Chapter 11: The Seven Pillars of Smart Firefighting Flashcards
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Smart fire operating philosophy
Firefighting operations are typically described as either safe or aggressive.
Thompson’s alternative is the smart fire operating philosophy.
How to position firefighters for success and survival through an operational philosophy that allows firefighters to aggressively solve problems bomb managing risk as an action step for safety.
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Process >system >standards
Systems execute the process and standards govern the action steps of the system
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What is the premise of the smart fire operating philosophy?
The smart operational philosophy is based on preparedness and aggressive problem-solving. The entire premise of the philosophy is that the more committed the fire company is to preparedness, the better position they will be to aggressively solve the problem of those they were sworn to protect.
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What are the seven pillars of smart firefighting for suburban fire departments?
(Each pillar supports a deliberate approach to preparing for and engaging in fire operations)
The pillars of smart firefighting
I. Operational capabilities and limitations
II. Objective-based fire operation guidelines
III. Science justified tactics
IV. Standard deployment model
V. Designated deployment responsibilities
VI. First alarm considerations
VII. Smart is safer
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Pillar I. Operational capabilities and limitations
The most critical pillar because it forms the foundation of thinking understanding what the system (connected things i.e. fire companies) can and can’t do.
This must be the first consideration when developing a vision of successful fire operations.
In addition it allows you to determine operational wins and losses which you can’t do if you don’t know what the system is capable of. In turn those wins and losses will tell you for your operational philosophy is applicable for your department.
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Pillar I. Operational capabilities and limitations
What do smaller departments need to know intimately about their systems?
How does IC use that information?
What is the adjustment point?
Smaller departments need to intimately understand the capabilities & limitations of their systems (companies).
Knowing what they’re capable of allows the IC to maximize the capabilities of the resources on scene to solve as many problems simultaneously as possible.
– most significant difference between SM depts. & L depts. is the ability of L depts. to solve multiple problems simultaneously. –
IC must be able to accurately prioritize the order in which problems are solved based on available problem-solving teams.
When they exceed the capability of the talent on scene the team becomes limited and adjustment needs to be made to the level of operational aggression. Failing to make this adjustment is when bad things happen (this is his secret sauce step)
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Pillar I. Operational capabilities and limitations
What is TCF the capable of handling by themselves
What happens if initial assignments are altered?
TCFD knows based on their standards the maximum capability when all resources are in play are capable of handling a 2500 square-foot SFD.
However if initial assignments are altered, the system becomes limited and adjustments need to be made. As soon as the officer realizes they are limited and adjustments should be made. That adjustment can be additional resources or adjusting the initial level of aggression. (Secret sauce step)
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Pillar I. Operational capabilities and limitations
Action steps
- Define the max capability of the assigned resources to each type of call. (What the system can do when fully functional)
- Develop a baseline operating guideline that outlines response and deployment when fully functional
- Develop additional operating guidelines for events that fall outside of system capabilities (eg HiRise), and operational adjustments for the standard mode of attack.
- Train officers to think in terms of system operational capabilities. Unhindered – proceed with caution, limitations – use greater level of caution (thought limitation equaled adjustment?!)
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Transitional attack
Transitional fire attack is used to reduce a large amount of fire with a solid stream, allowing the fire attack group to transition to an interior position so that the seed of fire can be extinguished.
Blitz
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Pillar II. Objective-based fire operations guideline
Why is this a crucial step for achieving operational success?
What do these guidelines include?
Crucial step for achieving operational success for functional fire companies is developing the playbook.
Need objective based operation guidelines to clearly describe the goals that you’re trying to accomplish (what success looks like).
These operation guidelines should include strategies, tactics, task, and techniques that are necessary to achieve the objective.
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Pillar II. Why it’s smart
The benefit of objective based fire operation guidelines
What format do the TCFD guidelines follow?
Fire operation guidelines makeup the playbook. The benefit is that this document can be used to prepare for fire events, operate at fire events, and evaluate the success of fire events. Success is measured by the company’s ability to meet the objectives defined in the playbook.
TCFD’s guidelines followed the TASKS format. Thompson believes using a standard format with consistent content enhances learning. Firefighters are able to concentrate on specific objectives in bullet point vs interpreting paragraphs of content.
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Pillar II. TASKS
T-Tactical Objectives – define the purpose of the operational guideline & situation it’s designed to address
A- Assignment objectives – outlines who does what, based on operational philosophy (Quint or Eng/Truck).
In TCFD each outline requires specific tactics/task assigned by either company or member of company so that everything is addressed. Requires CO to call an audible if guideline isn’t meeting demands of incident. company members must then determine what actions are necessary to adequately address the task/tactics.
S-Smart objectives – will be aimed either towards safety or risk management philosophy.
K-Knowledge objectives – reference other operating guidelines and best practices that help clarify the fire operating guideline. Also includes any reference material that supports the standard. Knowledge objectives assure common terminology and operational consistency across the department.
S-Standard objectives – specify performance standards and any other measurable, definable outcomes that need to be included to help determine an operational win or loss
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Pillar II. Action steps 2
What is the first thing you must do to create operational guidelines?
What should operational guidelines cover?
- The first thing an operational guideline must do is define and clarify the operating philosophy of the department (this is the equivalent to a football playbook). This includes operational priorities, employment model, the value of safety and risk management, incident benchmarks or tactical priorities, etc.
- Develop an objective based guideline for each type of incident, building, etc. For example TCFD has a guideline for SFD over 2500 ft ² & SFD under 2500ft ²
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Pillar III: Science justified tactics
Fire Science subjects TCFD teaches and description 9
TCFD introduced new fire operation guidelines based on the science from the Gov. islands studies. The following subjects should be included in training for revising fireground operations and introducing science justified tactics.
- Fire dynamics – Including ventilation limited fire growth.
- Building construction – Conventional and modern building construction features and how smoke and fire behave in each.
- Size up – Identifying fire ground problems & needs
- Flow path recognition and management – size up essentials, principles and laws pressure, window removal and door control, role of outside control (OTM)
- Coordinated tactics – Importance of coordinating engine and truck company tactics and task and the importance of coordinating operations (cannot be stressed enough)
- Capabilities and limitations – Defining operational capabilities and limitations based on capability of available resources.
- Aggressive fire attack – Defining and supporting a culture that values getting water on the seat of the fire soon as possible. Making that an operational priority for engine companies.
- Search considerations – Defining and supporting a culture that places a high priority on search. Search probabilities and possibilities, the search mindset, impact of ventilation and fire attack on victim survival.
- Aggressive problem-solving – Defining and differentiating acceptable aggressive tactics and reckless tactics based on victim survival, five fire safety, and operational capabilities and limitations.
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Pillar III: Science justified tactics- why its smart
What benefit has been made from studying the science behind the operational guidelines?
The exercise of studying fire operations to this extent has resulted in noticeably smarter fire ground operations.
Fire ground problems are getting solved more quickly and effectively, verified by tracking the times of initiation and completion of initial tactics.
Officers show more confidence in their decisions and firefighters more deliver interactions.
TCFD has exhibited the following results as a result of applying science to tactics
