All Hazard Duties

Today’s fire service is called upon to more and more. The term “All Hazards service” is thrown around in the fire service. This means we as Firefighters are tasked to handle any and all emergencies from a sore toe to an active shooter situation and everything in between.  I want to dig down to the company level. Our fire apparatus is being set up to do multiple tasks. The names of the fire service apparatus are changing to fit the growing responsibilities:

Engine Tanker

Rescue Truck

Rescue Engine

Medic Engine

Quint

As our responsibilities grow our knowledge base has to grow as well.  The means that you have to be good at whatever your apparatus is set up to do.  As an engine tanker you have to know rural water supply, as well as “normal” water supply. A rescue truck crew must master truck operations and extrication operations. A quint will need sufficient manpower to operate as a truck and an engine.

The public counts on us to be the best when they call 911. If your department chooses to run dual function apparatus you must be great at all functions. To be anything less is a huge disservice to your fellow firefighters and the public you are sworn to service.