Proper pre-fire planning can make the difference between minimal and major damage. We know that in an emergency, every second counts, and everything from training to knowing the best route to the scene of a fire can save precious seconds, which can mean saving life, limb, and property. A good pre-fire plan consists of a number of components.
Critical Infrastructure And Construction Information
Maximum occupancy, building history, building materials: all of this will come in handy when developing a plan for a building. Training and education will help to cover the proper approach depending on this information. Images of the building and blueprints can come in handy here. Many fire departments will share their data with the departments in neighboring districts so that you know what you’re dealing with when you show up.
Have A Paper Copy
It can be helpful to store your plans on a tablet or phone, but it’s a good idea to keep a paper copy handy all the same. You can store your pre-plan in a binder and keep it on hand to make sure that you know what you’re up against even if your tablet battery dies or something else happens to threaten your digital plan.
Plan For Every Building
You never know where your next call is coming from; it’s not just going to be the big factories and businesses that require more extensive training, and you can’t assume that you’ll be able to figure it out when you get there. Residential areas tend to use shared blueprints and building materials, whereas pre-fab and trailer homes are factory-made according to spec. The plans are available for you to incorporate in your plan, so there’s no reason not to know what you’re dealing with before you show up on the scene of the fire.
Having a plan in place before you engage with a fire can go a long way to ensuring the safety of everyone involved. In firefighting, we want to reduce the element of surprise. In fact, heart attacks are the leading cause of firefighter casualties. You can say that there are no simple jobs because even the simplest job can get out of hand very quickly thanks to one little thing we didn’t know, one little mistake, or just plain bad luck. Provident Fire Plus can help to cover you and your team with firefighting insurance, but insurance is only ever the last line of defense. You, your team, and your training are the first.
About Provident FirePlus
At Provident FirePlus, we offer custom tailored packages to best protect firefighters and volunteer firefighters. We understand the risks that emergency response teams are subjected to on a daily basis, and have worked to serve these dedicated professionals for over 87 years. For more information about our products and policies, we invite you to contact our experts today at (800) 447-0360.