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SOG-150Fireground OperationsSOG

Structural Firefighting — Interior Operations

Offensive attack, defensive operations, and the decision between them.

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This is a template. It is not your department's policy.

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Every placeholder marked [BRACKETED] must be completed before adoption. Every section must be reviewed against your department's staffing, apparatus, water supply, EMS scope, geography, and the specific laws of your state. What applies to a career department in a city may not apply to a volunteer department in a rural jurisdiction, and vice versa.

Standards, regulations, and best practices are updated regularly. Verify the current edition of every standard cited before adopting this document. Once adopted, this document becomes your department's responsibility — not Tailboard's.

Safety-critical topic.

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Number

SOG-150

Version

1.0

Last reviewed

2026-01-01

Next review

2027-01-01

Summary

This guideline establishes how [DEPARTMENT NAME] conducts structural firefighting operations, with particular focus on the risk-benefit analysis that determines offensive, defensive, or transitional attack. The three decision points in a structure fire — do we go in, when do we pull out, and who calls it — are the most important tactical decisions on the fireground.

Definitions

Offensive Attack
Interior fire attack with crews operating inside the structure to locate, confine, and extinguish the fire.
Defensive Attack
Exterior operations; no interior crews. Master streams, exposure protection, and fire building management.
Transitional Attack
A brief exterior application of water through an opening (typically a window) to darken a fire before committing interior crews — reduces heat and slows fire progression without pushing fire.
Risk-Benefit Analysis
The continuous mental process by which Command (and every member) weighs potential benefit of action against risk to members. "We will risk a lot to save savable lives; we will risk a little to save savable property; we will risk nothing for what is already lost."

Purpose

To guide consistent, safe, effective decision-making at structural fires, and to ensure members have a shared mental model of when interior attack is indicated and when it is not.

Scope

Applies to all members of [DEPARTMENT NAME] at structural fire incidents involving occupied, unoccupied, and vacant structures of all types. Does not apply to wildland, vehicle, or outdoor-property fires, which are governed by separate guidelines.

Strategic Decision

The strategy — offensive or defensive — is the IC's decision. It is announced on the tactical radio channel and governs every crew on scene. Strategy can change during the incident; every change is announced.

  • Offensive: interior crews, active fire attack, search and rescue.
  • Defensive: exterior only, no interior crews, master streams, exposure protection, collapse zone established.
  • Transitional: brief exterior cooling before committing to interior attack.
  • Marginal: conditions warrant neither — await resources, complete 360, or reevaluate.

Offensive Criteria

Offensive strategy is appropriate when all of the following are true:

  • Crews can access the fire area with a sufficient hoseline (matched to fire volume).
  • The structure is intact enough to support crews for the duration of operations.
  • Ventilation can be controlled or coordinated.
  • Sufficient water supply is established or imminent.
  • Crew numbers support interior operations with Two-Out / initial RIT in place.
  • The fire is not beyond the reach of interior-capable lines.

Defensive Criteria

Defensive strategy is required when any of the following is true:

  • Structural integrity is compromised (fire impinging on structural members, signs of collapse, heavy fire for extended duration).
  • Fire volume exceeds the capability of interior-capable attack lines.
  • Unknown or known hazards make interior operations unjustifiable (significant hazmat, structural alteration, weapons presence, rescue not viable).
  • Staffing is insufficient to sustain Two-In/Two-Out and rescue capacity.
  • Risk-benefit analysis determines interior operations cannot be justified.

Initial Actions

  1. First-arriving unit completes a 360-degree size-up of the structure whenever possible.
  2. Establish Command per the ICS SOG.
  3. Announce strategy (offensive, defensive, or marginal/investigative) with the initial radio report.
  4. Establish water supply.
  5. Deploy the first attack line appropriate to the fire volume (handline class: 1¾" for residential; 2½" for large-volume or commercial).
  6. Establish Two-Out / IRIC before interior entry.
  7. Announce tactical benchmarks (water on fire, primary search complete, fire under control) as they are achieved.

Coordination of Ventilation and Attack

  • Ventilation is coordinated with attack — attack is the trigger, not ventilation.
  • Positive Pressure Attack (PPA) is used only when atmospheric conditions, structural integrity, and crew position support it.
  • Hydraulic or natural ventilation is preferred when coordination is not possible.
  • Flow paths are considered in every operation — do not create a new flow path that places crews between the seat of fire and the exhaust.

Switching Strategy

  1. The IC announces strategy changes on the tactical channel.
  2. When changing from offensive to defensive, all interior crews are ordered out, PAR is called, and collapse zones are established before master streams are committed.
  3. Emergency evacuation is signaled with radio announcement and an evacuation tone (air horns sounding a long blast pattern).
  4. All members, on hearing evacuation, exit immediately via their planned route and report to Command.

Modern Fire Behavior Considerations

  • Modern fuel loads produce faster fire development and rapid deterioration of interior conditions.
  • Transitional attack — a short exterior stream into the fire room before entry — is effective at reducing heat and slowing fire progression. It does not "push" fire when used properly.
  • Flow-path awareness: an uncontrolled opening to the fire area creates a flow path that can flash or blow down on crews.
  • Vertical ventilation is rarely justified on residential structures without a coordinated plan; conventional roof operations are high risk.

Responsibilities

Incident Commander

  • Establish and announce strategy.
  • Continuously reassess the risk-benefit calculus.
  • Coordinate ventilation with attack.
  • Direct strategy changes and manage emergency evacuations.
  • Call PAR at benchmarks.

Company Officers

  • Execute assignments per the announced strategy.
  • Maintain crew integrity and accountability inside.
  • Report conditions that contradict the strategy immediately.
  • Recognize deteriorating conditions and order crew withdrawal if needed.

Members

  • Stay with your crew.
  • Monitor air status.
  • Report deteriorating conditions immediately.
  • Follow evacuation orders without delay.

Training Requirements

  • All members complete annual structural firefighting drills including live-fire training consistent with NFPA 1403.
  • Company officers complete training on strategic decision-making, risk-benefit analysis, and incident command of structural fires.
  • Modern fire behavior and flow-path science are included in continuing education.

References

  • NFPA 1500Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program
  • NFPA 1403Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions
  • NFPA 1710Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression — Career
  • NFPA 1720Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression — Volunteer
  • UL FSRIFire Safety Research Institute studies on fire attack, ventilation, and flow paths

Adapt this template

Before this template becomes your department's policy, review the following items and adjust accordingly. Anything else that does not match your operation should be updated as well.

  • This guideline intentionally does not prescribe specific GPM requirements or handline decisions — align with your department's pump discharge and supply standards.
  • If your department relies on automatic or mutual aid for staffing thresholds, document the expected arrival times against your offensive criteria.
  • Align this SOG with your ICS, Accountability, Mayday, RIT, and Two-In/Two-Out policies — these six form the core of fireground safety doctrine.

Adoption signature

Adopted by (Name, Rank)
Signature
Effective date
Next scheduled review

Before adoption checklist

  • ☐Replace [DEPARTMENT NAME] throughout the document.
  • ☐Complete every [BRACKETED] placeholder.
  • ☐Confirm the current edition of every cited standard.
  • ☐Check against your state statutes and state fire marshal rules.
  • ☐Route for chief review. Topics with significant exposure (use of force, medical scope) also go through qualified counsel.
  • ☐Confirm alignment with any mutual-aid agreements.
  • ☐Schedule a training plan for the new policy before effective date.
  • ☐Announce adoption in writing to all members. Archive the prior version.
  • ☐Set the next review date — annually at minimum.