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Montgomery County Fire/Rescue Incident Types

These are the types of incidents to which BCCRS responds. Definitions given may not be identical to those defined in the Montgomery County Fire/Rescue Commission Policies. The closest appropriate units are dispatched to each call.

Units listed are the types of units assigned to that type of call. The incident commander can request additional units at his/her discretion. Some units respond as part of a specialty team response, and are specifically identified.

A "fire apparatus" is defined as an engine, truck or rescue squad. A "manpower unit" is usually an engine, truck or rescue squad. A "special service" is either a truck or a rescue squad. EMS Units are ambulances and medic units.

On EMS calls, the closest unit is dispatched. If that unit is not an EMS unit, then the closest EMS unit is dispatched as well. If the call type is ALS in nature, then the closest medic unit is dispatched. This is why a call may receive an engine, ambulance, and medic unit for a single patient.

Several stations have extrication units which serve the same purpose on collisions as a rescue squad. These units are dispatched in place of a rescue squad on auto collisions if closer.

	Call Type	Definition
Back	Activated CO Detector	A carbon dioxide detector activation, without other signs of CO gas.
Back	Activated smoke detector	A smoke detector activated without any apparent signs of smoke or fire
	Adaptive Response	Any undefined fire situation with the possibility of fire or need for smoke removal
Back	Advanced Life Support - Other	Unclassified medical emergency requiring advanced life support
Back	Alarm Bells	Audible fire alarm bells
Back	Allergic Reaction	Reaction to medication, insect bite, etc.
Back	Asthma Attack	Shortness of breath possibly related to asthma
Back	Attempted Suicide	Suicide attempt by unclassified means, usually suicidal ideation rather than an actual attempt
Back	Auto Fire	Automobile fire
Back	Automatic Fire Alarm	Report from an alarm company of the activation of a monitored fire alarm system in a structure other than a single-family dwelling, without confirmation of smoke or fire
Back	Automatic Home Fire Alarm	Report from an alarm company of the activation of a monitored fire alarm system in a single-family dwelling, without confirmation of smoke or fire
Back	Automatic Medical Alarm	Report from an alarm company of the activation of a monitored medical alarm system, usually activated by the occupant of a dwelling who is bedridden or otherwise unable to reach a telephone
Back	Basic Life Support - Other	Unclassified medical emergency requiring basic life support
Back	Bicyclist Struck	Bicyclist struck by a motor vehicle
Back	Box Alarm	Building fire, smoke or fire reported in a building larger than a single family residence
Back	Box Alarm	Building fire, smoke or fire reported in a building larger than a single family residence
Back	Broken Outside Gas Service	damge to a natural gas line outside of a structure.
Back	Brush Fire	Leaves, grass, or other brush on fire.
Back	Bus Fire	Bus (Metrobus, ride-on bus, or other common carrier vehicle) on fire
Back	Chest Pain	Person reporting pain in chest, but not explicitly stating heart attack
Back	Choking	Airway obstruction
Back	Confined Space (Level 1)	Confined space rescue where there is only one victim, the victim can be seen, the victim is within 25 feet of the entrance, the rescuer can enter and work in the space using standard SCBA, and there is no danger of hazardous materials, engulfment, drowning, collapse, or falls of more than 10 feet.
Back	Confined Space (Level 2)	Confined space rescue where there are multiple victims, the victim(s) cannot be seen, the victim(s) are more than 25 feet from the entrance, The rescuer cannot enter the space while wearing standard SCBA, the victim is pinned by machinery, or there is the possibility of hazardous materials, engulfment, drowning, collapse, or falls of more than 10 feet.
Back	Defective furnace	Malfunctioning heating unit inside a residence
Back	Dead On Arrival	Patient believed to be beyond resuscitation or an expected natural death
Back	Decreased Level of Consciousness	Patient with an altered mental status, possibly due to stroke or other brain injury
Back	Detached Shed Fire	Fire in a shed not attached to another structure
Back	Detail	Parade or drill; units are out of service while committed
Back	Diabetic	Unconscious person reported to be suffering from a diabetic emergency
Back	Dumpster Fire	Large trash container on fire
	Electrical Short	Short circuit in an electrical system
Back	Electrocution	Patient has been injured by electric current
Back	Elevator Service Call	Elevator stuck with persons inside
Back	Emergency Transport (Advanced Life Support)	Request from a hospital for an ALS level patient transfer to another facility. Transports by primary ALS units must be approved by the on-duty county EMS officer
Back	Emergency Transport (Basic Life Support)	Request from a hospital for a BLS level patient transfer to another facility
Back	Fire in a Sewer	Fire reported in a sewer or storm drain
Back	Fire - Reported Out	Report of a fire that has been extinguished
Back	Food on the Stove	Report of food burning on a stove in a building
Back	Heart Attack	Reported heart attack
Back	Helicopter standby	Unit sent to establish a landing zone for a medevac helicopter
Back	Hemorrhage	Uncontrolled bleeding
Back	House Fire	Fire reported in a single family residence.
Back	Illegal Fire	Small fire of a suspicious nature
Back	Injured Fire Fighter	Firefighter with a BLS injury
Back	Injured Person	Injured person requiring BLS care.
Back	Injured Person - Advanced Life Support Required	Severely injured person requiring ALS care
Back	Injured Person from Auto Collision	Injured person from a minor auto collision with police on the scene confirming that there is no need for heavy extrication
Back	Injured Person Requiring Manpower	Injured person requiring BLS care and additional manpower (as determined by the dispatcher from the circumstances of the injury)
	Injured Person from an Assault	Person injured from an act of violence; assumed to be an uncontrolled scene pending the arrival of a police agency
Back	Inside Odor of Natural Gas	Odor of natural gas inside a structure
Back	Investigate Smoke in the Area	Report of an odor of smoke outside
Back	Investigation	Unclassified fire investigation
Back	Large Plane Crash	Large passenger aircraft crash
Back	Lock Out with Food On Stove	Person locked out of a residence who confirms that he/she left food cooking on the stove
Back	Miscarriage	Woman reporting vaginal bleeding during pregnancy
Back	Mutual Aid - Fire	Response at the request of a neighboring jurisdiction to assist on a fire incident
Back	Mutual Aid - Full Fire Assignment	Response at the request of a neighboring jurisdiction to assist on a fire incident, requiring more than one or two units from Montgomery County.
Back	Non-Violent Mental Case	Person in need of psychiatric care
Back	Obstetrics	Possible childbirth
Back	Odor of Smoke	Odor of smoke inside a structure, without confirmation of smoke or fire
Back	One Burned	Person burned
Back	One Down	Person down, often associated with intoxication or vagrancy
Back	One Scalded	Person scaled by hot liquid
Back	Other Fire	Other unclassified fire emergency
Back	Other Hazmat	Unclassified hazardous materials incident
Back	Outside Chemical Spill	Chemical spill outside a structure, possibly dangerous to environment, life, or property
Back	Confined Oven Fire	Fire confined to an oven
	Overdose	Person who has overdosed (accidentally or otherwise) on medication
Back	Pedestrian Pinned	Person struck by and trapped underneath a motor vehicle
Back	Pedestrian Struck	Person struck by a motor vehicle
Back	Personal Injury Collision	Auto collision.
Back	Personal Injury Collision - ALS Required	Auto collision with injuries requiring advanced life support
Back	Personal Injury Collision Involving a Motorcycle	Auto collision in which one of the participant was riding a motorcycle and is therefore more apt to have significant injuries
Back	Personal Injury Collision with Fire	Auto collision with fire reported
Back	Personal Injury Collision with HazMat	Auto collision with hazardous materials reportedly involved
Back	Pole on Fire	Utility pole on fire
Back	Personal Injury Collision with Person Pinned	Auto collision with a patient reported trapped or pinned in a vehicle
Back	Rescue from Heights	Rescue from an elevated location; one that that cannot be reached through normal means
Back	Routine Transport	Non-emergency transport of a patient to or from a hospital
Back	Seizure	Seizure
Back	Service Call (EMS)	Request for non-emergent medical service; often to assist a patient who has fallen and is unable to get up.
Back	Service Call (Fire)	Request for non-emergent fire service; usually for an illegal barbecue on a balcony
Back	Service Call (assist police with entry)	Assist police in entering a structure.
Back	Service Call - Lock-In	Person (usually a child) locked in a car or building
Back	Service Call - Lock-Out	Person (usually an adult) locked out of a car or building
Back	Service Call - Reset Alarm	Request to reset an accidentally triggered fire alarm
Back	Shooting	Request to assist a victim of firearm violence
Back	Sick Person	Any sort of undefined illness
Back	Stabbing	Serious stab injury
Back	Stroke	Reported stroke or neurological emergency
Back	Temporary Apparatus Move	Transfer of specific units to cover an area when other units are committed on an extended incident
Back	Transformer Fire	Fire in an exterior transformer
Back	Trouble Breathing	Shortness of breath
Back	Truck Fire	Truck on fire
Back	Unconscious Person	Person who has lost consciousness for any reason
Back	Unknown Emergency	An emergency that cannot be described by the caller and/or understood by the dispatcher
Back	Unknown Rescue	An emergency that cannot be described by the caller and/or understood by the dispatcher but is believed to be medical in nature
Back	Vehicle Fire - Other	Any non-car, non-truck vehicle fire
Back	Violent Mental Patient (BLS)	Patient having a violent psychiatric emergency; assumed to be an uncontrolled scene pending the arrival of a police agency
Back	Water Problem	Broken water pipe
Back	Wires on Fire	Electric wires arcing or on fire
Back	Working Code	Cardiopulmonary arrest confirmed by the calling party

	© 2007 by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, Inc. All rights reserved.