Why Somebody Has To Give A Report From The Rear.....

Sorry about the lack of posts lately, I've just been busy trying to catch up with life.  Anyways, I should have some new stuff up this week.  Until then I will leave you with some photos of a fireground I was on that reiterate the importance of a company giving a report of conditions in the rear.

The fire was on an early June morning in 2009.  My company responded as the 3rd due Engine on the box with 3 personnel.  The first due Engine Company went on the scene about 1 minute ahead of us and reported a fully involved dwelling.  Since we were the 3rd due Engine, we came in from the opposite direction and laid a supply line from a secondary water supply.  We led off with a 2.5" hoseline and stretched from the "Delta" side of the house.  I directed my nozzle firefighter to set up and begin flowing at the "Alpha/Delta" corner with the 2.5" and I took a lap to give a report from the rear.  When I got to the rear I saw a 2 story addition that had smoke pushing from both floors but no fire showing.  I reported this to Command and returned to our Engine to stretch a 1.75" hoseline to the "Delta" side, so that we could transition inside as soon as Command would allow.

Conditions upon arrival
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF

After about 3 minutes of operating, we had dumped our tank water on the fire and had made significant progress on the main body of fire.  The 4th due Engine arrived, picked up our line, and supplied us shortly thereafter and we were only without water for less than a minute.  As soon as the water supply was established, Command allowed our company and 2 special service companies to enter from the "Delta" side door.  We went from room to room making quick work of the remaining fire in the front portion of the house and the special services completed the searches which proved to be negative.

Transitional point
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF

Miraculously, all 18 occupants made it out safely prior to the fire department's arrival.  There were a few "take-home" points from the fire: obviously the importance of getting a company in the rear as conditions may differ greatly from the front, 2.5" hoselines can extinguish large volumes of water if applied correctly (the first due Engine led off with a 2.5" but the nozzle firefighter was operating the hoseline with the nozzle only partially open which was hampering their extinguishment efforts), a solid fire stream extinguished the fire versus "pushing" it (some would lead you to believe applying water from the burned side will always push the fire into the unburned side.  The wider the pattern, the more CFM's of air are moved thus increasing your odds of "pushing" by-products of combustion. A solid or straight stream doesn't move a large amount of air and, when properly applied, will extinguish fire. Science and firegrounds have proved this, improper and improperly applied fire streams are probably the cause of "pushed" fire incidents.)

After extinguishment
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF

The next day, the addition still very much intact and definitely tenable had there been trapped occupants
Photo Courtesy of Paul Lof, retired FFX Co. FF