Fire Truck Protocols: When to Stop and Put Out a Fire
It is a common misconception that fire trucks, during their return to the station, would ignore a working fire that they encounter. However, the reality is that firefighters are trained to prioritize life and property safety. If they come across an active fire, they would likely stop and take the necessary actions to extinguish it, even if already on their way back to the station.
Responding to Emergencies on the Way to the Station
Yes, typically a fire truck would indeed stop and respond to an emergency even if it is en route to the station. Firefighters are trained to prioritize life and property safety. If a fire truck encounters a working fire, the crew would radio dispatch to create another call for it and send additional help if needed.
The decision to intervene would depend on several factors, including the availability of personnel, the severity of the fire, and any existing emergency calls that need to be prioritized. In many cases, the responding firefighters would also call for additional resources if required.
Professional Response and Dispatch
When the firefighters encounter a fire, the dispatcher would be notified of the situation. The fire truck would request a first-alarm assignment for the address and inform the dispatcher that they are on scene and not available for other calls.
Once the primary fire department arrives at the scene, the responding firefighters will speak with their senior officer to report what was found before their arrival, what actions were taken, and what remains to be done. They would then ask how the situation should progress and whether they should remain to assist. If so, the firefighters would continue to work with the arriving department to resolve the emergency appropriately.
Mutual Aid and Collaboration in Emergency Services
Firefighters often work in a mutual aid system. In such a situation, volunteers may encounter an incident while on the way to the station. For example, if a volunteer fire school was 26 miles away from their district and they discovered a fire or an accident, they would divert to the scene, notify their dispatcher, who would then inform the district's fire service.
The volunteer firefighters would lead the response till the district fire department arrives. At that point, their officer would take charge of the scene, and the volunteers would continue working the emergency. After it was resolved, they would return to their district. Similarly, in the case of accidents, if an ambulance was on scene, they would transport the victims unless the other fire department’s ambulance had arrived first. If their equipment was used, the other department would replace it, and they would switch back later.
Mutual aid is a common practice in emergency services and often leads to closer relationships with other departments. Volunteering to help at a fire or an accident in another district can sometimes start a friendly relationship that lasts, even when the firefighters are traveling through the other town during other fire schools.
In summary, fire trucks are always prepared to stop and deal with emergencies on the way to the station. The response protocols ensure that every incident is handled efficiently with the necessary resources and collaboration among departments.