Radios

 Radio Communications are extremely important on the fire ground and as such fire fighters should know everything about their particular model.

 At the start of each tour take a few minutes and go over the radio. Check to see if the battery is charged, clean from debris, and if all the knobs and  other equipment are there and operable.

 Conduct a radio check with Fire Alarm, if possible, to see if your radio is transmitting and receiving properly. Only then can you consider one part of your pre-tour equipment check done.

 I once responded to a fire right at shift change and in the rush to get on the rig and respond I didn't check the radio. While conducting a primary search of the first floor, I stepped into a hole cut to vent the basement from a previous fire. This building had two fires in the last month.

 After falling into the hole, I found getting free difficult, in other words I was stuck. At this point I realized the radio wasn't transmitting and an excessive amount of expletives wasn't going to free me.

 I could see the glow from the fire getting bigger and the room was heating up. I remember thinking that I was going to die because I was too lazy to check my equipment, not even a quick check while responding.

 Fortunately, a member of another truck heard me yelling for help and was able to help me free myself. 

 I vowed right then and there to never skip checking all my equipment before getting on the rig. To make sure all of it was there and working. No more cheaters too. But that's another story.

 Know your radio, what channel your suppose to be on, how to use the emergency button, how to use the departments mayday procedures and how to give as much information as you can as to your location in the building.

 All members have radios now. The days of only the officer and a few others having one are long gone. Like any tool it's only as good as the member using it.