Olsson reaches agreement with Andersson
and Johansson to coordinate an effort from
their respective sectors with the aim of exting-
uishing the fire in the paint and ironmongery
sections and preventing it from spreading
upwards in the building.^14 Olsson also says
that 121 and 125 shall be allocated the task
of ensuring water supply^15 and, together with
the police, evacuating the hotel.^16
Less than ten minutes later a coordina-
ted effort is launched from both sides of the
building. Two firefighters with tender 125
have been allocated the task of ensuring the
water supply, while the remainder of part
time firefighters from Allmänsta, together
with two police officers, evacuate the hotel.
In addition the security guard has been
allocated the task of checking the premises
Drottninggatan 1 and Storgatan 70 and the
courtyards connected to these. Thanks to the
coordinated effort, the fire in the paint store
and the paint section has been extinguished
and the situation is looking promising.
Shortly after 07.00 the fire on the lower
floor of the shop is extinguished. Unfortuna-
tely though, the fire has spread up through
the building via the old ventilation shafts
to flammable structural beams and wall
construction. There are also flames on the
outside of the building on the courtyard walls
which are spreading up the outside towards
the attic. Two pumping appliances with five
firefighters in each, and an aerial appliance
with two firefighters arrive from Närstad
and Fjärrstad.
‘I have just received a report that a pro-
blem has arisen higher up in the building,’
says Andersson. ‘The lads from 102 are on
the other side with a hose, but everything
seems to be ok there.^17 It appears, though,
that fire has broken through into the office
(^12) It is important, with regard to following
up a situation, to have an overall view of
crews involved, those at hand but not enga-
ged just as much as those engaged, as well
as resources that can be available within a
certain time. Without such an overview it is
difficult to apply the right measures, in the
right place at the right time. Knowledge of
the capacities of resources in time and space
is also important input value for the basis of
decisions.
(^14) Many response operations require that
measures are coordinated and executed
in such a way that their combined effect
becomes greater than their sum. It is not,
however, always easy to create models in
advance that are perhaps a prerequisite
for the collective effect of several depen-
dent measures.
(^15) A picture of what is to be done must
be formed at an early stage and there
must be a realistic plan for achieving
this. Once again the capacity of resour
-
ces forms an important input value for
such a plan and it is equally important
that this value is regarded in the light
of the goal of the response operation.(^16) A single organisation can seldom, if ever,
handle the full range of problems and issues
that can arise in connection with emergency
response operations. The efforts of public
bodies in terms of protection and rescue, rely
upon cooperation, coordination, assisting
each other and the sharing of resources
between the various organisations to the
purpose of reaching a common goal. The
starting point must be the assistance need
that has arisen as a result of an incident or
accident or the imminent danger of such.
(^13) Emergency preparedness can often
be maintained with the help of part
time firefighters. A commander
should, however, be aware that this
can place other demands on leadership
since part time firefighters must be
considered on different terms to full
time personnel.