Truck Checks
If ever there was a necessary evil in the fire service it is definitely truck checks. It’s not going out on a limb to suggest that there aren’t many firefighters that actually like to conduct truck checks. Not before drill when you’re itching to cut open a car and certainly not after a call or drill when you’re wiped out from dragging hose lines and overhaul. To put it bluntly firefighters, need to stop making excuses to participate in truck checks because they serve several legitimate purposes most if not all are fairly obvious.
First, truck checks allow firefighters to get to know the location of all the tools on each apparatus. An argument can be made that getting to know where the tools are on the apparatus is more important for younger firefighters because they don’t have the knowledge base thus tool location may not have progressed to becoming second nature yet. That is simply not true. Every firefighter young and old stand to benefit from participating in truck checks. For starters, tool locations may change over time based on need and use. Hopefully the inventory sheets have been updated and the company informed (as a station keeper I actually made my own because my employer did not provide them when asked)! Not to mention that tools do sometimes get put back in the wrong spots; happens all the time. This is a circumstance a veteran firefighter should be able to remedy immediately.
All that said truck checks are from a skills standpoint low level. As such they are an outstanding drill for Explorers and junior firefighters (JF) so that once they become members, they hit the ground running knowing where everything is located. Having Explorers and JF conduct truck checks also benefits those that are tasked with teaching them since an advisor needs to be present throughout. As an aside DO NOT let Explorers and JF handle pack/cylinder checks without an advisor present to make sure this is done properly.
Even as a veteran firefighter in the volunteer service you may not get to operate each tool consistently. If you haven’t started a chainsaw or K12 in a quite some time this is your opportunity to do so. Lastly, to expand on that thought not only might firefighters not handle all the tools consistently, they may not even ride each apparatus consistently to recall all tool locations. On a personal note, I have my routine getting on the primary engine for an alarm but that routine was usually disrupted when having to take the rescue truck for an extrication because not only are the tools different but were not in the same locations. Truck checks help to solve that problem.
Truck checks as tedious as they are simply train all of us to be more efficient when a particular tool(s) is needed; especially if doubles are needed such as requiring two sets of irons for forcible entry and knowing where the second set is housed is certainly advantageous. Seriously ask yourself, if the first set of irons is in the cab, do you know where the second set is located if you needed them?
Beyond the practical aspect there is also the development of a personal connection with each apparatus and the tools themselves. Personally, I prefer a Halligan and usually gravitate toward getting the irons. That personal connection further develops into a sense of pride; pride that each tool is functional and ready to go, pride that each apparatus is maintained and clean. Firefighters can also identify specific tools that they may need additional training with including applicable situations. Last on a personal aspect is that truck checks also assist in helping firefighters decide their preferences i.e. engine or truck.
Departmental SOPs govern how and when truck checks are completed with each company deciding the specifics as to how and when. Most departments do so on paper. This unfortunately has contributed over the years to the complacency and monotony. In some cases, there is one person with a clipboard with perhaps 3-4 firefighters in tow assisting by calling out tool names. This system does not allow everyone to participate and/or enables a lack of participation.
On a weekly basis there are a couple of other ways to alleviate this. The first is to assign firefighters to a particular apparatus and then further broken down to have each compartment completed by one member of the team and report back to an officer. Many hands make light work is a common phrase used in many departments and is certainly applicable with truck checks.
On an annual basis why not make truck checks more fun and/or competitional to make this daunting task tolerable? Many departments also have an annual “inspection dinner” that results from a thorough cleaning and truck check. This will identify missing tools and maintenance issues and, in some cases, ready the apparatus for a public appearance such as being part of a Memorial Day Parade. Usually, it works with a team assigned or chosen by the line officers for each apparatus. Once completed each piece is judged by members of neighboring departments and the winner receiving bragging rights and possibly a more tangible prize. Some departments have outside companies come in for this annual cleaning but that undermines some of the benefits outlined earlier.
The last aspect is using a digital format to conduct truck checks. Although there are likely several programs available, one of the better ones is PSTrax. This is an online system where each member is assigned a login that once online can view each apparatus broken down into the respective compartments and the tools listed that belong in that compartment. Each firefighter can then take a compartment, check off all the tools in that compartment and complete the inventory. This is done in “real time” so once a section is completed it is removed from the list so there is no duplicate effort. Once implemented truck checks could be done as efficiently as ten minutes.
The set up for PSTrax is simple, their team assists departments build their site and checklists and is a true turn-key solution. The end result is a streamlined truck check system that accomplishes all the positive aspects with few, if any, disadvantages – perhaps teaching firefighters to embrace and use new technology as the only downside! PSTrax can be contacted at www.PSTrax.com.
At the end of the day, truck checks are a necessity for all firefighters and they aren’t going anywhere. Good advice then would be stop putting wasted energy into avoidance instead of participating and getting the most you can out of this activity. The latter will only result in a much more positive firefighter experience especially when tools are obtained professionally resulting in a more efficient firefighting operation.
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