By Jim Nagle
Today’s fire service is a busy one. As the number of calls climbs, staffing levels remain steady at best. There are more buildings to inspect and more training requirements. We are being asked to do more with less all the time. As a result, many fire suppression crews may find it difficult to maintain some basic skills and become familiar with the buildings in their response area.
我们今天比以往任何时候都更忙碌的一个原因是虚假自动火警激活。每年在我工作的城市中，越来越多的建筑物建造或改造了自动火灾警报器（AFA）。在几乎每次转变中，我和我的工作人员都会回应虚假的AFA激活。许多人将虚假警报视为滋扰电话或浪费时间，但不必这样做。每个虚假警报都提供了一些出色的培训机会。
First of all, since AFA false alarms are not false until proven false, they offer us a chance to hone some basic, yet critical skills. For example, apparatus operators have to choose the best route and direction from which to approach the structures and where to position the rig; officers must go through the process of sizing up the building and delivering a radio report on arrival. And, everyone must step off the rig wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and carrying the right tools.
Once the false alarm has been verified, another golden opportunity is often there for the taking—a chance to look around a little. This may be the only chance you have to look at this building strictly from a tactical point of view. Although it’s true that you may be back for a medical alarm or a fire code enforcement inspection, they are not the times to be doing a prefire survey. On medical calls, we need to focus on the patient; on fire code inspections, we are looking for violations. Any attempt to throw prefire surveys into the mix is unfair to the citizens we serve. They pay for and deserve 100 percent of our attention in these critical areas.
至于看什么，请关注如果您回来扑灭大火，将对您最大的好处。显然，您需要找到警报面板来验证和处理错误警报。之后要查看的其他事情包括居住者的生命安全问题，建筑类型，最佳进入的停车，可见的入境需求，其他消防设备（例如挡管和洒水装置）的存在以及消防部门的连接位置。
One thing to consider before you begin your survey is whether there are employees who have evacuated and now need to come back inside. Clear them to return, and ask the manager or owner of the business if it’s okay to look around, explaining the need to get familiar with your first-due buildings. In my experience, citizens are happy to oblige.
Chances are that the number of false AFA activations is only going to increase. Take advantage of these opportunities to hone your response skills and to become familiar with the buildings you have not yet preplanned.
Jim Nagle is a captain and hazmat technician with the Everett (WA) Fire Department, where he has served for 13 years.
