Promotional Prep Fire Service Promotional Test Preparation 301 Claremont Ave. Suite 5 Montclair, NJ (201) or promotionalprep.

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1 Perfect Score Program: Structure Fires Promotional Prep Fire Service Promotional Test Preparation 301 Claremont Ave. Suite 5 Montclair, NJ (201) or promotionalprep.com Over the years we have responded to your phone calls and s continually asking for more. With our student base now extending from New Jersey to Hawaii, we have added a new series of on-line programs designed to get you the "perfect score" on your promotional assessment exam. To add to the success of our Home Study programs, the staff at Promotional Prep has designed a new series of exercises and guides to use from the comfort of your computer or phone. Each of our Perfect Score programs is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) you should expect on your promotional exam. Based on the years of experience our team has gained from tutoring candidates, new and enhanced information from our seminars and textbooks has now been designed into our web site as easy-to-use exercises and guides. Shy of you attending one of our seminars, this is the next best thing! Introduction: We know the oral assessment can be an intimidating process for those aspiring to the officer ranks. In order to be successful one must develop a format or template to assure a thorough, systematic and orderly response. Our Perfect Score Oral Assessment programs provide the student with these templates. The templates we have designed are analogous to a teams playbook in which a plan or play is outlined for every given situation. For our Structure Fire program we provide you with a proven 10-step fire format. This is the popular and proven format as taught in our fire officer seminars and is outlined in Chief Terpak s Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics" book as well as Promotional Prep's "Fire Officer Oral Assessment Study Guides." Enclosed is a quick introduction to this and more enjoy! STRUCTURE FIRES - 10 STEP APPROACH: 1. En-route/Arrival 2. Transfer of Command 3. Assume/Establish Command 4. Radio report, Resource requests 5. Scene Size-Up 6. Strategy and Tactics

2 7. Incident Scene Management 8. Review, Evaluate and Revise 9. Under Control 10. Transfer/Terminate ENGINE COMPANY OPERATIONS - WASS POCC Establish a Water supply Place Apparatus Hose line Selection Hose line Stretch Hose line Placement Hose line Objective(s) Coordinate with Ladder Co. Operations Provide a progress report to Command LADDER COMPANY OPERATIONS - AL VES SCOUP Apparatus Placement Ladder building Ventilate building Force Entry Search Salvage Coordinate with Engine Co. Operations Overhaul Utility Control Provide a Progress report to Command As we continue our commitment to preparing students for their upcoming promotional exams, Promotional Prep s professional and personal approach is second to none! With additional programs currently being designed; we hope you can join us. The Promotional Prep

3 Promotional Prep Fire Service Promotional Test Preparation Company Officer Oral Assessment Structure Fire - Exercise # 1 At 18:00 hours on a warm Friday you are dispatched to a report of a stove fire in the kitchen at 1123 Spruce Street. Pre-incident information for this address indicates that the homes in that area are 2.5 story light-weight frames. More specifically, they were built in 1998 of wood frame construction and contain wooden "I" beam supported floors with a truss supported roof deck. Many of the buildings in the complex are attached to similar structures. While en-route to the incident the Fire Communication Center informs all responding units that "an occupant is trapped in a second floor rear bedroom and cannot exit down the stairs because of the smoke." They also advise you that "work is being done in the area to the water supply grid. Unknown at this time if there are any restrictions." As the first arriving engine company officer you exit your vehicle and observe smoke from the front of the structure. As you quickly do your 360 degree walk-around you see fire exiting the first floor rear from what appears to be the kitchen area. Two Engine Companies, a Ladder Co. and a Battalion Chief are assigned to this incident. The temperature is 88 degrees, there is no wind. You are the first arriving FD unit and current Incident Commander. 1

4 QUESTIONS: Question # 1: As the first due fire officer and current Incident Commander, what are your "initial" actions, and what resources will you request to the scene?" NOTES: 2

5 Question #2: "Describe your strategy and tactics for this incident?" NOTES: * Student Note: You will have 10 minutes to prep your answer before you respond. You will then be given 10 minutes to present your answer, good luck! 3

6 ANSWER KEY: Question # 1: As the first due fire officer and current Incident Commander, what are your "initial" actions, and what resources will you request to the scene?" Establish Command. Name and locate Command Post on Side A. Conduct multi-sided, 360 degree - size up view of incident. Give radio report to Fire Communications Center noting construction, occupancy, location and extent of fire- and immediate life hazard concerns. Request additional resources: Promotional Prep's U 2 P E R S W A R + Request Utility Company's - Gas, Electric, Water. Transmit a second (2) alarm - have them respond to a designated Staging area. Request Police for traffic and crowd control. Request EMS - for triage, treatment and transportation needs. Request/assign a Rapid Intervention Company. Request/assign a Safety Officer. Request/assign a Water Supply Officer to assess/identify area/water supply concerns; if any. Request/assign a Accountability Officer. Request/assign a Rehab Officer and Rehab Unit. Red Cross for displaced occupants. Fire Investigator for cause and origin. Question #2: "Describe your strategy and tactics for this incident?" Offensive Operation. Direct your Engine Companies: Promotional Prep's WASS POCC Engine Co. 1-2 establish primary and secondary Water supplies. Place apparatus so as to leave room for the arriving Ladder Company. Select and Stretch 1-3/4 inch hose lines. Hose line Placement - through the front door. Hose line Objectives: Hose line #1- Locate, confine and extinguish first floor/rear kitchen fire. Hose line #1 - Stopping fire from advancing to trapped occupant on floor 2. Hose line # 2 - Back up initial attack hose line. Hose line # 2 - If not needed for back up, stretch to floor above to halt vertical fire extension. Coordinate water application with assigned Ladder Co. duties. Provide a progress report to Command Direct your Ladder Company: Promotional Prep's AL VES SCOUP Place Apparatus in front of fire building and Exposure D. 4

7 Raise Ground Ladders front and rear for occupant rescue and secondary means of egress options. Horizontally Venting rear/first floor to control fire growth and flow path. Force Entry where needed. Search, rescue and remove trapped occupant from floor 2. Primary search of remaining areas. Conduct Salvage where needed. Coordinate vent and search with Engine Company water application and movement in the building. Check for fire extension into light weight support systems. Conduct Overhaul where needed, notably in, around and behind the stove and kitchen cabinets. Conduct Utility Control. Progress report to Command. Describe IMS Scene Management: Fire Attack, Vent and Search Groups. Divisions B and D for attached exposures. Seek progress reports. RER: Review, Evaluate and IF necessary Revise your IAP. Example: IF fire involves LW support systems, consider with drawl Utilize Promotional Prep's Offensive to Defensive guideline. Under Control Conduct PAR Assign members to secondary searches. Ensure all Salvage and Overhaul responsibilities are complete. Preserve scene for cause and origin Assist remaining occupants with relocations - Red Cross. Secure scene. Prepare to transfer Command face-to-face to arriving Battalion Chief. Terminate Command. Rehab members. Conduct a Post Incident Review. Complete NIFRS reporting. OTHER Value Added Responses: Further assessing the potential water supply concerns presented in the exercise. Evacuating the B&D exposure. Stretching hose lines to Exposure B&D as a precaution. Checking for and halting and fire extension into Exposures B&D. 5

8 Townhouse Fire Answer Key / Summary/ Explanation When reviewing test scenarios we often stress to students at Promotional Prep to remember this is a test, not an actual fire. In actuality had you responded to this fire, very likely it may have been knocked down/controlled immediately with the initial attack hose line. The first due Ladder Company would have removed any occupants and opened up to check for and confirm no extension. But this is not an actual fire. This is a test and hence must be fought as such. Although this fire may well be contained to the kitchen stove area, we must address all the possibilities and potential for it extending into voids to the floor above and in the worst case, to the adjoining structure. When testing we must be thorough, systematic, and direct our actions to address all possibilities and potentialities in order to assure a perfect score. At structure fire exercises, regardless of their size, consider a minimum of three hose lines. Attack line, back up line and line to the floor above. Next, consider any exposures. With attached townhouses in this exercise, stretch additional hose lines to cover the B&D exposures. (Remember this is a test... address all potential areas of fire spread) When stretching hose lines always state the size hose line, where it is going, and what it is going to do. As for Ladder Company operations, consider AL VES SCOUP. For ease of presentation and to better organize their response, many candidates/students divide the ladder company duties amongst interior crews and outside crews. Interior crews perform forcible entry, primary search, horizontal ventilation, salvage (pre and post control) and overhaul (expose hidden fire). Outside crews ladder all levels for access/egress and rescue, assist with horizontal ventilation, access roof for vertical ventilation where necessary and control utilities. It is important to also note that you must address specific scenario information. You are being evaluated on your ability to recognize specific concerns, hazards, and then to take appropriate action to address the issues. First and foremost, the scenario states that there is an occupant trapped o the second floor. Ladder companies should not only conduct a primary search, but they also need to be more specific and search, rescue and remove the trapped occupant. The scenario goes further and states that the fire is in the kitchen area, specifically starting in the stove. Our interior ladder crew hence does not simply perform overhaul, they overhaul, specifically opening up around the stove, range hood and kitchen cabinets in order to expose any hidden fire. Lightweight wood construction has been around for decades and presently has become the norm in many class 5 buildings. Authors such as Terpak, Dunn, and Norman have all developed operational guidelines in dealing with these types of structures. Simply stated: "For fires involving contents we employ an offensive strategy. Should fire 6

9 involve the truss lofts, specifically the floor and/or roof assemblies and extinguishment is not immediate, you need to be prepared to withdraw and go defensive operations." This is important information and certainly as a test taker we want to address this possibility. The place to do this is in the RER step. The RER step: RER is the perfect place to introduce or address any potential concerns or possibilities to the assessment board or testing representative. It can be accomplished as simple as stating Being of lightweight truss construction I have additional concerns, chiefly the potential for collapse should fire enter the truss lofts. If at any time reports from the interior indicate that fire has entered the truss lofts and it cannot be immediately extinguished, I would notify all companies with an urgent /mayday message of the situation and order a safe and orderly withdrawal of forces from the building." With strategy and tactics employed to address all possibilities, we now go to our post control duties and ultimately termination of the incident. Sound easy? No, but it is a great step/format toward your perfect score! Student Note: For additional information regarding our Structure Fire Oral Assessment Guide go the text books: Fire Officer Oral Assessment Study Guide Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics For additional information regarding fires in Garden Apartments and Townhouses go the text book: Fire Ground Size-Up All of the above texts are available at promotionalprep.com 7

10 Promotional Prep Fire Service Promotional Test Preparation Company Officer Oral Assessment Structure Fire - Exercise # 2 At 14:00 hours on a September afternoon, you are dispatched to a report of a fire in a residential home located at 489 Elm Street. Pre-incident information for this address indicates that the homes in that area are 2.5 story wood frames of platform frame design. While still en-route to the incident you hear via the fire department radio that "Engine Co. 1 is on the scene reporting smoke showing from the structure." They also state that "it is unknown if all the occupants are out of the building and that they are stretching a hose line to the building's interior." As the officer of Ladder Company 1 you arrive behind Engine Co.1 and position your apparatus in front of the building. Two Engine Companies, a Ladder Co. and a Battalion Chief are assigned to this incident. The temperature is 66 degrees, there is no wind. 1

11 QUESTIONS: Question # 1: The IC orders you and your teams to conduct primary search and ventilation, how do you proceed? NOTES: 2

12 Question #2: "With the fire now under control, the Incident Commander orders you and your members to conduct overhaul. How do you proceed?" Student Note: You will have 10 minutes to prep your answer before you respond. You will then be given 10 minutes to present your answer, good luck! 3

13 ANSWER KEY: Question # 1: The IC orders you and your teams to conduct primary search and ventilation, how do you proceed? Acknowledge order. Advise members of the assignment. Ensure all members are in Full PPE /SCBA, Pass with TIC. Check in/advise Accountability Officer of assignment. Work in pairs/accountability system. Spilt Ladder Company member into an Inside and Outside Team. Ensure/assign all the necessary tools and equipment for both jobs. Assure RIC is available. SEARCH: Request/ensure of a secondary means egress from the search area. Have Outside team place ground ladders to the front and rear of the structure. Request a protective hose line be in place to protect members searching. Perform size up/rescue profile. Plan and conduct a systematic search. Residential search pattern - Utilize a right/left hand search using walls. Utilize Thermal Imaging Camera to assist with search and fire spread. Close doors - limit/control flow path. Stay low, feel doors for heat. Probe with a tool. Pause as you go listen for cries, moans, coughs, etc. Start closest to the fire area and work out. Search bedrooms, closets, cabinets, under beds, under windows, behind doors. Monitor air supplies. Constantly assess fire conditions. Know your means of egress. Always coordinate with engine company's movement/hose placement. Provide progress reports to command. 4

14 VENTILATION: Stabilize apparatus, raise aerial ladder to roof for vertical vent Raise additional ground ladders to windows for horizontal vent. Have members proceed up ladders with all necessary tools to complete the task. Check stability of roof before exiting ladder. Check/sound roof for stability before exiting ladder. Determine/request secondary means of egress off the roof. Identify secondary means options. Assess wind speed and direction. If present. Advise/inform interior crews of vertical ventilation operations. (where and when) Assign members to cutting operations, Saw FFer and guide FFer. Plan cut and inform all members. Identify the circle of danger Keep wind at your back. Cut hole over the main fire room. Initial cut and opening should be a minimum of a 4 x4 opening. Push down ceiling. Report vertical ventilation cut and results to Command. Continue to enlarge vertical cut/opening. Open/remove Skylight. Monitor roof deck stability. Assign member to vent top floor windows from ground ladders. Drop/cut inspection hole(s) to identify horizontal fire extension throughout cockloft. Vertical and Horizontal vents must be communicated and coordinated with Interior members! Give progress report to Command. After period of time, request reliefs for your members. Question #2: "With the fire now under control, the Incident Commander orders you and your members to conduct overhaul. How do you proceed?" Acknowledge order and advise all members of the assignment. Ensure all FFs are in full PPE, SCBA, PASS. Work in pairs/adhere to accountability system. Clear scene with Fire Investigation Unit before overhaul. Conduct safety survey/ Assure area is safe. (address any hazards presented in scenario) ex. Poor visibility, holes or weakened areas, collapse hazards, electrical hazards, gas hazards, Provide lighting if necessary. 5

15 Rope or partition off dangerous areas. Relieve promptly any accumulated water Monitor CO levels Assure utilities are shut (water, electric and gas) Assure charged hose line is present Reduced discharge rates to prevent additional water damage. Utilize Thermal Imaging Camera. Starting point of overhaul should be at the center of the burned area. Utilizes senses to locate hidden fire. Open concealed spaces. Open baseboards/door frames/window frames. Use reach of pike pole and /or hose streams in unsafe areas. Remove combustibles of no value to exterior. Expose and extinguish all fire. Coordinate actions. Provide progress reports to Command. After extended operations consider relief for members. TASK BASED QUESTIONS: In our seminars and in our text books, we stress the need for the student to understand what the question(s) is asking. For Company Officer fire assessment exercises we often see two different styles of questions; the first is what we refer to as Command Based questions. Command based exercises and questions will have the Company Officer arriving first at an incident. Questions will often focus on the officers strategy and tactics as the current Incident Commander. In another style of exercise and question, the scenario will indicate that Command has already been established and that you are receiving orders from the IC to perform certain "tasks" needed on the fire ground. In the above exercise we assessed your knowledge of certain task functions and answers as a Ladder Company officer. Task functions such as search, vent, overhaul, fire attack,etc. are common exercise questions that will most notably be a part of your promotional assessment. It is important during your exam that you understand your role in the exercise, the related questions and your responsibilities. Reading comprehension is a critical requirement. Enjoy! 6

16 Student Note: For additional information regarding our Structure Fire Oral Assessment Guide go the text books: Fire Officer Oral Assessment Study Guide Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics For additional information regarding fires in Private Dwellings go the text book: Fire Ground Size-Up All of the above texts are available at promotionalprep.com 7

17 Promotional Prep Fire Service Promotional Test Preparation Company Officer Oral Assessment Structure Fire - Exercise # 3 At 05:20 hours on a mild Sunday morning, a police officer driving by a row of stores on Main Street calls in a report of smoke coming a store located at the Main Street Plaza. The Fire Communication Center transmits Box Alarm 161 sending Engine 1 and 2, Ladder 1 and Battalion 1 to that address for smoke coming from a commercial structure. You are the officer of Engine Co.1 Pre-incident information for the row of stores indicates that they are all of Class 3/Ordinary design. While still en-route to the incident you hear via the fire department radio that "Battalion 1 is going to be delayed due to a freight train which will require him to take a longer route to the scene." You acknowledge the report and advise all incoming units you are "approaching the scene and have smoke showing." ( See photo #1 ) 1

18 QUESTIONS: Question # 1: After you exit your vehicle and begin to do your size-up, you notice heavy smoke puffing from a Hair and Nail Spa in the middle of the row. What immediate sizeup concern(s) do you have and what action(s) will you take? (See photos 2 - front & 3 rear). 2

19 NOTES: Question #2: With the immediate concern identified and the appropriate action taken, ( Nice job!) still as the current Incident Commander, what will be your strategy and tactics for the remainder of the incident? 3

20 Question # 3: With the majority of the fire knocked down in the main store and members still checking for pockets of extending fire within the row, you receive a MAY-DAY transmission from a member of Ladder Co. 1 reporting "there has been a partial ceiling collapse in the rear of the fire store with a member trapped." What actions do you take? Notes: Student Note: You will have 10 minutes to prep your answer before you respond. You will then be given 10 minutes to present your answer, good luck! 4

21 ANSWER KEY: Question # 1: After you exit your vehicle and begin to do your size-up, you notice heavy smoke puffing from a Hair and Nail Spa in the middle of the row. What immediate sizeup concern(s) do you have and what action(s) will you take? (See photos 2 front & 3 rear) Advise All with an URGENT/MAY-DAY message that you have a BACK- DRAFT situation. Transmit an additional alarm. Order members to Vent HIGH. Ensure there is a secondary means of the roof. If you can't vent high, vent opposite or away from firefighters and exposures. Establish additional water supplies. Stretch large caliber streams. Set up in flanking positions. Vent to relieve the energy/pressure. If vent achieves positive results, a cautious Offensive operation may begin. If a back-draft occurs, assess the structural integrity before attempting an offensive move to extinguish the remaining fire. Question # 2: With the immediate concern identified and the appropriate action taken, ( Nice job!) still as the current Incident Commander, what will be your strategy and tactics for the remainder of the incident? Establish Command. Name/locate CP. IF Back-draft occurred - consider Defensive Operations for remainder of the incident. IF Back-draft conditions were removed due to swift FD actions... Announce a Offensive Operation. Brief initial radio report identifying the construction, occupancy, fire location and the occupant life hazard concerns. Call for additional resources: Use Promotional Prep's U2 PERS WAR+ Haz Mat. Engine Company Operations: Use Promotional Prep's WASS POCC (see below) Ladder Company Operations: Use Promotional Prep's AL VES SCOUP(see below) Engine Co.s to establish primary and secondary water supplies. Order 2.5 inch hose line stretched to Hair and Nail Spa to: Locate, confine and extinguish the fire. 5

22 Order a back-up hose line. Order additional hose lines to Exposure Stores B and D. Order Ladder Co. to continue with vertical ventilation. Conduct primary search of fire store and exposure stores. Force rear doors of fire store and Exposure B and D stores. Coordinate vent with Engine companies movement. Place additional ladders front and rear for secondary means of egress. Consider pressuring exposure stores (PPV) to slow/halt horizontal fire spread. Control all utilities in the row. Ensure thermal imaging (TIC) is utilized in all areas. Open up any natural ventilation openings. Ensure Roof members cut roof, pull and push ceiling over the fire. Cut inspection holes to determine horizontal spread. IF necessary, prepare for trench cutting operations. Open ceilings in exposures, check for horizontal fire extension. Check and obtain a report on conditions and concerns in the rear. Describe Incident Management: Examples could include Interior, Bravo, Delta, Charlie and Roof Division Supervisors overseeing operations in their assigned areas. Seek Progress reports. Conduct a PAR. Review, Evaluate and if necessary, be prepared to Revise your Incident Action Plan based on the progress report information provided. (RER IAP). Place the incident under control. Direct members to conduct secondary searches. Direct members to conduct salvage and overhaul. Transfer Command to the Battalion Chief once he finally arrives! Question # 3: With the majority of the fire knocked down and members still checking for pockets of extending fire within the row, you receive a MAY-DAY transmission from a member of Ladder Co. 1 reporting "there has been a partial ceiling collapse in the rear of the fire store with a member trapped." What actions do you take? Clear the air- eliminate all radio traffic. Acknowledge the May-Day, contact the member transmitting the May-Day. Deploy RIC. 6

23 Replace RIC. Dedicate/separate frequencies for fire ops and May-Day. Assign a Rescue Group Supervisor for May-Day. Assign/maintain Fire Attack - Vent - Search Supervisors for fire incident. Coordinate and control all Operations. Tighten the span of control in critical task areas. Notify/advise EMS. Transmit an additional alarm. Conduct a PAR. Direct hose line(s), ladders to members area. (Member reported trapped rear) Force/enter area from the rear. Vent to draw remaining fire away from members area. Rescue and remove trapped members to EMS. Assign a member to accompany the injured member. Request a PD escort to hospital. Notify the members family. Notify senior FD staff. If critical, notify FD clergy. Inform Information Officer for media release, when appropriate. Provide relief and rehab for remaining members. Conduct a post incident debriefing. Request CISD for all members. Conduct a formal post incident analysis. Follow up with injured member and family. SCENARIO STUDENT INFORMATION: In this exercise we presented a number of challenges that a first due Company Officer could easily be confronted with. In our seminars, text books, and on-line study material we take an aggressive approach to ensure our students are ready for anything an assessment team could present. Our goal has been and will continue to be that we prepare our students to be the best in the classroom as well as in the street. Take a look at what follows. Best of Luck!! BACK DRAFT Scenarios: Back-draft is defined as the explosion or rapid burning of heated gases that occurs when air is introduced into an oxygen starved fire that has not been properly ventilated. This can occur anytime, and in any building. Due to the dangers of back-drafts and the need to know how to recognize the signs as well implement protective actions, test designers will write promotional exercises to 7

24 assess a student's understanding and readiness to deal with a potential back-draft. It is for those reasons that we put the following guide together. But before you read below, we presented "five cues" in your exercise you should have picked up on: 1. Late night/early fire morning in a commercial occupancy. 2. Sunday AM fire - well after the close of business. 3. Older Class 3 buildings as compared to a modern Class 2 - higher probability of no alarm or suppression system- the PD called in your incident- advanced fire! 4. The words "smoke puffing" as indicated in the exercise narrative. 5. Photo # 2 shows a black circle or puff of smoke in the middle of the smoke condition....ok, less obvious, but you have no excuse for the other four. :) BACK-DRAFT SIGNS: Smoke "puffing" Confined fire with a large heat build-up. Smoke stained windows. Cracked, smoke stain windows. Water vapor/droplets on the inside of the windows. Pressurized/turbulent smoke. Air moving/rushing inward. Yellowish/gray colored smoke. High heat, heavy smoke, little to no visible flame. Smoke pushing/breathing from concealed space areas. Late night/early morning fires in commercial occupancies. Student Note: For additional information regarding our Structure Fire Oral Assessment Guide go the text books: Fire Officer Oral Assessment Study Guide Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics For additional information regarding fires in Taxpayers and Strip Malls go the text book: Fire Ground Size-Up All of the above texts are available at promotionalprep.com 8