The purpose of NFPA 1710 is to provide minimum criteria to address “the effectiveness and efficiency of career” fire department personnel and operations. This standard outlines seven objectives that must be met. Fire department staffing levels should be based on the ability to meet these objectives and to deploy firefighting resources as outlined in the standard. This task analysis should account for, life hazards to the public, safety of the firefighters, property loss potential, types of occupancies and properties to be protected, and fireground tactics, apparatus, and expected results.
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| Sunset with burning building by Petteri Sulonen |
NFPA 1710 defines the following types of incidents and deployment criteria.
- Single-family dwelling, defined as 2,000sq.ft., two-story, single family dwelling (no basement, no exposures)
- Strip shopping center, defined as an open-air shopping area of 13,000sq.ft. - 196,000sq.ft.
- Apartments, defined as a 1,200sq.ft. unit inside three-story, garden-style building
- High-rise buildings, defined as structures with the highest floor greater than 75’ above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
Minimum staffing for full alarm assignments to single-family dwelling fires require a total of fourteen personnel, divided as follows:
- (1) individual dedicated to incident command
- (1) personnel to establish and maintain water supply
- (4) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of two handlines required
- (2) handline support members, (1) per attack and backup line
- (2) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue team
- (2) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation
- (2) personnel assigned to the initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC)
Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to an open-air strip shopping center fire incident requires a total of twenty-seven personnel, divided as follows:
- (2) personnel assigned to incident command
- (2) personnel to establish and maintain water supply, (1) per supply, minimum two required
- (6) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of three handlines required
- (3) handline support members, (1) per attack, backup, exposure line
- (4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
- (4) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation, (2) teams of two personnel
- (4) personnel assigned to RIC, (1) officer (3) members
- (2) personnel to provide initial medical care
Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to an apartment fire incident requires a total of twenty-seven personnel, divided as follows:
- (2) personnel assigned to incident command
- (2) personnel to establish and maintain water supply, (1) per supply, minimum two required
- (6) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of three handlines required
- (3) handline support members, (1) per attack, backup, exposure line
- (4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
- (4) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation, (2) teams of two personnel
- (4) personnel assigned to RIC, (1) officer (3) members
- (2) personnel to provide initial medical care
Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to a high-rise fire incident requires a total of forty-one personnel, divided as follows:
- (2) personnel assigned to incident command, (1) officer with (1) aid
- (2) personnel assigned incident command at fire floor, (1) officer with (1) aid
- (1) incident safety officer
- (1) officer, at interior staging area two floors below fire floor
- (1) officer, building lobby operations
- (1) officer, external base operations
- (1) individual assigned to establish and maintain water supply to the standpipe system
- (1) individual assigned to monitor and maintain building fire pump operations
- (4) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of two handlines required at the fire floor
- (2) personnel to operate handline, (2) per line, minimum of one handline required at floor above fire floor
- (4) personnel assigned to RIC
- (4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
- (4) personnel assigned to evacuation management, (2) teams of two personnel
- (1) individual to manage and monitor elevator operations
- (2) personnel assigned to firefighter rehab, (1) ALS trained
- (4) personnel assigned to vertical ventilation, (1) officer (3) members
- (2) personnel for equipment transport
- (4) emergency medical personnel, (2) teams of two personnel
These numbers represent only the minimum requirements for the initial alarm. As the incident escalates, it is understood that additional personnel and apparatus may be needed.
To provide effective and efficient staffing levels, a thorough knowledge of the community must be had. This is why the conduct and maintenance of a community risk assessment is critical to, not just fire prevention, fire department operations as a whole.
Related Posts:
- 7 Response Objectives for Fire Departments
- 4 Components of a Service Delivery Evaluation
- NFPA 1730, for staffing and fire prevention functions
