Abstract
Fire Company staffing is an important issue. Properly done it ensures sufficiency of hands to perform a variety of tasks required for success on the fire ground. Directly or indirectly staffing affects losses and outcomes and is likely an element in firefighter and civilian safety. While the issue continues as part of a political consensus process, no recent attempts have been documented that suggest a process for local agencies to determine the appropriate company size based on their level of risk assessment and acceptability. This approach provides the practitioner with a model to utilize when considering this issue. It avoids the one-size-fits-all question by demonstrating a methodology for using community demands to determine appropriate fire unit sizing. The resulting process is relatively easily done once the community demands and expectations are identified. The article also considers additional factors other than staffing that can affect the outcome of community testing and that might support or raise questions regarding reliability and validity of the processes.
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Lawrence, C. Fire Company Staffing Requirements: An Analytic Approach. Fire Technology 37, 199–218 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012470001830
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012470001830