Question: A working fire is discovered in a strip mall. The fire building is occupied by a hobby shop/toy store and is 40 2 60 feet. The fire is in the rear of the hobby shop; approximately one-third of the shop is involved. What size would your initial attack handline be? Where would you stretch it? Would you expect other initial fire attack operations?
William Carey, sergeant, Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department Co. 1, Prince George's County, MD
Response: The two main questions regarding the initial handline (what size and what location?) should be answered long before the engine company receives the alarm. These answers dictate what the remainder of the initial attack operations will be, not what we would expect them to be.
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