18:17 hours, 06/21/09, Pearland VFD dispatched for a structure fire at 5001 W. Plum. EMS Supervisor first on scene, confirmed a working attic fire with exposures. Brookside Village and Houston requested for mutual aid. An exterior attack was conducted for about ten minutes before another crew arrived. Fire was knocked down in the attic, then a PPV set up at the front door. Command noticed the roof in the D-sector was beginning to sag, and then conditions deteriorated rapidly. The fan was shut off, but the fire began blowing out the D-sector gable and through the roof were it had been sagging. After a couple minutes of hitting the fire both from the interior and exterior, Command called for Interior to back out and go defensive. Interior advised they were making good headway on the fire and stayed in the attic. The deck gun on Engine 11 was put into operation to help knock the fire down. Fortunately nobody was injured.
 
Things to remember:
1) PPV does not always produce the desired effect.
2) COMMAND is in charge. Don't let Interior tell you what to do. As the IC, YOU tell them what to do. They can't see the big picture like you can from the outside.
3) Think carefully before deciding to mix offensive and defensive operations.