Vent-enter-search, commonly called VES or VEIS when isolation is emphasized, is a focused search tactic used to reach potentially trapped occupants through an exterior window or other approved opening. At a residential fire, VES can place firefighters directly into bedrooms and other high-priority areas that may be difficult to reach through the structure’s interior. VES …
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When the first-arriving company officer assumes command of a working fire before the arrival of a chief officer, the entire trajectory of the incident is often shaped within the first several minutes. Those early decisions influence firefighter safety, survivability for occupants, fire spread, accountability, communications, and ultimately the outcome of the incident. The company officer …
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