Measuring Response Time

For the purposes of this week's drill we are going to focus on developing and measuring two facets of fire attack time.

Under whatever normal conditions you choose, whether that is a meeting night for the call and volunteer, or in the kitchen for the paid and career folks, strike a training alarm and have the officer take the actual response time from the time of the radio alert until the time apparatus is started and pulled out of the front bay doors onto the ramp.

Record that time. Record it for each piece of apparatus.

Then after a normal non emergency response to a training site or acquired structure, record the time from the time the apparatus sets it's brakes and wheel chocks to the time all members have stretched and charged an attack line, and members are in place on that line with masks, (under air) and with tools.

Record that time.

If you have an aerial device record the time it takes for jacks to be set and have the stick raised out of the bed to a target window.

Record that time.

Stop and regather the troops and determine what things can be done to make this better. Is it where you store the equipment, is it proficiency and repetitive training that will help, is it how you pack and pull hose?

Did one member of the crew fail and slow everyone down?

Look at the real issues concerning what you can do by training or revising your operation to make your reflex time and turnout time and set up time better, faster and safer for you and the folks you protect.