WHAT IS THE NATIONAL STANDARD?
The national minimum standard refers to a standard from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 1710, a standard for the deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and special operations to the public by career fire departments, was first issued in 2001. This standard was the first organized approach to defining levels for career fire departments. This standard was revised to its current form in 2003.
Scope: The standard contains minimum requirements relating to the organization and deployment of fire suppression, emergency medical operations, and special operations. The requirements address functions and objectives of fire department emergency service delivery, response capabilities, and resources. The standard also contains minimum requirements for managing resources and systems, such as health and safety, incident management, training, communications, and pre-incident planning.
Purpose: The purpose of NFPA 1710 is to specify the minimum criteria addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the fire suppression operations, emergency medical service, and special operations delivery in protecting the citizens of the jurisdiction and the occupational safety and health of fire department employees.
Organization: NFPA 1710 states delivery objectives related to specific response time and objectives for the percentage of responses that meet response time objectives. The following time objectives were set by 1710:
(1) One minute for turnout time (putting on protective gear)
(2) Four minutes or less for arrival of first Engine Company on a fire incident and/or eight minutes or less for deployment of a full alarm assignment at a fire incident.
(3) Four minutes or less for arrival of a unit with first responder or higher level capability at a medical incident.
(4) Eight minutes or less for arrival of an advanced life support unit at a medical incident, where this level of service is provided by the fire department.
(5) 1710 establishes a performance objective of not less than 90% for the achievement of each response time objective.
Fire Suppression objectives:
NFPA - 5.2.3.1.1 - Engine Companies should be staffed with a minimum of four on duty personnel
NFPA - 5.2.3.2.1 - Truck Companies should be staffed with a minimum of four on personnel
NFPA - 5.2.3.2.2 - Jurisdictions with tactical hazards, high incident frequencies, geographical restrictions, or
any other pertinent factors should be staffed with a minimum of five or six on duty personnel.
NFPA - 5.2.4.2.2:
(1) Establishment of an Incident Commander
(2) Establishment of uninterrupted water supply of a minimum of 400 gallons per minute (gpm) for 30
minutes and an operator to ensure flow application.
(3) Establishment of an effective water flow application rate from two hand lines, each having a
minimum of 100 gpm. Each attack line and backup line should be maintained by a minimum of two
individuals.
(4) Provision of one support person for each attack line and backup line deployed to provide hydrant
hookup and to assist in line lays, utility control, and forcible entry.
(5) A minimum of one victim search and rescue team shall be a part of initial full alarm assignment.
Each team should have a minimum of two personnel.
(6) A minimum of one ventilation team shall be a part of initial full alarm assignment. Each team
should have a minimum of two personnel.
(7) If an aerial device is used in operations, one person shall be the operator and maintain primary
control of aerial device at all times.
(8) Establishment of RIC (a standby rescue crew) that consists of a minimum of two properly trained
and equipped personnel.
Emergency Medical Service Objectives:
NFPA - 5.3.3.3.1 - On duty EMS units shall be staffed with the minimum personnel necessary for emergency
medical care relative to the level of EMS care provided by the fire department.
NFPA - 5.3.3.4.4 - Personnel deployed to ALS emergency responses shall include a minimum of two members .
trained at the emergency medical technician - paramedic level and two members trained at
the emergency medical technician - basic level arriving on scene within the established
response time.
The standard includes minimum requirements that are intended to provide effective, efficient, and safe protective services to prevent fires and reduce risk to lives and property, to deal with incidents that occur, and to prepare for anticipated incidents. An early, aggressive, and offensive primary interior attack on a working fire is usually the most effective strategy to reduce loss of lives and property damage. The two most important elements in limiting fire spread are the quick arrival of sufficient numbers of personnel and equipment to attack and extinguish the fire as close to the point of its origin as possible.
For more information or questions on this standard, contact Local 140 at 889-7250.
The national minimum standard refers to a standard from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 1710, a standard for the deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and special operations to the public by career fire departments, was first issued in 2001. This standard was the first organized approach to defining levels for career fire departments. This standard was revised to its current form in 2003.
Scope: The standard contains minimum requirements relating to the organization and deployment of fire suppression, emergency medical operations, and special operations. The requirements address functions and objectives of fire department emergency service delivery, response capabilities, and resources. The standard also contains minimum requirements for managing resources and systems, such as health and safety, incident management, training, communications, and pre-incident planning.
Purpose: The purpose of NFPA 1710 is to specify the minimum criteria addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the fire suppression operations, emergency medical service, and special operations delivery in protecting the citizens of the jurisdiction and the occupational safety and health of fire department employees.
Organization: NFPA 1710 states delivery objectives related to specific response time and objectives for the percentage of responses that meet response time objectives. The following time objectives were set by 1710:
(1) One minute for turnout time (putting on protective gear)
(2) Four minutes or less for arrival of first Engine Company on a fire incident and/or eight minutes or less for deployment of a full alarm assignment at a fire incident.
(3) Four minutes or less for arrival of a unit with first responder or higher level capability at a medical incident.
(4) Eight minutes or less for arrival of an advanced life support unit at a medical incident, where this level of service is provided by the fire department.
(5) 1710 establishes a performance objective of not less than 90% for the achievement of each response time objective.
Fire Suppression objectives:
NFPA - 5.2.3.1.1 - Engine Companies should be staffed with a minimum of four on duty personnel
NFPA - 5.2.3.2.1 - Truck Companies should be staffed with a minimum of four on personnel
NFPA - 5.2.3.2.2 - Jurisdictions with tactical hazards, high incident frequencies, geographical restrictions, or
any other pertinent factors should be staffed with a minimum of five or six on duty personnel.
NFPA - 5.2.4.2.2:
(1) Establishment of an Incident Commander
(2) Establishment of uninterrupted water supply of a minimum of 400 gallons per minute (gpm) for 30
minutes and an operator to ensure flow application.
(3) Establishment of an effective water flow application rate from two hand lines, each having a
minimum of 100 gpm. Each attack line and backup line should be maintained by a minimum of two
individuals.
(4) Provision of one support person for each attack line and backup line deployed to provide hydrant
hookup and to assist in line lays, utility control, and forcible entry.
(5) A minimum of one victim search and rescue team shall be a part of initial full alarm assignment.
Each team should have a minimum of two personnel.
(6) A minimum of one ventilation team shall be a part of initial full alarm assignment. Each team
should have a minimum of two personnel.
(7) If an aerial device is used in operations, one person shall be the operator and maintain primary
control of aerial device at all times.
(8) Establishment of RIC (a standby rescue crew) that consists of a minimum of two properly trained
and equipped personnel.
Emergency Medical Service Objectives:
NFPA - 5.3.3.3.1 - On duty EMS units shall be staffed with the minimum personnel necessary for emergency
medical care relative to the level of EMS care provided by the fire department.
NFPA - 5.3.3.4.4 - Personnel deployed to ALS emergency responses shall include a minimum of two members .
trained at the emergency medical technician - paramedic level and two members trained at
the emergency medical technician - basic level arriving on scene within the established
response time.
The standard includes minimum requirements that are intended to provide effective, efficient, and safe protective services to prevent fires and reduce risk to lives and property, to deal with incidents that occur, and to prepare for anticipated incidents. An early, aggressive, and offensive primary interior attack on a working fire is usually the most effective strategy to reduce loss of lives and property damage. The two most important elements in limiting fire spread are the quick arrival of sufficient numbers of personnel and equipment to attack and extinguish the fire as close to the point of its origin as possible.
For more information or questions on this standard, contact Local 140 at 889-7250.