Toronto Fire Alarm Sequences

[tonsoffun]

Some good info for people that don't know.

So what constitutes a five-alarm fire?



David Sheen of Toronto Fire Services outlined the staged response to blazes
1st Alarm
2 pumpers, 1 aerial truck, and 1 district chief
If it's downtown or involves a highrise building, a highrise truck is used. If it's a working fire an air supply truck, which provides breathing cylinders, and a heavy rescue squad are called.
2nd Alarm
5 pumpers, 2 aerials, 1 squad, 1 hazardous materials truck, 2 district chiefs, 1 platoon chief, 1 air supply vehicle, and 1 incident command vehicle.
3rd Alarm
8 pumpers, 3 aerials, 1 squad, 3 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 air lights, 1 hazard, 1 command vehicle, 1 division commander,
4th Alarm
11 pumpers, 4 aerials, 1 squad, 4 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 air supply vehicle, 1 hazardous materials truck, 1 command vehicle, 1 division commander
5th Alarm
14 pumpers, 5 aerials, 2 squads, 5 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 division commander, 2 command vehicles, 2 air supply trucks, 1 hazardous materials vehicle
"Plus, at that level you're also getting other support staff," Sheen said.

 

[akroeze]

Holy crap... my entire city only has a total of 1st alarm capability, up to a modified 2nd alarm if they call people in from their days off.

 

[pathalogical]

Great info ! And yes, I have wondered what the various alarm levels meant. The Weston Rd/Rogers Rd fire, I believe the media said it may have gone to a never-before 6th alarm. I was listening that morning at about 6:30am. Some of the comms sounded different, which was probably a command unit at the scene. She sounded like she was in a small closet with the door closed ! Based on the above info, does a 2nd alarm mean an additional 5 pumpers (total of 7) or 3 additional pumpers, for a total 5 at the scene ? I've heard firefighters use the term "RIT" team, do you know what that is ?

 

[tonsoffun]

Look how many trucks have been dispatch to that fire!
It is the first listing.
http://www.toronto.ca/fire/cadinfo/livecad.htm
I also heard that women and think she was in the big command vehicle.
Yes some good info for the scanner hobbiest.
Take care

 

[plaws]

Some good info for people that don't know.

So what constitutes a five-alarm fire?



David Sheen of Toronto Fire Services outlined the staged response to blazes
1st Alarm
2 pumpers, 1 aerial truck, and 1 district chief
If it's downtown or involves a highrise building, a highrise truck is used. If it's a working fire an air supply truck, which provides breathing cylinders, and a heavy rescue squad are called.

Keep in mind that the alarm assignments will vary with the box ... wait, TO doesn't have boxes any more ... well, with the location. He hints at it here - a high-rise gets a different level of response than a single-family dwelling or an occupied residential high-rise. But it's a good general guide for a big-city FD.

I gather that TFS' CAD only goes to 5 alarms (like the old box cards) and that anything after that is made up on the fly?

http://plaws.net/fire/box.html

 

[edwardscott]

At one point on LiveCAD, I counted 70+ units at that fire.

Just an FYI, that alarm-description may be so for Toronto, but generally speaking the number of 'alarms' simply reflects the numbers of halls required to battle the fire. There was a seven-alarm in CKL a few weeks ago.

ES

 

[plaws]

Just an FYI, that alarm-description may be so for Toronto, but generally speaking the number of 'alarms' simply reflects the numbers of halls required to battle the fire. There was a seven-alarm in CKL a few weeks ago.

ES

That may be true, but it's a corruption of what an "alarm" is. It all comes from the original "CAD" system - Card Assisted Dispatch. See the link I posted above; each alarm level, including the initial pull of the box, was predetermined for every box. That includes move-ups.

Sadly, a lot of places don't use pre-determined responses. Makes the incident commanders job that much harder when s/he has to think about which departments need to come in and which are needed to cover, etc. Much easier to just say "transmit the second alarm" and have it all be taken care of.

 

[edwardscott]

I understand that. But rural Ontario just does it differently than large urban areas, and its just as easy with a different form of 'predetermined response.'
For example, a large composite department immediately calling out three halls automatically for any possible structure fire.
Therefore, the dispatcher makes the initial decision, instead of the incident commander who anyways will later adjust more-less halls-crews as required.
Voie la, your 'alarm' level.

 

[bluesman905]

Cool info, thanks Ron.

 

[zerg901]

RIT - Rapid Intervention Team = team of firefighters that rescues trapped firefighters

It looks as though Toronto basically adds 3 more pumpers for each alarm - on the first alarm they send 2 pumpers - on the 2nd alarm they send 3 more pumpers, for a total of 5 pumpers dispatched/assigned on/to a 2nd alarm fire.

Peter sz

 

[pathalogical]

RIT - Rapid Intervention Team = team of firefighters that rescues trapped firefighters

It looks as though Toronto basically adds 3 more pumpers for each alarm - on the first alarm they send 2 pumpers - on the 2nd alarm they send 3 more pumpers, for a total of 5 pumpers dispatched/assigned on/to a 2nd alarm fire.

Peter sz

Thanks for the info and clarification.