Is It Groundhog Day Again? There was a movie called Grounhog Day where the premise was that it was the same day and same events over and over again. This week I engaged in several discussions that involved the fire department always acting the same way on each and every emergency. Now this is not to say that we should not have certain methods of Standard Operating Procedures, but are there any times where we should act differently based upon the circumstances. We all of course know what the answer to that one really is, and the answer is yes we should base our decisions upon a dynamic size up process. Unfortunately our repetition of runs and success rate trick us into always performing the same tasks. A company that teaches dispatcher training (Powerphone) uses the term the 300 call syndrome, meaning that after you have handled a call a certain number of times the same way, complacency sets in. Some thoughts or examplesfor you to ponder: If we are in a vounteer or on-call system will we always conduct an interior attack even if it is 2:00 Pm and we have a limited or marginal daytime response? If we are in a career department with shift staffing of a certain number but we are allowed to go to "minimum", do we still continue to tactically operate the same way? Do we operate the same way (1 3/4" line through the front door) at residential and commercial fires, regardless of building size? Do we operate the same way (1 3/4" line through the front door) at a residential fire that is in a 75 year old structure as we do in a newly constructed lightweight residential? The thermal imager is often brought in for overhaul and checking for hotspots rather than initial fire attack. Are there any situations where the imager should definetly be brought in earlier for fire interior size up ? We obviously know about rescue but what about determining if the fire is in the truss space? Can it help? Do we always attack from the unburned side like we are taught? (1 3/4" line through the front door) In some cases like a residential garage or small commercial do we consider a preconnected 2 1/2" line or do we....(1 3/4" line through the front door) My point is a simple one, make real life judgements when you arrive on the scene and do not become like groundhog day and just repeat the same thing over and over again. Also while we ask for you to be safe at all emergencies, we are asking that you take some special precautions when you are operating in any structure that is built into a slope and different stories on two sides of the building. These type of buildings have killed multiple firefighters multiple times. Make your ICS a little tighter, make your attack just a little more deliberate, make your accountability system absolute. Take special safety precautions when operating any time there are multiple mutual aid companies working, or when you are not with your regular crew. Some lack of basic familiarity can cause unusal circumstances to occur.Make your ICS a little tighter, make your attack just a little more deliberate, make your accountability system absolute. Take special safety precautions when operating at any auto body, auto repair service garage.Make your ICS a little tighter, make your attack just a little more deliberate, make your accountability system absolute. Try to think a little harder and be specific at your next emergency, rather than "Let's just do what we did last time".
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