Suburban Fire Tactics

By Jim Silvernail, Battalion Chief, Metro West Fire Protection District of St. Louis County (MO)

Suburban Fire Tactics is a guide for suburban-based fire operations. All fire departments share the same common objectives: to save lives, protect and conserve property, and limit harm to the environment. How urban, rural, and suburban agencies differ is in the delivery of tactics and strategies. This book explains the factors that limit suburban operations and depicts the differences between urban and suburban capabilities. This is a valuable resource for policymakers, chief officers, company officers, and firefighters (both veteran and neophyte).

Features and benefits:

• Understand the key objectives and strategies for suburban operations
• Obtain a guide to develop suggested operating methods for suburban firefighting
• Gain the knowledge to develop and apply successful fireground tactics in suburban settings

Contents:

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Part I: Introduction to suburban fire tactics methodology
  • The challenge: Same objective, different tactics
  • Developing the game plan: Suggested operating guidelines
• Part II: Application of suburban fire tactics
  • Introduction to suburban fire tactics application
  • Size-up
  • The first arriving: Primary decision making
  • The second arriving: The facilitator
  • Special considerations: Suburban water supply
  • Special considerations: Commercial structures
  • Special considerations: Technical rescue
  • Search and rescue
  • Rapid intervention teams
• Part III: Formulating a suburban fire tactics game plan
  • Tactical Variables: staffing, available apparatus/resources, and response area
  • Implementation
  • Reevaluation and future planning