BY ERIC G. BACHMAN
When I teach firefighters about preincident intelligence, I pose the question, “What is the most important incident information?” The most common responses are the following: the number of occupants, hazardous materials used on site, and the construction type. There is no arguing that each of these items is important. However, the most important piece of information, at least initially, is the location of the emergency. If the location is not known, the other information becomes moot.
Once you know the location, you must establish a timely travel route. Response time is critical and influences many incident aspects. A driver/operator (DO), chauffeur, or whatever your department lists as the title for the person driving the fire truck, as well as the officer riding the right front seat (ORFS), must be intimately familiar with the district. Knowing which direction to turn out of the fire station, while seemingly elementary, is essential.
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