Brigade Order
Operations
Brigade Order:
5
Part:
2
Section:
2
Title:
Tactical modes & sequence of messages
Contents
Page No.
Purpose
3
Strategic Aims
3
Introduction
3
Tactical modes
4
First impression message
4-5
Assistance message
5
Informative message
6-7
Fire surrounded message
7
Stop message
7-8
Incident location
8
Appendix A - Supplementary Messages
Appendix B - False Alarm Cause Codes
Appendix C - Secondary Fire Codes
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
1 of 13
Roles, Responsibilities and Review
The Deputy Chief Fire Officer is responsible for ensuring this Order is implemented
across the Brigade.
The Head of Operations & Risk & Incident Commanders will be responsible for the
day to day operation of the Order.
The Head of Operations & Risk will review this Order when new legislation arises or as
and when organisational needs require.
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
2 of 13
Brigade Order Operations 5
Part 2 – Section 2 – Tactical Modes & Sequence of Messages
Purpose
This Order provides guidance and clarification of the procedures to be employed by
personnel when transmitting on the Main Radio scheme and the construction of
standard messages used in Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Strategic Aims
This Order supports:
Strategic Aim 1 – ‘To be there when you need us in an emergency with a professional
and well equipped team’
Strategic Aim 3 – ‘To reduce the number of fire related deaths and serious injuries’
Introduction
The drafting and dispatch of radio messages is a vital aspect of Fire and Rescue
Service work and is the main source of operational communications. Fire Control must
be kept regularly advised of information from incidents to enable them to meet their
mobilising responsibilities and keep senior officers informed of situations as they
develop.
All operational personnel have a responsibility to ensure that proper radio discipline is
maintained. Operational Senior Officers, Incident Commanders (Level 2) and Fire
Control staff are responsible for monitoring radio traffic and taking the appropriate
corrective actions when messages do not conform to the standards laid down in this
Brigade Order. The correct framing and transmission of messages is essential to
efficient radio discipline.
The message format used by the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service will be in
accordance with the message procedure referred to in the Foundation Training and
Development Manual. However, the manual has been written to reflect nationally
understood procedures and local variations are sometimes necessary. Where these
apply the procedures in this Brigade Order should be adhered to.
All personnel are to ensure that they are fully conversant with the standard form of
messages. The contents of this Brigade Order should be included in training sessions.
Please remember that all transmissions should be at dictation speed!
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
3 of 13
Tactical modes
A Dynamic Risk Assessment is a legal requirement and as such needs to be recorded
and time stamped. This is done by announcing on the first verbal message and
subsequent messages to Fire Control what Tactical Mode is being employed.
Offensive (Oscar)
This is where the operation is being tackled aggressively. The Incident commander will
have established that the potential benefits outweighs the identified risks, so the Incident
Commander will be committing crews into relatively hazardous area, supported by
appropriate equipment, procedures an training.
Defensive (Delta)
This is where the operation is being fought with a defensive approach. In defensive
mode, the identified risks outweigh the potential benefits, so no matter how many
additional control measures are put into place the risks are too great. In this case
personnel are not committed to the risk area.
Transitional
Transitional should be declared where there is a combination of Offensive and
Defensive modes in operation at the same incident, in two or more sectors.
The main purpose of the announcement of ‘Transitional Mode’ is to keep commanders
of sectors operating in defensive mode, using large jets and perhaps aerial monitors,
aware that other personnel on the incident ground may
be operating in areas of risk, which could be affected by their operations or tactics.
First Impression message
A First Impression message is essential in providing oncoming personnel and fire
control with a brief overview, describing what’s involved and the extent of the incident
that they are attending. It enables decisions / Risk Assessments to be made en route
and by Fire Control.
The message should be:
• Given immediately on booking in attendance
And contain:
•
•
•
•
•
What is involved
Extent of incident i.e. Smoke issuing from 1st floor of property.
RTC no persons trapped.
RTC persons trapped.
No apparent sign of fire, etc
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
4 of 13
•
•
Does not have to be 100% accurate.
Tactical mode must always be included!
eg “FH from 22P2 in attendance at Noble Street, smoke and flames issuing from
ground floor, Tactical Mode Oscar”
Assistance message
An Assistance message is a message asking for additional resources
eg appliances, equipment etc.
An Assistance Message must never be joined to an Informative message.
The only exceptions are “Persons Reported” or where the addition of a short
informative message will provide essential and valuable information eg “Acetylene
Cylinders Involved”
When requesting additional pumping appliances, always include any pumping
appliances already in attendance or previously requested eg if two appliances are in
attendance and an additional two are required the message is “Make Pumps four.”
Where it is known that additional pumping appliances are required for a specific
purpose, this information may be included in the assistance message.
When requesting a special appliance, such as an Aerial Ladder Platform, the
appropriate assistance message is “Aerial Ladder Platform required.”
Always specify the type of appliance required in full and not as an abbreviation.
Other types of assistance messages might be:
• Request for assistance to an appliance involved in a collision en route to an Incident.
Consider any injuries and services required.
• Request for specialist personnel eg Fire Investigation Officer, Brigade Photographer or
a public utility eg “Local Gas or Electricity Company.” These types of messages
should include the reason for the request eg “Shut Down Supply.”
• A “request for information” eg message seeking information about the locations,
telephone numbers or information on chemicals.
Informative message
An informative message provides details of an incident and/or the progress of
operations. The objective of the message is primarily to enable Fire Control and Senior
Officers to determine the extent of the incident.
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
5 of 13
A short informative message should be sent as soon as possible after booking In
Attendance at an incident or as soon as possible after an Assistance message. For
incidents of long duration, the progress should be reported at least every
30 minutes.
Remember to include Tactical Mode!
Informative message from fires in buildings should include:
U• The use to which the building is put eg school, hotel, house.
H• The height of the building (expressed in terms of the number of
floors, a basement can be mentioned but only when involved in the fire).
A• The approximate area of the building (expressed in metres of frontage and depth).
L• The percentage of the building that is alight or the location of the fire if it is confined
to one room or a specific area.
S• Summary of what is in use and a brief description of the activities (number of
jets/breathing apparatus)
L•Location confirmed on MDT
T•Tactical Mode
Examples:
• ‘From ……At…………….House of 2 floors, 10 metres by
20 metres, whole of first floor and 50% of roof alight; one jet, 4 Breathing
Apparatus in use Tactical Mode Oscar”
Informative message from fires other than in buildings should include:
• The nature of the fire eg heath land, tyre dump.
• The approximate size of the site, expressed in terms of area, hectares
(one hectare = 10,000 square metres) or tonnage.
• The percentages alight.
• What is in use eg jets and Breathing Apparatus.
• A brief description of the activities.
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
6 of 13
Example:
• ‘From ……At……………. Tyre Dump 100 metres by 50 metres, 50% alight, 3 jets, 6
Breathing Apparatus in use Tactical Mode Delta’.
Informative message from Special Services should include:



Brief description of incident.
Number of casualties involved.
Any other information that may present a hazard to firefighters eg chemicals.
Examples:
• ‘From ……At………2 saloon cars involved in RTC, 3 persons trapped, Tactical
Mode Oscar’
Fire Surrounded message
A ‘Fire Surrounded’, message can be sent from a large fire, normally 6 pumps or more,
when the Incident Commander is satisfied that the fire is not going to spread any further,
but additional resources may still be required so the ‘Stop Message’, cannot be sent.
Stop message (stop mobilising)
A Stop message indicates that no more resources are required at an incident and
that those already on scene or en route are sufficient (except for reliefs).
Incident Commanders must inform Fire Control if appliances en route are still
required. (This is to enable early release and possible redeployment of resources from
an incident).
When a Stop message follows an Informative message, a repeat of the description is
unnecessary, unless the details have changed. Where appliances are not likely to be
able to leave the scene of an incident shortly after the Stop message, it should contain
details of appliances that are detained and are therefore not available for further
incidents.
Examples:
• ‘From………Stop for ……………. House of 2 floors 10 metres by 20 metres, whole
of first floor and 50% of roof damaged by fire, 2 jets, 6 Breathing Apparatus in use
Tactical Mode Oscar’.
In addition to Stop message add “Incident Location Confirmed!”
Incident location
Procedure
1. Check incident location on arrival
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
7 of 13
2. Move incident if necessary, as soon as practicable
3. Check and move incident location before issuing Stop message.
4. Confirm incident location is correct as part of Stop message using the phrase
‘incident location confirmed’.
5. Control staff will ask for this confirmation if not volunteered. You can still move
the incident until changing status to Mobile Available, Mobile Returning or closing
Home Station.
6. If incident cannot be moved on MDT due to equipment or communications failure,
please contact Control (preferably using mobile phone) and describe the incident
location. Control staff will attempt to plot it for you.
Reference
Author
OPS5PT2S2
OPSO
Status
Amended
Date
Page
07/12
8 of 13
Appendix A
Supplementary messages
False Alarms
It will on occasions be necessary to send an informative regarding a potential
false alarm call.
Stop messages from incidents where it is established that it is a false alarm, can
be designated malicious, or the call can be made with good intent.
Examples of these are:
‘From……… Stop for ……………. False Alarm, Good Intent, excessive
smoke from domestic chimney, Tactical mode? ’.
The majority of false alarms are caused by the actuation of a fire alarm system.
For Stop messages from these incidents, coded messages are used which
indicate the cause of the system operating.
The cause codes and their definitions are listed in Appendix B to this
Order, an example is:
‘From……… Stop for ……………. False Alarm due to Apparatus, Cause
Code Alpha, alarm caused by dust, zone 2, smoke detector, Tactical Mode
?.’
All messages should reflect the information that has been entered onto the
FB357 form.
Known false alarms and messages from these types of incidents should be
in line with Brigade Call Challenging Policy and False Alarm Reduction
Policy.
Fatalities and Casualties
In the case of a fatal fire, indication of death will not be given, but assistance
as necessary should be requested eg:
‘From ………….at………….One adult and one child, recovered from first
floor, request attendance of Police and/or Fire Investigation Officer.’

Fires (the term rescued means that the casualties are alive whereas
recovered must only be used for fatalities).
OPS5PT2S2
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07/12

RTCs (the terms used give valuable information to oncoming Incident
Commanders and Fire Control etc
Released (means rescued from vehicle by Fire and Rescue
personnel and are still alive)using …………….?
Or Removed (which must only to be used for fatalities).

In most circumstances casualties will require an ambulance. If one is not
already on the scene Shropshire Ambulance Service require some details
of the casualties’ circumstances.
The information required is fairly straightforward and should include the following
as appropriate:
• The approximate age of the casualty.
• The chief complaint of the casualty.
• If the casualty is unconscious.
• If the casualty is having breathing difficulties.
• If the casualty is suffering chest pains and is over 35 years
of age.
• If the casualty is bleeding severely.
Example:
‘From ………….at…………. Ambulance required for one child, aged 10,
smoke inhalation and breathing difficulties’.
Incidents involving Animals
Messages from incidents involving animals should be kept as simple as possible.
In some cases only one pumping appliance will have been mobilised and
additional resources may be required. This should not be sent as a priority
message.
‘From………………at …………….One cow stuck in ditch, Rescue Tender
required Tactical Mode Oscar’.
Secondary Fires
Stop messages relating Secondary Fires should contain the relevant cause code
information at the time of transmission using the appropriate coding listed in
Appendix 3 to this Brigade Order.
‘From …………..Stop for……………….Grass, Hose reel Jet, Cause Code
India, Tactical Mode Oscar’.
OPS5PT2S2
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Miscellaneous messages
Suspected Bombs
Where the Brigade makes an attendance to an incident involving a suspected
explosive device, under no circumstances should reference be made to ‘bombs’
or ‘explosives’ over the radio network.
‘From……… at……….. Suspect device, standing by at request of police,
Tactical mode DELTA.’
Reliefs
This type of message will normally be added to an end of an Informative or Stop
message. Reliefs are to be requested at the earliest opportunity to allow for
arrangement and travelling of reliefs for the number of pumping appliances or
special appliances required and the time that they are required.
Broadcast message procedure
A broadcast message will be used by Fire Control to transmit the same message
to all or a number of mobiles. This can be done by patching all Talk Groups
together and passing message to all mobiles. The preliminary call is transmitted
twice “FH Calling all Mobiles, FH Calling All Mobiles”. When the attention of
only some mobiles is required, the individual call signs must be clearly quoted.
Mobiles called with a broadcast message should only acknowledge its receipt
when called upon to do so by Fire Control.
OPS5PT2S2
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Appendix B
False Alarm Cause Codes
Cause Code - Alpha
‘Dust / thrips’ due to small particles that are not the products of combustion.
This includes dust/particles/insects or any other matter (aerosol products,
steam).
Cause Code - Bravo
‘System Fault’ due to failure or defect in fire alarm or firefighting equipment.
Systems faults can be generated by the system itself or by an external cause
eg cables, water from a burst pipe etc.
Cause Code - Charlie One
‘Unsuitable Equipment or Positioning’ eg when a smoke detector is incorrectly
sited too close to a kitchen area where cooking fumes activate the alarm.
NB: this is not ‘Good Intent’.
Cause Code - Charlie Two
‘Use of Cooking or Smoking in an Unsuitable Location’. resulting in a fire
alarm responding correctly but to an inappropriate source eg when a smoke
detector is correctly sited but a toaster is being used in an office or smoking of
cigarettes in designated ‘no smoking’ areas.
NB: this is not ‘Good Intent’.
Cause Code - Delta
‘Other’
For example :
• the operation of a fire alarm system due to electrical storms;
• fluctuations in water mains pressure causing a sprinkler system to operate;
• the failure of the occupier/engineer to isolate the fire alarm system from the
auto dialler/collecting station prior to a routine test being undertaken
• unknown causes.
NB: whenever cause code ‘Delta’ is used, further information regarding the
cause should be included in any messages sent.
OPS5PT2S2
AB-1
07/12
Secondary Fire Cause Codes
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
-
Ashes and Soot
Crash or Collision
Sparks from Chimney
Explosives Fireworks
Intentional Burning
Locomotives
Supposed Malicious/Doubtful
Matches
Children with Fire
Other Naked Lights
Rubbish Burning
Smoking Materials
Spontaneous Combustion
Electric Wire and Cable
Oil Lamp
Acetylene Welding Equipment
Other Known
Unknown
OPS5PT2S2
EQIA
07/12