The 360

Who does the 360° Size-Up on your department? I have heard answers ranging from "The First Due Officer" to "The Incident Commander" when I've asked it in classes. I am a big believer that getting someone around to the "REAR" is critical. You have to get as complete of a picture as possible, and we don't pull up on scene with a Google™ Earth view on the scene with built in thermal imaging. However, the situation really dictates who is going to get a view of the rear.

Let's look at the image below.

Hospital Complex

If you arrive on scene of a reported structure fire in this building is the first in officer going to take a lap of the building? The brothers and sisters will have a line on the fire and the poor officer is going to have a heart attack trying to take a lap.

I'm of the opinion that the job of the first due Engine Officer is to get as good of a picture as possible from the front of the building (three sides since you left room for the Truck right?) and then get inside and start worrying about the internal exposure problems if you are going to choose an Offensive attack.

Even on a smaller occupancy like an apartment building three sides may be all you get.

U-Shaped Apartment Building


 
If you are looking at a "normal" (say 1000 square feet per floor) single or two-flat type occupancy then the Incident Commander can get a good view of the back. Take a look at the house immediately north of the house with the pool in the center of the photo.

Here's one where the IC can take a lap. 

I hear the question now, "The initial Incident Commander, Chris?" My answer is "Not if you are going into a rapid offensive operation and the initial IC is the first in Engine Officer". If the Officer of the 1^st Truck/2^nd Engine will be outside then by all means he or she should take a lap, if it's reasonable. There are times like our examples above where the IC cannot get around to the rear.




Consider the facts surrounding the Huston Fire Department's April 12, 2009 double LODD. The rear of the structure was inaccessible because of Chain-Link fencing that delayed anyone making a "quick" check of conditions in the rear. This isn't an uncommon situation. Is the IC going to delay operations because he or she can't get a lap? NO! If we are going to operate in an Offensive Mode we need to be aggressive. Think about fire growth. The NIST "Flashover" video shows that from ignition of a sofa in a normally furnished living room it takes 3 minutes and 19 seconds for the room to flash. As soon as the first room flashes we have a heavy heat condition pushing through the building that is going to accelerate the decomposition of the building and its furnishings. If we are going to commit to the inside of the building we must do it aggressively.

So, who get's the rear on the complicated structures, or the ones where you need to get over the fence or distract a pack of dogs?


Whoever is assigned the role of Outside Vent must get around to the back side of the building. This member should be taking a 24' Extension Ladder, a Halligan, and a 6' or 8' Pole. This gives a set of eyes in the back of the building right away. It get's a member in the rear who can throw a ladder for secondary egress or for rescues, and perform some ventilation. It gives the Engine Company the comfort of knowing that someone is communicating the conditions in the rear and gives some quick horizontal venting for the fire room (ideally) or at minimum opposite the Engine Company. Any doors on the ground level should be forced and the OVM can make a sweep with a tool to make sure there are no victims trying to escape. What if you don't have a Truck? Someone still needs to be given the assignment of being the OVM. Ventilation opposite of the Engine is critical. Far too often the well meaning but stupid will rush up and vent the front picture window as the Engine is getting a good push down the hallway. This should be obvious but opening up a picture window gives you 10 to 12 square feet of ventilation. All that is going to do is pull fire onto the Engine.

I hope you all find use in these thoughts and ideas for you to toss around the kitchen table. For an awesome overview of the job of the OVM check out Nate DeMarse's (FDNY) article in Urban Firefighter Magazine.