Strategy and Tactics with Limited Staffing John M. Buckman III

NEVER FORGET WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE GOES HOME!

SCBA FACEPIECE Catastrophic Failure

OUTGUNNED Most fire departments arrive on a scene with limited staffing and then play catch up from the beginning to the end of tactical operations.

OUTGUNNED When was the last time you had a fire behavior class? Fire Phenomena Fire Development is a function of many factors including: fuel properties, fuel quantity, ventilation (natural or mechanical), compartment geometry (volume and ceiling height), location of fire, and ambient conditions (temperature, wind, etc). When was the last time you had a fire behavior class?

Sometimes we just need to put water on the fire!

How Much Is Enough? How many firefighters do you have? How many firefighters do you need? How long will it take for the right amount of firefighters to arrive? What is on fire? How big is the fire? When did you start thinking about it?

Fireground Field Experiments NIST

Chief Alan Brunacini, Ret. The initial radio report is probably the most important communications the incident commander will hear! Chief Alan Brunacini, Ret.

Limited staffing impacts all tactical activities. Realizing the impact limited staffing has on selection of appropriate strategy is a critical decision making component. Limited staffing impacts all tactical activities.

Service Expectations Have Steadily Increased EMS, response to natural disasters, hazardous materials incidents, and acts of terrorism. This presentation explains some of the outcomes determined during the conduct of this research on the effects of varying crew sizes, first apparatus arrival time, and response time on firefighter safety, overall task completion, and interior residential tenability using realistic residential fires. Local decision makers are challenged to balance these community service expectations with finite resources.

Don't be a Hero

ROLE OF COMMAND Situational Overload Strategy/Tactics Resources Building Fire/Location-Size Accountability Action Plan

CRITICAL DECISION MAKING Decision making is improved through: Training Experience Communication Skills Preplanning

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Perception of what is going on around you! Affects performance and decision making! If it is not maintained, errors occur! Tendency to ignore information that is out of context!

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Fight the Fire! Assess Problems in the Time Available! Gather Information from All Sources Choose the Best Option Monitor Results and Alter the Plan as Necessary Beware of the Loss of Situational Awareness

CAPABILITY MEASURE IT!

What is wrong with applying LOTS of water from the exterior?

Impact of externally applied water. In these experiments, the externally applied water streams were implemented in different ways;

a fog stream inserted into the fire room window, a fog stream flowed from the floor below into the fire room window opening, and a solid water stream flowed from the floor below into the fire room window opening.

In all cases, the water flows suppressed the fires, thereby causing reductions in temperature in the corridor and the stairwell of at least 50 %. The water flow rates used in these experiments were between 160 gpm and 200 gpm, demonstrating that a relatively small amount of water applied directly to the burn fuels can have a significant impact.

OFFENSIVE TACTICAL WEAPON

OFFENSIVE TACTICAL WEAPONS

RESOURCES IMPACT Strategic Decision Apparatus Staff Equipment Water

STAFFING IMPACT Strategic Decision How many do I need? How big is the problem? When will they arrive? What is their capability?

STAFFING IMPACT Tactical Decisions Simultaneous or Sequential Command Decides Offensive Requires More Staff

Traditional Fire Development in a Compartment Fire

Standard Tasks Stop at hydrant, wrap hose Position hose Conduct size up (360degree lap) transmit report, establish command Engage pump Position attack line (forward lay)

Standard Tasks Establish 2 in / 2 out Supply attack engine Establish RIT Gain/Force Entry Advance attack line Advance backup line (stop time at front stoop)

Standard Tasks Advance backup line/protect stairwell Conduct primary search Ground ladders in place Horizontal Ventilation (ground) Horizontal Ventilation (2nd story)

Standard Tasks Control utilities (Interior) Control utilities (Exterior) Conduct secondary search Check for fire extension (walls) Check for fire extension (ceiling) Mechanical Ventilation

Residential Fires May Actually Pose Commercial Risks. Floor collapse can occur in six minutes.

BRIEF PLAN EXECUTE WIN DEBRIEF FUTURE PICTURE STRATEGY LEADER’S INTENT BRIEF PLAN EXECUTE WIN DEBRIEF EXECUTION STANDARDS TRAINING PEOPLE

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING CONTACT John M. Buckman III jmbuckman3rd@gmail THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING CONTACT John M. Buckman III jmbuckman3rd@gmail.com