First Due Decision Making: The Engine Company

The first due engine company will set the tone for the entire fireground operation. Upon arriving on location the engine company is tasked with sizing up the fire building, taking the proper position, selecting the best entry point into the building, estimating the stretch, and selecting the correct hose line. All within a matter of seconds. All of these decisions will have a significant impact on the entire fireground operation. In this class we will discuss all of these topics as well as discuss tactical decision making for fires in single family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, commercial buildings, and standpipe equipped buildings.

Anthony Rowett, Jr. is a Captain with the Mobile (AL) Fire Rescue Department. He has been in the fire service for 17 years. He spent his first 3 years in the fire service as a firefighter with the Ogdensburg (NJ) Volunteer Fire Department before being hired by the Mobile Fire Rescue Department, where he has worked for the past 14 years. He has multiple degrees in both fire science and emergency services management. He is a graduate of the Alabama Smoke Diver course. He is the owner of Port City Fire Training. He is also an industrial firefighting instructor at Gulf Coast Emergency Response Academy. He is a contributing author for multiple fire service publications including Fire Engineering, Fire Rescue, Firehouse, Fire Department Training Network, and Firemanship Journal. He has instructed at multiple fire service conferences including FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Water on the Fire, High-Rise Operations Conference, 3rd Coast Conference, and others as well as for individual fire departments. He is a member of the NFPA 14: Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems Committee. He is also a co-host on the Generation Engine podcast on Fire Engineering Blog Talk Radio.