Challenging Calls for Service

Section 2 - EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

PURPOSE:

To set forth a standard for challenging an alarm within the City of Maitland.

PROCEDURE:

When challenging an alarm, contact OCFD dispatch on either OCFD TAC 1 or TAC 7 and advise the dispatcher that you are available and if you are closer than the unit being challenged. At that point the decision will be made as to which unit will continue to respond. The closest unit and/or the unit with the most appropriate resources will continue to the alarm.

Considerations:

• Your location and the unit you are challenging.
• Traffic patterns, time of day and weather.
• Is your vehicle staffed with the appropriate personnel for the alarm? Ex. ALS or BLS engine, transport unit, aerial. Consider the type of call.
• When challenging another agency that may be closer, consider adding your unit to the alarm instead of canceling other units.
• Does the call require special equipment that you are attempting to replace such as a tanker or squad?
• Confirm information to B45 and/or OCFD dispatch.