sueg

I'd like to know the same! It was a pretty simple one, too.

I give the Officer credit for using such great restraint in letting her know she had no right to move the ambulance, then going back up to help the crew with the patient, then having to deal with her when she followed him back up the stairs to the EMS scene. She was pushing the limits on all counts at that point, and he had enough to deal with at that moment without having to provde names to her. She absolutely deserved to be arrested when she showed up at the police station by the time the Officer got back, because she was obviously lying when she said she was late for work when she moved the ambulance - too bad they cannot tack on extra charges for being an arrogant jerk/doofus/fill-in-the-blank.

I give the Officer credit for using such great restraint in letting her know she had no right to move the ambulance, then going back up to help the crew with the patient, then having to deal with her when she followed him back up the stairs to the EMS scene. She was pushing the limits on all counts at that point, and he had enough to deal with at that moment without having to provde names to her. She absolutely deserved to be arrested when she showed up at the police station by the time the Officer got back, because she was obviously lying when she said she was late for work when she moved the ambulance - too bad they cannot tack on extra charges for being an arrogant jerk/doofus/fill-in-the-blank.

Everyone forgets we have more volunteers the paid guys in this country!!!
We shouldn't get gas/pension/tax breaks...any of it. We are volunteers! Just sayin.

Here's the entire rank structure, for context reasons:
http://fire.georgetown.org/operations/rank-structure/

Looking for some weekly equipment sheets your department uses to check fire apparatus.
Send your sheets to chiefbpfd@aol.com

This is something we will be drilling on and attempting to enhance in our department in the near future. Our goal is to completely eliminate the "unit on location / unit on location with nothing showing" and thats it transmission.
I along with pretty much everyone else would love to hear a full size up from the first arriving unit, however, a simple size up on arrival, and a detailed size up later on, if necessary, into the incident is the most appropriate form. This clears up air time for units signing on, calling on location, and other radio transmissions important to the function of the fire ground operation and pre-arrival assignment planning. Additionally, the simple size up also gives you generally a good idea of what type of building you'll be dealing with based on the location of the alarm. I know in my district, anything off of Gambelli Dr. we'll be dealing with multi million dollar McMansions, and anything off Yorkhill Rd / Hawthorne Dr be 2 story, wood frame, split level homes. Knowing your district is key to getting a fuzzy idea of what you might be shown at the time of dispatch.
I'll use my department as an example:
On dispatch to a residential alarm:
"Engine 273 is on location, establishing command. 2 story, wood frame single dwelling. Nothing showing at this time, out investigating."
"Engine 273 to 60-Control, burnt food on the stove, all units can return."
On dispatch to a MVA:
"Rescue 16 is on location establishing command one car over turned in the southbound lane, we'll be out investigating"
"Rescue 16 on an update, we have one car overturned, 1 patient pinned in the vehicle. Extrication will be commencing at this time, have EMS stage IFO the accident scene, have Engine 270 park behind the rescue and bring their portable unit and large spreaders to the drivers side of the involved car."
"Rescue 16 One (insert gender here) patient has been extricated at this time, in care of EMS, and will be transported ALS to the Medical Center"
On dispatch to a fire:
"Engine 271 is on location establishing command, give me my 10-75 assignment, I have fire showing on the first floor of a 2 story wood frame companies going to work."
"Car 2531 to 60-control, I am on location and assuming command. I have fire in a 2 story, 50x 20, occupied single family dwelling on the first floor, AB corner. Two 1.75 L/S/O, water is being place on the fire at this time, truck companies are preforming primary searches and opening up at this time. Have EMS stage at the corner of Kensington and Wellington and walk their equipment down."

FIRST OFF: THIS IS NOT MEANT TO "BASH" ANY DEPARTMENTS! THIS IS JUST FUEL FOR THOUGHT/DISCUSSION.

I have been noticing myself getting quite frustrated lately while listening to different frequencies because I have noticed that a lot of the time (not all of the time), the first on scene Chief or Officer (paid or volunteer) does not give a scene size-up. Whether the call be for a residential alarm, reported smoke from the structure, possible fire of some sort, mva, rescue, etc scene size-ups can be very useful. It does not take more than a few seconds to tell dispatch or incoming units what you have been presented with and observed upon arrival. You can inform responders of building type (construction, stories, etc), exposure issues, visible smoke condition, etc. Giving responders the heads up can lead to a safer scene in general. It is always nice to not be caught of guard.
Now I know that at least on person will say, "You should know the building type or exposure issues for every house or building in your response area." All I can say is, chances are, there is not a single person who knows the construction type and exposures problems for every building in his or her district. Even if you do know everything about every building or house in your response area, I am sure that you would not object to a size-up or reminder. After all, even the best members, or the most senior members, or the members with the biggest ego's make mistakes and can confuse an address.
Just this weekend alone, I heard several departments get called to fires, mva's, or smoke from a structure call. I can count on three fingers how times the first on scene personnel gave a size-up that could be deemed useful by responding personal. I do not consider the common "On-scene, smoke showing, will be out investigating," a useful scene size-up. Especially if the dispatch information was for smoke from a structure. Wouldn't it be a good idea to let dispatch and incoming personnel know where the smoke is showing from (A, B, C, D sides, roof, basement, etc)?
As far as MVA's or PIAA's, scene size-ups can be VERY important. The first on-scene Chief or Officer can easily get on the radio and say, "On-scene...we have a 3 car mva w/ the occupants still inside of two vehicle, 3 walking wounded, one car overturned into ditch with all occupants out, there visible fire at this time. I will advise on extrication and additional equipment/manpower needs." This may not be a good scene size-up and may also be too wordy or lengthy. However, If I heard this while responding, I would know exactly the scene that I was responding to. Scene size-ups for MVA's and PIAA's can be given by either first on-scene FD or EMS personnel (or both). A secondary report could be given after contacting the patients that briefly describes the injuries. (Ie: "One female complaining of neck & back pain who is 9 months pregnant, two males with lacerations, one to the forehead and one to the abdomen, etc"
Has it been proven that size-ups are a waste of time or not useful?
Have first on-scene personnel become so busy that the 10 seconds needed for a "good" scene size-up no longer exist? Have new protocols been put into effect that keep these first on-scene personnel busy from the start?
Thank you to the Chief's and Officer's who consistently provide incoming personnel with detailed and useful scene size-ups!
Happy Monday!
FINALLY: This thread is not meant to bash any departments, it is simply a general observation and I feel is a thread worthy questions or topic of discussion.