BY CHRIS STEPHENS
In the fire service, there has always been much emphasis on fireground size-up. We have been educated, trained on, and practiced proper size-up techniques through the course of our individual fire careers. When many in the fire service hear the word “size-up,” they automatically think of the fireground size-up—i.e., “Engine 1 is on the scene of a two-story wood-framed residence with heavy black smoke showing from the alpha side second floor.” This is what is referred to as the “windshield” size-up that is communicated by the initial arriving unit, but is there more to size-up than this?
When discussing fireground size-up, some authors refer to the classic acronyms “BELOW”: Building construction, Extent/location of fire,Life safety, Occupancy, Water Supply (great for the initial arriving company) and “COAL WAS WEALTH”: Construction, Occupancy, Area of fire, Life safety, Water supply, Apparatus/personnel, Street conditions, Weather, Exposures, Auxiliary appliances, Location/Extent of the Fire, Time, Heights/Hazards (great for ongoing fireground operations). I will come back to these learning aids later in the article, but for now let’s discuss the phases of size-up.
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