WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

What is the maximum alarm classification for an incident? Does it vary between nature of incident?

1st Alarm
2nd Alarm
3rd Alarm
4th Alarm

Then after that if they call 88 it's basically every resource available.
(44 not found and investegating
66 as reported)

Yes it can vary incident to incident. All depends on requirements and also size of the fire, and also weather.

What about 5th alarm? The Wembley Iga fire was this. Or only for structure fires?

44 - Arrived nothing found, investigating
66 - Arrived incident as stated and of a minor nature
88 - Arrived incident as stated and of a major nature

Arrival codes have nothing to do with alarm status

I believe there is a 5th alarm status. A good way to look at it is if there is 1 pump its a first alarm, 2 pumps a second alarm and so on, This is for FRS the BFS may differ. There has also been several brigade alarms which is any available resourses

Didn't the spectcals fire last year at thomas road Kwinanna go to 5th alarm i was there and that fire was massive the biggest iv ever been to

realfirie wrote:44 - Arrived nothing found, investigating
66 - Arrived incident as stated and of a minor nature
88 - Arrived incident as stated and of a major nature

Arrival codes have nothing to do with alarm status

I believe there is a 5th alarm status. A good way to look at it is if there is 1 pump its a first alarm, 2 pumps a second alarm and so on, This is for FRS the BFS may differ. There has also been several brigade alarms which is any available resourses

Spot on

I have heard a few 2nd alarm 88 rubish fires and been to a few 5th alarm fires.

The mobilising SOP outlines response up to 6th alarm in the Standard Response Schedule. In the old days they used to refer to a 'Brigade Alarm' which I think was pretty much anything bigger than this, basically meaning it was all assistance required. Haven't heard that terminology since I was quite young though. Generally after about 4th alarm the IC begins requesting the appliances needed at the incident, rather than upgrading the alarm level. You will usually only hear it as a formality after that point.

Remember that the alarm levels are meant to provide an easy way of responding appliances and guide the minimum contingent of appliances to be responded at each level.

with turn outs

1st Alarm = one station
2nd Alarm = 2 stations
3rd Alarm = 3 or more station, ICV, DM Notified, Aireal Notified
4th Alarm = 4+ stations, ICV, DM turnout, RD Notified,
5th Alarm = Max for bush,
6th Alarm = Max for structual, meaning fire is above 6th floor. CLP, SET mobilised
Brigade Alarm = Send Everything

BuddahFRS wrote:with turn outs

1st Alarm = one station
2nd Alarm = 2 stations
3rd Alarm = 3 or more station, ICV, DM Notified, Aireal Notified
4th Alarm = 4+ stations, ICV, DM turnout, RD Notified,
5th Alarm = Max for bush,
6th Alarm = Max for structual, meaning fire is above 6th floor. CLP, SET mobilised
Brigade Alarm = Send Everything

But wasn't Kings Park today 6th alarm?

I'd guess that Kings Park gets special treatment

In the american alarm system the maximum alarm classification is unlimited. they can theoretically keep calling alarms as high as they want, but as a previous poster said after about 3/4th alarm they call for specific appliances. I remember reading somewhere that 9/11 was technically a 25th alarm in terms of what appliances turned out.

Mug wrote:

BuddahFRS wrote:with turn outs

1st Alarm = one station
2nd Alarm = 2 stations
3rd Alarm = 3 or more station, ICV, DM Notified, Aireal Notified
4th Alarm = 4+ stations, ICV, DM turnout, RD Notified,
5th Alarm = Max for bush,
6th Alarm = Max for structual, meaning fire is above 6th floor. CLP, SET mobilised
Brigade Alarm = Send Everything

But wasn't Kings Park today 6th alarm?

mostly at bush fires they only go to either 3rd alarm, or up to 5th alarm, but sometimes if they want attention they call 6th Alarm, this give the OIC access to specialist appliance, ie SET, CLP. to attend, also means that property is under direct threat, or the fire is unable to be controled.

BuddahFRS wrote: 6th Alarm = Max for structual, meaning fire is above 6th floor. CLP, SET mobilised

This right???????

So you can not have a 6th alarm fire in a large factory?

for more info click here

https://volunteers.fesa.wa.gov.au/membe ... lising.pdf

this is a fesa portal address, so you need a password, and be a fesa member

I thought some of you may be interested in how we did stuff in NSW. The RFS has a simple system that evolved out of the time when Shires were responsible for bushfires.

Class 1 (any size incident that is manageable by one local agency (RFS, NPWS, NSWFB, etc)
Class 2 (incident beyond the means of one agency or larger incident requiring additional out of zone resources)
Class 3 (An all out no holds barred incident requiring everything you've got, or with the potential to require this based on weather forecasts and current committment)

Class 3 are also known as Section 44 (S44) fires or Bush Fire State of Emergencies. This refers to a section in the RFS Act 97 where the Commissioner assumes control of the incident and appoints a S44 delegate (IC) who can be from Parks, NSWFB, RFS, Police etc, depending on incident type, and all resources are made available. I believe it also elevates crew OICs to constables and so forth so that police support can happen with a minimum of fuss.