In firefighting strategy, what is the term for when two crews operate hose lines toward the fire from opposite sides?

• A. Freelancing
• B. Uncoordinated attack
• C. Opposing handlines
• D. Combination attack

Answer: (C)

Opposing handlines involve two crews advancing hose lines toward the fire from opposite sides, a coordinated attack that traps the fire between the two water streams. This approach concentrates cooling and reduces airflow from both directions, which speeds knockdown and helps prevent the fire from spreading or re-igniting behind the lines. It requires careful communication and timing so the crews stay coordinated and avoid getting in each other’s way or placing lines where they could entangle. This is what sets it apart from freelancing or an uncoordinated attack, where crews act without a shared plan, and from a combination attack, which may involve multiple lines but not necessarily aimed from opposite sides to enclose the fire.