CFD on-scene message

Why do Chicago Fire Department units call out the direction they are facing when they arrive on-scene?

here is probably part of it.. Wind direction and speed to start with.

They call out the direction that the rig is facing when it is parked at the incident.
There is never any mention of wind direction.

It gives the incoming units the direction the apparatus is facing so if they have a fire they know what direction to come from to supply the units on the scene with water if they have to drop hose to make a hydrant hook up

So maybe layout procedures in Chicago are different from what I'm used to.
I'm used to the first-due engine calling out a hydrant location and dropping a supply line from the hydrant to the front of the fire building. The second-due engine pumps the hydrant.
In Chicago, does the first-due engine go to the fire building and the second-due reverse lays to a hydrant?
But even in that case, what difference does it make whether the first-due is facing north or south?

In my county to the west, it's done routinely anytime the call may involve a structure with hazardous material on premise. :wink:

73,
n9zas

It's a Tactical issue actually. 1st Engine arrives and pulls about 2 houses down, or a reasonable distance which allows the 1st due Truck access to front of the building to raise the main ladder instead of throwing up ground ladders and reports their location after the Engine reports ("Truck xx Sector A"). 2nd Engine secures a secondary hydrant down the block, and then backs down the block so they're facing the same direction as the 1st due Engine. That's how it's "supposed" to work.

On high-rise fires, you hear the OEMC designate the 3rd Engine. ("Engine XX, you are the 3rd due Engine") They have a specific assignment, one of which is lobby control, hooking up to the stand pipe etc.

For CFD, there is a method to the madness for everything. On larger scale events, OPS-10 is used for companies to report to the Command Van when they arrive at the Staging Area. EMS Command (Channel 6), and EMS OPS-7 (Channel 7-Simplex Only), are used on incidents at the Field Chief's discretion.