Working Fire Resonse

[RescueCoFireman]

Hi Brothers,

I got this topic idea from another fireman who mentioned that his department responds with too many apparatus to an alarm.

When a box is struck we roll 3 engines, 2 ladders, the heavy rescue and a chief w/aide. Each additional alarm struck brings in 2 more engines and 1 ladder. Unless it is a special call by the IC where only 1 engine and/or 1 truck is needed or a special unit such as the air and light unit. Each engine and ladder company is staffed with 4 men each. the Rescue is staffed only with two.
Bringing the total number of firemen on a 1st alarm to 24.

I was curious to see what rolls on a box alarm/first alarm for your department such as number/types of apparatus and number of firemen?

[sohardy]

pretty close to your's...

3 Engines, 1 truck, 1 rescue, a BC, safety officer and the air rig. total of 21.
(unless it's a highrise etc. then an extra engine and truck)

engines and trucks with 4 (maybe 5 on the truck) 2 on the squad, no aide for the BC. the air rig is driven by a mechanic which is nice to have on the fire ground.

2nd and 3rd same as you.

[spotthedalmation]

With the department being Volly, we're a little different:

1st Call gets 2 Engines, a Tanker, and Heavy Rescue, As Well as A Chief.

Aerial Devices are on a Request basis, as we don't have one.

With the first call for help, generally another 2 Engines, and A Tanker.

Our area has "Tanker Task Forces" For working incidents.

During the day we're on a dual dispatch -- whereas 2 departments are toned to ensure enough manpower.

[MetalMedic]

Our response will depend on the call being inside the city (hydrants) or outside of the city (no hydrants) and if the structure is a single story or more.

Generall, if we have a 2 story single family dwelling or more inside the city we would respond:

2 - Engines w/5 Personnel each
1 - Aeriel w/5 Personnel
1 - Rescue w/6 Personnel
1 - Squad w/2 Personnel
2 - Officers responding direct to the scene

If the call is outside the area covered by fire hydrants, replace the aeriel with a Tanker w/2 Personnel.



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Richard Nester
Orrville (OH) Fire Dept.

[Fireguy2000]

Here in Lynn Mass for a telephone alarm the response is:
3 Engines
1 Ladder
1 Rescue
1 District chief
1 Safety officer
Working fire recieves automatic: Tower company, ambulance, and the rehab unit
additional alarms are:
3 Engines
1 Ladder


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**Thirst is a late sign of dehydration**

[Fire Line]

We usually roll 2 engines, 2 tenders, 1 mini engine. A second-line engine if enough personnel respond. The tenders roll even to areas with hydrants.
Yesterday at 8am morning every thing but the second-line engine rolled to a chim. fire but only 7 FF responded. If this fire had happened in the middle of the night we would of had up to 24 FF on scene. Most would be released after size-up. Better too much than too little.

[esvfdfirefighter]

We usually roll two engines, a rescue, and two squads for manpower....if it is in an area with no hydrants we will send 2 tankers also. this response is typcial out of our two stations.

There are circumstances where there is more equipment, just based on the area of the fire, because we have an automatic 4 station response in one of the townships that we cover and 3 station response in the other, but that is because both areas are non-hydrant areas..

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Tom Pysh
President/Lt38-1
Ellsworth/Somerset V.F.D.
www.geocities.com/esvfd3870

[nomad1085]

For a "fire alarm" our volunteer department rolls 2 engines (1000 gal ea.), 1 tanker (3000 gal), the rescue, a second line 1000 gal tanker, and a utility truck that can carry 6 people. If we need an ariel, we request it by mutual aid from the neighboring dept. For a confirmed structure fire, automatic mutual aid tanker responses from surrounding towns is started. Response to brush fires are slightly different as the brush truck and 2nd line tanker go fist, with the rescue respondig only at night or as requested by the OIC.
Car accidents are 1 or 2 engines, the rescue, and the utility.
CO Alarms with out symptoms are just the rescue with the meter. CO with symptoms is the rescue and an engine.

[Hell'sKItchen15]

Here in DC, a full box alarm, which is dispatched for reports of fire in a building of any size (except garages and sheds, etc.), or for reports of smoke in a commercial or institutional building, or for smoke in a residential building 4 stories or more in hight. A box assignment consists of:

4 enines (4 men each)
2 trucks (4 or 5 men each, depending on location)
1 rescue squad (5 men)
1 battalion chief (chief + aide)

Upon confirmation of a fire, a working fire dipatch is sent. This consist of:

1 engine
1 truck
1 battalion chief
1 EMS unit
1 air unit
1 fire investigations unit

A second alarm consists of:

4 engines
2 trucks
1 battalion chief

Additional alarms are similar up to the 4th alarm, after which only 4 engines are usually sent per alarm.

[fireeater650]

As a voluteer department we send thre departments to any structure or structural related fire to insure man power. It is standard operating procedure to roll an engine/pumper with 2 men in our county. tankers and service vehicles can roll with one man, but 2 men is suggested. We usually have at least 2 firemen and an engineer on our front engine for most of our calls, but being a voluteer dept., it really just depnds on who shows up.

[CousinVinny354]

in PG MD

Street Assignment (House, usually 1 or 2 family)

3 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Squad + any units that double pulled (ran extra pieces)

Box Alarm: any building or Multiple Dweeling:

4 Engines, 2 Ladders, 1 Squad, +doubles pulls


In Woodmere NY

2 Engines 1 Ladder 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 BLS
+ Mutual Aide for FAST TEAM, usually a Ladder if the incident commander is thinking clearly..

[allhands]

I wish we had more firefighters peer company, but we run 3 engines, 2 ladders, Rescue 1 , car 2(Shift Commander), and 1 Ambulance. Our staffing is 3 on an engine, 3 on a ladder, (each pice has 2 firefighters and an officer) and rescue 1 has 2 firefighters. If the all-hands is struck(indicating a working fire) we get a second ambulance, safety officer and recall a 2nd chief. The second and third alarms get 2 and 1. The third recalls all available off duty members.

[Looper]

Our box alarms vary somewhat depending on location. "lightest" box -- 4 engines, 1 ladder, 1 rescue (air), 2 equipment trucks, rehab (this is the entire dept -- 3 stations). "Heaviest" initial box -- 6 engines, 2 ladders, 1 rescue, 2 equipment trucks, rehab.

Each additional alarm: 3 engines, 1 ladder, 1 rescue (air), medic unit.

We have a couple of occupancies that are an automatic 2 alarm response (ie. hospital).

We will average about 28 members on a working structure fire, not counting mutual aid. About 2/3 on aparatus and 1/3 by POV.

We try to bring all aparatus to the scene -- doesn't do any good sitting in the station, if all the people are at the fire. This usually allows us to have several units in service and available for another call.

[Firelover]

We pretty much empty the station. We roll with the first due engine, then it's the tanker, ladder, heavy rescue and depending on the call we sometimes bring in the utility truck for the extra personal. The chief and the Deputies both respond as soon as the call comes in.

------------------
Joel

If you sent us to HELL, WE'D PUT IT OUT!!

[FRED]

We refer to a 1st alarm as a "regular"
-It is the equivalent to a "box alarm"
It is the same response for a hi-rise as a single story house.

For a reported fire The Closest 4 companies (one of which should be a quint(75') If not it becomes the 5th Company on the assignment. And a Chief (no Aide) We have 3 Engines and 4-75'quints out of 6 firehouses.

We have minimum staffing of 3 men on a rig.
Max:4 usually bringing anywhere from 12-16 men and a Chief.

We also have what is called a Modified alarm that only sends two closest units and Chief for calls such as "light haze in building", "possible flue fires", "stove- fires" ect.

[This message has been edited by FRED (edited 02-10-2001).]