Thomas Dunne’s “Managing Big Fires 101: Divide and Conquer” (Fire Engineering, August 2009) was excellent. My question is, What incident command system (ICS) does the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) follow? The graphics on the bottom of page 77 depict geographic locations by number—for example, the front of the building is side 1, to the left is side 2, and so on. It also shows the exposures numbered as “exposure 2,” “exposure 2A,” and so. We use the old system; and, to my knowledge, the second exposure on any one side would be “exposure 2,” “exposure 2b,” and so on. It used to be implied that exposure 2 and exposure 2A were one and the same. However, this article does not depict that. A slide from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s training site depicts the front or address side of a structure as “side A”; “side B” is to the left. Each exposure is then “B,” “B2,” “B3,” “B4.” There is no “B1,” or it’s implied in B (B and B1 are the same).
Dave Carter
Lieutenant
Montgomery County (MD) Fire Rescue Service
Thomas Dunne responds:Thanks for your interest in the article. The FDNY uses a number system to identify exposures. As depicted in the diagram on page 77, the front of the fire building is exposure 1, and the first building to the left is exposure 2. Subsequent buildings further on to the left would be identified as “2A,” “2B,” “2C,” etc. The same system would be used to identify buildings to the right (i.e., exposure “4,” “4A,” “4B,” etc.).
This system works effectively for us at most incidents. However, I have found that when managing an operation of this magnitude, it is often safest to use plain English when assigning personnel to various locations. At this fire, I didn’t assign units to exposure 2B, I sent them to the “blue” building. When I needed help in exposure 4, I referred to it as the “corner building.”
ICS is a great tool to use in organizing an incident, but it is a system that must work for you rather than inhibit your ability to exercise practical communications on the fireground. In firefighting, as in life, simpler is usually better.
Editor’s Opinion on target
I really enjoyed “Scarface, Easy, Lord Jim, Little Boy, and Butch” (Editor’s Opinion, September 2009). Many firefighters come from firefighting families. I have had the honor of following my father into the Chicago Fire Department. I can only hope to become the firefighter and fire officer my dad was when he retired. I also hope to enjoy a long and healthy retirement like my father; he has been retired 17 years and is healthy.
My father came from a very different fire department than the one to which I belong today. Firefighters were permitted to do things while on duty that would get you fired today. There was little, if any, regard for EMS. The gear was primitive. There were no self-contained breathing apparatus, and firefighters rode on the tailboard. My job today is very different, and my department is changing. There are many new hires. These new firefighters are very young; some look like little kids. They are big sponges, and I feel responsible for making sure they absorb the right information. There are still some bad habits on my job and some old “traditions” that need to go away, as well as some old traditions that definitely need to be passed on. I hope all firefighters realize the responsibility they have to future firefighters and act accordingly. Our business is under attack by politics and budgets. We ironically (post 9/11) still have to prove our worth.
Patrick Brown
Firefighter, Truck 15
Chicago (IL) Fire Department
The September 2009 Editor’s Opinion should be required reading for every fire department recruit and academy graduate. It also should be read at the opening of every session of Congress, State Legislature, and City Council in this country.
Greg Havel
Deputy Chief (Ret.)
Burlington (WI) Fire Department
