If only two showed up in a rig, you must consider one was driving. And one was wearing just bunker pants.. and it is very difficult to drive an apparatus with a standard transmission, while wearing full turnout gear. And not all firefighters are there for entry. Someone has to stay with the apparatus, and operate the pump...
I can't drive a standard with a coat or gloves on, and some rigs have such small petals, you can't wear boots either. Are they going to check into that? Blame the fire apparatus mfg too?
I think the media blew this way out of proportion, and made the dept. look bad.. Therefore they couldn't just sit around and try to explain how they do their operations.. Someone had to take the fall.
Also.. You can't go in w/ out SCBA.. and NFPA forbids the driver seat from being equipped with n SCBA unit, as many quint or quad cab rigs have.
Therefore, the driver will hop out, and not have full TOG or an SCBA on.
This person should not leave the rig, if they are planning on using it to fight the fire. And if they are planning on going in, someone has to lay LDH to a water source, i.e. another pumper at a fill site, or a hydrant. Someone has to hook that hose to either a manifold or a wye to direct water to both apparatus, someone has to direct attack lines.. This small hose they talk about, was an inch & three quarter, a standard hose size in all of the world. 1 3/4" & 2 1/2" - Attack; 3" - Blitz; 4" & 5" Supply; 6" Hard Suction.
And you can't just run up and go in.. Even if laws throw out the two in, two out rule; that doesn't count in a rescue. But it's still not safe. Someone should do a safety walk around.. Look for downed power lines, fuel leaks, propane and nat. gas tanks or pipes, victims, etc.
I don't see that anything was done wrong, b/c >WE< don't know their SOP, plan of attack, the training of the two personnel, who was in charge, etc. Someone is just blaming the firemen b/c their family could not escape.
I still want to know the cause, what time was it, was the home equipped with working smoke alarms, was the fire investigated by an arson team, etc.. More details.