A Guide ToBrandwacht (Fire Watch): A Firefighter’s Perspective
Firefighters face a unique set of challenges in firefighting; this is especially true as firefighters are also responsible for protecting the property of the FMF.
Fire watch is an opportunity for any fire crew to take a step back, evaluate their performance, and look for ways to improve.
This article will explore what a fire watch is, how it can benefit a fire crew, and how to successfully implement a fire watch into your fire crew’s daily routine.
What Is Fire Watch?
Fire watch is when a fire crew takes time away from fighting a fire to monitor the property they are protecting. There are many reasons why a crew may choose to do this. One of the most common reasons is when the crew feels they can do good by monitoring the property than by fighting the fire.
When deciding whether or not to have a member of your team do some type of form of Fire Watch, it’s important to remember that their primary responsibility during an emergency is fighting the fire. If you would like them to take on additional duties, these additional duties mustn’t take away from their ability to fight fires or put themselves in potentially life-threatening situations.
How Does Fire Watch Benefit A Fire Crew?
One of the ways brandwacht (fire watch)benefits a fire crew is by allowing them to evaluate their performance and find any areas that might need improvement. There are many aspects of fire fighting that are not visible to the public, and by taking time away from fighting the actual fire, a crew can get perspective on what they lack in certain areas.
When you have time away from fighting the fire, you can reflect on your performance and recognize what has been working well for your team. Fire watch also allows a crew to monitor the property without having to worry about fighting a fire at all. This allows them to take care of any undiscovered fires or threats while they’re still small before they grow into major challenges.
How To Implement Fire Watch Into Your Crew’s Routine
One of the most important considerations for implementing fire watch into your crew’s routine is understanding the reasons why a crew would choose to do this. Fire watch is typically implemented when a fire crew feels that they can be more effective by monitoring the property or when a crew simply wants to rest and take some time away from their daily tasks.
Once you understand these two categories of reasons, you can move on to making an effective schedule for your fire watch. Once your schedule has been designed, it’s time to implement on-site training sessions with your department members to make sure they are prepared for and understand what they are being asked to do while on-site during a fire watch.
Conclusion
In a fire watch situation, firefighters are the first responders and thus must be awake and alert at all times. Fire watch is a crucial part of your crew’s routine, and it’s important to take the time to implement it into your routine as soon as possible.
However, it can also be difficult to implement, especially if you’re used to sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor of the fire station. There are a few things you can do to make it easier on yourself and your fellow firefighters.
