FIRE DISPATCH QUESTIONS
Appliance Fire: Indoors:
1. What appliance is or was on fire?
2. Is it confined to the appliance?
3. Can you unplug the appliance or shut it off safely?
4. If you cannot, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone.
Bomb Threat:
Handled by the police department, may only be called for a standby. Obtain staging location.
Brush Fire:
1. Is it near any structures?
2. Do you know or observe what caused it?
Vehicle Fire: Car Fire, Automobile Fire:
1. What type of vehicle is it (passenger car, truck, passenger van, box type vehicle, tanker truck)?
2. Is it near any structures?
3. Is it occupied?
4. Can you see any labeling on the vehicle, and if so, what does it say?
Chimney Fire:
1. Is there any fire or smoke inside of the residence?
2. Can you make sure the fireplace doors are closed?
3. Evacuate the residence and call back from a cell phone or neighbor’s home.
Smoke Outside:
1. Can you identify where it is coming from and if so, where?
2. Can you tell what appears to be on fire?
Electrical Fire:
1. Is it inside and where is it?
2. Is it outside and where is it?
3. Can you shut off the switch to it, or the switch for it at the electrical panel?
Fire Out:
1. What was on fire and is there any smoke inside?
2. Evacuate the residence and call back from a cell phone or neighbor’s home.
Haz Mat:
1. Any idea what the substance is?
2. How was it packaged, and can you see the label?
3. Anyone ill or injured?
4. Evacuate the location and call back from a cell phone or neighbor’s phone.
Natural Gas leak: Propane, Natural Gas or Gasoline:
1. Do you know if it is gasoline, propane, or natural gas?
2. Is it inside or outside?
3. If inside do not turn on any lights or anything electrical, evacuate the location.
4. If outside can you identify where it is coming from?
Pole Fire / Transformer Fire / Wires Down:
1. What is causing the fire (tree branch, animal contact, etc.)
2. Are the wires still intact or did they fall to the ground
Smoke From a Building:
1. Can you see what part it is coming from?
2. Any visible fire?
3. Do you know if it is occupied?
Smoke Outdoors:
1. Is the smoke coming from a structure?
2. Is it in your yard or a neighbor’s yard and do you know the address?
Residential Fire Alarm: From the location (confirm address, phone number, and caller name):
1. Any sign of smoke or fire
2. Location of the alarm
3. Any idea what caused the alarm
4. Leave the alarm activated, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone
Residential Fire Alarm: From an alarm company (homeowner phone number, homeowner name, confirm address, name of alarm service and operator number, call back number for alarm service, reference number, any specific zone activation, any contact, key location, keyholder status):
1. Any sign of smoke or fire if contact was made
2. Any idea what caused the alarm if contact was made
3. Leave the alarm activated, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone
Appliance Fire: Outside:
1. What appliance is on fire?
2. Is it near a structure and if, so how close is it?
Boat Fire:
1. Is it on the water, on a trailer or dry docked?
2. If on the water was it occupied, and can you see any occupants?
3. If on a trailer is it away from any structures and is the trailer attached to the vehicle?
4. If it is dry docked, is it near any structures or other boats?
Carbon Monoxide Alarm:
1. Is anyone sick, feeling lightheaded or any flu like symptoms
2. How long has the detector(s) been activated?
3. Location of the detector(s)?
4. What type of heat is at the location (oil or gas heat, forced hot air or baseboard)?
5. Was a car recently running in a garage?
6. Do you have any natural gas appliances and were they in use?
7. Do you have a fireplace and was it in use?
8. Leave all windows and doors closed, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone.
Smoke Inside:
1. Where is it in the house?
2. Do you know what may be causing it?
3. Evacuate the residence and call back from a cell phone or neighbor’s home.
Delayed Ignition / Furnace Problem:
1. Is there smoke in the residence?
2. Can you shut off the emergency switch (red switch) at the top of the stairs?
3. Evacuate the residence and call back from a cell phone or neighbor’s home.
Fluid Spill / Leak:
1. What was spilled and how was it spilled?
2. Any idea of the quantity spilled?
Lockout / Lock in:
1. If in a residence, any sort of hazards like food on a stove, candles burning or any medical conditions?
Mutual Aid Request:
1. Obtain the nature of the request (station coverage, go to the scene, RIT, staging location)?
2. Send an appropriate department or a specific unit if requested.
Odor Investigation Indoors/Outdoors:
1. Can you advise what the odor is or smells like?
Rescue:
1. How was the person injured or trapped?
2. Are they awake?
3. Can you turn off the power if the person is trapped in a machine safely?
4. Any visible hazards?
Public Service Call:
1. What exactly happened?
2. Is there a life threat or any fire hazard?
Water Problem:
1. Is it inside or outside?
2. Do you know where it is coming from (toilet, faucet, ceiling)?
3. Is there any electrical hazard?
4. Can you shut off the water from a valve near it or the main water valve to the house?
Commercial Fire Alarm: From the location (confirm address, phone number and caller name):
1. Any sign of smoke or fire
2. Location of the alarm
3. Any idea what caused the alarm
4. Leave the alarm activated, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone
Commercial Fire Alarm: From an alarm company (business phone number, business name, confirm address, name of alarm service and operator number, call back number for alarm service, reference number, any specific zone activation, any contact, key location, keyholder status):
1. Any sign of smoke or fire if contact was made
2. Any idea what caused the alarm if contact was made
3. Leave the alarm activated, evacuate the location and call from a neighbor’s home or outside using a cell phone