There are many situations, problems, and variables we must consider and overcome while conducting structural firefighting operations. Fire service textbooks, magazine articles, and operational manuals all describe in detail the many fireground challenges that we face and the appropriate solutions for them.
Regardless of the challenge at hand, just about every solution can be traced to one of the three basic elements of firefighting: apparatus/equipment, staffing, and firefighting procedures. These are the three dimensions of structural firefighting. To conduct >safe, efficient, and timely firefighting operations in burning buildings, all three of these important elements must be fully developed.
We must also keep in mind that there are many other operations and situations for which most fire departments are responsible-emergency medical, collapse, utility emergencies, and auto extrication. These also must be handled safely and efficiently, but the three-dimension perspective is unique to structural fires. Let’s examine each of these dimensions and the impact of each on the outcome of a structural fire.
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