Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
It is not enough for firefighters to know what to label a fire attack strategy. You must know why. This allows for better decision making and understanding of what resources, conditions, and priorities need to be addressed at an incident. The three predominant strategies used by most fire departments are Offensive, Defensive, and Marginal (the names quick hit and transitional are also used). Once declared by the incident commander, firefighters must turn to the “playbook” for the tactics to be used for that strategy.
In this firefighter training drill, use your local definitions for each fire attack strategy, discuss the initial implementation of each type and what your priorities are for each strategy.
Download this firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
More in The Fireground Playbook series.
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Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
