Basic Forest Fire Suppression Course - Online Lessons
LESSON 6 - PERSONAL SAFETY
6.7 - 10 Standard Fire Order's
The following are other systems mentioned in the early part of this lesson:
- Fight fire aggressively, but provide safety first – Human life has priority
- Initiate all actions based on current & expected fire behavior – Be aware of weather, topography & fuels
- Recognize current weather conditions & obtain forecasts – Wind, Temperature & Relative Humidity
- Ensure instructions are given & understood – Clearly understand all instruction
- Obtain current information on fire status – Where is it? Moving where? Speed of travel?
- Remain in communication with immediate crew, supervisor & other crews
- Determine safety zones & escape routes – Ensure routes/zones are clear
- Establish lookouts in potentially hazardous situations – Lookouts must be alert & experienced
- Retain control at all times – Ensure clear instruction, communication & crew location
- Stay alert, keep calm, think clearly, act decisively – Think before acting
Four Major Common Denominators on Tragedy Fires
There are four common denominators that have been associated with tragic circumstances in which lives have been lost due to specific fire behaviour. The four have been identified as common occurrences that have led to tragic results, and it is the intent to heighten the awareness of these factors so that everyone will be conscious of the dangers.
- Most incidents occur on small fires or quiet sections of larger fires.
- Flare-ups generally occur in deceptively light fuels, such as grass and light brush.
- Most fires are innocent in appearance before shifts in wind direction and/or speed result in flare-ups. Sometimes, tragedies occur in mop-ups. Deaths have occurred during mop - up operation as well.
- Fires respond to large or small scale topographic conditions, burning uphill on steep slopes, chimneys, valleys, gullies or other slope conditions