Fire officers have many decisions to make when they approach a scene--decisions that could mean the difference between life and death. Pre-incident information combined with your on-scene size-up give the fire officer the advantage of knowing what to expect when arriving and operating at a fire scene. In this definitive guide to fireground size-up, author Michael A. Terpak gives fire fighters an in-depth and expanded review of 15 size-up points to help them make decisions that are efficient, effective, and safe.

In each different type of building referenced, Terpak covers the following points:

• Construction concerns
• Occupancy
• Apparatus and staffing
• Life hazard
• Terrain
• Water supply
• Auxiliary appliances and aides
• Street conditions
• Weather
• Exposures
• Area
• Location and extent of fire
• Time
• Height
• Special considerations