Walter Lewis, Assistant Chief, Orlando Fire Department
When a football play is called that doesn’t go as expected, a quarterback must read the field and think on his feet. The same is true with the fireground and fire officers. Regardless of how many units your department has responding to a given fire, only one will be first to arrive at the scene. That officer, using training, experience, department policies, SOPs, and the resources at hand, must engage in whatever tactics are possible for the situation while giving direction to personnel and providing radio transmissions to incoming units. In many of these situations, Plan A doesn’t go as expected and a shift in tactics is necessary. To comprehend when and why, that first officer or subsequent fire officers must be able to read the fireground.
