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You Called Mutual Aid for That?
I was thinking about an alarm we had several years ago. Now most people have those apartments that always catch fire but you know they won't go past room and contents.
We were got hit for an assist for an engine company for an apartment. We go there 4-5 times a year. Even had work there a couple of times. As I'm responding to the fire house the 1st in engine went heavy fire showing give me a 2nd alarm. The first alarm already had 4 stations responding so the 2nd called for 4 more. Fire was in the living by the balcony but of course it was room and contents...
My time was an LT, I had a gas leak when I called for another engine and rescue to stand by......and the gas company guy just walked up and plugged it in 2 minutes......
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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How about a propane leak...? A Department (to be nameless) called for mutual aid and a "plug kit" (they actually do exist)....we got there...saw what it was noone knew where the shut off was...took a few towels, soaked them with water and wrapped them around the line....they froze instantly and sealed the problem....then we calmly got back into our YELLOW engine and drove away (chuckling)
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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We play 'better safe than sorry'. You can never know it's a single room fire until you go in, and if you go in and then see you have more than one room, or perhaps extension in to the roof space, it could be too late for a second alarm to be all you need.
We don't call for 'mutual aid', any job that is paged as serious (ie. structure fire) will have at least a two station response anyway. We think it's better to turn trucks back than call for more after it's all gone pair shaped.
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I agree Tony...Have never seen a call that we had too many people....
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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It's far easier to send the" cavalry" back to the "fort" than to be behind the proverbial 8 ball and have to play catch up when you arrive.
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Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig Moyer on
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Loosen up a little, we all know its easier to send toget but we also know there are times when its funny AFTER the fact...
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Yes Craig, it can, been there, laughed on the way home. Wasn't sure that's what you meant in the OP though :)
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I read the post heading and thought it was my ex-wife making a comment......LOL
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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on
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Meh, I'm of the "better safe than sorry" school. Here (NSW) a "house alight" gets 2 stations, basically 2 or three pumpers. That's great for 90% of what we do but if it's serious, we're boned, the 3d due station is at least 15 minutes away.
Back in the US (Maryland) a house got 2 engines and a special service (truck or squad) on the first alarm. A box received 3 & 2. For both of these, the next alarm was less than 10 minutes away. I say roll em! We don't bill by the call so get the trucks moving and send them home. The one time a year you get caught in a bad situation, you'll be glad you had the support.
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Permalink Reply by Mac Conant on
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When we get toned for a possible structure fire, the towns (About 3 total) are on stand by. 4 if its on the North end of town. If its called in as a working fire, they are toned out at the same time, If not a minute to two before us. Out dispatch knows where the stations are, and knows who is and isnt going to go to the fire, so they know who to tone first. We've been called to other towns for, of course, the same thing. But we get called to help do extraction and traffic on bigger 10-55's. And if there was a fatal/possible fatal.
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Permalink Reply by Jared Smith on
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Well......I guess in a way there was a mutual aid call for a flooded basement. I just happened to be at the neighbouring station hanging out when the tones dropped for it. I just grabbed a spair pair of boots and a floor squeegee and went with them.
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Permalink Reply by Matthew Powers on
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I am on a small rural volunteer department surrounded by towns with the same. In the middle of the day one day we received a page for a reported barn fire. This one got the usual response from the officer in charge, SEND ME SOME WATER. When we arrived on scene, we were relieved to find out that it was a mini-barn that housed a push mower and shovel, we turned the other town around. Of course curiosity sunk in and they continued to the scene. There have been a lot of good hearted chuckles since.
We get these too from time to time, middle of the night, tone drops, adrenalin kicks in. It can be a hard night sleep once you get to thinking there is an issue only to be turned around. But it is only one night. Given the wrong situation, an IC that does not start mutual aid early could have MANY nights where he has trouble sleeping. I'll take the one night anytime without complaint.
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Permalink Reply by Avery Dale on
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I have no problem calling for assistance regardless of the situation. I would rather have too many than not enough, they can always be cancelled. I have been in too many situations where I have underestimated the call & once I got there I needed help right then.
Our first alarm for structural fires consists of two stations. Since we are a county of all volunteers you never know how many personel are going to show up or what kind of apparatus they will bring. The general guidline is the 1st due station rolls everything they have personel for & the 2nd due brings a minimum of a tanker/tender. More often than not a third & sometimes a fourth station is requested just to have enough to effeciently & safley fight the fire.
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