BY JAKE RIXNER
Very few fire departments have the volume of large fires to become proficient at usingaerial master streams. Far too often, you can open a trade journal and see the image of a ladder pipe or other aerial device such as a platform placed high above the fire, directing its stream onto a perfectly good roof (see photo 1). Adding insult to injury, a fog nozzle is often used when the reach and penetration of a solid stream are needed.
To understand the proper placement of aerial master streams, you need to understand basic fire behavior, the size and extent of the fire, building construction, the occupancy, fuel load, and the incident commander's strategy for the fire. Know-ing how to use an aerial master stream as part of an offensive attack (see photo 2) as opposed to a defensive "surround and drown" job when the building is being written off is also important.
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