THE ART OF FIRST-DUE

摘要

Most fire commanders will agree with this timeless truth, "There is nothing any more critical to an effective ultimate fireground outcome than the correct action by the first-arriving company; conversely, nothing will screw the final outcome up any quicker than incorrect action by the first company." To paraphrase this quote, "So goes first-due, so goes the incident." Never in the history of the fire service has this tenet been more challenging to the first-arriving fire officer. Classic size-up considerations, decision-making techniques, and evolutions are not keeping pace with the size, scope, and complexity of the incidents fire departments now face. Perhaps the reengineering of the basic approach the first-due company officer uses to step off on the right foot is long overdue. This article attempts to do just that—develop a process to help the first-due officer make the best "read" of an incident and engage the situation in such a way as to ensure an effective outcome (photo 1).