Fire Studies: Structural Firefighting—The Offensive Attack
- Offensive mode. Offensive attack means that hoselines are moved forward in an offensive manner, whether deployed through a window or door opening or from the interior of the structure.
- Hoselines & no civilians. ...
- Hoseline usage. ...
- Nozzles. ...
- Company officer’s position on a hoseline. ...
- Keeping stairs open. ...
What is a defensive fire attack?
NIOSH defines a defensive attack as an "exterior fire attack with the emphasis on exposure protection. The commitment of a fire department's resources are to protect exposures when the fire has progressed to a point where an offensive attack is not effective."
What is an offensive attack on a house fire?
Offensive attack means that hoselines are moved forward in an offensive manner, whether deployed through a window or door opening or from the interior of the structure. The initial incident commander at a dwelling fire must decide whether to initially make an offensive-exterior attack or offensive-interior attack.
What is an offensive attack mode?
Attack modes can be easily defined as where the nozzle will end up. If the fire attack starts exterior and stays exterior, you’re in a defensive attack mode. If the fire attack mode ends on the interior, it’s an offensive attack mode.
When to use a defensive/offensive attack?
A defensive/offensive attack can be used when the amount of fire is beyond the control of handheld hoselines or when resources that are on scene are insufficient to mount an offensive interior attack. If the fire is beyond the capability of handlines to control, master streams can be utilized to knock down the fire in a blitz attack.
What is a defensive attack fire?
NIOSH defines a defensive attack as an "exterior fire attack with the emphasis on exposure protection. The commitment of a fire department's resources are to protect exposures when the fire has progressed to a point where an offensive attack is not effective."
What is offensive and defensive firefighting?
0:121:32Offensive and Defensive Ops - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo safely go interior and fight that structure fire from within we pull them out we fight that fireMoreTo safely go interior and fight that structure fire from within we pull them out we fight that fire from outside the structure.
What is a fire attack?
The fire attack topic is all about fireground operations, from how firefighters assess and approach a working fire to the high-level command strategies to effectively manage the scene and the tactics they use to knock it down.
What is offensive ventilation?
Offensive; ventilating close to the fire to have a direct effect on the fire itself by making conditions safer for the firefighter. The traditional approach to ventilation is to locate and extinguish the fire and then to ventilate afterwards to clear residual smoke and heat from the structure.
What is offensive and defensive?
Offensive behavior is characterized as an attacking and active attitude, while defensive behavior, coming from the recipient of all action and intention, is a combination of alertness and a passive position.
What does Slicers stand for?
It stands for Size-up, Locate the fire, Isolate the flow path, Cool from a safe distance, Extinguish, Rescue and Salvage at any time in the process. It updates a previous acronym used by firefighting departments: RECEO-VS, which stands for Rescue, Exposure, Confine, Extinguish, Overhaul and Ventilate, Salvage.
What is a indirect fire attack?
A method of suppression in which the control line is located some considerable distance away from the fire's active edge. Generally done in the case of a fast-spreading or high-intensity fire and to utilize natural or constructed firebreaks or fuel breaks and favorable breaks in the topography.
What is a transitional fire attack?
An Offensive fire attack initiated by an exterior indirect handline operation, into the fire compartment, to initiate cooling while transitioning into interior direct fire attack in coordination with ventilation.
What is another term for a deck gun?
A deluge gun, fire monitor, master stream or deck gun is an aimable controllable high-capacity water jet used for manual firefighting or automatic fire protection systems.
Do UK firefighters vent the roof?
UK fire crews tend to vent laterally by removing windows etc, and may do so later on during the fire. Any work at a higher level would involve ladders or aerial appliances – all of it controlled by a dynamic risk assessment (DRA).
What is forced ventilation fire fighting?
Ventilation is a part of structural firefighting tactics, and involves the expulsion of heat and smoke from a burning building, permitting the firefighters to more easily and safely find trapped individuals and attack the fire.
When should a fire be ventilated?
Fire ventilation should be implemented as soon as possible during the fire and rescue operation. If the fire is fully developed in one or more rooms, it is very often better to focus on fire ventilation of the adjacent rooms where the fire has not yet spread.
What is offensive attack?
Offensive attack means that hoselines are moved forward in an offensive manner, whether deployed through a window or door opening or from the interior of the structure. The initial incident commander at a dwelling fire must decide whether to initially make an offensive-exterior attack or offensive-interior attack.
What are the four basic firefighting modes?
There are four basic modes of fire attack for structural firefighting: offensive, defensive, offensive/defensive and defensive/offensive. (The use of the nonintervention mode can be a consideration when encountering hazmat incidents.) Fire has destroyed many structures as a result of a fire department hesitating to initiate a prompt attack on ...
Why is ventilation important in firefighting?
It also prevents contact with hot surfaces or embers. Ventilation allows the hoseline crew to advance into the fire area. If ventilation hasn’t occurred, the opening of the hoseline into a closed room or area on fire creates steam, making it untenable to fight the fire and driving back those who operate the nozzle.
What should the first hoseline do in a structure fire?
Hoselines & no civilians. In structure fires in which no civilian life is endangered, the first hoseline should attempt to cut off the fire spread. It might be possible to accomplish this with an offensive-exterior attack that’s followed by an interior attack with the first hoseline.
What happens if you use a hoseline to extinguish a fire?
If the amount of fire is too great for one hoseline, the first priority is to protect the trapped occupants and the firefighters who attempt to rescue them.
Why is life factor important for firefighters?
Because the building is unoccupied, the life factor of the firefighters must be a prime consideration. Operating on a floor that’s above an uncontrolled fire with no hoseline attacking the fire below places firefighters in a high-risk situation that has little gain to be achieved.
What is the decision making process for firefighters?
A major part of the decision-making process is weighing the risk that is taken by the firefighters versus the gain to be achieved. High-risk situations with little or no gain must be avoided. Decisions on the mode of attack must be made on arrival of the first-due company officer.
What is defensive attack?
Defensive attack is an exterior fire suppression activity directed at protecting exposures. Defensive operations are actions intended to control a fire by limiting its spread to a defined area, avoiding the commitment of personnel and equipment to dangerous areas.
What is knock down fire?
Knock down. is a state of partial fire extinguishment that is close to full extinguishment and where regrowth is unlikely. Offensive attack is an advance into the fire building by the firefighters with hoselines or other extinguishing agents that are intended to overpower the fire.
What is the most important fireground function?
When deployed properly, fire attack is the most important fireground function that will have the biggest impact on occupant survivability and firefighter safety. The old adage of “put the wet stuff on the red stuff” was taught, and it worked. When the fire service started to use that slogan, the fire environment was not what it is today.
What is a blitz attack?
The blitz attack confuses some members. Created in Chicago, it is an offensive attack that is used in the same manner as a transitional attack. Some have called the transitional attack the modern blitz attack. Although a traditional blitz attack may not meet the defining criteria of a transitional attack, the goal is the same: flow quick, effective water from the exterior to overtake or slow the growth of fire and to create a more habitable interior environment, allowing for a rapid aggressive interior attack to complete extinguishment.
What is transitional attack?
Transitional attack is a fire attack where the application of water starts on the exterior to cool the fire area for a period and then repositioned to the interior for final suppression. It’s important to note that the definitions of terms used in this article come from various sources and, in some cases, differ.
Is there a one size fits all fire tactic?
There is no one-size-fits-all tactic for every fire. Although every fire burns in a predictable manner, the fire environment and what each of our departments faces on arrival will be different. Therefore, each department must quickly analyze each fire and deploy the best strategy and tactics for each situation.
Is fire attack an offensive attack?
If the fire attack mode ends on the interior, it’s an offensive attack mode. Regardless of the fire attack mode used, how you apply water to the environment falls under the direct or indirect attack method. If you apply water directly onto the burning materials, you are conducting a direct attack.
Why is an offensive attack required?
This can occur because of increased fire conditions, structural failure, multiple collapse indicators, interior reports of lack of progress, etc.
What is transitional fire attack?
Transitional modes of fire attack consist of a combination of offensive and defensive attacks. For example, there’s the offensive/defensive mode. Consider this: On arrival, heavy fire conditions in a residential structure might be a specific cue for a defensive attack. However, although a fire might have control of the better part of the building, ...
What is defensive mode?
Defensive mode. Exterior or defensive operations should be initiated when: A fire is beyond the control of handheld hoselines. There are heavy fire conditions and no civilians are in the fire building, or the amount and location of the fire precludes that any people who are inside still are alive. Insufficient resources are on scene.
What does IC stand for in firefighting?
The incident commander (IC) must be prepared to write off parts of buildings or even entire buildings if they are past the capability of a department to save them. Failure to give up a building that already is lost and concentrating resources on it result in chasing a fire.
When to use defensive or offensive?
A defensive/offensive attack can be used when the amount of fire is beyond the control of handheld hoselines or when resources that are on scene are insufficient to mount an offensive interior attack. If the fire is beyond the capability of handlines to control, master streams can be utilized to knock down the fire in a blitz attack.
What can master streams do in a blitz attack?
If the fire is beyond the capability of handlines to control, master streams can be utilized to knock down the fire in a blitz attack. After knockdown, the building can be checked for structural stability and, if sound, an offensive-interior attack can commence.
SCENARIO 1
You are still in your car, about three minutes away from this incident when you receive a report from your first-in engine company that it is on the scene of a working fire on the top floor of a three-story wood-frame vacant building.
SCENARIO 2
At this incident, the building (exposure B) was a one-story 100- × 100-foot auto body shop; a 100-foot × 100-foot two-story warehouse (exposure C ); and a three-story, occupied, wood-frame multiple dwelling (exposure D) separated by a 20-foot alley.
What is a defensive attack?
NIOSH defines a defensive attack as an "exterior fire attack with the emphasis on exposure protection. The commitment of a fire department's resources are to protect exposures when the fire has progressed to a point where an offensive attack is not effective.".
Why is an aggressive attack necessary on a car fire?
As an incident commander you could determine that an aggressive offensive attack on a car fire is necessary because there is a life hazard involved. On a different run you may determine that a defensive attack is warranted on a dumpster fire because there is no life hazard and the contents are unknown.
Why is it important for firefighters to report conditions and hazards to their officers?
During operations it is important for firefighters to report conditions and hazards to your officer so that the incident command is aware of evolving conditions and hazards as work is performed. No fire is the same and the event is quite fluid in nature.
Why was the fire in the Yarra Valley changed from offensive to defensive?
Operations at this fire were changed from an offense to defensive attack because of heavy fire and concerns about the structural integrity of the building. Prior to the collapse, all units were withdrawn and collapse zones were established.
Do fire departments have RIT?
Fire departments should have a RIT or FAST team dispatched automatically on structure fires, and have EMS in place in case of an accident. If manpower, budgets, and equipment are limiting your attack and response do not hesitate to call for additional manpower. FlashoverTV is powered by FireRescue1.com.
