HYATTSVILLE
VOLUNTEER FIRE
DEPARTMENT
ENGINE COMPANY OPS
In order to establish efficiency and teamwork in engine company operations, the
following system is devised to assist personnel in making decisions by having assignments
based on riding positions.
The engine company is the basic unit of the fire department, a company which is
aggressive in it's attack on the fire and can often extinguish a fire which otherwise may have
spread further. The engine company operates as a team on the fireground, so it's members
should be in close proximity to each other unless on an assignment. These guidelines are
offered as a basic guide to initiate your actions on the fireground.
Basically, the engine company will perform the following duties on the fire scene :
- Rescue
Perform any obvious rescues first then a search of the immediate fire area after
the fire is knocked down. The prompt and efficient use of a hose stream can often save
many lives.
- Exposures
The three types of exposures to be considered are : 1. Life,
2. External, 3. Internal.
The order of priority for the coverage of
buildings in exposure situations depends upon : 1. Life Hazard,
2. Economic Importance, 3. Fire Extension Probability, 4. Fire
Potential.
- Confinement
The fire must be confined before the fire can be extinguished. The
basic principle is to place a hoseline between the occupants and the fire,
or between the fire and the undamaged portion of the structure.
- Extinguishment
After the confining action has stopped the spread of the fire, it can
then be extinguished.
- Overhaul
To insure the structural stability of the building and to insure that
the fire is completely out.
In many cases, a quick aggressive attack on the fire will accomplish all of
these goals in one single act.
ENGINE COMPANY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
FOR RIDING POSITIONS
Return to HVFD Policy Index
Copyright 1997, Hyattsville Volunteer Fire
Department