

#JOBS SIZEUP FULL#
Not making it around to get a full view of the rear of the structure has been a direct contributor to several firefighter fatalities and countless near misses. tactical benefit like a 360-degree size-up.Įxperienced fire officers will be quick to concede that there are many barriers that can hinder a full lap around the building, but many will note time and time again that significant tactical alterations have been triggered by findings on the Charlie side.
#JOBS SIZEUP HOW TO#
How to conduct firefighter primary search trainingįew actions in the initial moments following arrival of the first-due apparatus can tip the balance of time spent vs. Other immediately important fireground factors – victims at windows on the sides or rear, indicators of multiple occupancy, the presence and status of utility meters, and paths of immediate ingress and egress – all point to need for the company officer to make it to the rear of the structure.

Identifying the presence of a basement, along with any indications of fire conditions below and a more direct access, simply cannot be shortcut by the first-in engine or truck officer for the tempting expedience of rushing directly to the front door. The list of firefighter line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) for basement-fires-turned-tragic is long and often-studied. Increasing heat in the blackness with no apparent seat of the fire, radio calls from the outside of fire below, and fire licking up through floor vents or burn-through holes are all signs that should stop any officer in their tracks to reevaluate their current position. As a company officer, operating above an unrecognized basement fire is one of the single most precarious positions for your crew.
