Not that simple. Just because there are no reported trapped doesn't mean that there's no one inside. Also, many structures are multiple dwellings. If the fire is discovered early enough, we're going to handle it, instead of letting a whole row burn down just because everyone got out.
Many fires can be handled before they involve enough of the structure to warrant a defensive operation. That's the decision of the first due officer, and then whoever they transfer command to. We're not going to let a room and contents fire burn a whole house down just because everyone got out. That's just silly. Things we look at when deciding whether or not to go in would be the type of structure, how long it's been burning, how much is involved, among other things. Rural departments may do surround and drown most of the time due to lack of resources.
Here's the recent NIST study that shows how much quicker a four person crew can perform 22 essential firefighting tasks than a three person crew (hint: a lot more goes on than just squirting water and breaking windows):
http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/residential-fire-report_042810.cfm
Not to turn this into a fire forum but...
A 4-5 man crew in an independant functioning unit on the fire ground.
1 pump/ladder operator
1. officer
2. crew members
A 3 man engine or ladder forces the use of a second engine/ladder to be effective.
If you are using your officer as a crew member, he is not providing oversight command and control.
That is exactly how people get into situations where they are not aware of surroundings, what else is going on.
I am not sure how anyone can argue a 3 man crew is enough for anything related to structural firefighting.
I am also not sure how needing 2 engines or ladders to perfomr the job of 1 is money saving or efficent?
The reason many smaller departments cannot save buildings is multifactorial.
1. type of building construction
2. experience of the officers and crew (ability/efficency)
3. not enough initial response resources.
If you haven't done it, fighting a fire takes manpower to effectively do multiple simultaneous tasks if you plan to do anything more than save a basement.
The very idea of 2 in 2 out is stupid.
Firstly, a rescue of a firefighter cannot be done by 2 men. I haven't been involved in fire for some time but the last I heard It was something near 20 men to effectively maintain ongoing operations and search/rescue a firefighter.
Secondly, the longer you wait before starting interior operations, the more dangerous it becomes to do so. Waiting on 1/2 dozen or more partial strength companies to start interior operations is just a multiple fatality waiting to happen.
Thirdly, The very idea of searching for victims while dragging around a charged line and hoping to effect a save is stupid beyond reason.
Finally, if your municipality cannot afford to staff the required fire suppression persons for, search, interior, and structure saving operations, then you should definately not be risking peoples lives playing games with mutual aid arriving from 100 miles distant in order to get enough people on a fire ground.
Just call any structure and life a loss and prevent any more fatalities. Particularly firefighters responding.
