Tactical support activities are those functions that assist active fire control and rescue operations. They generally include forcible
entry, ventilation and the provision of access.

Most confusion on the fireground is the result of lack of such support functions and activities. Command must cause these support
functions to be completed in a timely and effective manner - he must support the end of the nozzle. We lose often because of a lack
of support, not a lack of water.

You ventilate a building principally for these reasons:

     Aids life saving/rescue
     Speeds attack and extinguishment
     Reduces danger of backdraft
     Reduces mushrooming
     Makes firefighting easier - gain/maintain entry
     Reduces fire, water, heat, smoke damage
     Permits prompt salvage operations
     Vertical ventilation as close to directly over the fire as possible is the most effective form of ventilation in working interior fire
     situations.
 

The timing of ventilation becomes important and must be coordinated with fire attack activities - ventilation should be provided in
advance of attack lines. Portable radio communications between ventilation and command; command and attack facilitate this
interaction.

Fire will naturally burn out of holes in roofs, regardless if you cut the hole or if the fire does. If the fire burns through the roof (defensive
ventilation) it will generally do so in the best location-directly over the fire. Locate ventilation holes in a manner that will support
rescue activities and fire confinement. If vent holes are cut in the wrong place, the fire will naturally be channeled to them and expand
loss.

When you cut a hole in a roof, cut a big one (at least 4' x 4') rather than several small ones.

Do not operate hose lines down ventilation holes. Be cautions of hose lines to roofs when fire and smoke come out vent holes.
Operate roof lines only for the purpose of protecting personnel and external exposures.

Effective topside ventilation will tend to keep roofs intact longer and roof condition necessarily becomes extremely important to
ventilation activities. If crews cannot get on the roof to ventilate because of advanced fire, command had best begin to react in
marginal offensive/defensive terms. Hose line crews can probably get inside and stay inside longer than vent crews can stay on the
roof.

The use of positive pressure ventilation provides a safe and effective method of attack mode ventilation. When entry is impractical due
to fire and smoke conditions ppv should be utilized prior to entry.

Forcible entry involves a trade-off in time versus damage; the faster you force - the more damage you do. The more critical the fire,
the less important forcible entry damage becomes and vise versa. If the fire is progressing and you must go in and attack from the
unburned side, don't waste time; force entry.

The provision of access many times will determine if the fire is cut off and extinguished or not. These access-oriented activities
generally involve pulling ceilings, opening up concealed spaces and voids, and the activities required to get fire attack efforts in to
operate on hidden fire. Such operations beat up the fire building and must be done in a

Timely, well-placed manner. In such cases, do not hesitate - if you size up fire working inside a concealed space, get ahead of it,
open up and cut it off.

Beware of the premature opening of doors, holes, access efforts, etc.., before lines are placed and crews are ready to go inside.
Good timing requires effective communication between operational functions and command.