r/Firefighting • u/Godslove777 • Jan 27 '25

Photos Whats this smoke tell you?

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Initial size up described conditions with “turbulent smoke”…

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u/TwigyBull Jan 27 '25

This is looking top down like on a map, right?

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u/Firehouse55 Jan 27 '25

Yes. Top down, clockwise, with Alpha being the street address preferably. First command one scene will denote side Alpha when the building has multiple street fronts but they always try to keep it to the dispatch address as that makes it easier for incoming units.

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u/dinkleberrysurprise Jan 28 '25

Non-firefighter here who wants to get schooled—why not cardinal directions?

Or for example I live in a house with an L shape—how do you handle something like that?

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u/Firehouse55 Jan 28 '25

Quick and easy orientation. You aren't carrying and looking at a compass. What if a corner of the house is true north? How do you pick a side? You wouldn't want to then swap to NE or NW. It's to avoid confusion. You also get a lot of streets with cardinal directions in their names.

You're house is still a box, it's just missing a chunk.