Yakima County (Selah) | Brush Fire | 154.2575 | I-82 @ Fred Redmond Bridge | Brush Fire in median near SB rest area; multiple callers | WAS012
I got a reply from "Chuck"
Just a reminder, IPN uses the following groups for Brush Fires:
BRUSH FIRE: Incidents which meet at least 1 of the following criteria...
* AT LEAST a 1st alarm response working (Not 1 or 2 Units)
* AT LEAST 1 acre in size. (43,560 Sq Ft or 208 x 208)
* Helos/Planes Working
* Evacuation or extension to Structures.
MAJOR BRUSH: Brush Fires that are greater than 20 Acres or at least a 3rd Alarm response working the scene.
There is a high demand from our members for Brush incidents, so these groups were created. Many subscribers nationwide have selected these groups in order to receive significant forestry, wild-land & brush incidents, so it is imperative that they be paged over the proper group.
Just stating Brush Fire or Large brush fire is NOT Allowed. Details are needed for Size and if there is a full 1 Alarm or more of units working the Fire!
In the event of multiple alarms being ordered for a brush fire, simply update the incident & state the alarm level in the text area. There is no need to send brush over the regular alarm groups.
As always, thank you for your help. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Chuck Lowe
IPN Support Services Team
support@incidentpage.netAnd because I have a big mouth, I sent a reply:
Chuck-
Thank you for your untimely reply.
I have a few problems with your BRUSH FIRE message criteria. This incident system is based on larger cities or counties. Here in Yakima County, the 1st alarm may only be 1 brush apparatus, thus meeting criteria #1. For criteria #2, granted the fire I sent the message out for wasn't 1 acre in size, it posed a hazard and traffic delay along a local INTERSTATE FREEWAY which delayed traffic while fire personnel worked around the roadway. Regardless of size, if it poses any sort of hazard or traffic delay, it should be dispatched. Thirdly, we could have a 3-alarm brush fire here in Yakima and not have helos or air tankers operating thus never meeting the 3rd criteria but meeting the 1st? Contradictory much? Lastly, you don't need evacuation or extension into structures to constitute a brush fire.
I will also have a hard time meeting the 3 dispatches a week requirement. If I'm going to keep up with that, I'll probably be sending out these dispatches that don't meet your standards. What you need to consider is that your standards are not going to be met across the nation, as this system reaches across the nation. For areas that don't meet your standards, your cause is blatantly worthless because of the lack of use it would get.
Finally, you don't live in Yakima County so how would you know the details of the call I am dispatching? How do you know that the event I'm dispatching isn't meeting your high standards? According to the internet, you live clear across the country from where I do, in an area that clearly operates fire departments very, very differently.
With my strong opinion being stated, if you feel that you can't lower your standards to truly meet the response types and call types across the nation, as you should to keep up your cause, then I wish to resign as a dispatcher for the Incident Page Network effective immediately. I thought this would be a neat opportunity to share events in my area with those who care, but if your standards are so high and cannot be met, then your cause is worthless in my area for a day-to-day, week-to-week basis
Thank you for your time.
Joey Smith
Yakima, WA
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