WHEN THE ROUTINE BECOMES IRREGULAR

摘要

Some Of My Most Enjoyable Memories In-clude the times I sat around the fire station table drinking coffee and listening to the "old guys" tell their stories. These were also some of my best learning experiences. One bit of advice often given by the old guys was "Watch out for the routine." They pointed out that when we become complacent, we walk into situations without thinking and without proper size-up. If the routine becomes irregular, we then lose or injure brothers and sisters. This advice was vividly brought to mind on the evening of November 25, 1997 (two days before Thanksgiving) when at 1824 hours, Stokes County (NC) Communications dispatched an EMS call for a burned civilian. Squad 30 and Stokes County Unit 4 responded and were told en route that the subject had been burned by a "ball of fire" coming from a propane-fed gas range. Dispatch reported that there appeared to be no fire. Nevertheless, based on the information given, Engine Company 130 self-dispatched.