Same I have worked in 4 different states as a firefighter myself. I seen some places with 3 rigs an 2 jerry rigged pumps in a guys pick up truck. On the other hand I fought fires with some of the best wildland firefighters on assignments cutting line, and rolling out hose lays just feet way from them.

I really like your openness in the video at the start !

Thanks for the interesting discussion and points to ponder! Never really thought about, for example, having that 2 nd engine sit on the hydrant, charge the 5" with its tank, then hook up to the hydrant. I like that idea. May not work out, if the first due dumped 1500' of 5"- but that isn't most fires. ( That's a hike to the scene for the crew! ) A neighbor has NO hydrants outside the village. So every fire out there involves drop tanks and a shuttle. They send both engines and the tanker right in- one jas attack, the other sets up the dump site and supplies the first. So they have both booster tanks, and the 1500 gal from their tanker for starters. They do have a truck, mostly for the village. Outside, its mostly a manpower mover and big toolbox. Most times, the layout of the scene does not lend itself to aerial ops- big setbacks, huge trees and wires, looong narrow drives- with a 5" hose running down them, etc. thus, its last due, there. The engines carry saws, ladders, etc, crews just use those.

So many variables... As you mentioned: what "tools" do you have RIGHT NOW? Then there's what needs done most- right now. And, there's the "fun" specifics of the location itself. ( Can you GET a truck into position at the fire in a iseful spot-or at all. Can you get ANY unit right up to the scene? You name the problem , somebody has it in their forst due.) With that said, here's how my local depts typically operate. We're nearly all volunteers, with a few single career guys or daytime staff. Thus, the option of dedicated companies is off the table. You do whatever the IC assigns you to do when you arrive. WE had a quint, and positioned it as a truck. However, where it was first due, as often as not that crew stretched the first line, and the next due would handle ladder ops. Or, youd do both if there were enough crew. ( First line and entry/ primary search). Obviously, this depended on the needs of that scene at that time. ( And WHO was on the rig- there were probies and exterior only members, too). Point is, just because you arrived on a truck doesnt mean you WILL be doing truck work, same for engines. A major point of departure from most career and combo depts. As for.initial attack, our SOP was for the first engine to lay into the scene, then supply handlines off tank water until the line was charged. We carry 1000 gal on each engine, and have a class a foam system. That buys you some breathing room. Unless directed to come strait in- then the supply line is the next emgine:s top priority. And, yes, we'd lay in with our quint! We also carried a bulk bed of med dia hose finished with a gated wye, and hose packs, as well as having a manifold in the rear compartment for reverse lays, when required. The quint has only 300 gal, and no foam, but used properly, can darken a surprising amount of fire. Just act accordingly, until more water arrives. We all have automatic mutual aid dispatched when we are to structure fires, and an automatic upgrade as soon as someone declares a working fire. And we all have multiple units. Help will be arriving continuously. ( We dont get many fires, so it's often surprising just how many guys show up, lol. We special called a Rescue to a fire- for its high pressure cascade system. The members HEARD " to the scene of a working fire!". They arrived with every seat filled- in a 12 person walk in. Everyone else, same thing. We HAD no manpower issues, lol) Non hydranted areas, of course, its tank water, and those get extra engines and tankers. ( We dont HAVE aircraft. A tanker is water on wheels). The more rural guys are VERY good at water supply ops. My new local dept takes that a step further: engines carry 1250 min, with gravity dumps, and we have a fast attack with CAFS. ( Rural community, with lots of farms, woods, and a very large mobil home park. Thus it pulls double duty as our brush truck, too) In these areas, all units are equipped to handle all basic fireground needs- the first in may be the only one able to get in close. Better to have it there, than have to packmule it up a 2000' driveway, right? That's our story: Yes! Tank water AND hydrants or shuttles. Depends on the fire.

We all know that the fires can boil water off pretty rapidly due to the heat just from the fire.

What are your thoughts on a reverse lay Chief? Ok in certain situations? If so which ones. Thanks

@hihfty

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In my department we reserve reverse lays for anything over 400ft LDH stretches. In that case an engine would pump the hydrant back to the attack piece.