46 S.O.G. 

SECTION: Company Operations

SUBJECT: First to arrive Duties

REVISED: 05/2002

PURPOSE:

            To provide a uniform guideline for determining strategic and tactical goals when evaluating an emergency incident for first arriving apparatus.

POLICY:

            It shall be the policy of this department to have first in companies to evaluate an emergency incident and establishing strategic and tactical goals.

PROCEDURES:

A.                 Upon arrival.

1)      Transmit a brief and concise initial radio report to include:

a.       Unit number and “on scene”

b.      Height of building in stories

c.       Type of building (dwelling, apartment, commercial, etc.)

d.      Conditions on arrival.

e.       Officer in charge.

2)      Evaluate resource needs and request additional resources if needed.

3)      Assume command of the situation and remain in command until formally relieved by a chief officer.

4)      Size up the emergency situation.

5)      Determine the primary objectives based on priorities.

6)      Determine strategy based on objectives.

7)      Develop an action plan based on objectives and strategies.

8)      Assign other arriving units until relieved of command.

9)      Whenever the incident is obviously beyond the capabilities of the first arriving unit it may be better for the first officer to initially set up a command post rather than become involved directly in operations.

LIFE SAFETY:

A.                 If there is a life hazard or potential life hazard, then life safety will become the number one priority.   All actions on the scene, by fire personnel, will be directed toward minimizing the life hazard.

B.                 Sometimes, an aggressive quick attack on the problem will alleviate the life hazard.

C.                 Life safety includes the life safety of the public and of fire personnel.

D.                 Fire personnel should not be place din precarious positions or take unnecessary risks.

CONFINEMENT:

A.                 Every effort should be made to contain the problem to the smallest area possible.

B.                 Confinement also involves preventing an emergency problem from becoming more complex.

C.                 Confinement of an emergency problem is second only to life safety as a priority consideration.

CONTROL:

A.                 The term “control” is used in place of the term “extinguishment” since fire fighting is not the only type of emergency problem that the fire department personnel must handle.

B.                 Control relates to those activities engaged in by fire personnel, which directly reduce or abate an emergency problem.

C.                 Many times control efforts such as direct attack on a fire can accomplish life safety, confinement, and control simultaneously.

D.                 Control operations are utilized with an offensive strategy.