Pre-incident planning is the entire process of gathering and evaluating information, developing procedures based on that information, and ensuring that the information remains current. To obtain this information, company officers and unit personnel conduct pre-incident surveys of commercial, industrial, institutional occupancies, and high-risk (target) hazards within their response areas. The process of walking through the structures to gather data not only serves as a means to collect the information but also provides the opportunity for the company officer to discuss occupancy-specific tactics and become familiar with the building layout without smoke and fire conditions present. In many situations it is difficult to gather information during the pre-incident survey. Fire prevention bureau personnel can provide assistance during this function as well as during other pre-incident planning functions.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a well thought out pre-incident safety plan?