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Advancing the First Handline
Part 2
In the last installment, we left off with the line flaked out and ready for water.
At this point, the nozzle firefighter should be crouching or kneeling on the hose behind the nozzle to prevent the nozzle shut-off from being inadvertently and unknowingly opened. Staying low and to the side of the door also protects the nozzle firefighter and other members of the nozzle team from venting heat, flame, and smoke and affords each firefighter much better control while donning gloves, face piece, and hood. The nozzle firefighter should tuck his helmet between his legs to prevent some clumsy “truckie” from inadvertently kicking it down the hallway or off the front porch and into the snow. All personal protective equipment should be quickly double-checked to ensure proper fit before the line is moved.
In the case of preconnected handlines, either the last firefighter in the stretch or the pump operator must ensure that all the hose has been removed from the apparatus. Charging a handline with hose remaining in the hosebed is not just embarrassing — it costs valuable time, which in turn increases the risks faced by the fire-attack team. As the last firefighter moves forward toward the nozzle, he must ensure the line is not stuck under any automobile tires, fence gates or doors, which will effectively become hose clamps once the line fills with water. The officer (or designated firefighter) can now call for water. As the line fills and is bled of trapped air, the second (and third) firefighters, if available, can don their face pieces and protective hoods, and make final adjustments to their turnout gear and SCBA. Once the line is charged and bled, everyone should be ready to advance.
The act of bleeding the line warrants some additional discussion. Besides exhausting the air trapped in the hose, opening the nozzle briefly prior to the advance verifies that the line is properly pressurized and a satisfactory stream is available. If the pump operator (or engineer) hasn't placed the engine into pump gear or hasn't throttled up yet, it will be quite evident when the nozzle is fully opened and an ineffectual stream results. Radio communications should quickly remedy the problem and the advance can proceed. If the problem is not at the engine, kinks in the handline may be the cause of the poor stream and will have to be straightened.
All members of the nozzle team should be positioned on the same side of the handline. Ideally, when at least two firefighters are available, the second (or “backup”) firefighter will be positioned immediately behind the nozzle firefighter to help resist the nozzle-reaction burden and provide any other necessary physical and emotional support. The latter can be an important concern when an inexperienced firefighter is assigned the nozzle position for the first time. In reality, however, due to insufficient staffing, the backup firefighter is usually forced to move between a position near the nozzle firefighter and a point several feet behind. This is necessary in order to keep the line free and moving. Due to this situation, the need to use hose-and-nozzle systems that reduce the nozzle-reaction burden without compromising flow volume and stream reach is critical and will be the topic of a future installment.
In the event a third firefighter is available, he should be positioned at the first bend or turn behind the nozzle team as the line is advanced. Staying at this position and resisting the temptation to become the “second assistant nozzleman” requires a high degree of discipline.
To ensure a smooth advance without the danger of “pushing” the nozzle firefighter forward, the “bow” technique is very effective. The third firefighter (called the “door” firefighter in FDNY) simply forms a bow in the line — either on the floor ahead, against the wall in a narrow hallway or even across a bent knee — and observes the hose. When smoke or obstructions such as walls obscure the nozzle team, a straightening of the bow indicates the line is moving. The door firefighter then feeds enough additional hose forward to restore the bow. Eventually the door firefighter must also move forward to keep up with the advancing nozzle team. In order to keep the line moving without unnecessary effort, he may elect to pull a loop of hose forward with him instead of having to go back for more line when it inevitably becomes stuck.
Although specific nozzle techniques will be covered next time, a few points bear mentioning here. One frequently asked question concerns when to open the nozzle. Generally, the nozzle should not be opened until the fire is encountered. An exception might be a situation in which the nozzle team encounters dense smoke and extremely high heat conditions. In this case, opening the nozzle briefly and sweeping the ceiling with a straight or solid stream may be the only means of preventing flashover and severe burn injuries.
If access to the fire area is difficult and fire is encountered at the entrance portal, the following techniques may prove helpful:
The stream may be directed over the top of a partially open door. Vigorous nozzle manipulation will cause the stream to splatter off the ceiling and upper walls. Hopefully this will “darken down” the fire sufficiently to allow the door to be more fully opened and the advance continued. The stream may sometimes need to be directed through the top of a door which has partially burned away or through an open transom.
Another effective technique is to drive the water through the space between the open door and jamb. Moving the nozzle up and down several times with the tip inserted in this gap may permit water application into this hard-to-reach area.
Don't overlook breaching a wall in order to apply water on an otherwise inaccessible fire.
If multiple rooms are involved on either side of a long hallway, they must be “knocked down” one at a time. Generally, applying water “out front and overhead” will drive back the rolling flame front at the hallway ceiling and permit water to be directed into each side room as the advance is made. Many times the stream can be applied from the door opening, making physical entrance into each room unnecessary. Be sure to control the fire in each room sufficiently to prevent its re-ignition after the line moves forward. As soon as each room “blacks out,” sweep the hallway ceiling again. If a closed door is encountered, be certain to open it and check for fire extension before moving past.
More next time.
Andrew Fredericks is the author of three "Bread and Butter" Operations videos titled Methods of Structure Fire Attack, Stretching the Initial Attack Handline and Advancing the Initial Attack Handline. To purchase, click here.
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