Moving Attack Hose PRACTICE

Advancing the Attack Line through Obstacles - A Training Discussion
In the video we see a team advancing a charged attack line through a structure, negotiating obstacles, changing directions, and managing the hose as they move toward the fire seat. This presents some excellent points for discussion - as well as important caveats. The technique shown is a way to advance lines around obstacles - but it should not be taken as the only way. Every fireground environment, every building layout, every fire behavior scenario will demand judgment, adaptation, and best practices.


Strong Points from the Video

1. Proactive hose management: The crew is consciously managing the line as they advance - avoiding kinks, avoiding entanglement, and anticipating restriction points (doorways, halls, changes in elevation). That sort of forward thinking helps prevent unexpected delays or nozzle control issues.
   
2. Team movement and coordination: The lead firefighter advances with the nozzle and sets the pace; the backup or second firefighter supports the line, monitors slack, and ensures the line is ready to follow. Good teamwork makes the advancement smoother and safer.
   
3. Obstacle awareness: The video emphasizes that when the line must pass around, over, or through obstacles (furniture, debris, narrow doorways, stairs) the team slows slightly, repositions the hose as needed, and doesn’t attempt to "force" a move without rearranging hose or bodies. That patience and careful approach reduce the chance of sudden hose damage or nozzle loss of control.
   
4. Continuous nozzle readiness: Even while negotiating the obstacles, the nozzle remains ready to flow. The crew advances with water flowing (or poised to flow) toward the hazard. This means when they reach the hazard zone, they’re not delayed by hose positioning or nozzle hookups.
   
5. Awareness of environment and compartmentation: The team monitors the layout - hallways, doorways, potential pinch points - and chooses a path that maintains the best possible line progression, rather than simply charging blindly straight in.
   

Important Emphasis: Keep Low, Especially as You AdvanceOne of the most critical points for safe and effective hose advancement is the position of the crew relative to the fire and environment. As visibility decreases (smoke thickness increases, hot gases rise, and the neutral plane moves down) the need for low profile becomes paramount.

• Staying low helps you remain in the cooler gases near the floor, avoid super-heated layers at ceiling level, reduce radiant heat exposure, and maintain better visibility.
  
• As you get closer to the fire seat, the thermal conditions often worsen: ceiling collapse potential, flashover zones, rollover. That means the lower you position yourself, the safer and more effective your advance tends to be.
  
• In the video the crew maintains a forward posture and manages the line, but we should emphasize that in real conditions the occupants of the nozzle team should actively pick the lowest safe path available - slide the body forward, maintain contact with the floor when visibility drops, and watch for tripping hazards.
  
• Especially in upper levels or multistory buildings: heat, smoke, and super-heated gases collect upward. As crews go higher or deeper into the structure, the "ceiling layer" may become dangerously unstable or the smoke layer may drop lower. Advancing low gives you more time and better control to react.
  
  THERE IS NO REASON YOU SHOULD BE STANDING IN SMOKE IF THERE IS VISIBILITY AT A LOWER POINT. GET DOWN!
  
  
  

A Way - But Not The WayIt’s important to stress that this video shows one method of advancing a charged line through obstacles. It should not be treated as the definitive tactic for all situations. Here are some caveats and alternative considerations:

• Every building is different (layout, construction type, fire load, occupancy). What works in one scenario may not suit another.
  
• The obstacle types may vary: e.g., heavy furniture, partitions, stairs, attic spaces, structural compromise, collapsed floor sections. Crews may need to pre-plan, reposition additional backup lines, or choose alternate paths.
  
• Water supply, nozzle size, hose diameter/length, and crew size all influence how you advance. A method for a 1¾" attack line in a small compartment may not translate to a 2½" (or our 2 1/4") line in a large open-floor building.
  
• Ventilation, fire growth stage, smoke movement, and occupant risk all may demand modification: you may need a slower advance, more frequent resets of hose placement, or even a defensive approach until interior conditions improve.
  
• The method of advancing around obstacles may differ (e.g., retreating and resetting vs. pushing through) depending on conditions. Use of "jump-over", housekeeping, repositioning of lines, and good communications - none of these are shown in detail in the video but must be part of your training.
  
  
  

Integrating the Drill into Your Training

• Run the video for your crew and pause at key moments to ask: where is the nozzle, where is the backup? How is the line being managed? What happens when they hit the obstacle?
  
• After viewing, have the crew practice the same scenario - introduce furniture, doorways, stair transitions, and debris - and coach them on low-profile posture, line management, and obstacle anticipation.
  
• Emphasize the "stay low" rule: designate a "floor-finger" awareness moment in the drill - every time visibility drops, get lower, keep hand contact with the floor (or maintain sliding posture) until you regain a clear layer of vision or are past the hazard.
  
  
• Make sure when you are performing this hands-on to remember that communication is key (Remember the "Bump-Up", "Stop" "Left" and "Right" signal words that we use).
  
• Debrief: What went well? Where did line management slip? How could they have maintained better slack control or repositioned the line sooner? What alternative routes or tactics might we choose in a different building?
  
• Make sure to incorporate build-on tasks: once the line is advanced beyond the obstacle, what next? Stretch to the fire room? Flow water? Hit a fire seat? Deal with fire extension? This ensures the drill doesn’t stop at “just get past obstacle” but continues the offensive push.
  
  
  

SummaryThe video "Moving the Attack Line: Obstacles" offers a strong demonstration of moving a charged hose line through structural obstacles while maintaining nozzle readiness and team coordination. It is a useful training tool and highlights key principles: hose management, obstacle navigation, and team movement. However, we should use it as one of many tools in our training arsenal - not as the single accepted method. Most importantly, we reinforce the rule: as you advance toward the fire seat, go low - lower and lower as conditions worsen - to maintain safety, visibility, and control. Incorporate this into your training, tailor the scenario to your building inventory, your hose-line sizes, and your crew capabilities, and you’ll enhance your offensive line advancement skill set.