SOP 208.04 TACTICS

When the company officer receives a strategic order and says to himself "O.K. - what would be the best way to accomplish this order?” He is beginning his tactical planning. Examples of tactics to implement each strategic priority are listed below.

Tactics for rescue

Get a line between occupants and the fire.

Protect means of egress

Use Thermal-Image Camera for victim search.

Search each floor. Perform rescue on the fire floor, the floor above, the top floor, and then all other floors. Always search all floors. Remember that smoke can travel through the air handling system or other channels to all floors.

Direct attack on the fire to put it out.

Ventilate to channel fire and remove products of combustion.

Ladder the building and perform rescue over ladders.

Walk the occupants out.

Move people in their rooms.

Leave the people in their rooms.

Take people down fire escape

Use life nets or helicopters as last resort efforts.

Tactics for exposure protection

Determine the greatest exposure threat and the most vulnerable or valuable exposure based upon wind direction, weather, proximity, construction and occupancy.

Put streams on the exposure - keep combustibles below ignition temperature, keep glass cool, protect openings, etc.

Begin an attack on the fire.

Place heavy streams between the fire and the exposure alternately playing on both.

Move combustibles, vehicles, etc. from the path of fire and heat.

Protect openings in exposed buildings

Keep smoke, heat, and fire out of the air handling systems in exposures.

Ventilate to draw fire away from an exposure

Protect exposures from flying brands and sparks.

Get on the lee side of the open fire if possible or get on the flanks.

Get ahead of the fire travel.

Support automatic fire protection systems in exposed buildings.

Protect all sides of the fire.

Anticipate collapse of the fire building and be ready for resultant heat and flame release.

Inspect and patrol interior and exterior of exposure.

Tactics for Confinement

Learn the layout of building and find the seat of the fire.

Cut off fire spread and surround the fire on all sides.

Check for fire extension in the building by conduction, convection, radiation, sparks and burning debris.

Control exterior lapping to upper floors.

Check for vertical and horizontal extension (walls, attic, hanging ceilings etc.).

Begin a quick attack on the seat of the fire attacking from an uninvolved portion of the building and room of origin.

Insure operation of fire doors, fire-sprinklers, etc. -

Get lines above the fire.

Shut off air handling systems.

Protect vertical openings (shafts, stairs, elevators).

Perform ventilation to confine and channel fire heat and smoke.

Move exposed combustibles.

Attack from the lee side of open fire or from flank if the lee side is untenable (lumber yard, etc.)

Tactics for Extinguishment

Locate the seat and the extent of flame

Determine GPM needed to carry out your assignment versus your ability to apply it.

Use master streams.

Use handlines.

Make interior attack on the seat of fire.

Consider exterior attack on the fire due to involvement, collapse potential, etc.

Support fire sprinklers and other fire protection systems.

Use standpipe system.

Use agents other than water.

Take lines up the stairs inside building.

Take lines up a ladder or a fire escape.

Reinforce tough positions and key positions.

Attack a fire in the attic from below.

Attack the fire in shafts, cockloft, walls, partitions, or framed out areas.

Tactics for Overhaul

Find hidden sources of the fire. Check six sides of the fire.

Open walls, ceilings, floors, and shafts.

Move stock and contents to a safe place. Inspect stock and contents for fire.

Remove debris.

Abate dangerous conditions (walls, ceilings, roofs, overhangs, and other burned out construction components) to eliminate danger of collapse.

Leave a watch line and firefighters at the scene.

Leave a fire company at scene.

Don't overhaul until the next morning if the scene is unsafe at night.

Flood the smoldering debris with water.

Wait to overhaul until the fire investigation is completed.

Restore fire protection systems.

Mitigate problems with leaking chemicals, flammable liquids, gases, etc.

De-energize damaged electrical circuits.

Don't move stock or contents in a way that could cause collapse.

Start overhaul from the top floor and work down when possible.

Shut off utilities where necessary. Restore utilities where possible and safe to do so.

Tactics for Ventilation

Perform mechanical ventilation with smoke ejectors.

Perform conventional ventilation.

Use air handling-systems if systems are designed to exhaust smoke and if fire department knows how to operate them.

Use fog streams to Ventilate

Channel heat, smoke and fire away from trapped people and from exposures. Don't spread the fire by ventilation in the wrong place.

Use existing channels in the building' to ventilate vertically (stairs, shafts, etc.)

Tactics for Salvage

Remove all water from the interior of building.

Use salvage covers

Remove stock and furniture to safe place.

Remove debris from building.

Use smoke deodorants.

Recover and protect important business records, family photos, etc.

Dry and protect machinery and furnishings.

Insure security of furnishings and contents.

Protect furnishings and contents from weather.

Cover up holes in roofs.

Cover up holes in floors where unsafe.

Protect the structure from the weather by covering up openings.