i think it would be more reasonable to say that 2 brigades should be sent because CFS is a volunteer resource and hence can't guarantee a full crew then at least there will be 4 crew between the 2 brigades.
If there are 4 crew BETWEEN 2 brigades, neither are rolling a truck. Well, except Piccadilly that will happily take their 14 to building fires - Go figure...
Not to take this thread too far off track, well moreso than it already is, but how about we all just stop and have a look at the bigger picture.
Turnout for something serious, like a house alight, is, usually, two trucks. In most areas (Mt. Barker being the only exception I can think of) two brigades are responded to ensure a two appliance response. This is similar for most incidents.
I've been present at the Mt. Lofty Summit visitor center when Stirling, Aldgate and Piccadilly have been turned out for an alarm. Its beyond funny to see 5 appliances turn up, because everyone gets a good crew. Wow look, throw in an Aerial and a Rescue and you've got a third alarm for an AFA... Why not call in the Comms bus as well. Maybe notify the RC 'just in case'.
Of course this is going to change according to calls and conditions. Lets say you get turned out to an alarm, shed fire, domestic fire (something pretty normal) you get a crew of 4, 2xCABA on your first appliance out the door, then a couple more show up at the station, but the second responded station is already on the road, you don't need to take that second truck from the first station. There are already two trucks on the road, you don't need a third. Liase with the second station, see how many BA operators they have on board. Wait for the initial SitRep.. filtered hitting the fan? Then get that truck out the door.
It goes without saying that someone will pull up some example of how they went to a job once with all the group because it was a training night and it was lucky they all turned out because the job needed 1000 people. But this is not the case normally. Not every house fire goes to a second alarm. Two pumps, two lines of 38 should do most stock standard house fires.
I'm just asking that people use their heads. Grass fire on a not so bad day? If its in a known bad area, yeah maybe take an extra truck P2. Most things don't need more than two trucks. Thats what we have an Alarm Response procedure for. Does it say "Initial Response: As many as you can get"? No, it doesn't. Go read it.
To go back to the Seafood example, its a rubbish fire. Generally this is going to be some shitty little fire that you can extinguish with a HP line, no worries. You had MFS going, thats one truck guaranteed, and TWO CFS brigades... thats generally another two trucks. You still don't need a hundred trucks from one station.
I don't know about you, but I love it when a CFS appliance rocks up, 4 crew get off, get to work, a second appliance arrives minutes later, 4 crew get off, get to work, everyone is doing something. I hate, and feel rather embarrassed when half the group arrives, all under lights and sirens, then either stand around doing nothing or try having 100 people doing the job of 8. It looks tacky and unprofessional. Many people, especially on these boards go on about how we are just as professional as SAMFS, but when you look like dads army at a job and are worse rubberneckers than the general public, 'Professionalism' is the last thing that springs to mind.
So, in short, Alarm Response Protocol. GO READ IT.
