Question about Washington Co Fire radio protocols

[d119]

I listen to Washington County Fire Dispatch on 33.860 just about every day out here in Southern California.

I often hear various apparatus say "Responding 2 and 2" or some variance there of. What does that mean? Four crew members in the rig, two up front two in the back, or two officers and two firefighters? Or two apparatus with two each following each other? Inquiring minds want to know.

Your dispatchers out there are top notch, by the way. CA could stand to take the stick out of their rears and relax a bit.

 

[maus92]

Typically that would mean two officers and two crew members. In Anne Arundel County (a urban/suburban county south of Baltimore and east of DC), we would say "Four with two," meaning four total personnel with two officers. Engines, trucks and squads require one officer; tankers, brush trucks and other utility vehicles do not require officers. Probably similar in Washington County, but maybe not since it is a mostly rural county.

 

[d119]

Typically that would mean two officers and two crew members. In Anne Arundel County (a urban/suburban county south of Baltimore and east of DC), we would say "Four with two," meaning four total personnel with two officers.

OK, so I was thinking correctly. I also hear "driver only" and things like that, and obviously that's self explanatory. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Onelick]

What maus92 referenced with the 2 officers is incorrect. The first number is the total number of people on the apparatus, the second number is the number of people that are certified to operate in the relm of the call that was dispatched. So, on a house fire you might hear 4 and 3. 4 total on the rig, 3 certified to operate as interior firefighters. On a Haz Mat, 3 and 2, 3 total on the rig, 2 Haz Mat techs.
Hope this clears thing up.

Onelick
Retired Hagerstown Fire

 

[maus92]

What maus92 referenced with the 2 officers is incorrect. The first number is the total number of people on the apparatus, the second number is the number of people that are certified to operate in the relm of the call that was dispatched. So, on a house fire you might hear 4 and 3. 4 total on the rig, 3 certified to operate as interior firefighters. On a Haz Mat, 3 and 2, 3 total on the rig, 2 Haz Mat techs.
Hope this clears thing up.

Onelick
Retired Hagerstown Fire

Seems there is a difference between WashCo and AACo then. BTW, you would not hear "4 with 2" in AACo because it would be unlikely to have two officers aboard. More likely to hear "4 with 1" and rarely "4 with 0".

 

[d119]

What maus92 referenced with the 2 officers is incorrect. The first number is the total number of people on the apparatus, the second number is the number of people that are certified to operate in the relm of the call that was dispatched. So, on a house fire you might hear 4 and 3. 4 total on the rig, 3 certified to operate as interior firefighters. On a Haz Mat, 3 and 2, 3 total on the rig, 2 Haz Mat techs.
Hope this clears thing up.

Onelick
Retired Hagerstown Fire

Thank you!!

 

[FIREBOX2914]

Seems there is a difference between WashCo and AACo then. BTW, you would not hear "4 with 2" in AACo because it would be unlikely to have two officers aboard. More likely to hear "4 with 1" and rarely "4 with 0".

On volunteer rigs it was possible, several times when I was riding, we'd go out 4w3 3w2 heck one night it was 6w6....

 

[maus92]

On volunteer rigs it was possible, several times when I was riding, we'd go out 4w3 3w2 heck one night it was 6w6....

Yea I was biased a bit with that answer, lol.