Why do so many fire rigs respond to some incidents?
Shoreline Fire units are dispatched according to the information provided to the 9-1-1 emergency dispatcher. We have developed response plans based upon the resources that could be necessary for each type of event. For example: a cardiac arrest call requires at least seven, and ideally even more personnel. Our goal is to have firefighters arrive in five minutes or less. The first arriving vehicle may be an engine, an aid car, a rescue truck, or a command staff vehicle. The first arriving crew will set up a plan of action and communicate this plan to other responding units—which could include more engines, a medic unit, and perhaps another Command Unit or MSO (medical services officer) rig.
