The Nontraditional Truck Company is the all-inclusive truck company operations guide to help truck-deficient departments achieve a safe, effective, and efficient coordinated fire attack. This book written by Arthur Ashley and Jim Silvernail illustrates the importance of truck company operations facilitating and supporting coordinated fire attacks and lifesaving operations.

Far more than a traditional operations manual, this book explores the critical interplay between attitude, modern fire environments, and street-smart tactics, delivering practical solutions proven to enhance coordination and save lives.

Rooted in the core principle that “circumstances dictate action on the fireground,” this book empowers agencies to overcome challenges posed by limited staffing or resources. By prioritizing essential fireground functions and creating agency-specific Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), it ensures that truck company operations are not only maintained but optimized.

This title also demonstrates the importance of attitude, training, understanding modern fire behavior, and developing experienced street-smart tactics to define the role of truck company operations in the pursuit of consistent fireground success.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive guidance on the role and necessity of truck company operations.
• Essential fireground functions that achieve fire service objectives  
• Prioritization strategies to maximize impact, even for agencies with limited resources.
• Importance of mindset, attitude, and fireground culture for aggressive truck company operations
• Illustrates Real-world truck company operations examples, tricks of the trade, and applications through the words and stories of top fire service professionals
• Game plan for safe, effective, and efficient fireground operations

*****

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface
1. The Essentials: Fireground Concepts and Functions

• An Essential Element of the Coordinated Attack
• Truck Work Defined
• Failure
• Progressing from the Mission to Implementing Fireground Actions
• Locate
• Rescue
• Contain and Confine
• Extinguishment
• Safe. Effective. Efficient.
• The #1 Structural Firefighting Concept
• One + One Concept
• Building Consistency
• Truck Company Function

2. Attitude, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Attitude, Culture, and Environment: Defining Truck Company Operations
• Culture
• NIOSH Five: Top Factors Involved in Firefighter Deaths and Injuries
• Time Is Opportunity, and Opportunity Is Time
• Truck Work Further Defined

3. Prioritizing Fireground Functions: The Start of Tactical Implementation

• Fireground Example
• Prioritized Functions
• The Rescue Decision Matrix
• Truck Size-Up
• Necessary Resources

4. The Fire Floor

• Introduction
• The Fire Floor
• Prioritized Strategies
• Essential Fire Floor Functions
• Fire Floor Application

5. Second-Due Truck Work: Completing the Incomplete Truck Company Functions

• Search
• Ventilation
• The Second-Due Truck Company
• Exterior Truck Company Functions
• Utilities, Salvage, and Overhaul
• Summary of Complete Truck Company Operations

6. The Experience and Expertise Challenge

• Veteran Testimony

7. Ventilation and Fire Behavior

• Physics and Ventilation in the Modern Fire Environment
• Additional Resources for Understanding Fire Dynamics
• Ventilation Tactics

8. Smart Truck Company Operations from the Streets

• Things to Know: Tricks of the Trade and Occupational Knowledge
• Basic Tools for Truck Work
• Acquiring Speed in Skills
• Be Prepared!
• Best Practices: Search

9. Developing a Safety Net for Effective Operations: Facilitating a Safe Fire Attack

• Fire Service Risk-Based Management: Go or No Go
• The Fireground Safety Net
• Rapid Intervention Teams
• Creating a Fire Floor Buddy System

10.  Developing Functional Standard Operating Guidelines

• Standard Operating Guideline Methodology
• Functional Standard Operating Guidelines
• Developing Standard Operating Guidelines

11.  Specialty Apparatus: Quints and Squads

• The Quint Fire Apparatus
• Squads

12.  Quotes from the Line

• Quote Contributors

Appendix

A. Fire Service Saws

• Incorrect Positioning
• Performing a Morning Check
• Fuel

B. Water Can Tips

C. Firefighter Assignments

• Firefighter Behind Officer
• Firefighter Behind Chauffeur (Four-Person Crew)
• Chauffeur

D. Search and Victim Removal Tips

• Search Tips
• Rescue Tips