Congratulations on making it through your first shift as the Engine Boss. Yesterday went well and here you are at 6 AM stripping the radios and whatnot from the engine as she is due at the yard for an oil change. Just as you finish removing the ALS bags, defib, radios and headsets, a call comes over the radio for a reported working fire in the next district over. You are out of service for the yard, made the call not 5 minutes ago.
Not thinking much of it at first you go back to your morning paper. The first engine to go enroute on the air reports heavy smoke showing as they pull out of quarters. One of your firefighters has come running back in as you take your first sip of coffee and tells you it looks to be on the border of your two jurisdictions, maybe even closer to you.
"Are we going on this or what?" He has his pants and coat on.
You make the call.
Comments
You are out of service, and under-equipped. To put yourself into service, you would have to inform control that you have minimal equipment, and ensure that you only did work you were equipped for.
Taking the call would not only cause confusion, but no doubt lead to another resource not being assigned the call (as you are already going), therefore meaning that the fire scene is effectively under-resourced.
Don't go, unless there is no-one else
No.
You are of limited use with no radios or medical gear. Showing up to the scene and unable to properly communicate will only cause trouble and confusion.
Remember, not every department is the same. If you were in my FD and not a big one like you've got, get up off of your but, restock your truck, and get rolling. There's not anyone else coming. Oil changes can wait.
We don't strip trucks if they're staying in district. Out of town for maintenance... maybe, but not often.
At any rate, fires need manpower. There's four of you, aren't there?
You don't go into service with out-of-service equipment. In the computer world, the smart administrator doesn't put into production a system that's been pulled for servicing, even in an emergency. And that's computers, not something where human lives are involved.
If all that is missing is the radios and ems stuff then you put the radios back on the rig and go in service.
Unless the Chief is expecting you at the garage for a set time.
You can always ring the Chief and ask him.
Either way, you don't let God's Gift to the Fire Department coax you into doing something you shouldn't.
What are the standing orders?
oh yeah, and going on my track record you probably did the opposite.
If the Engine is OOS, I'd place only the radios on the rig, wait until command asked for more help. Then switch a radio over to the fireground and ask him if he wants 3 additional personnel (yourself, and the 2 backstep FFs) in addition to what he's getting on the next alarm (2nd, working fire, etc., etc.) If he wants 3 guys, go to the scene, and get off the truck and STAGE BY COMMAND UNLESS THEY ASSIGNED SOMETHING FOR YOU. The driver will continue to the shop for the oil change.
My opinion being said, I agree with On The Road with all the potential drawbacks of doing so.
So, taking the one company completely down would hurt us a lot. It probably wouldn't hurt Chicago much at all.
Me? I put my engine back together as quickly as possible and respond.
There's never a problem if an extra engine responds to a working fire, It gives the IC more options early on.
As long as the engine and crew are intact and can function fully, it's better to respond and be called off than to stay away when your brothers could use your help.
You've never been called off before, have you?
Depending upon your department roll orders/SOP's If you crew is of the eager type roll. check in with command, and do what's assigned. Assuming that job is appropriate for your staffing and equipment. capabilities
(That's assuming of course that you would have normally shown on the initial dispatch........otherwise you regretfully explain to the backstep that you don't jump other companies runs)).
If your Batt/District Chief doesn't want you to respond he can hit you on the radio and have you stand down.
DaveO
Assuming you have enough to form a crew, put the rig back together and go back online.
Dispatch should be capable of doing the rest without you interfering in the process.
Even if you don't go on the fire, you'll be in service to fill in for other incidents while everyone is tied up on the fire.
How would you feel if the first due engine became trapped inside, and you were sitting in quarters twiddling your thumbs.
In my neck of the woods, no one would fault you for trying to better the run.