Anyone who has heard me lecture has heard me use the word "focus". It is the Incident Commander’s task to focus on the whole or entire incident. His or her main goal should be to assign the appropriate resources to adequately and safely handle the incident. This "focus" must be from a position where command can have the best viewpoint. While command focuses on the entire incident, division (or sector) officers focus on their individual task; it’s kind of "divide and conquer".

What does this have to do with fighting a fire in the summer, you ask? "Focus" is my answer. Command will (and rightly so) be busy "focusing" on the fire. This is a task in itself. Division officers should be focusing on their individual crew assignment. In the summer months, someone must "focus" on the effects of the heat and humidity on the crews working inside and outside the fire.

Those departments blessed with safety officers can utilize them to monitor the condition of the fire scene inside the structure and out. For those departments not so blessed, one officer must be assigned the task (periodically, at least) of checking on the effects of the heat and humidity on members. If the IC can balance this task and all the others placed on him, then that's great. However, when the incident demands more time and energy — interfering with this focus — then Command should assign a member to focus on the crews. Some suggestions for Command to eliminate unnecessary fatigue and stress on firefighters during fires in the hot summer months are:

• Remember what it’s like. Put yourself in your crew’s shoes (or boots) and remember what it was like when you were inside.

• Dress like the crew does on those hot days. If you’re "boiling" standing out in front in your bunker gear, then you’ll have an idea of what they must be going through. It’s easy to run a fire standing outside in your T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt. Get at least a hint of what they’re going through.

• Get relief for your members after the fire is knocked down. Use mutual aid if necessary and pay the neighboring department back in kind when they get a fire.

• Finally, make the crew take a break. After certain occurrences (knockdown, ventilation hole opened, search completed, etc.) bring the crew out and make them take a break.

Most of the above is common sense. Some departments such as Phoenix probably have hot weather operations down to a science. If you want more info on their operations, I’m sure they have procedures available. The key is to be cognizant that hot weather takes a toll on firefighters and then to do something about it.

Thanks, have a great summer, and stay safe.