Engine Company Operations

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=75 BGCOLOR="#330000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="198c8c83.jpg"> <div> Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department</div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=250 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000" background="0befa043.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department">Home</A></div> <div> <A HREF="interior_firefighting.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interior Firefighting">Interior Firefighting</A></div> <div> <B>Engine Company Operations</B></div> <div> <A HREF="truck_company_operations.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Truck Company Operations">Truck Company Operations</A></div> <div> <A HREF="ventilation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ventilation">Ventilation</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=405 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Engine Company Operations</I></div> <div> <B>Question #2:</B></div> <div> What is an "Engine Company" and what does it do?</div> <bR> <div> <B>Engine Company Operations</B></div> <div> The Engine Company is the basic unit of a fire department. It provides the primary fire fighting agent - water - and the personnel to use it at the fireground.</div> <div> To supply and use water properly, the fire fighter must have considerable skill and knowledge (along with a certain amount of brawn and the ability to withstand physical and mental stress).</div> <bR> <div> <B>The objectives of an Engine Company are:</B></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Rescue victims </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Protect exposures </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Confine the fire </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Extinguish the fire </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Overhaul the fireground </div> <bR> <div> All but the last of these objectives are carried out in an atmosphere of flame and smoke. Therefore, it is essential that fire fighters understand the nature of fire and the factors that affect its spread, including building construction, type of occupancy, and types of fuel available to the fire.</div> <bR> <div> Engine company apparatus and equipment have been designed to allow fire fighters to function effectively and quickly. Through training and experience, engine company personnel must acquire knowledge, skill and judgment in performing the following eight basic operations of engine companies:</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Rescue </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Water supply </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Use of initial attack fire hose lines </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Use of backup fire hose lines </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Exposure protection </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Heavy water stream development </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Tactical use of protective systems </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Overhaul </div> <bR> <div> It is not expected that one company will perform every one of these operations at every fire; nor are the operations necessarily to be carried out in the order given above. Just as fire situations vary, what needs to be done in each case will vary.</div> <bR> <div> Information from: Dunn, Vincent - Safety And Survival On The Fireground, Fire Engineering Books & Videos 1992</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>