Fireground command and control can be as much a function for an organized system as personal discipline. While interior operations are still being conducted operating master streams can be avoided if communication is clear. All personnel on the fireground are aware of the transition from offensive to defensive, but the master stream is not put in service until command confirms all members are out of the building and accounted for.This week’s featured reportdescribes a near-miss at an incident in which communications are an issue:
“I was in on an interior attack of a two-story house. The fire was in a bathroom and had extended into the attic. The other crew was pulling ceiling and putting water on the fire. At the same time, a ladder truck had raised their ladder and opened up their master stream through a hole in the roof. They hit the interior crew with water and debris. Somehow, the ladder crew had no idea we were inside. This happened in the afternoon of a clear, autumn day…”
There are a number of unanswered questions in this week’s scenario, so this serves as an excellent starting point for discussion. How is it that interior and exterior crews are not aware of each others’ location at the scene of a “two-story house?” Your experience can provide a dozen answers. Once you have reviewed this report (CLICK HERE), consider the following:
1. How organized and controlled was your last master stream operation?
2. In addition to your answer from #1, who was most responsible for the success or shortfall of the operation?
3. Have any safeguards been put in place to prevent a recurrence and were the positive aspects shared with the rest of the department?
4. Are the master stream operators equipped with portable radios?
5. Would a master stream operated from a tower bucket versus an aerial ladder make a difference?
How can you prevent an incident like the one related this week? Make your success someone else’s by submitting your account tohttp://www.firefighternearmiss.com/today.
Note: The questions posed by the reviewers are designed to generate discussion and thought in the name of promoting firefighter safety. They are not intended to pass judgment on the actions and performance of individuals in the reports.
