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INCIDENT SIZE-UP

The Art of Reading Smoke: Interactive Size-Up Trainer

Master Dave Dodson’s 4-step Reading Smoke method to assess fire location, structural involvement, and life safety hazards before committing crews.

🚨 Active Fireground Emergency For active structural fires or life hazards, dial immediate emergency dispatch Call: 911 / 112

📋 Standard Operating Guidelines & Verification Protocol

Verified Standards

Verify full PPE compliance and secure personal accountability tags prior to entry. Confirm primary water supply established and verify uninterrupted supply line integrity. Coordinate tactical ventilation with interior fire attack nozzle advancement. Designate Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) equipped with dedicated hose line and rescue air pack. Execute regular Personnel Accountability Reports (PAR) every 15-20 minutes or after tactical shifts.

The 4 Key Attributes of Smoke (VVDC)

Smoke is unburned fuel in a suspended state. By analyzing smoke behavior at exterior openings, incident commanders can see through walls and anticipate fire behavior.

Volume: Indicates the physical size of the fire and the amount of fuel currently involved.
Velocity: Driven by pressure. Turbulent, boiling smoke signals impending flashover; laminar, smooth smoke indicates an early, lower-energy phase.
Density: The single most critical indicator of explosive potential. Thick, oily black smoke indicates high fuel mass ready to ignite.
Color: White smoke often indicates early steam or late-stage moisture distillation; dark brown smoke indicates structural wood timber burning; black smoke indicates synthetic plastics and hydrocarbon ignition.