HomeMy WebLinkAboutEO 701-00 Fireground StrategySAN LUIS OBISPO CITY FIRE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
E.O. 701.00
FIREGROUND STRATEGY
Revised: 5/15/2019 Page 1 of 5
Guideline
The City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department will use the following guideline to outline the
strategy to be employed at structure fires. Fireground operations will fall in one of two overall
strategies, OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE, and can change in either direction on an incident.
The two strategies are based on a structured Risk Management Plan that outlines the Rules of
Engagement to be employed at all structure fires (or any other emergencies).
Within A Structured Risk Management Plan
• We may risk our lives a lot, in a calculated manner, to protect savable lives.
• We may risk our lives a little, in a calculated manner, to protect savable property.
• We will not risk our lives to save what is already lost.
Considering the level of risk, the Incident Commander (IC) will choose the appropriate
fireground strategy. The strategy can change in either direction based on changing conditions or
because certain benchmarks (i.e., ALL CLEAR) are obtained. The strategic mode will be based
on:
• The rescue profile (savable occupants/survivability profile)
• The building (type of construction, condition, age, etc.)
• Structural integrity of the building (contents vs. structural involvement/burn time)
• The fire load (what type of fuel is burning and what's left to burn)
• The fire and/or smoke conditions (extent, location, etc.)--note that these conditions can
worsen rapidly
Once the appropriate fireground strategy is initiated, it becomes the Incident Commander's job to
ensure that all personnel are operating within the strategy. By controlling the fireground
strategy, the Incident Commander is providing a key element to overall incident scene safety.
Incident Commanders should avoid simultaneous offensive and defensive strategies in the same
fire area (on some incidents, there may be combined offensive and defensive objectives, such as
a crew performing interior attack while another provides exposure protection). IC’s should
match the appropriate strategy to the fire conditions of the structure, making sure that objectives
take into consideration the Risk Management Plan.
Managing fireground strategy must start with the arrival of the first unit and be constantly
monitored and evaluated throughout the entire incident. The initial Incident Commander should
include the fireground strategy in the condition report. As Command is transferred to later
arriving officers, these officers assuming Command must evaluate the fireground strategy based
on the Risk Management Plan.
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY FIRE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
E.O. 701.00
FIREGROUND STRATEGY
Revised: 5/15/2019 Page 2 of 5
Offensive Strategy
Incident Commanders must not lose sight of the very simple and basic fireground reality that at
some point firefighters must engage and fight the fire. IC’s must structure whatever operations
are required to PUT WATER ON THE FIRE. The rescue/fire control-extension/exposure
problem is solved in the majority of cases by a fast, strong, well-placed attack. An attack plan
must be established that overpowers the fire with ACTUAL water application, either from
offensive or defensive positions.
When safe to do so, San Luis Obispo City Fire Department will initiate offensive operations at
the scene of structure fires. Within the framework of the Risk Management Plan, the structure
must first be determined to be “safe” for trained firefighters to enter. Once determined safe, an
Offensive Fire Attack is centered primarily around RESCUE, but also on finding and
extinguishing the fire.
Offensive Standard Operating Guideline
• Take command
• Provide for 2-Out (RIC)
• First line - fast, aggressive interior attack with minimum 1 ¾” line.
• Provide support activities (i.e. ventilation, forcible entry, utilities)
• Conduct primary search
• Second line - backup first/cover rear, minimum 1 ¾” line.
• Pump water/maintain water supply
• Quickly evaluate success and react
Offensive Considerations
• When the IC receives reliable information from people on scene that there are known
victims inside the structure, the IC should consider an interior attack combined with
interior search (again working within the Risk Management Plan)
• Initial attack efforts must be directed toward supporting a primary search--the first attack
line should go between the victims/search area and the fire to protect avenues of rescue
and escape.
• An important factor to consider in making the determination to perform an offensive
attack is the density and velocity of smoke exiting the structure. The darker, denser,
higher volume, and more turbulent the smoke, the more dangerous the interior conditions
are. Firefighter safety and victim survivability both decrease in these conditions.
Ventilation becomes critical to safety and survivability.
• Determine fire conditions and extent (size-up) before starting fire operations.
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY FIRE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
E.O. 701.00
FIREGROUND STRATEGY
Revised: 5/15/2019 Page 3 of 5
• Incident Commanders must consider the most critical direction and avenues of fire
extension, plus its speed, particularly as they affect:
o Level of risk to firefighters
o Rescue activities
o Confinement efforts (interior and exterior)
o Exposure protection
• Offensive fires should be fought from the interior unburned side (ability to safely and
effectively operate in the interior is the principal offensive strategy factor).
o However, consider timely extinguishment versus the time lost by trying to
reposition lines to an entry that is more difficult to access.
o The unburned portion of the structure represents where the fire is going and
should establish the framework for fire control activities and requirements.
• Incident Command must allocate personnel and resources based upon this fire spread
evaluation.
• Commanders must consider the seven sides of the fire: front, rear, both sides, top,
bottom, and interior. Fires cannot be considered under control until all seven sides are
addressed.
• The Incident Commander must “get ahead” of the fire. Critical decisions must be made
that relate to cutoff points and center on a “worst-case” fire control strategy.
• Where the fire involves concealed spaces (attics, ceiling areas, construction voids, etc.), it
becomes paramount that companies open up and operate fire streams into such areas.
• Ventilation is a major component to structural firefighting that must be addressed during
enclosed or concealed space interior attacks. This must be initiated early and be well
coordinated. Ventilation openings should be made close to or above the fire area. Refer
to EO 707.00 Tactical Support Functions for more information.
• WRITE-OFF PROPERTY THAT IS ALREADY LOST and deploy resources to protect
exposed property based on the most dangerous direction of fire spread.
Marginal Conditions
Many times offensive/defensive conditions are clear cut and the Incident Commander can
quickly determine the appropriate strategy. In other cases, the situation is MARGINAL and the
IC may initiate an offensive interior attack, while setting up defensive positions.
Rescue should be the only reason for interior operations in marginal situations.
The effect of the interior attack must be constantly evaluated, and the attack abandoned if
necessary. Strategy changes can develop almost instantly or can take considerable time. The
strategy must be matched with the conditions. The Incident Commander provides a key to
overall incident scene safety by determining the proper strategy to be used.
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY FIRE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
E.O. 701.00
FIREGROUND STRATEGY
Revised: 5/15/2019 Page 4 of 5
Offensive attacks become marginal and should be abandoned (i.e. the IC needs to consider
alternate tactics, including switching to defensive strategy) in the following situations:
• A primary search “all clear” is obtained and the situation is still marginal.
• The roof is unsafe or untenable. Especially working fires in large unsupported or
lightweight trussed attic spaces.
• Interior forces encounter or recognize heavy heat conditions, and cannot locate the fire or
cannot make any progress on the fire.
• Heavy smoke is being forced from the building under pressure and is increasing.
The Incident Commander needs to constantly evaluate conditions while operating in marginal
situations. This requires frequent, accurate, and detailed reports from Company Officers.
Defensive Strategy
If defensive operations are conducted from the outset of the incident, the IC should notify
incoming units that this will be a defensive fire.
The decision to operate in a defensive strategy indicates that the offensive attack strategy, or the
potential for one, has been abandoned for reasons of personnel safety, reasonable confirmation
that there are no victims inside, an untenable fire environment, and/or the involved structure has
been conceded as lost (the Incident Commander made a conscious decision that the structure
cannot be saved) or is in danger of imminent collapse.
Defensive Considerations
• The first priority in defensive operations is personnel safety.
• The announcement of a change from an offensive to a defensive strategy will be
made as “Emergency Traffic” and all personnel will withdraw from the structure
AND MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE BUILDING as per EO 502.00.
o Company Officers will account for their crews and advise the IC/Operations on
the status of their crew via a PAR (Personnel Accountability Report).
• Interior lines will be withdrawn and repositioned when changing to a defensive strategy.
o Crews should retreat with their hose lines if safe to do so.
o If retreat is being delayed because of hose lines, and it is unsafe to stay in the
building, hose lines should be abandoned.
• All Company Officers and their personnel will monitor the building(s) for collapse
potential and other hazards. Any concerns will be reported immediately to the IC.
• If defensive operations are conducted from the onset of the incident, the IC should notify
incoming units that this will be a defensive fire.
Fire under control means the forward progress of the fire has been stopped and the remaining fire
can be extinguished with the on-scene resources; it does not mean the fire is completely out (i.e.
overhaul will commence). When the fire is brought under control, the IC will notify Dispatch
and on scene units utilizing the standard radio report of "INITIAL KNOCKDOWN."
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY FIRE
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL
E.O. 701.00
FIREGROUND STRATEGY
Revised: 5/15/2019 Page 5 of 5
Defensive Standard Operating Guideline
1. Take Command
2. Evaluate fire spread/write-off lost property
3. Establish collapse perimeter
4. Identify key tactical positions
5. Prioritize fire streams/protect exposures
6. Provide big, well placed streams
7. Pump water/maintain water supply
8. Quick determination on additional resources
9. Surround and drown