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Permalink Reply by GARY HANSON on December 15, 2009 at 1:52pm

Ours is a rural area covering nearly 400 square miles with 12 stations - housing 14 engines, 16 tenders, 5 service/engines and a rescue/service truck. Our dispatch goes through the local Sheriff's office and our response time average is 8 - 10 minutes. There have been times when the "call-in" gets some of it wrong. A good "size-up" by first on scene needs to be accurate. We have a Class 6 and can sustain 1000 gpm using tenders and the engines drafting from portable ponds but we are a little short on man power.

One thing I would add to the great advice already posted is "STAGING" the incoming apparatus. Make sure staging the 'first-in' engine gives the best advantage for the operator to start the attack. But try to make sure that it also considers (if possible) the arrival of next engine and also that the tenders have enough space to maneuver and contribute to the attack at maximum efficiency.

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Permalink Reply by Michael S. Murphy on January 11, 2010 at 1:39pm

Im in the process of studying for my Captains test. I found these videos of our neighboring departments command very inspiring. He has a very logical way and a calmness that is very inspiring. the terminology that this depratment uses is different than ours and probably yours but the information is good.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=maldersbfd#g/u

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Permalink Reply by Charles Bowles on January 11, 2010 at 1:45pm

Brother awesome link, thanks a lot!

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Permalink Reply by Pat Sullivan on January 11, 2010 at 3:57pm

All of the above advice is great. I've seen a lot of great initial size up strategies given to you. As a Chief Officer I would only give one more piece of advice to you as a young officer. It is vital that everyone speaks the same language. It does you no good to give a great size up report if everyone responding has no clue what you are talking about. I would encourage you to be the driving force behind a line officers' meeting in your organization for the purpose of developing an SOP for scene size up and Incident Command. Then start using it on your next drill. Keep practicing it. Decide on a common language to use. Is it side 1,2,3 and 4 or A,B,C or D. I would recommend that you look to your state Fire Training Autihority or the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg Maryland for training courses on Incident Command. They will be very helpful to you as you proceed. Safety and Good Fireground operations depend on everone being practiced in the ICS that you employ.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 11, 2010 at 7:38pm

Whoa... you ask a question and you get some awesome replies. This post is a keeper as a result of your sincere question. For myself, there is so many things to consider depending on the situation. I too was involved in a rural setting where my second in engine was over 20-minutes away. What I said and how the tone was set for the call made all the difference. Problem is though that you don't want to be a magpie over the radio... you know what I' talking about. My favorite expression is asking someone what time it is and ending up listening how to build a watch... Less is more...

Out of desperation, and knowing that I could be dealing with a MVA, wildfire incident, hazmat spill or whatever, I invented my own acronym that I have been teaching nationally for years. For me, if it's not broken, then don't fix it. I've shared this before on other FFN posts and feel confident that if you remember this, then you will always have a stelar presentation over the radio, and people do listen. It's important to not be scared about doing a good size up and here's how I recommend you accomplish this...

First off, keep in mind all of the incident specific advise and acronyms shared on this post. What I am sharing with you is a general acronym that works on anything and yes this includes MVA's, wildland incidents, hazmat, whatever... Also, when is the most scary time to have an incident? For me, it's in the night time because you loose visual clues. So... remember S C A R I E - P M...

This goes in order, from an engine company officer's point of view... The worse case scenario I will throw out is a combination incident that requires you to put together a lot of command concepts in one.

You are dispatched to a reported explosion at the local shopping mall. There are multiple reports coming into dispatch that there are multiple injuries. Unfortunately, you are the closest responding resource for ten minutes, maybe even twenty because of traffic and road construction issues. What you say on the radio will set the tone for the entire incident. Build your incident on a solid foundation and the rest is a breeze.

We all have a chief officer who we have to report to... or maybe you just have to give an initial report to dispatch but regardless, you have to give a SIZE-UP. This is the one-sentence, short blurb that describes what you have in as few words as possible. It also goes hand in hand with STAGING equipment.

Note: On any incident where there has been an large explosion, involves a semi-truck, is considered a possible incendiary device or large commercial fires warrant using your radiation detection device(s) as you approach the scene.

Once finishing your size-up which can include local trigger words or phrases such as predetermined upgrade phrases for MCI's or things that get you an upgraded response level, which gives you more stuff if you think you need it without taking the valuable time to outline what you need over the radio. Generally speaking, at least in my world, we have totally done away with using any codes but if you say key upgrading terms like "we have a MCI", then a bunch of stuff starts to happen like auto responses from a medivac helicopter, additional supervisors, hospital notification, etc. It's all about being prepared for the worst case scenario...

Now that the size-up is done, you then have to establish that you are in COMMAND. Establishing yourself as the IC (Incident Commander) and notifying everyone where you have set up the ICP (Incident Command Post). Folks need to know where to respond and where to find you. This includes your Chief officer who will eventually arrive and make you in charge of Operations.

The next step, and remember that size-up, establishing command and now asking for ASSISTANCE is important to do right away. You can always turn resources around but getting folks out of the barn early ensures that you can use those resources as soon as possible.

One key issue to always keep in mind is what you want all of those resources to do. This is where you have your Engineer take the roll of STAGING Manager. Responding units are told to stage at a specific location, such as the Walmart parking lot. What you don't want is an uncontrolled convergence of emergency vehicles. Larger incidents using the Strike Team concept include (5) five engines and a Battalion Chief. When these strike teams arrive, they report to staging and the BC who is the Strike Team Leader meets with you at the ICP. An assignment is given and he or she then communicates back to their resources and proceeds with the identified objectives. Everything is controlled and organized and most importantly, everyone is accounted for using a Passport System of Accountability when you check into Staging.

With folks generally having an idea of what you have through your size-up and knowing that it is an incident where you not only established command but you identified the INCIDENT NAME. You pick a simple word to describe the incident like "highway command" or in this scenario maybe "mall command". What this does is give folks a way to get in touch with you. After naming the incident, you become, as the IC, "Mall Command' for a radio designator.

The next steps, although designed for WMD Hazmat can be easily adapted to other incident types.

RESCUE: This step means that you have to make a subjective decision as to whether or not to do a rescue. Just because someone needs to be rescued does not mean that you need to automatically perform a rescue. This is where maturity and training play a major role and why Fire Explorers and Juniors have no business being in a situation where this call will be made. Like Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, "a man has to know his own limitations". Be sure to know yours by always training and being aware of just how weird things can and unfortunately will continue to be...

ISOLATION: If it's a hazmat incident, here's where the cold, warm and hot zone concepts are applied. If it's a wildfire, this tells you to think about where you are, creating an anchor point and knowing where the fire is headed and if you need to...

EVACUATION: This is done if things are going very bad. Sometimes however, you don't evacuate but instead SHELTER IN PLACE. Many times when dealing with an airborne hazmat release, just waiting indoors for the product to dissipate is the easiest and safest way to deal with things. It is commonplace to have businesses and hospitals temporarily shut down HVAC systems to facilitate sheltering in place.

Regardless of the call type, it's always nice to have a PERSON RESPONSIBLE or a liaison to help you with industry/facility specific answers. This could be a person who knows the local area. What you want is a subject matter expert to help you make the right decisions.

If it's a wildfire, then knowing what kind of MATERIAL is involved makes a difference. Light fuel verses heavy brush and threatened structures are apples and oranges. If it's a hazmat incident, using binoculars and responding uphill, upwind and upgrade could make or break your future on this planet.

And finally, SAFETY is a key issue that you always have to be thinking about. I can't really use this in my training acronym however... Why? Think about it... SCARIE PMS... my wife and three daughters would kill me because we all know how scary PMS can be!

Good luck brother and stay safe,

CBz

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Permalink Reply by Charles Bowles on January 11, 2010 at 9:12pm

WOW. Brother I have to say that is an acronym I can laminate and keep on the dash.

For you and everyone, I cannot express how meaningful it is to have brothers and sisters who honestly care enough to spend their time and share their time earned and learned lessons to help myself and hopefully others who may have had a similar question!

Thanks, and keep it up!

Take care, stay safe!

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on January 11, 2010 at 9:48pm

It's all about being able to go home the next morning... Glad this will be helpful and if you could, please send me a photo of the laminated information on the dash... Cool stuff bro. CBz

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Cole on January 16, 2010 at 2:41pm

You know, another thing comes to mind. Certainly some really good, intelligent replies from obviously experienced firefighters who have bben in, or are command.

I agree totally with the post about everyone using the same language. All it takes is for one well-intentioned, perhaps higher-trained than most in your department, officer to start throwing his/her own lingo, and things go down here fast. Maybe it was something you, and only you learned from some great seminar hosted by a metro Chief, that actually makes sense, but then you try at at the next job (the next one being the first one in a year!) and your gonna make a negative impact on the whole job.

KEEP IT ON THE COMMON LEVEL!

The other thing to consider when making a verbal, radio size up: WHO are you talking to? I know of more than a few systems in which the radio operator is the person who dispatches the calls, maybe tones 'em out, but otherwise has NO clue as to what you are saying, and it never gets repeated or passed on. True that of many police-oriented dispatches that will actually mute your channel once they tone you, and are concerned only for the patrol car on a traffic stop. It happens.

But at least your radio traffic SHOULD be heard by the other responding companies and officers. Size-up, and initial reports are something you need to practice over and over if you don't get the actual chance to do it for real. rehearse it all in your noggin'. Do NOT try to get so complicated, and all inclusive. That may take your concentration, and force you to focus on your verbal skills, and may block something out of the actual picture. Don't try to get it all in at once either.

Quick, but decissive information. Don't be afraid to state "additional info to follow" as example.

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Permalink Reply by Lee Jones on September 7, 2010 at 2:50am

"How we manage command in the very beginning of the incident is a big deal- the system is simple but critical: The IC assumes command; the Dispatch center confirms it. Everyone is paying attention to verify a standard command beginning; THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES MANY TIMES CAN BE MORE CRITICAL THEN THE NEXT FIVE HOURS." Chief Alan Brunancini Retired Phoenix Fire Department.

IF you were watching the youtube videos of The San Bernardino City, CA Fire Department what you were seeing was The Incident Command System also know as ICS taught by Chief Brunanicini in his book "FIRE COMMAND" THE ESSENTIALS OF LOCAL IMS
This book has been the Godsend too the fire service. I recommend that you take the time to buy this book and read it cover too cover. How the IC handled these fires from start to finish is what Chief Bruno teaches in his book. IT's simple down too earth proven tactics that work and have been working for years! why re invent the wheel.
Now as others said this is something that needs to be studied, taught, trained, and implemented on a department wide basis.

Assume, Confirm and Position Command
- First arriver must quickly assume command-become IC#1
-IC #1 must confirm command assumption with a standard initial radio report
unit id
location (on scene, in the area)
building description
hazard identification
action taken
chosen strategy
assumption of command
resource determination (add/hold/return)

Use location/occupancy to name command

Communications Center must transmit radio confirmation of command assumption

Select the proper command mode (investigating/fast-acting/ positional commmand)

Correctly position command to match/support the current command mode.

Set up a standard command post as quickly as possible.

This teaching is from Fire Command and it works

The actions of the first in engine company make or break the entire outcome of the operation.

Now being a rural department and being the first in engine you most likely or going to be a fast acting incident commander.

Your going to give your size up assign the next couple companies responding in there tasks then go to work with your crew. When the next in officer arrives he can do a face to face with you transfer command and continue your initial IAP"Incident Action Plan" or change the mode of operation.

I could go on and on... But Just better to study the book sit down with your department and develop your sops to best fit your departments operations.

If your going to end up a company officer or stepping up I recommend the following:

take the course "Reading smoke" by Dave Dodson search youtube for some video clips

study Fire command by: Chief Alan Brunacini

Study Building construction! I recommend
Collapse of Burning buildings: A Guide to Fire Ground Safety by: Vincent Dunn

Try and go too some live fire classes taught by your state training department or local colleges. Lots of first in engine company drills

If the chance is there ride time with some busy departments that fight fire.

Study Study Study. Lot's of awesome videos on you tube of fires where you can study fire behavior.

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Permalink Reply by Dennis L Dobbs on September 8, 2010 at 9:09am

Well, all are good ,great, exceptional, replies . I believe every angle of rescue, life safety, vent, search stage, attack, command, overhaul, water sources, has been well stressed. Hope you have a large dash on your rig.
You expressed a high level of desire to learn because you have a huge responsibility and you are challenged to keep your people safe and your self.
I believe you asking this question has jogged all our minds into what we have been taught or learned from experience.
Time will tell what will work for your group, you should learn with every incident. However we should challenge ourselves before one actually happens , and this is what you have started.
Keep in mind, 1 body is a command, this in essance takes away from the numbers bodies on the ground to do the attack etc... I try ( at best ) to lend a hand getting a deployment set up. Can't always be complete in the set up, but I try.
Paint a picture of what you would want to know coming into a scene. Without being a novel.
Your scene will be ever changing, conditions may be worse or better when the additional companies arrive.
The smoke class is good. If you have a looser burning, no exposures, and things are fairly stable, take a minute to observe what the smoke is doing , and your command structure.

Chances are the chief will approach you if the report needs attention.

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on September 8, 2010 at 7:01pm

Good Job Ben & Jack

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Permalink Reply by John Karl Ambrusch, III on September 10, 2010 at 9:39am

AND CHECK FOR A BASEMENT!!!

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