Stop winging it on the fireground

By Randall Hanifen, PhD, CFO, FIFireE

Operational excellence on the fireground doesn’t begin with a size-up or a hoseline. It begins weeks, months or even years earlier through structured and deliberate planning. Departments that consistently succeed in high-risk incidents do so because they’ve built systems, policies and culture that support performance long before the tones drop.

One of the most critical components of this preparation is a well-developed Standard of Cover (SOC). More than just a document, a strong SOC is a comprehensive blueprint that connects your community’s risks with the deployment strategies, staffing models and operational tactics necessary to address them effectively.

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The planning gap in many departments

Across the country, fire departments of all types often find themselves reacting to incidents without a consistent playbook. Shifts may use different terminology. Apparatus may arrive in a disorganized fashion. Tasks may be duplicated or missed entirely. This isn’t a personnel problem; it’s a planning problem.

Without an integrated SOC that reflects local risks, resources and expectations, even highly capable crews can struggle to perform. Effective planning aligns daily operations, staffing models, training, dispatch protocols and fireground execution.

Building a system that matches risk to response

A strong SOC starts with a community risk assessment. What are the occupancy types in your area? What hazards exist in your residential, commercial and industrial zones? From single-family homes to multi-story apartments and million-square-foot warehouses, each risk profile demands a tailored response model. This means:

• Developing deployment matrices that account for structure type and operational complexity;
• Defining task-based assignments so each arriving company knows its role — first-due attack, primary search, backup line, proactive RIC, etc.;
• Ensuring incident command practices are unified across shifts and officers, using consistent terminology and ICS structure; and
• Implementing CAD systems and run cards that trigger the appropriate resources and sequence of arrival.

From policy to practice

The real challenge isn’t just creating these plans, it’s embedding them into the fabric of the organization. This requires clear, written policies for fireground operations that reflect both the department’s capabilities and the realities of modern hazards. It also requires training at every level, reinforcement through after-action reviews, and a leadership culture that values accountability and continuous improvement.

A few key lessons from departments that have successfully made this transition:

• Standardization is essential, especially across shifts that may have historically operated independently.
• Terminology and tactics must be consistent, especially when mutual aid is part of the equation.
• Communication is leadership — crews will adopt change when they understand the “why” and see its benefit on scene.
• Cultural change is slow but possible with persistence, trust and the right internal champions.

The payoff

When a department invests in a strong SOC and integrates it into operations, the results are tangible:

• Faster and more coordinated fireground execution;
• Reduced freelancing and duplication of effort;
• Improved firefighter safety and accountability;
• Higher confidence in command decisions; and
• Better outcomes for victims and property preservation.

Fireground success is never a matter of luck. It’s the result of planning that is thoughtful, tested and tailored to your community. If your department is serious about performance, the time to plan is not when the building is on fire — it’s now.

AbBOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Randall W. Hanifen serves as assistant chief of operations for the West Chester Fire Department in Ohio and as a fire service consultant for Hanifen & Associates. He is also an associate professor of emergency management at American Public University and a contract instructor in the executive fire officer program at the National Fire Academy. Hanifen has a bachelor’s degree in fire administration, a master’s degree in fire service executive leadership, and doctoral degree in executive management of homeland security. He is credentialed as a Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and serves as president of the USA branch of the Institution of Fire Engineers.