Many unknown circumstances will influence fire department operations and incident outcomes. Before taking the defensive, however, fire departments can take offensive measures that include gathering target hazard preincident information to reduce some of the unknowns. Do not be misled into believing that preplanning will reveal all incident unknowns. That is impossible. However, there are some factors that can be realized before an emergency occurs. Construction type, utility types and shutoff locations, water source disposition, and fire detection and suppression systems are a few common factors that can be identified before an emergency. Other site-specific aspects that may influence incident parameters and outcomes not mentioned above must also be ascertained.
The information-gathering phase of preplanning may yield a plethora of information. It can be overwhelming, but the information must be reviewed. Each aspect must be analyzed to determine how it may affect your operations. Other facets inherent to preplanning include facility tours and exercises. Each contributes to improving preincident preparedness and intelligence. Some facilities are complex and need comprehensive analysis to understand factors that will affect fire department operations. Other facilities may seem basic but nonetheless require thorough review. How well we prepare ourselves will greatly influence the outcome of an incident.
An aspect often overlooked during preincident information gathering is the review of facility emergency plans. This is a broad aspect because there are many types of emergency, preparedness, and contingency plans. Some plans are required by a legal authority. Others are discipline specific or independently compiled. Some may be comprehensive documents; others may be very basic. Reviewing these plans should be a part of preplanning, as they may reveal situations and circumstances that could hamper fire department efforts. From protecting facility occupants to incident action procedures, these items need to be reviewed and understood. Fire officials must analyze internal facility plans and determine how they may affect incident operations.
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