Prince George’s County Fire/EMS – High-Rise Fires & Working Fire Dispatch

36 vocabulary flashcards summarizing apparatus roles, operational terms and safety concepts from Prince George’s County Fire/EMS General Order 06-01E on high-rise and working-fire procedures.

1st Due Engine

First-arriving engine company; establishes water supply, gives on-scene report, checks annunciator panel, selects attack stairwell, advances initial 150-gpm attack line and assumes tactical command.

2nd Due Engine

Engine responsible for completing or augmenting 1st engine’s water supply, assisting with initial attack line, deploying a 150-gpm back-up line and supporting the FDC if assigned.

3rd Due Engine

Company that secures a secondary water supply, provides the side Charlie report, and advances a 150-gpm line to the floor above the fire from an appropriate standpipe outlet.

4th Due Engine

Engine tasked with ensuring the 3rd engine’s water supply, supporting FDC, establishing RIC staging on the floor below the fire, conducting RIC size-up, monitoring for Maydays and acting as RIC/RIG supervisor.

5th Due Engine

Engine positioned out of the way; confirms 3rd engine’s line is operating and advances a 150-gpm back-up line for the 3rd engine unless redirected by the IC.

1st Due Truck

Truck normally on side Alpha; performs obvious rescues, ladders/lights/ventilation for Alpha–Bravo sides, pressurizes attack stairwell, conducts primary search and may serve as fire-floor division supervisor.

2nd Due Truck

Truck normally on side Charlie; handles rescues, ladders/lights/ventilation for Charlie–Delta sides, searches floor above fire, secures utilities and may become a division supervisor.

Search Company

Designated crew for systematic primary and secondary searches: fire-floor outside fire rooms, floor above, top floor, then descending floors and exposures; communicates status to IC.

4th Due Special Service – RIG

Special service company that gathers RIC equipment, joins the 4th engine to form the Rapid Intervention Group and may use its aerial if a truck/tower.

BLS Ambulance

Basic Life Support unit; parks clear for egress, brings aid bag, O₂, AED, backboard & stretcher to Alpha/lobby, helps account for occupants and assists EMS & Rehab Groups.

ALS Unit

Advanced Life Support unit; stages for quick departure, delivers ALS gear & stretcher to Alpha, operates within EMS Group and assists Rehab operations.

EMSDO

EMS Duty Officer who becomes EMS Group supervisor and then Rehab supervisor, providing CAN reports to Incident Command.

Safety Officer

Officer performing Incident Safety Officer duties: scene size-up, hazard evaluation, PPE/SCBA compliance monitoring, air monitoring and forward safety deployment including RIC support.

Rehab Unit

Unit that parks clear of incoming apparatus, notifies IC of its location and readiness, and conducts firefighter rehabilitation operations.

Tankers & Water-Supply Units

Apparatus assigned to deliver or shuttle water as directed by Incident Command during large-structure or rural incidents.

High-Rise Fire

Fire occurring in a multi-story building requiring stairwell operations, standpipe use, elevator control and tiered engine/truck assignments per PGFD General Order 06-01E.

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

External piping where engines pump into a building’s standpipe/sprinkler system to augment water supply during a fire.

Attack Stairwell

Designated stairwell pressurized by truck company fans; used for hose advancement and crew access to the fire area.

Standpipe Outlet

Valve connection within stairwells supplying water to hose lines; engines attach to appropriate outlet one floor below (or above) the fire.

Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)

Dedicated team equipped for immediate firefighter rescue; forms part of the Rapid Intervention Group (RIG).

Rapid Intervention Group (RIG)

Combined resources—typically 4th due engine and 4th due special service—focused on firefighter search and rescue, led by RIG supervisor.

CAN Report

Radio format—Conditions, Actions, Needs—used by crews (e.g., upon reaching the fire floor) to update Command.

Working Fire Dispatch

Automatic additional alarm package: 3 engines, 2 trucks, 1 search company, Battalion Chief, Safety Officer, EMSDO, ALS unit and Rehab unit for a confirmed working fire.

Side Alpha / Bravo / Charlie / Delta

Building sides: Alpha (front), Bravo (left), Charlie (rear), Delta (right); used for unit placement and radio reports.

Offensive / Defensive / Investigating Modes

Operational strategies announced after checking the annunciator panel: active interior attack, exterior exposure protection, or determining fire location/cause.

Annunciator Panel

Building fire alarm display in the lobby showing activated zones; consulted by 1st engine to determine fire location.

Ventilation Flow Path Control

Management of doors, windows and fans to prevent fire growth and support interior operations, led by 1st engine/OIC.

Primary Water Supply

Initial hydrant or static source secured by the 1st engine for the building’s fire attack.

Secondary Water Supply

Backup hydrant or alternative source established by the 3rd engine to ensure uninterrupted water delivery.

Reverse Lay

Hose deployment technique where an engine lays hose from the fire scene back to a water source when securing supply for another engine.

Mayday Monitoring

Continuous radio listening by RIC/RIG for distress calls from firefighters in trouble.

Pressurizing the Stairwell

Positive-pressure ventilation by truck company fans to keep smoke out of the attack stairwell during high-rise operations.

EMS Group

Functional group overseeing patient care, occupant accountability and coordination of ALS/BLS resources on scene.

Rehab Group

Group responsible for medical evaluation, hydration and rest of operating personnel; often supervised by EMSDO.