What Does A Five Alarm Fire Mean?
Posted September 20, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The smoke from a distant fire wafted all over across Toronto Thursday, as a five alarm fire created chaos in the Victoria Park and Danforth area. You hear the number of alarms all the time, but what exactly does a five alarm blaze really mean? Here’s a look, courtesy David Sheen of Toronto Fire Services.
(Note: the numbers are only meant to be a guide and fire officials noted that different blazes require different responses, so the number of crew and equipment that are called out for these staged responses can vary.)
1st Alarm
2 pumpers, 1 aerial truck, and 1 district chief
If it’s downtown or involves a highrise building, a highrise truck is used. If it’s a working fire an air supply truck, which provides breathing cylinders, and a heavy rescue squad are called.
2nd Alarm
5 pumpers, 2 aerials, 1 squad, 1 hazardous materials truck, 2 district chiefs, 1 platoon chief, 1 air supply vehicle, and 1 incident command vehicle.
3rd Alarm
8 pumpers, 3 aerials, 1 squad, 3 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 air lights, 1 hazard, 1 command vehicle, 1 division commander,
4th Alarm
11 pumpers, 4 aerials, 1 squad, 4 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 air supply vehicle, 1 hazardous materials truck, 1 command vehicle, 1 division commander
5th Alarm
14 pumpers, 5 aerials, 2 squads, 5 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 division commander, 1 command vehicles, 2 air supply trucks, 1 hazardous materials vehicles, other support staff if needed.
6th Alarm
17 pumpers, 6 aerials, 2 squads, 6 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 division commander, 1command vehicle, 2 air supply truck, 1 hazardous materials truck.
7th Alarm
20 pumpers, 7 aerials, 2 squads, 7 district chiefs, 1 platoon, 1 division commander, 1 command vehicle, 2 air supply trucks, 1 hazardous materials.
