FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENTS OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA FIREFIGHTING AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS MANUAL ENGINE COMPANY OPERATIONS Second Edition Issued: November 2003 Revised: December 2013 Engine Company Operations, Second Edition Final Version, December 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Engine Company Operations was developed through a cooperative effort of the following Northern Virginia fire departments: . City of Alexandria . Loudoun County . Arlington County . City of Manassas . City of Fairfax . Marine Corps Base Quantico . Fairfax County . Metropolitan Washington Airports . Fauquier County Authority (MWAA) . Fort Belvoir . Prince William County . Fort Myer . Stafford County The Northern Virginia Fire Operations Board managed the development of the first edition of the manual (released in November 2003) and the current second edition. The first edition content was developed by the Operations Board’s Technical Writing Group. The following members of the Firefighting and Emergency Operations Technical Writing Workgroup participated in the third edition revision of the manual in 2012 and 2013: City of Alexandria: Lieutenant Dave Bogozi, Lieutenant Matthew Craig City of Manassas: Battalion Chief Mark Nary Arlington County: Captain David Santini, Captain Nick Krechting Fairfax City: Captain Joseph Schumacher, Captain Gregory Thuot Fairfax County: Battalion Chief Tyrone Harrington, Captain David Barlow, Captain Dan Shaw, Master Technician Matthew Tamillow Fort Belvoir: Lieutenant Kevin Good Fort Myer: Assistant Chief Bruce Surette, Captain William Long Loudoun County: Lieutenant Scott Lantz MWAA: Captain Chris Gavurnik, Captain Jason Graber Prince William County: Lieutenant Bryan Ross Stafford County: Lieutenant Brian Thompson The Board would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their help in the development of this manual: AAW Publication Services: Andrea A. Walter (editing and layout, second edition) ii Engine Company Operations, Second Edition Final Version, December 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 PLANNING AND PREPARATION .............................................................................................. 2 In Quarters .................................................................................................................................. 2 Training ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Pre-incident Fire Planning .......................................................................................................... 5 RESPONDING ............................................................................................................................... 7 Alarm Responses ........................................................................................................................ 7 First Due Engine Company ......................................................................................................... 7 Second Due Engine Company .................................................................................................... 8 Third Due Engine Company ....................................................................................................... 8 Fourth Due Engine Company ..................................................................................................... 8 Response to Fire Alarms ............................................................................................................. 8 FIRE BEHAVIOR ........................................................................................................................ 10 The Fire Tetrahedron ................................................................................................................ 10 Flashover ................................................................................................................................... 11 Backdraft ................................................................................................................................... 11 Rollover..................................................................................................................................... 11 Thermal Layering...................................................................................................................... 11 Stratification .............................................................................................................................. 11 Pyrolysis .................................................................................................................................... 11 Stages of Fire Growth ............................................................................................................... 12 Modern Fuel Loading ............................................................................................................... 13 Ventilation’s Effect on Fire ...................................................................................................... 13 Reading Smoke ......................................................................................................................... 16 Potential Fuel ........................................................................................................................ 16 Density and Color ................................................................................................................. 16 Velocity or Speed .................................................................................................................. 17 Volume .................................................................................................................................. 17 Examples of Reading Smoke ................................................................................................ 18 FIREFIGHTING OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................. 21 Rescue ................................................................................................................................... 21 Exposure ............................................................................................................................... 21 Confinement .......................................................................................................................... 22 iii Engine Company Operations, Second Edition Final Version, December 2013 Extinguishment ..................................................................................................................... 22 Overhaul ................................................................................................................................ 22 Ventilation............................................................................................................................. 22 Salvage .................................................................................................................................. 23 SIZE-UP ........................................................................................................................................ 24 Pre-Incident Size-Up ................................................................................................................. 24 Pre-Arrival Size-Up .................................................................................................................. 24 On-Scene Report ....................................................................................................................... 25 360˚ Lap .................................................................................................................................... 25 Situation Report ........................................................................................................................ 26 Interior Size-Up ........................................................................................................................ 26 Ongoing Size-Up ...................................................................................................................... 26 Locating the Fire ....................................................................................................................... 27 Exterior Indicators ................................................................................................................ 27 Interior Indicators...................................................................................................................... 28 Risk Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 29 Life Hazard ........................................................................................................................... 29 Fire Conditions...................................................................................................................... 29 Protection of Life .................................................................................................................. 30 Victim Survivability Profiling .............................................................................................. 30 Structural Stability/Collapse Potential .................................................................................. 31 Resources 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