In the photo to the right, a fire occurs in a bedroom and looks like it is extending to the attic. Irrespective of your staffing and intitial response, absent of any other information than what you see, your initial priority is to locate and darken the fire. Tommy Brennan always said that "all things being equil - equal fire problem, search problem, ventilation problem etc., put the fire out!"
I couldn't agree more. If staffing permits only one tactic at this fire, pu the fire out. In my opinion, my next priority is to vent the second floor so we can "look" for victims as opposed to blindly feeling for them.
After help arrives, we can check the attic for extension and salvage the second and first floor and finally overhaul. What do you think?

Skip Coleman, Technical Editor
Fire Engineering