Fire Attack Group

Definition & Operational Usage of Fire Attack Group

What Is Fire Attack Group?

A fire attack group (or attack team) is the crew assigned to advance and operate a hoseline directly on the fire, working under a company officer within the overall incident command structure to apply water and control fire spread.

⚠️ Operational Safety Warning:Attack groups should never advance a line into a structure without a confirmed water supply and a coordinated ventilation plan — an uncoordinated attack can push fire and heat onto search crews or into unburned areas.

Why Fire Attack Group Matters on the Fireground

The attack group's actions — line placement, flow rate, advancement speed — directly determine whether the fire is knocked down before flashover or extension, making this crew's coordination with ventilation and search groups one of the most consequential parts of the whole operation.

Relevant NFPA Standards

NFPA 1550: Standard for Emergency Responder Health and Safety
NFPA 1750: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Services, Special Operations, and Fire Prevention Activities

Field Procedures & Tactical Steps

Confirm hoseline size, water supply, and nozzle selection appropriate for the fire's size and location.
Communicate line placement and intended entry point to command before advancing.
Coordinate advancement timing with ventilation crews to avoid pushing fire toward search teams.
Report line status (water on fire, fire knocked down, line advancing) at each tactical benchmark.

Common Context & Application

Assigned by the incident commander during initial size-up, typically the first hoseline crew committed to interior or exterior fire attack.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fire Attack Group

How is an attack group different from a suppression group?

The terms are often used interchangeably at the company level, but on larger incidents 'attack group' typically refers to the specific crew directly operating a hoseline on the fire, while broader suppression operations can include multiple attack groups plus exposure protection lines.

What determines which crew becomes the attack group on arrival?

Typically the first-arriving engine company with a charged line and confirmed water supply becomes the initial attack group, with command reassigning or adding groups as additional resources arrive.

Other Names for Fire Attack Group

Fire Suppression TeamAttack Crew

Fire Attack Group may also appear in training materials, NFPA standards, or department SOPs as: Fire Suppression Team, Attack Crew.

Relevant Tools

Operational calculators related to Fire Attack Group:

Hydrant FinderTanker Shuttle CalculatorEMS LocatorSCBA Air Time CalculatorAll Tools

Category:Fireground Operations — Core tactics, command, suppression, ventilation, search, and water supply terminology used on the fireground.