Firefighter identification on the fireground

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Permalink Reply by Adam Bean on April 25, 2008 at 3:09pm

Hey Keith,

We use the apparatus and seating position. For example my Lieut. is Engine 9, the driver is Engine 9 Truck, the pipeman is Engine 9 Pipe etc... When we have a run that is more than a still (more than two pieces of apparatus) the first in officer takes command and once more apparatus and the Deputy get on scene the Deputy assigns either a Captain or the senior LT. operating on that floor or doing that function as the Division or Group.

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Permalink Reply by Danny Cardeso on April 25, 2008 at 5:54pm

In my Department we use company designator and seat position (i.e. engine 1 = the officer, engine 1 driver = the driver, engine 1 alpha = the left tailboard, etc.). If an ICS position and/or assignement is given by the IC at an incident, then this new designator is used for the remainder of the incident or assignment.

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Permalink Reply by Tony on April 25, 2008 at 6:30pm

We use the seat and unit number for radio ID. Engine 6, Officer is 1, driver 2, nozzleman 3 and hydrant 4. Engine 6-1 to command or Engine 6-2, 6-1, increase the pressure on the yellow. We started to use Alpha, Bravo... but determined that it would conflict with our building designation. The front is A, left side B, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Denny Hansen on April 25, 2008 at 6:43pm

Keith,
Each apparatus's seated position is assign an alphabetic letter depending on the number of firefighters, i.e. say E-3 has a three person crew. The officer is 3A, the engineer is 3B, the jumpseat position is 3C. If there are four firefighters assigned to the engine the positions are assign in a counter clockwise designation. The officer is 3A, the engineer is 3B, the left jumpseat position is 3C, and the right jumpseat position is 3D.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Vogel on April 25, 2008 at 8:39pm

We use the apparatus assignement number and riding assignment position. This is pretty much what the others have indicated they use so far. Our system is a little different, as our apparatus have county assigned numbers. However, when we operate, we use apparatus assignments, combined with riding assignments. For example, the nozzleman on the 1st due Engine would be assigned the radio designation of Engine 1 nozzle.

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Permalink Reply by Dustine Hilfiker on April 25, 2008 at 10:08pm

We have six departments in our county, all of which are volunteer with the exception of two being combination paid/volunteer, and each station's chief is designated 100, 200, 300, etc... Then the assistant chief is the next number and the rest are given to guys with their own portables. Not everybody has radios though so only the guys who have their own radios have a designated number. However, the majority of talking is done by the chief or the assistant chief. This seems to work well due to the small sizes of the departments.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Schroeder on April 25, 2008 at 10:55pm

Small full time department and we use employee numbers as designators. 4 digit numbers are assigned to all staff and grouped by rank. Dispatch center also uses these numbers to contact us when needed. works well for us but might get confusing if you had over a hundred people to number. All departments in the dispatch system are given their own first number prefix. Our department numbers all start with a 5. ie: 5570, etc. The more I try to explain this the more I like some of the other systems posted. "Engine 1 - Driver" hard to screw that one up.....

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Permalink Reply by Kristofer DeMauro on April 25, 2008 at 11:02pm

Interesting, we were just discussing this very topic during drills earlier today. We use company and operational designators. When we are still assigned to the apparatus it is "Engine 1 or Ladder 2, so on." If we are assigned an operation then the crew becomes "fire attack, rescue, water supply and such." During a fire the driver of the apparatus answers when that apparatus is called. Example: if I want to talk to my driver and I am working a fire it would be something like "Fire attack to Engine 1....." In non-emergent situations the portables and positions are given number designator, Engine 1 mobile 1, engine 1 mobile 2, and son on. Good topic.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Shackelford on April 26, 2008 at 11:13am

By incident responsibility, (if assigned interior, exposure, division A, etc.) If an individual firefighter is contacting his supervisor he may use, (Engine #?? Firefighter).

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Permalink Reply by Gregg Normandin on April 26, 2008 at 3:38pm

Keith,

My Dept. uses the Company designation while responding, then uses portable designation as 01, 02, 03,etc.

Engines are identified by the first number of the Company then 01, 02, 03, 04. Example; Engine 1 = Officer-101, Driver-102, Nozzleman-103.

Ladders are identified by a double number then 01, 02, 03, 04. Example; Tower Ladder 3 = Officer-1301, Driver-1302, Roofman-1303.

Rescue 3 is identified starting with 11. Example; Driver-311, Tech-312.

The Deputy Chiefs all have their own call sign. Example DC on Group 1; C1, Group 2; C2, etc.

The Acting DC's use the 100 series. Example C100, C200, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Addie on April 27, 2008 at 8:32am

Kevin,

My department is a small full time career department also. We use portable numbers on the fireground, but would like to see that change. These portable numbers are determined by where you are sitting on the apparatus. When operating on the scene, using a portable number or any other number designation doesn't indicate where a team is located at the incident. Where is everyone on the scene? What tasks are they conducting? What is their location? If I'm the incident commander I want to know where you are. For instance, I would want to here "Command from division 1 search or Command from division 2 attack". These are just a few examples. Using this type of terminology lets the incident commander know where you are and what tasks are being conducted. This gives the incident commander a clear picture of where their personnel is located and what tasks are being done.

I've gotten alot of responses to this and it seems that most use apparatus position or company number designations. These kind of designations don't indicate where you are on the fireground, therefore firefighter accountability isn't where it should be. Thank you for your response and be safe.

Keith

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Permalink Reply by Keith Addie on April 27, 2008 at 10:11am

Kristofer,

I see that your department uses something similar to what I would like to see used on my department. I think that communicating your task or location on the radio to the incident commander or anyone else on the fireground gives a clear mental picture to where everyone is located. Not only does this let everyone know where personnel is located, it also lets the incident commander know what tasks are being fulfilled and what tasks still need to be assigned. Using portable numbers based on where you sit on the apparatus doesn't mean anything when operating on the fireground. I think it's more important to know where personnel are located on the fireground versus where they were located on the apparatus.

My department uses portable numbers as designations based on where you are sitting on the apparatus. I would like to see that changed, but I'm not sure if it will. I feel that if I call the incident commander and say "Command from 31A" that doesn't let them know where I am or what I am doing, but if I say "Command from division 1 search", that lets them know I am on the 1st floor and I am conducting a search. It paints a clear picture for the incident commander and anyone else operating on the scene.

Thank you for your input on this subject, it's one that I often talk to people about. Be safe out there.

Keith

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