Engine Company Operations Manual Flashcards
This manual excludes engine company operations at
wildland and high-rise fires
The primary function of an Engine Company is to
supply water and operate fire streams
to protect lives and property
What is the most effective means of providing safety for our members and the civilians we protect.
Rapid and aggressive fire control
Hose lines are placed
strategically, with the general practice of placing streams between ______ during offensive fire attack and between ________ in defensive
operations
the fire and potential
victims
the fire and exposures
What needs to happen before backup lines are placed in service
The
first attack line should be stretched, charged, and operating
Backup hoses should be larger than the initial attack lines and should be used
whenever the initial attack lines cannot extinguish the fire.
When determining fire flow, the
, the traditional formula of L x W /3 no longer applies to today’s
modern fire environments.
What measurement gives an accurate fire flow?
LxW of the building
What factors will increase the required fire flow?
fuel load, wind, and flow
path
All 1¾” handlines used for interior fire attack shall be operated to deliver a
minimum of _______ gallons per minute.
150
All 2½” handlines used for interior fire attack shall be operated to deliver a
minimum of _____ gallons per minute.
250
Generally, 2½” attack lines should be used for:
Fires considered to be advanced in nature (larger than 450 square feet)
Defensive operations
Obvious working fires in large buildings where the fire’s location is not readily apparent
Fires in large un-compartmented assembly or commercial structures
Standpipe operations
Any fire requiring a flow greater than 1¾” can deliver
How to reduce fire spread from flow path?
cooling fire gases while quickly moving to and extinguishing the seat of the fire
Controlling
the flow path improves
victim survivability, firefighter safety, reduces fire growth and
temperatures within the structure
Who must account for door control?
2nd unit on scene regardless of type
The Door Control person shall
keep their
unit designator so Command can keep their accountability since Door Control is performed in the Hot Zone. At the completion of Door Control, the member performing
the task should return to their crew if safe to do so or exit the Hot Zone and standby.
How to estimate the amount of hose needed inside a building?
Generally,
adding the width and depth of a building yields the required length of hose needed inside
Attack positions should never be further than ____ feet from a safe refuge.
150
What is needed at large and
mega-sized commercial occupancies?
commercial occupancies, effective recon prior to stretching the line is needed
to select an entrance that puts the attack team within this distance.
In occupancies with multiple floors, an additional _____ feet of hose is required to traverse
one floor
50
when a stairwell with a well
hole is used or if the hose is stretched via rope from the outside of the building, how much extra hose is needed
10 feet per floor
When should engines should consider the use of a “Horizontal Standpipe”
fires where setbacks,
parking, building arrangement, or other problems preclude the Engine from positioning
close to the fire
A transitional attack is often referred to as?
“Hit it hard from the yard” or “Softening the target.
Proper technique of a transitional attack includes:
Using a solid or straight stream pattern at a steep angle into the window
The stream enters the window close to the sill aimed at the ceiling
Do not excessively move the nozzle; allow steam to escape from the window
Apply water for 10 – 30 seconds
A transitional attack should NOT be used if:
It delays the interior attack
There is an obvious rescue within the flow path
You cannot get water on the fire
You need to create an opening
(e.g., break a window) to get water on the fire
(Except in the case of a basement fire, as outlined below)
What are the two significant risks of basement fires?
collapse and flow path
Tests have shown
consistent failure of the floor above the basement regardless of construction type within
_______minutes of direct fire impingement
8
How to mitigate the dangers of a basement fire?
a 360-degree assessment of the structure should be completed prior to committing crews to fire attack to identify the location of the fire and if the structure has a
basement. If a structure is found to have a basement, the terms used to describe it are
either a “walkout or no walkout.”
Walkout basement fires should be attacked from?
the basement access point. If possible,
a transitional attack should be started through this access point, from the exterior
In walk-out basement fires, all operations on the floor above the basement should be
coordinated
with fire attack
Non-walk-out basement fires should be fought by
transitional attack from a window closest to the fire should be made into the basement
prior to advancing the attack line from the floor above. The first line established should
apply water to the basement fire after creating an opening
What is extremely critical for non-walk-out basement operations
Door control is extremely
critical during this operation
What should be considered if there is difficulty controlling the fire during a transitional fire attack on basements is
Defensive operations
Master streams should be considered at any fire requiring a fire flow of greater than ______
gpm and should operate at a minimum flow of _____ gpm when possible.
250, 500
All Engine mounted and
portable master stream appliances shall have
smooth bore stack tips in place
The best way to secure a portable master stream is to provide a straight run of 2 ½” hose at least
_____ from each hose connection
20’
Most portable master stream manufacturers also recommend
securing the portable master stream from the front using
using rope, chain, or webbing.
Whenever possible, a portable master stream should be secured to a
rigid stationary
object in this manner
Which way is no longer recommended to secure a master stream device?
Rams horn
Which way may be effective to secure a master stream in a doorway?
A pike pole or pry bar placed across a
building doorway behind the feet of the portable master stream
What is an essential part of engine company
operations?
Supplying an uninterrupted flow of water
Who is responsible for water supply?
The first arriving engine officer
What are the water supply options for the first arriving engine company?
Tank water
forward lay
dry lay
reverse lay
When should tank water be performed?
in “nothing showing” situations. The Engine goes directly
to the fire and operates off of tank water
Other considerations for tank water
immediate rescue
Officer shall indicate over the radio that they are operating off of tank water and
direct the 2nd arriving Engine to establish a water supply
The term fast attack indicates
the Command Mode the initial IC operating in (e.g., Mobile Command).
When should forward lays be considered?
Should be considered with obvious working fires when laying a supply line will not impede the placement of later-arriving units.
The officer shall indicate they have established a supply line and may direct the
2nd arriving Engine to locate a secondary source of water.
When performing a dry lay, the
Engine will lay a dry supply line from a hydrant, static water source, or a
relay point to the fire. In areas without hydrants, consider laying both a 5” line
and a 2 ½” line.
When may dry lays be performed?
when a tender shuttle operation will be established by later-arriving units.
May be performed with obvious working fire conditions when charging the supply line in the street may impede other apparatus placement,
when staffing
levels are limited,
or when another apparatus will be relay pumping from the
hydrant.
What is a dry split lay?
A dry lay may be performed as a SPLIT LAY where the Engine lays a dry line forward from a point of convenience less than 800 feet from the scene, and another company completes the lay by performing a reverse lay to the water source.
What are the considerations for a reverse lay
Engine lays supply line from the fire to the water source.
Used by later arriving Engine Companies onto the fire ground to support water supply.
Performed to avoid apparatus congestion at the front of the building such as defensive operations.
Performed when apparatus will be relay pumping from the hydrant.
Should also be strongly considered on incidents where more than two hydrants
are used.
Once water supply is established, subsequent arriving engines should consider
establishing secondary sources, placing their apparatus in a position to establish an additional supply line, or positioning their apparatus at a hydrant already in use in case a relay operation
needed.
The 5” supply lines should be laid with the Engine moving at _____ mph
5-10
Safe and efficient __________ is an important Engine Company function
hydrant operation
What is the rope strap on the 5” hose used for?
to secure the hose to the hydrant
The procedure for securing a forward supply line from a hydrant is:
- Remove hydrant bag
- Place rope strap over hydrant
- Ensure hydrant is shut off
- Remove 5” cap
- Flush hydrant (full open, then reduce flow to half of the opening to clear any debris)
- Advise Engineer to proceed
- Select and attach proper Storz adapter
- Attach 2 ½” gate valve
- Attach 5” hose to Storz adapter
- Charge 5” hose when given the charge hydrant signal
National Standard Steamer thread on hydrants is defined as having ______threads per inch
and an outside diameter of ______
4
5.7609”
How are Denver hydrant adapters marked?
with blue paint
During hydrant operations, when should hand signals be used?
request the start or to stop the flow of water
The hand signal to stop the flow of water is made by using a
hand-arm motion horizontally across the neck
Radio contact should be made with the hydrant person to start or stop the flow of water when the _____
hydrant is out of sight of the Engine.
Some areas with an existing but inferior hydrant system are assigned an
Unhydranted
response.
What is an initial water conservation tactic in rural water ops
Supplying water with a 2.5” hose until a water shuttle is established
In short relay operations, who is in charge of placing the tender in pump, recirculating the water, setting the pump at an idle?
The tender driver
When must the engineer complete the connections in a short relay?
after the first line is flowing
What is unacceptable when nursing from a tender unless absolutely necessary?
using hard suction
Who must establish water supply in rural ops
2nd engine
Time to establish a “short relay” must be weighed against?
The immediate need for a first attack line
When may it be necessary for the Second due Engine to establish a water supply from the tender
if there is an immediate rescue requirement and option
one would be impossible or too time-consuming due to staffing or
geographical factors.
In rural water, when does an engine perform a dry lay and proceed to the fire
when immediate large streams are needed, but terrain
will not allow option 2.
Flow will be limited by
size of pump at water supply.
How many tenders are needed for shuttle operations?
4
If a large volume of water is anticipated, a tender sets up port-a-tank, and
the _______ is assigned to draft instead of tender.
second Engine
When should the engine proceed to the fire and set up for drafting operations?
It should be performed for defensive fire requiring sustained large flows of
water (more than 250 gpm or 3750 total gallons)
What are the 3 options for a first due engine to arrive on the scene in rural water without a tender?
Engine proceeds to fire and operates on tank water.
Engine performs a dry lay and proceeds to fire
First arriving engine reverse lays lines from fire to drafting site
If the first arriving Engine did not lay a supply line, the second arriving Engine should do
so with either
a reverse lay or by hand. This is to leave the 2nd Engine at the water supply
and reduce congestion near the fire.
If Command is passed to the officer, who will assume water supply group supervisor?
Engineer will assume the position of Water Supply Group Supervisor. The Water supply
group will coordinate with Command to secure all necessary resources to support an
adequate water supply.
A hydrant with adequate flow, but
low residual pressure may have _______ to it to boost pressure for a relay.
an engine assigned
Under no circumstances will SMFRA “draft” with hard suction hose from a _______
hydrant not
specifically designed and labeled for such use.
Who chose’s whether or not to use cisterns on private properties?
1st arriving engine officer or the Water Supply Group Supervisor
Cisterns should be
considered a backup supply or to be used if the 1st arriving Engine does not have a tender
available.
What does relay pumping allow?
maximum water flow from a source and is used to move water to the scene of a fire when friction loss is too great to be overcome by one pump
When should relay pumping be considered?
- more than two lines are in service
- there is a low residual incoming pressure on the attack engine
- the supply lay is greater than 300’ in length when a static source is being used
- at defensive fires.
The relay engine shall start the relay operation by
supplying water at ______ psi at the discharge.
100
In relay ops, The attack engine must request additional water from the
relay engine when the intake residual pressure drops below _____ psi
20
The relay engine must
communicate to the attack engine when the water supply is reaching its maximum
potential flow which is indicated by an intake residual pressure of less than _____ psi when
using a hydrant for water supply and by water level observation when using a static
source, such as a tender operation, for water supply.
50
Why is the relay engine’s pressure governor set to RPM mode during relay ops?
This will prevent
any oscillation (hunting) in the engine RPM for desired pressures.
Because the water supply Engine will be operating in the RPM mode, the
supply line _________by the pressure governor. It may be beneficial for the water
supply Engine_____
will not be protected
to open a 2 ½ discharge and let it flow continuously during
supply operations. This will help alleviate any pressure fluctuations.
The discharge pressure relief valve should be set to ______ psi to help absorb pressure
fluctuations from attack lines.
120
If a relay
operation will involve multiple relay engines, then the Incident Commander should request
more Engine Companies to the scene and should consider creating a ________
Water Supply
Group.
There should be no more than _____of 5” line between engines.
800
At the conclusion of relay operations, the relay should be shut down from _____
engines back to _____to prevent cutting off the attack water supply
prematurely.
Attack engine
water source
Sprinkler systems shall be supplied at _____ psi
at the pump panel discharge unless otherwise indicated by the specific system.
150
Standpipe
systems will be supplied by determining the specific pressure needed for the system and
attack line configuration used and then by referring to the
South Metro Pump Chart for
appropriate pump pressures.
In combination systems, what is the preferred pressure?
the pressure needed for the attack
line shall be used
the FDC should be connected to with______ and the building system used to support the fire flow demands. If building will not
support the required fire flow, charge the system, and manually take it over.
dry hose
The minimum
size of hose line at car fires is the _____handline operating at a minimum of ______ gpm.
1¾”
150
