Thinking Training...

Oh no...I hate thinking!

Just a quick one this week, but I would ask you to share any info you gain after you post it in the station and chat about it around the coffee table.

I am convinced after great and long study that the fire service in the United States has already made a decision to enter each burning structure that they arrive at.

Now I am sure I just ruffled some feathers, but lets really think about it.

The primary decision a company officer makes is to hold back the troops and not send them in. Forget about size up and 360 degree surveys, we are just kidding ourselves. The 360 degree walk around, about half of the time, is used not to determine IF we are going to enter, but in fact HOW we will enter. We have already decided to go in!

We always are worried about the life hazard (as well we should be) but there are clearly different degrees of life hazard. Consider the following:

I saw people living in there a month ago.

I saw a guy hanging around there this morning.

Johnny and I were in there when the fire started and now I can't find Johnny.

Is there a difference between all of the above life hazards?

Talk about it with your people, you might be surprised at the answers.

OK, so here is the drill....and please share any results with us if you have the time.

List five factors that would cause you to NOT make entry in a fire building.

When you are done with that, list five factors that would make you make entry.

Having an interior attack SOP doesn't count either!

Don't be surprised if you find the second answer tougher to come up with then the first.

We have already made that decision and sometimes we are not even sure why!

Disclaimer: Like I even need a disclaimer but.........I am a proponent of interior attack. I believe we should conduct primary searches when possible. I also believe we need to get better at risk assessment, and I agree with NIOSH that lack of risk assessment is killing and hurting us. Simple...nothing more, nothing less.