Identifying the Need for a New Device or Procedure for the Fire Service

Sources of Information on Change and Upgrading of Procedures and Equipment

The duty of a fire service is to supply personnel, apparatus and equipment to stop,
control or neutralize the critical effects of fire and other hazards, including hazardous
materials, endangering life, property and the environment. It must be integrated into community emergency structures and must be able to respond to all emergencies from small fires to large scale terrorism. The fire services must coordinate its efforts through mutual aid agreements, Fire Defence Board, State Fire Marshals etc. Through the collective analysis of functions and needs the identification of new innovative changes will become obvious to the fire service planners.

The Risk Assessment

The risk assessment within the area of responsibility of the fire service i.e. the identification of fire hazards, implications on people at risk, evaluation – removal – reduction – protection measures, the planning – informing – instructing – training and the review will all indicate areas of needs for new devices or procedures. (UK Department for Communities and Local Government Publications, 2006).

Changing Community Profile

Changes in the community profile i.e. new residential developments, criminal trends (e.g. arson) etc. will be indicators for the changing and growing needs of the fire department.
The Risk Management Plan
To cater for all eventualities, (risk identification – evaluation – control – review) the fire department will identify and create a basis for change and renewal to be able to execute the risk management plan.

Community Risk Reduction Planning

To be able to serve the community the fire department needs to prepare, to mitigate impacts and eventually respond. This all will need either renewal or change in existing equipment and procedures. The much neglected facet of recovery after the incident might demand innovative change.

Cost

New devices and upgrading of systems is essential. But in the majority of cases these growing needs needn’t be expensive. By changing procedures and improvising on existing resources high short term expenditure can be avoided.

References

UK Department for Communities and Local Government Publications, (2006). Fire Risk Assessment.

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The Need for Different Variants of Vehicles for Fire Services

Fire services are part of the broad emergency response community in service of public safety. These functions are interdisciplinary and demand response from small house fires to terrorist attacks (e.g. Sept 11 2001). For the numerous possibilities of eventualities different specialised variants of vehicles ranging from administrative, control, and technological specific circumstances vehicles.

Types of Functions and Specialised Needs

Command Car. Independent movement for the commander. Enhances coordination.

Command Unit. A mobile operations room.

Operational Support Trucks. Logistical vehicles for supplying large volumes of equipment to the site.

Small Fire Trucks. Basic fire fighting.

Fire Engines. Large trucks manned by a group and carrying fire fighting and rescue gear, often with a small water and foam supply.

Rescue Engines. Fire engines with more rescue equipment onboard.

Tankers. Large trucks manned by one squad and a water supply of several thousand litres. (might include water and foam canons).

Rescue Trucks. Either a larger panel truck or a smaller truck, equipped with a range of rescue gear (jaws of life, saws, cutters or work platforms).

Equipment Carriers. Vehicle “all sorts” depending of the equipment stowed. (e.g. specialized gear for water rescue operations or hazmat).

Ladder Trucks. Large trucks with a telescopic ladder and an attached bucket or platform at the end.

Hose Carriers. Large trucks with a supply of rolled and pre-coupled hoses for longer distances.

Ambulances. Classically based on a delivery-truck chassis with a special body and provides pre-hospital critical care for at least one patient. (manned by paramedics and often an emergency physician).

Crew Carrier. Often a small bus, used for non-emergency rides and transfer of additional personnel.

Bulk Foam Units. Large capacity foam tankers.

Incident Response Unit’s. Decontamination vehicles to handle terrorist attacks.

Scientific Support Units. Specialised vehicles carrying vast amounts of chemical monitoring equipment.

Platforms

The above platforms of wheels and tracks can be replaced in different permutations with fixed wing, rotor or ship.

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Role Players in the Arson Task Force

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All organisations in the community in contact with the symptoms, diagnoses, intervention and implementation of community safety can get involved. (Ekblom, P., 2006).

Typical Role Players and Contributions

Fire Service

Implementing intervention and diversion programmes with convicted and at risk offenders. Reducing arson incidents by rapid removal of fire risk vehicles, rubbish dumping interventions and observation of unoccupied properties. Maintaining an arson and hoax calls data base.

Health Authorities and Insurance Companies

They maintain a data base relating to incidence and costs of arson damage (physical and the resulting claims).

Local Education Authorities

They maintain absenteeism and at risk young people data bases. The educational welfare service also work continuously on social and psychological problem cases.

Local Authorities

Environmental Services. Speedy removal of deserted vehicles, street cleaning, improved lighting and maintenance of open spaces.

Finance. Calculating losses to the Council due to arson in cooperation with their insurance company.

Housing and Planning. Logging of relevant crime information, helpful area design and management by utilising their area managers and neighbourhood wardens.

Leisure Services and Public Parks. Park Rangers services can advise, create reporting systems and gather relevant information.

Town Planning. Guide new development, redevelopment and rejuvenation of neighbourhoods by insistence on a crime impact analysis.

Social Services. They can report on at risk behavior individuals and on vulnerable people (e.g. aged etc.)

Public Transport. Due to their widespread activities they are a valuable source of timely information.

Youth Services. They can offer youth diversion programs and create a valuable source of information.

Local Businesses
They can assist in sponsorships of programs, promotions on security and safety products etc.

Local Media
Due to accurate area coverage and reporting actions can be prevented and pre-empted. Reporting can be a deterrent for prospective arsonists and media data bases can assist in identifying doubtful cases.

Neighbourhood Watch
By awareness raising and information gathering they can add value to the overall prevention and reaction structure.

Police
With their generic functions of law and order they can predict trends, initiate crime prevention strategies, liaise with the community and create structure.

References
Ekblom, P. (2006). The Conjunction of Criminal Opportunity: A framework for Crime Reduction Toolkits – Revised.

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Incident Effectiveness

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Incident effectiveness is the culmination point of effective training and dedication. This implies that the specific incident was controlled with minimum loss to property and no loss to incident victims or fire station personnel. This is a product of professional behaviour, sensible management of resources and manpower, innovative action patters and improvisation. Each incident has its own characteristics and unique challenges. Since the unpredictability of the public safety scenario, training, re training, rehearsals, drills; procedures etc need to be a function of incremental improvement from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Specialisation in the different sub disciplines is essential to ensure the maximum utilisation of personnel potential. The climate to encourage incident effectiveness is based on standardization, mutual support and maintaining a common goal in the department.

Participative leadership with an element of regimentation is necessary to ensure teamwork and to guarantee a disciplined organisation. Discipline is to a great extent conforming to standards and norms without losing individuality. Performance standards, skills development, skills maintenance and skills assessment are the essence of maintaining a pre-emptive – proactive – reactive – retroactive response mode which will influence the overall readiness of fire-fighters (voluntary, career or part time).

Knowledge of the tools, techniques, and all the other instruments of the trade which forms the “nuts and bolts” of the fire-fighter industry is primarily dependent on quality training.

Summary

Incident effectiveness can be achieved by following the four guiding principles of drill, equipment maintenance, programs and station maintenance.

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