The final part of the series on understaffed truck work is search.  At the end of the day, regardless of staffing, our primary reason for existence is to find and help those who cannot help themselves… to save lives.  We accomplish this by entering IDLH atmospheres, locating and removing victims.  Victims are not the only reason why we search buildings.  It is also beneficial for a well-trained and experienced crew to enter the building ahead of the hose line, search for and find the fire. By searching for victims AND fire, we can increase the speed of fire attack and extinguishment which creates a safer fireground for everyone.

Though there are countless ways to search a building, a few of the most popular are the Directional Search (Left-hand/Right-hand), Oriented Search and Vent-Enter-Search.  Each of these methods demand an effective size-up of the building and fire conditions as well as consideration of the staffing, training and experience of your crew.

Here are some examples:

A two person search crew could easily search an 1800 sqft, 1-story single-family dwelling (SFD) with two to four bedrooms using a Directional Search.

However, 3 firefighters, or multiple search crews, may be needed to accomplish an oriented-large area type search in a 4000 sqft SFD five or more bedrooms.

Now let’s consider a 2000 sqft, 2-story SFD with heavy fire on the first floor.  In this house, the three or four bedrooms are most likely upstairs and passing the fire poses a risk for the search crew.  Also, because one or two handlines may be in operation, the first floor may be crowded.  Entering a crowded first floor and having to find the stairs can consume a lot of time and air.  In this case, a vent-enter-search (VES) method may be ideal, particularly with our two-person search crew.  It will allow you to search the “high risk” areas while minimizing time, exposure to the IDLH atmosphere and air consumption.  Now let’s talk about some important factors for completing each type of search.

Directional Search

• Most basic search technique
• Easily performed by two person search crew
• Members search together either in line or spread out side by side but almost always within reach
• Accountability and progress are easily tracked by IC
• Completed one room at a time

Oriented Search

• Very quick and effective (if trained)
• Ideal for search crews of 3 or more, but can be performed by 2 firefighters
• One person stays at the doorway or on the wall (stays oriented) while the other member(s) search rooms or general areas
• Allows the middle of larger rooms/areas to be searched
• Very beneficial in today’s “open” floor plan homes and commercial occupancies
• Members stay in voice or visual contact
• Members can conserve air by alternating who searches and who is oriented
• With 3-firefighter crew, two members can search different rooms (within voice and/or visual contact of oriented member) enabling a faster search and less time in the building.

Vent-Enter-Search (VES)

• VES is started from the exterior of the building, with search initiated from ladders
• Member(s) carry search tools AND an appropriate ground ladder(s)
• Systematic room-to-room search
• Member(s) ladders and forces a window, proceeds to the doorway, sweeps the hallway around the door, shuts the door, searches the room, exits the room via ladder and moves the next window
• Great way for crew of limited manpower to access high risk areas quickly
• If the outside or search crew firefighters each carry a couple of ladders, they can ladder as they go, leaving the ladders at the searched ooms for means of egress for interior crews.

Searching is one of the most important tactics on the fireground.  If done safely and aggressively, it can be one of the most beneficial tactics performed in terms of stabilizing the incident and protecting life.  However, only a well-trained crew can accomplish an efficient search.  There is no “one size fits all” search method.  The ability to be flexible without losing speed or effectiveness may be the difference between a one-room fire and burning the roof off or the difference between life and death.

Additional Resources:

“VES Size up” from www.vententersearch.com (go to the November 22 post from Rick Van Sant to get the first hand account of the situation)
“Three Words that Can Save lives- vent-enter-search”, Mike Clumpner
“Vent Enter Search” from Fire engineering TV with DC Anthony Avillo and Frank Ricci

Most fire departments, if they are even lucky enough to staff a truck company, often struggle with how to maximize the tasks that the truck can accomplish on the fireground.  Since times are tough and budgets are tougher, increasing staffing is unlikely. Below are some ideas to consider when trying to get the most from your truckies.

Our truck company will be staffed with three: an officer, driver and one firefighter.  We’re going to talk about fundamental truck functions like ladders, gaining entry, search and rescue and ventilation.  This article will focus on Forcible entry techniques.  We’re going to keep it simple and talk about conventional forcible entry and a touch of through the lock.

We can’t talk about forcible entry without talking tools, primarily the irons.  What separates any good crew from another is the mastering of the fundamentals.  What separates one truck company from the others is irons work.  The axe and Halligan are arguably the most versatile and reliable combination of tools available.  Since we can’t fight the fire unless we can get to it, irons work may also be the most important “x-factor” on the fireground.

A growing trend that I’ve seen is splitting up the irons, where the officer will carry the axe and the firefighter carries the halligan (or visa versa).  The problem with this  is that now you’ve taken an already limited crew and given it even fewer options.  The irons are ideal Because they can be married together and carried by ONE Firefighter.  This enables the officer to carry another tool such as a hook or sledge (or whatever) depending on the occupancy and FD SOG’s. Below are some tips for maximizing efficiency when forcing entry.  At the bottom are some videos showing great training ideas and efficient operations.

• You don’t need fancy props to practice your irons work.
• Striking the tool from any position and in any conditions is often the first skill lost. To fix this, get a hold of tow landscape timbers, place them together vertically and ratchet strap them to any immovable object in the firehouse.  Use the seem in between the timbers as your jamb and strike away.
• The other “issue” is that the irons are too cumbersome or heavy to carry.  The best remedy for this is to carry the irons more often.  Carry them together on all Fires, fire alarms, MVA’s, gas leaks, around the firehouse or whatever it takes to get used to it.
• Learn about door construction, lock construction and their strengths and weaknesses.  Half the battle of forcible entry is knowing how and where to begin the operation.
• Shock (a.k.a. sound) the doors by striking them with a tool at all 4 corners, at/around the lock(s).  This will not only indicate door construction, but help to locate additional locks and weaken any hardware that may be secured to the door and door frame.
• Going through-the-lock after spinning the cylinder on commercial mortise locks may be the quickest way to gain entry without a K12.

In the end, a successful forcible entry operation will depend on the crew’s ability to not only use the irons, but size-up, evaluate and adjust with the situation as well.

FTM-PTB and Be Safe

Most fire departments, if they are even lucky enough to staff a truck company, often struggle with how to maximize the tasks that the truck can accomplish on the fireground.  Since times are tough and budgets are tougher, increasing staffing is unlikely. Below are some ideas to consider when trying to get the most from your truckies.

Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to talk about good ol’ fashioned truck work, but with realistic staffing for today’s fire service.  Our truck company will be staffed with three: an officer, driver and one firefighter.  We’re going to talk about fundamental truck functions like gaining entry, search and rescue and ventilation.  We’re going to start with one of the most fundamental, but overlooked, of all truck functions…ladders.

Ironically, ladders are one of the most technical and time-consuming skills learned during initial training.  On the fireground, however, they are routinely overlooked.  Because of modern building construction, fire loads and subsequent fire behavior, both aerial and ground ladders may be more important now than they have been in recent history.  Rapidly changing fire conditions and truss construction have made our ability to get out just as important as getting in.  That being said, the more ladders you can get on a building the better.

• The strategy for ground ladders should be every window of every floor.
• Setting up the aerial is the driver’s job (and only the driver)
• All windows should be laddered for rescue (tip at the sill
• Ground ladders 28’ and shorter can and should be carried and raised by one  firefighter
• 35’ ground ladders may need to be helped off the rig, but can be dragged and raised by one firefighter
• Either 2 roof ladders or 1 roof and a 24’ can be carried (or dragged), bedded together, by one firefighter and raised.
• Start laddering the fire floor (or floor above for first floor fires) and closest to the fire room.  The higher the hazard, the higher the priority.
• Break windows with the tips of the ladders (even the stick if need be).  It will save you time and effort.
• The officer and firefighter, if assigned to the interior, can each throw at least one ladder on their way to the front door.  The added safety is worth the added time.

If you go by the helpful hints above, a crew of 3 can throw a at least 5 ladders at a 2 story single-family dwelling (one for the officer, one for the firefighter, two for the driver plus the aerial) and that’s a pretty good start.

On the Internet, countless videos of civilian rescues and firefighter close calls can be found that better demonstrate the importance of ladders on the fireground.  I hope you found this information to be helpful, but nothing will help more than hands on training.

FTM-PTB and Be Safe

Resources:

• Basic Firefighting: Ground Ladders
• Training & Tactics Talk: Ground Ladders
• Emergency Egress on the Fireground: Ladder Bail