Robert James

Much like any organized sport, the starting players’ moves are rehearsed, consistently evaluated, and reviewed by coaches to improve performance—all with one goal: to win. The fireground really shouldn’t be any different, except everyone working on the scene is a key player in the game. As professional members trusted by the public—whether career or volunteer—when we arrive on the fireground, we should bring a team that has rehearsed the moves, evaluated previous plays, and is committed to performing better than the last time. Every fire we respond to should have members assigned to a specific position, with clearly defined responsibilities to carry out while in that role. In theory, if each player trains to know their role, works hard during practice for the good of the team, and strives toward a common goal of winning, then the team succeeds. This presentation is designed to take that same concept and apply it to firefighter movements on the fireground. During the session, we will examine common types of structural fires, breaking down where firefighters need to be, what tools they should have in their hands, and the methodology behind their actions—all with the goal of achieving a successful outcome and winning on the fireground.