Pre-Plans

[lfd433]

I am looking to put together a pre-plan packet. We are a volunteer department so we don’t have a lot of time to devote to getting a lot of info. What I am looking to do is simple. Put a packet of info (instructions, pencil, paper, sample and a return envelope) that any home owner could complete and return. We have no pre-plans at all so any info will be better than what we have. Have any of you guys (and gals) done anything like this before? And do you have anything I can look at, and suggestions.

Thanks

[AFD368]

Pre-plans

Ifd433

Two questions I have are, How large of an area do you cover, and what is the estimated population ?

Pre-Plans are nice for commercial structures, schools, businesses that handle hazardous materials, etc., but sometimes if you try to pre-plan individual's homes, the people can be pretty snooty about this, especially if the people don't know EVERY member of the Fire Department. Privacy is a big part of this.

Pre-Planning the commercials, schools, etc. can be done as a group.
Just talk to the building owners or principal, or business owner(s)
and a tour can be set up to lay out your pre-plan. Also, at this time, ask the pertinent questions about hazardous materials kept on premises, other hazardous situations, etc.

If you do send out questionairs to the residents, a more appropriate question would be about any serious medical problems, DNR's, people under Hospice care or just if any hazardous materials are stored on premises. I don't know if your area is a rural area or not, but most farmers have pesticides somewhere in or near the barns.

We had an older gentleman who called an ambulance (and us EMS) almost weekly. (he had congenative heart disease). After about the 20th time we were dispatched to his home, I found out that he and his wife had an invalid son (40ish) that none of us had ever seen or heard of living in the same house. This information was valuable, as when the man went to the hospital, his wife usually went with him and if anything had ever happened to his house while he was gone we would never had known that there was still someone in the house.

Talk it over with the rest of your Department and good luck with your project. Pre-Plans are very useful for the right structures.

[cozmosis]

Re: Pre-Plans

Originally posted by lfd433
I am looking to put together a pre-plan packet. We are a volunteer department so we don’t have a lot of time to devote to getting a lot of info. What I am looking to do is simple. Put a packet of info (instructions, pencil, paper, sample and a return envelope) that any home owner could complete and return. We have no pre-plans at all so any info will be better than what we have. Have any of you guys (and gals) done anything like this before? And do you have anything I can look at, and suggestions.
Thanks

I would initially focus efforts on pre-planning commercial occupancies. Commercial property is more complex in size, construction, hazards and fire protection equipment than the average single-family dwelling.

This sounds bad, but I don't see a significant enough benefit when considering the effort it would take to collect & maintain residential pre-plans.

[tripperff]

Here's what I'd do in your situation....

Instead of preplanning individual residences, come up with general plans for the different areas of your district. I know the different areas of my district call for different strategies and tactics. One area may have numerous water sources and a pumper relay may be the way to go while in another area they may be few and far between so you need a bunch of tankers. Another thing to consider is do you have a lot of homes set far off the road? We have several with narrow driveways of six or seven hundred feet, and others with switchbacks that the owner's Escalade can barely turn on, much less that front run engine. As we all know architects, contractors and homeowners don't plan for a fire to happen when John Q. Public builds his dream home with the beautiful view and no neighbors close by out in the country so the driveway is narrow and there is nowhere near the house to turn around so I'd plan to drop a supply line at the driveway and feed from a second. In short, instead of preplanning individual residences I'd make general preplans for the different challenges you face commonly in your area.

Good Luck

[orangebuster]

AFD and Tripp hit it on the head. First off, even though you are a Volley Department these Plans need to be addressed correctly. Sure none of us have a whole lot of time due to family and job constraints, but do the job correctly if you do it at all. People these days as compared to when I started are different in smaller areas. Back then they would have filled out the INFO sheet with no problem, they would have even stopped by the station when they moved to tell us. Now days, forget that part of the pre-plan, cause like AFD said, it is all about security now. Do not blame them though, that is their choice. But please do commercial buildings, schools, churches, Apartment complexes, hospitals, and anything else with high fire volume.

Then as Tripp said, work on maiking the plan for the area you encompass and find different ways to combat these fires by knowledge of roadways, water sources, and response plans. Good idea to do it all. Don't cut yourself or others short, you would be suprised to see what you all will learn by doing this.


STILL STANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThomasSmith]

Hello:

Yes the City of Benwood, West Virginia Volunteer Fire department has had such a project in the workings now for the past 15 years, it works rather nicely, I believe they use firehouse software to accomplish it.