crews
NFPA 1407
What is the NFPA for , Standard on Emergency Incident Management System and Command Safety
NFPA 1561
NFPA for Standard for the organization and deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations and special operations to the public by career fire depts
NFPA 1710
Provides a consistent, nationwide framework for incident management, enabling federal, state, and local governments, private sector and non governmental organizations who assume a role in emergency management to work together effectively and efficiently across all emergency management and incident response organizations.
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
National Fire Academy Size Up system phases: Phase three ONGOING SIZE UP:
Need to size up as situation evolves. on going analysis of the situation. IC should be prepared to modify the plan if the situation changes including switching between offensive and defensive strategy. Re deployment of resources from one task to another. Constant flow of feed back info to the IC.
Incident Stabilization is referred to:
Not allowing the incident to get any worse
The risk/benefit analysis determines the appropriate strategy for an incident :
Offensive Defensive Transitional
Typically consists of advancing a line into a fire by ffs on a hoseline
Offensive attack
O-VEIS
Oriented Vent Enter Isolate Search
The leading cause of fireground injuries was?
Overexertion or strains
___ is a systematic method of accounting for all personnel at a emergency scene.
Personnel Accountability Report PAR
National Fire Academy Size Up system phases: Phase one PRE INCIDENT INFORMATION:
Phase one considers what you know before the incident occurs ( pre incident plans, Info about the building and occupancy like layout and construction type, built in protections, type of buisness, nature of content) Also, water supply sources and location accessibility and capacity.
Chief Layman was an early advocate of:
Pre-incident planning
NIMS 5 Components
Preparedness Communication and Information Management Resource Management Command and management Ongoing management and maintenance
Layman 2nd step of size up Probability: Things that are likely to happen or can be anticipated based on the known facts:
Probability
SOPS are used for :
Provide consistent structure to the process Guide the decision making process and ensure consistency between officers and events Might require the first arriving officer to assume command, first engine company to begin fire attack, second engine to provide water supply. SOP are Pre Established components of the IAP
The life safety priority refers to:
all people at risk due to the incident, general public as well as fire dept personnel
Allows crews to work with a reasonable amount of safety in a hazardous environment :
Training experience, protective clothing, communications equipment, SOPS, accountability system, rules of engagement, and RIT
"softens the target" cools the fire gasses, reduces the risk of flashover, improves visibility and allows the FF to quickly enter the fire compartment:
Transitional Attack
Offensive operation initiated by a brief exterior, indirect attack into the fire compartment to initiate cooling a stop the progress of the fire
Transitional attack
Initial Rapid Intervention Crew (IRIC)
Two members from the initial attack crew who remain outside the hazard area during the initial stages of an incident.
This is needed to predict where the fire is burning and where itll spread:
Understanding of conduction, convection, and radiation
Fires die down due to no oxygen and closed space
Ventilation limited fire
One of the most significant factors in sizeup
Visualization
This aides the fire officer in determining ventilation timing:
Volume and color of smoke
The IC must constantly differentiated between:
What is known What is assumed and what is anticipated in processing scene sizeup information
When closing doors and windows to minimize flow paths ffs should be aware of ____.
potential victims for OVEIS
Property conservation is directed towards:
preventing any additional damage from occuring
The first arriving officer needs to focus on the ___ level when he or she arrives at an emergency
strategic level
If unusual or unplanned events occur at an incident:
A PAR should be performed with last known location.
The FAST ATTACK MODE ends when:
Situation is stabilized The situation is not stabilized and the company officer withdraws to the exterior and establish a command post Command is transferred to another officer
Layman 3rd step of size up SITUATION: The situation assessment involves 3 considerations such as :
1. whether the resources on scene and enroute will be sufficient to handle the incident (IC will determine if additional companies will be needed to solve the problem) 2. Specific capabilities and limitations of the responding resources in relation to the problem (staffing, additional resources, pump capacity, diameter of hose, size of arieal 3. Capabilities and limitations of the personnel based on training and experience. ( if 2 ff of the 4 are rookies, the crew needs more direct supervison)
Command is establsihed when:
2 or more units are needed
A PAR should be requested at tactical benchmarks ie. going from offensive to defensive attack. A PAR may be integrated into an incident time clock requiring a PAR check every ____ minutes while the incident is active.
20 minutes
FEMA Introductory class take approx ____ hours
3
When cooling the space form the outside of the structure, you should apply water for how long with a straight stream?
30-60 seconds
The largest share of deaths occur from overexertion and medical issues. cardiac events accounted for ___ percent of these deaths.
89 percent
ULs analysis of one and two story family home fire dynamics and the impact of firefighter horizontal ventilation (Kerber 2013)
It is essential to control the access door to restrict introduction of air into the fire room and therby delay flashover The only way to go from a ventilation limited to a fuel limited fire is through application of water before vertical ventilation "Sofetening" the target by applying 30-90 seconds of water into the compartment dramatically fire development and improves condition You cannot make a big enough ventilation hole to localize fire growth or reduce temperatures in ventilation limited structure fires
These are factored into the pre-arrival data:
Knowledge gained from a pre incident plan Awareness of what normally at the day and time
A written IAP is needed for ?
Large or complex incidents that have an extended duration.
4 factors that distinguish Modern dwellings VS legacy dwellings, meaning structures built before 1980
Larger homes Open house geometries Increased fuel loads New construction materials
The IC is responsible for completio of these strategic priorities:
Life Safety Incident Stabilization Property Conservation
As ____ is the highest tactical priority, rescue shall always take precedence.
Life safety
Three basic priorities for an IAP:
Life safety Incident Stabilization Property Conservation
An important factor in limiting heat release and temperatures in the house:
Limiting flow path until fire suppression water is ready to be applied
Two in/ two out rule evolved into:
Rapid intervention team or Rapid intervention crew . Concept incorporated into NFPA 1500
IAFC Rules of Engagement : IC rules of engagement for firefighter safety
Rapidly conduct, or obtaina 360 sizeup of incident determine occupant survival profile conduct initial risk assessment and implement a safe action plan if you do not have the resources to safely support and protect ffs conisder a defensive strategy Do not risk ff lives for life or property that can not be saved, consider defensive strategy extend limited risk to protect savable property extend vigilant and measured risk to protect and rescue savable lives act upon reported unsafe practices and conditions that can harm ffs, stop evaluate and decide Maintain frequent 2 way communication, keep interior crew informed of changing conditions Obtain frequent progress reports and revise the action plan ensure accurate accountability for ff location and status if after completing primary search little to no fire control is achieved , consider defensive strategy always have a rapid intervention team in place at all working fires always have ff rehab in place at all working fires
Once initial actions are underway the IC works on the last two functions:
Releasing information about the incident Coordinating with outside agencies
RECEOVS
Rescue Exposure protection Confinement Extinguishment Overhaul Ventilation Salvage
The initial IC should always...
Review the tactical worksheet with the new IC
An assessment of the risk to rescuers versus the benefit that can be derived from other intended actions
Risk benefit analysis
Systematic process of gathering and processing information to evaluate the situation and then translating that information into a plan to deal with the situation
Size up
SLICERS
Sizeup: Gather and analyze info for IAP Locate: location and extent of the fire inside Identify and control the flow path Cool the space from the safest location Extinguish the fire including overhaul and void spaces Rescue conduct search Salvage protect property from further damage
American society for testing materials ASTM conducted full scale experiments that led to the development of ___ to guide the testing of building partitions and floors for fire resistance.
Standard Time-temperature Curve
The ICS include 3 levels of command which are?
Strategic Level: The overall direction of goals are set, ie. stopping a fire Tactical Level: define the actions that are necessary to to achieve the strategic goal. In medium to large scale incidents the tctical level component would be called divisions, groups, or units, and each of these components can include several companies. Task Level: Actions required to achieve the tactical objectives. this is where the physical work is accomplished. ie. searching for victims, operating a hoseline, opening ceilings.
Strategies are ____ as to where tactics are ____.
Strategies are general , Tactics are Specific and measurable
These all help the fire officer anticipate what might be happening at the scene:
The name, Location, and the reported nature of the incident
When applying foam who must determine which type and how much foam will be needed to complete the job before the application is started:
The officer
Transfer of command should follow the standard procedure:
The officer assuming command communicates with the initial IC, can occur by radio but Face to Face preferred. The initial IC briefs the new IC ( incident conditions, tactical worksheet, IAP, Progress towards completion of tactical objectives, safety considerations, Deployment and assignments, need for additional resources) Command is officially transferred only when the new IC has been briefed The fact that command has been transferred has been communicated to the dispatch center and all units operating on scene.
The IC is responsible for completing all tasks that are not delegated, what might the fire officer be required to initiate?
The procedure to assemble a multiagency response.
Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)
a dedicated crew of 4 ff who are assigned for rapid deployment to rescue lost or trapped members.
Span of control is maintained by:
adding more levels of management as an officers effecctive span of control is exceeded (Brunacini, 2004)