Daily Truck Check- Setting Up for Success

 by- FF John Bass (Austin FD 3C)
      
        I was thinking about why when calls go bad, it usually comes down to some small thing that was missed, overlooked, or not anticipated. It is often noticed on the way to the call or during that initial time after we arrive on scene, and can slow the call down, or set it off in the wrong direction. It got me thinking about set up and preparation before you even get on the truck, and how people learn to be detail oriented to look for not just the obvious stuff, but to consider what may trip them up.

        How do you stage your gear or tools? How do you keep stuff in your PPE? Do you routinely check your unit beyond the obvious? Do you look for the unusual things that may trip you up on a call at 3am? These things are the unusual problems that we don't always anticipate. I hate feeling behind the curve and playing catchup on serious calls, and I am sure everyone can recall a frustrating experience that was unexpected, that slowed you down, or led to other problems. Like everyone, I have learned many of these things through my own experiences or through learning from other people.

        These things to watch out for and check can be made for every rank, and although they seem very basic, it is something worth reminding ourselves from time to time . And of course, we are good at adapting and overcoming the problems that inevitably arise, but that shouldn't make us complacent for not fixing the things we can ahead of time.

        Here are some of the things I try to remember to do, and this list wasn’t meant to be a comprehensive checklist of everything we are taught, but to show some of the things I’ve learned to focus on.

And the point with all of this is not to be compulsive about stuff, but to notice the out of ordinary stuff that may bite you when you least expect it.

My gear:

- Beyond the obvious, I always make sure my webbing is staged to be actually grabbed quickly. A
small tail of webbing sticks out of the front and back of my left thigh pocket. And I always make
sure my wire cutters are set to easily be pulled out. I will likely never need my wire cutters for a
true emergency, but if I do, I hope am not fumbling to grab them.

- I have my wedges easy to grab, not in the bottom of my pockets under other stuff.

- I keep the radio in my coat on 201. It is a pain to take it out on every non fire call, but having it
set is one less thing to do when bunking out.

In the cab:

- I always check my air pack straps to make sure they aren’t wrapped around each other, and I
check if the regulator is wrapped around the shoulder strap. This happens all the time, and I
have bunked out more than once, with my regulator through either my waist strap or shoulder
strap, where it is not ready to be used.

- I keep an extra map book in the back in case the driver needs help and the officer is preoccupied
with something else.

- I look to see if the personal tag line is on my air pack, and if its quick release is set up right.

Tools:

- I make sure the irons are together and ready to be carried. Sometimes I’ll find the flat head axe
in the cab, and you want to know that ahead of time.

- If hand tools are loose and in a pile in the compartment, I make sure the irons are on top.

- Usual checks on the fan, but I also look at the tripod legs to see if they are tightened down so
they won’t extend when I pick it up.

- I make sure the gate valve in the hydrant bag is closed, and I always look for the hydrant wrench
and adapter.

- I make sure the manifold valves are closed.

- I check to see if the extinguishers are set up to quickly grab, and if the straps holding them can
be undone easily.

- I check to see if the saws are ready to start with a pull of the cord. On position, choke out, and
compression button pressed.

Hose:

- I make sure the rack lines look good, and don’t have any twists or something that looks like it
may not deploy right.

- I always look for the bundles to have the adapter on the tail, and if they look messy or if the
straps are loose, they probably will be a pain to carry.

- I look to see if there is any reason that the 5” or 3” may not deploy easily. I check the strap at
the cab end of the hose bed. It can easily catch the 5” couplings.

- I double check that the adapter is with the standpipe hose.

Ladders:

- When I travel, I always like to look at the 24' and see how it is stowed. Can it be pulled out and
thrown as is, or do I have to flip it over first?

        I do the above routine when I am in the firefighter position. And when I am driving, I have a whole new set of things I like to take a look at. This could be done for every rank, and the point is not to find every last thing that could trip you up, but to develop a mindset to anticipate things, rather than always being reactive. And doing these things helps me keep focused on the call, not on a problem. Everyone develops their own things they pay attention to, so if you have any ideas you want to share, it is always good to learn from.