Many of the factors are interrelated: time of day may affect the occupancy load of the building, wind direction may affect the exposure problem and the response time may affect the size and location of the fire. This not only created an easy method for remembering them, but placed them into useable groupings. “Most discussions on size-up center on a 13-point list of size-up factors, which are summarized by the commonly referred acronymsĮnnis began tinkering with the fi reground size-up factors until he had four factors listed under each of the four categories. Many methods have been developed to help fire officers learn and recall the most common factors affecting size-up, including water supply, weather conditions, construction type and smoke conditions.
Since the fireground is a dynamic place that is constantly changing, the officer must constantly be sizing up what is going on and be willing and able to adjust his plan of action accordingly. Size-up must not only be based on the current conditions as they appear at the moment, but must also take into account what the potential situation is predicted to be five, 10, or even more minutes out.ģ. This step is critical to safe and successful fireground outcomes.Ģ. Conducting an accurate initial size-up upon arrival at a fire. In other words, what is the problem and what needs to be done to address it? Several aspects of that process are crucial, including:ġ. An evaluation of a complicated incident is necessary before intelligent assignments of resources may be made, and that mental process involved includes all factors of the incident, weighed against available resources.
Chief Rick Ennis of the Cape Girardeau, Mo., department has added a new dimension to this protocol by developing what he calls the “4×4 Size-Up Method” with others in the field.Īccording to Ennis, size-up has been described as the mental evaluation made by the command officer that enables him to determine a course of action. (Photo provided)įırefıghters apply critical sıze-up techniques when they arrive at the site of a fire. In each different type of building referenced, Terpak covers the following points:īy Mike Terpak, Deputy Chief and Citywide Tour Commander (Ret.Most discussions on size-up center on a 13-point list of factors summarized by acronyms that are useful for the purpose they serve, but have limited application in actually conducting a size-up on the fire-ground. Terpak gives fire fighters an in-depth and expanded review of 15 size-up points to help them make decisions that are efficient, effective, and safe. In this definitive guide to fireground size-up, author Michael A. Pre-incident information combined with your on-scene size-up give the fire officer the advantage of knowing what to expect when arriving and operating at a fire scene.
Learn how fire ground size-up can make your operations efficient, effective, and safe.įire officers have many decisions to make when they approach a scene-decisions that could mean the difference between life and death.
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