Second, Hand-in-Hand’s officers have been looking to revise their Command Book, and this was a good opportunity to see how a larger company organizes observations and procedures during an emergency.  Command Books are a tool used to track a fireground, focus on critical questions, stay organized, and keep essential information in front of you. These books are full of laminated pages of procedures and worksheets to use during an emergency. Hand-in-Hand’s crew learned some things from Baltimore’s books that they implemented in Hand-in-Hand’s books, including a reorganization to make the book easy to use even under stress. Besides the standardizing observation procedures, the Command Book is helpful during a transfer of command to be sure nothing is missed. One person might start filling out the book, then command is transferred, or other local authorities arrive. The book can seamlessly be passed to the next person.

We’re grateful for the time Baltimore County firefighters spent with our crew and look forward to continuing the relationship with them and new connections as opportunities are presented.