Topic: Four Man Staffing
Does anyone have any views or stories about four man staffing?
What are people doing about 2 in / 2 out etc?
Re: Four Man Staffing
Local to me, several agencies do practice a constant manning of four personnel (Fire Companies). Others locally, have utilized their EMS units (MICU's) to augment this. Of course some agencies don't offer the EMS units, but most near me do.
In my own Department, we finally started using MICU's to help with this. It was a temporary measure, with a loger term solution unclear at this point. Funding a staff increase is always a tough sell, because staffing isn't a one time purchase, but an increase to maintain. Some agencies will use overtime pay to address such things, as new employees carry the extra costs of benefits provided.
Some of us have made suggestions that aren't well received. But any group that restricts new ideas, is headed for bigger trouble than just the OSHA stuff.
Last edited by spark (2007-01-11 15:19)
Re: Four Man Staffing
This question might come from some emails I have received and the response I recently posted.
see: http://www.riotacts.com/fire/QA.html#4man
Re: Four Man Staffing
I just looked at your trivia page. Gee I need to read those items. Just haven't been in that section yet, haha. Hey I'll send a note later, regarding one of those subjects we've discussed before.
And speaking of squads and staffing, it's perhaps the same as elsewhere, but seems like all the manpower squads/flying squads I knew of are gone now. I made a suggestion once about how we could implement this where we work. I'm sure it found it's way into the....into the appropriate file, haha.
Re: Four Man Staffing
Denver in the 1970s went to four man staffing. Unfortunately, we had five man staffing before that. Denver overwhelmed fires, not put them out.
The three guys on the tail board all had titles. The far right guy was the plug catcher. He was the probie or low man on the totem pole. In the middle was the samson man who clamped the 2 1/2 off before the probie could flood the hose bed. The third man was the nozzle man. He was the senior guy and went in with the officer behind him with a preconnect 1 1/2. The samson man and the plug catcher made up a back up line (rigs usually had only one preconnect in those days) of 2 1/2 line. Pumpers ALWAYS laid a line and charged it on fire calls, including vehicles. Busy companies could run short of dry hose at days end. Humidity or lack thereof made drying time fast though.
We will run rigs on first aids with three but they are out of service for fires until they have four on board. We had some quints that had a minimum of five but we lost those in the last contract.
Denver suburbs run pretty much with three men companies.
Re: Four Man Staffing
Very interesting history denfireguy, thanks for jumping in. My Department typically sees three person crews (Engine and Ladder Truck Companies), though four is possible at some Companies. We provide the local EMS as many others do as well, and sometimes strip a Company of people to help in treatment/transport. Once the crew drops from the standard three, we consider them unavailable until they recover their strength. Some have participated at scenes however, even with reduced crews. But it isn't the usual practice.
One Department (local to me) once deactivated a second Engine at a two Engine house, to maintain constant manning practice of four people. Their suggested alternative (by local bean counters) was to reduce "needs" to three, and keep both Engines in that location.