wildland firefighter safety: 10 standard fire orders

I have been reflecting on staying safe during wildfires recently so I decided to revisit the written tools that wildfire fighters use and commit to memory in order to be safe. The are the 10 standard fire orders, 18 watch out situations and L.A.C.E.S. in three articles, the first one being today on the 10 standard fire orders. I know that these written lists are used in the United States, I do not know if they are used internationally but I'd imagine that other countries have similar lists. I will then follow up on those three articles by looking at other ways wildland firefighters stay safe such as the use of fire shelters and the personal protective equipment that they wear.

10 Standard Fire Orders

These fire orders are grouped as follows: fire behavior, fireline safety, and organizational control. The National Wildfire Coordinating Agency has a nice short webpage listing the 10 Standard Fire Orders. The 10 Standard Fire Orders are:

Fire Behavior
1. Keep informed of fire weather conditions and forecasts.
2. Know what the fire is doing at all times.
3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.
Fireline Safety
4. Identify escape routes and safety zones and make them known.
5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.
Organizational Control
7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor, and adjoining forces.
8. Give clear instructions and be sure they are understood.
9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.
If 1-9 are considered, then...
10. Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

Here is a short video from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Wildfire Safety Training and Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) it is under five minutes.



Direct link to video from National Wildfire Coordinating Group