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When a fire dispatcher tells a field unit that their 10 minute or 30 minute timer has elapsed, what are they talking about?

I have been wondering the same question it might mean how far they are into the incident and when they arrived on scene just a guess.

From the ICS-910

The Dispatch Center should continue to advise the Incident Commander
of the elapsed time at each additional fifteen-minute interval, or until
canceled by the IC, or until the incident is declared under control, i.e., knockdown


Another link where the elapsed time is talked about on page 11.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VPxWmvKmzZkC&pg=PT29

Main page for the book.
Fire Officer's Handbook of Tactics By John Norman
http://books.google.com/books?id=VPxWmvKmzZkC

They're watching out for firefighter fatigue.

If an incident runs too long, they will switch out personnel.

Heartland has been using the timer for a little while now. You'll hear them tell the IC their timer has elapsed. They are using 10 min intervals.

Thanks all. I have only been hearing it recently, and thought it might have to do with incident times, but did not think about the fatigue factor.

The more that is done to keep our first responders safe the better!!!

I don't know how Heartland is doing it, but at SDFD we give them (the IC) this notice at working fires, purportedly to advise them that the fire has had enough time, since the initial call for service, to have impinged enough on a structure to make the building unstable. It is up to the IC to take appropriate measures once he receives this notification. We only make the 20 minute call!

SDnative wrote:When a fire dispatcher tells a field unit that their 10 minute or 30 minute timer has elapsed, what are they talking about?