You are fighting a Class Alpha fire in the berthing and see a fire but cannot enter the space. What type of method do you use to fight the fire?

• A. Direct attack
• B. Indirect
• C. Ventilate
• D. Use short bursts at medium angle fog into overhead

Answer: (B)

When you can’t enter a berthing, fighting a Class Alpha fire with an indirect attack is the right move. The idea is to apply water from outside the space through the doorway or openings, using a fog pattern to coat the interior and absorb heat. This cools the fuel and confines the burning area without putting you in the hazardous environment, often producing steam that reduces heat and prevents flashover. Indirect attack lets you suppress the fire safely from a protected position and buys time to reassess entry if conditions improve.

Direct attack would require entering the space, which isn’t feasible here. Ventilating alone doesn’t suppress the fire and can sometimes worsen conditions by feeding oxygen. The technique described as short bursts of medium-angle fog into the overhead is a way to achieve indirect cooling, but the general method the scenario calls for is the indirect attack.