What is a company?

NFPA 1710 provides guidelines on the number of personnel required to staff a fire department. It further requires that these personnel be “organized into company units”. When we have our personnel, we then must organize them.  But what is a “company unit”?

I first learned of a fire company from the IFSTA Essentials of Firefighter, 4th edition. This basic fire academy curriculum defined a fire company as “the standard operating unit of a fire department...a group of firefighters assigned to a particular piece of apparatus or to a particular station. A company consists of a company officer, a driver/operator, and one or more firefighters.”

Essentials provides a great general definition. However, NFPA 1710, more clearly defines what a fire company is. A company is a group of fire department members who:

1. Are under direct supervision of an officer
2. Are trained and equipped to perform assigned tasks
3. Operate with one piece of fire apparatus, or multiple apparatus assigned and dispatched together, and under control of a single fire officer
4. Arrive at the incident scene on fire apparatus

These fire companies must be organized and identified. Companies are organized by task and are commonly identified as: 

• Engine company
• Ladder company
• Rescue company
• Squad company
• Multi-functional company

Chapter 5 of NFPA 1710 defines the makeup of each of these company types. This section also requires that “each company shall be lead by an officer”. 

Engine Companies. Responsible to pump and deliver water, and perform basic firefighter functions.  Staffed with a minimum of four on-duty personnel. More personnel may be required based on call volume or high hazard target areas, up to six on-duty personnel.

Ladder Companies. Responsible for forcible entry, ventilation, search and rescue, overhaul and salvage, and a variety of other truck work. Staffed with a minimum of four on-duty personnel. More personnel may be required based on call volume or high hazard target areas, up to six on-duty personnel.

Other Companies. Provide specialized equipment and apparatus to assist engine and ladder companies. These are provided and staffed in accordance with the risk/hazard analysis as required by the AHJ and department SOP’s.

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• How Many Firefighters Do You Need?
• Career, Combination, or Volunteer?
• Seven Response Objectives for Fire Departments
• Staffing for ARFF Departments
• Four Components of a Service Delivery Evaluation

Five Systems for Effective Fire Department Management

Photo courtesy of LAFD Photo | Harry Garvin

The two standards that address the organization of fire departments and provision of firefighting services, NFPA 1710 (career) and NFPA 1720 (volunteer), outline five systems that must be in place for effective fire department management.

Safety and Health System. An occupational safety and health program must be provided. This program must meet the requirements of, and be established in accordance with, NFPA 1500.

NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program,  specifies the minimum occupational safety and health program requirements for organizations that provide fire, rescue, and emergency medical services.

Incident Management System (IMS). The incident management system is a crucial component of all fire department operations, as it provides the foundation for all operation types.

NFPA 1561, Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System and Command Safety, defines the roles and responsibilities of command functions and describes the essential elements of an incident management system.

Training Systems. Having a training system in place ensures that all members are trained for, and competent to, execute the fire department's stated responsibilities.  Training programs should be based on the communities hazards and risks, and the minimum criteria stated in the following code sections:

• NFPA 1710 - Chapter 4, Organization and Chapter 5, Fire Department Services
• NFPA 1720 – Chapter 4, Organization, Operation, and Deployment
• NFPA 405, Standard for the Recurring Proficiency of Airport Fire Fighters (for departments providing ARFF services)

Communications Systems. All emergency services organization must have a reliable communication system. These are essential for the prompt delivery of fire, rescue, and EMS services.

NFPA 1221, Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems, provides guidance and requirements for facilities, equipment, staffing, and operational procedures  for emergency communications centers.

Pre-Incident Planning. A communities structures, hazards, and risks, should be identified and potential emergencies planned for.  A priority for pre-incident planning are those facilities considered to be target hazards.

NFPA 1620, Standard for Pre-Incident Planning, should serve as a guide in developing plans that will assist in managing incidents and protecting lives and property. Elements of pre-incident planning should include,  fire protection systems, building construction type, building contents, and facility functions and operating procedures.

For successful fire department operations and the safety and security of your community these five systems must be in place. With the overwhelming amount of responsibilities, tasks, and requests that need to be addressed,  keeping these five critical systems in mind, will keep your department focused and on the path of forward progress.

Related Posts:

• Four Components of a Service Delivery Evaluation
• Seven Response Objectives for Fire Departments
• How Many Firefighters Do You Need?
• Career, Combination, or Volunteer?
• Staffing for ARFF Departments

Staffing for ARFF Departments

Osan airmen by DVIDSHUB

For those departments having airport rescue firefighting NFPA 1710 references NFPA 403, Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting Services at Airports for minimum staffing requirements.

ARFF operations should be minimally staffed according to the index rating of the airport, as shown in these tables from NFPA 403.

Staffing above these minimums should be determined by the performance of a task analysis.  The task resource analysis is conducted in six stages and based on the needs and demands of the airport. The task and resource analysis model is outlined in Annex D of NFPA 403.

Stage 1: State the goals and objectives of ARFF services and tasks.

Goal:

Objective:

Task:

Stage 2: Identify potential incidents. These should be worst-case scenario based on event history, fire data, and facility statistics, and a risk assessment.

Stage 3: Identify types of aircraft most commonly used at the airport.

Stage 4: Identify worst-case scenario incident locations or possible areas of incident occurrence.

Stage 5: Combine Stages 2, 3, and 4 - correlate accident types with possible worst-case scenario locations.

Stage 6: Based on the scenario in Stage 5, conduct a task and resource analysis to determine minimum ARFF personnel. This analysis should be conducted as a table-top exercise in real time and in sequential order. Elements should include:

1. Receive call, dispatch ARFF units.
2. Respond to scene, operate ARFF vehicle.
3. Apply extinguishing agents and deploy equipment.
4. Assist passenger and crew evacuation.
5. Access aircraft for firefighting, rescue, and other operations.
6. Support and sustain continuing firefighting and rescue operations.
7. Support and sustain water supply.
8. Replenish foam supplies.

NFPA 1710 further requires that aircraft incidents have a dedicated incident commander.  Any airport fire department with structural fire protection requirements should meet the staffing requirements of NFPA 1710, section 5.2.2.

How many firefighters do you need?

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.

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

Fire Prevention Organization [SURVEY]

I am conducting research for a white paper to be published regarding the organization of fire prevention personnel and functions.  This research primarily deals with fire prevention organization within aviation/ARFF environments. 

If you have 5 minutes to spare please take the survey below.  The survey is 20 questions, divided into 2 parts.  All responses are optional.

Fire Prevention Organization - ARFF, part 1:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CMGFKPJ

Fire Prevention Organization - ARFF, part 2 : https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CMHG7HS

Thank you for assisting with this.  If you would like more information on this study, would like to discuss further, or are interested in receiving the survey results, please contact me at, thecodecoach@gmail.com.