THE ENGINE COMPANY OFFICER'S considerations and responsibilities begin at least a half hour before he begins his shift at the firehouse. Why? Because accepting the position also means accepting its responsibilities. Engine company operations are the essence of teamwork, and the engine company officer is both the coach and quarterback of a team that must be ready for "game day" at any moment. The officer doesn't know when his company will go to work, but he does know that his leadership can make the difference. As a company officer, your mind must process such information as what piece of apparatus is sitting in the bay. Is it your regular apparatus or a piece of reserve equipment? As frontline equipment, spare rigs are not always as up to par. When an engine company arrives at work to begin a shift and finds a spare, it is the engine company officer's responsibility to have the entire crew examine it thoroughly. Assume nothing, and leave no stone overturned. This is no time for mopping floors-the entire crew must have their eyes and hands on the apparatus and its equipment. Have them get into the hosebed and make sure that the hose will play out. Additionally, old, worn-out spare apparatus are notorious for not being able to draft, so know its limitations.
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