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Highland Park Firefighters IAFF Local 355: On July 11, Highland Park firefighters responded to 16187 Hamilton Avenue for a commercial structure fire at the former American State Bank, built in the 1920s. Despite the conditions firefighters encountered on arrival, Citizen app reported that a trash fire inside the structure was quickly contained.
Let’s watch crews in action: The video begins with the first engine approaching the scene and turning onto a side street as the driver and officer spot the hydrant that will be used. The driver connects the hoseline bundle to a rear discharge as firefighters stretch the hoseline towards the building. We see the driver attach an LDH supply line after flushing the hydrant, and then extend a ground ladder to the roof in the rear of the structure.
| CHECKLIST: The First 5 Minutes: A fireground communications checklist
3 highlights for firefighter training:
- Secure the water supply early: The first engine crew identifies the hydrant on approach, stretches the attack line and then establishes an LDH supply after flushing the hydrant. Training emphasizes getting water to the nozzle quickly while the driver/operator establishes a sustained water source before tank water is exhausted.
- Make the first stretch count: Watch how apparatus placement, the rear discharge and hose deployment work together. Engine positioning should support line deployment and water-supply connections while preserving space for later-arriving apparatus. Crews should also fully stretch and properly flake the line to reduce kinks and help ensure the nozzle receives the needed flow and pressure.
- Think beyond the initial attack: Once water is established, the driver turns to another critical task — placing a ground ladder to the roof. Training should stress that ladders should not be an afterthought; they provide access and, importantly, additional emergency egress for firefighters.
Crew questions:
- How would your crew establish a reliable water supply while keeping the initial attack line moving toward the fire?
- Based on the building and conditions on arrival, where would you position the first line, and what factors would influence your stretch?
- After securing the water supply, what should the driver/operator do next, and where would ground ladders provide the greatest tactical value?
What training opportunities do you see for your department in this video?
