Definition & Operational Usage of Fireground Tactics
What Is Fireground Tactics?
Fireground tactics are the specific operational maneuvers — such as stretching attack lines, forcing entry, executing vertical roof ventilation, and conducting primary search — performed to achieve incident strategic goals.
Why Fireground Tactics Matters on the Fireground
Tactics are the specific actions that carry out the incident commander's broader strategy — an offensive strategy is only as good as the specific tactics chosen to execute it, and mismatched tactics can undermine an otherwise sound strategic decision.
Relevant NFPA Standards
- NFPA 1010: Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters
- NFPA 1550: Standard for Emergency Responder Health and Safety
Field Procedures & Tactical Steps
- Confirm the declared strategy (offensive or defensive) before selecting specific tactics.
- Match tactics to current fire behavior and building construction type, not just standard assumptions.
- Communicate tactical choices and progress to command and coordinating sectors.
- Adjust or abandon tactics immediately if conditions no longer support the assumptions they were based on.
Common Context & Application
Selected and adjusted continuously by company officers and command throughout an incident based on fire behavior, building construction, and resource availability.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fireground Tactics
What's the difference between strategy and tactics on the fireground?
Who decides which tactics a crew uses?
Other Names for Fireground Tactics
Fireground Tactics may also appear in training materials, NFPA standards, or department SOPs as: tactical operations, firefighting tactics, incident tactics.
Relevant Tools
Operational calculators related to Fireground Tactics: