Firefighter Safety

Req 6b — Safety Orders & LCES

6b.

Discuss the following with your counselor, including why each is an important consideration for maintaining personal safety and situational awareness during wildland fire suppression activities:

Firefighter safety is based on strict, non-negotiable protocols designed to prevent accidents and maintain situational awareness under dangerous conditions.

Requirement 6b1: 10 Standard Firefighting Orders

6b1.

10 Standard Firefighting Orders

The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders were established in 1957 following tragic fireline fatalities. They are mandatory safety rules that every wildland firefighter must memorize and obey.

The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders

Non-negotiable fireline safety rules
  • 1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.
  • 2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.
  • 3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.
  • 4. Identify escape routes and safety zones, and make them known to all crew members.
  • 5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
  • 6. Be alert, keep calm, think clearly, act decisively.
  • 7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your boss, and adjoining forces.
  • 8. Give clear instructions and be sure they are understood.
  • 9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.
  • 10. Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.

Requirement 6b1 Resources

🎬 Video: Standard Firefighting Orders — https://youtu.be/9WhKKSGl9K0

Standard Firefighting Orders

Requirement 6b2: 18 Watch Out Situations

6b2.

18 Watch Out Situations

The 18 Watch Out Situations describe specific hazardous conditions that warn firefighters of potential danger. Key examples include:

  • Building firelines downhill toward a fire.
  • Wind blowing fire toward your position.
  • Unburned fuel between you and the fire.
  • Cannot see the main fire and not in contact with anyone who can.
  • Weather getting hotter and drier.
  • Feeling sleepy or exhausted.

When a firefighter identifies a Watch Out Situation, they must pause, evaluate risks, and apply safety mitigations before proceeding.

Requirement 6b2 Resources

🎬 Video: The Watchout Situations — https://youtu.be/GIMeOZ_d1ko

The Watchout Situations

Requirement 6b3: LCES (Lookouts, Communication, Escape Routes, Safety Zones)

6b3.

Lookouts, Communication, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES)

LCES is an acronym representing the core safety system established before any firefighter enters a wildland fire area.

[ L ] Lookouts  +  [ C ] Communication  +  [ E ] Escape Routes  +  [ S ] Safety Zones
  • Lookouts: Experienced firefighters positioned where they can observe both the fire behavior and the crew’s location.
  • Communication: Reliable radio or visual contact between lookouts, crew leaders, and adjacent forces.
  • Escape Routes: Pre-planned, cleared paths allowing firefighters to move quickly from a danger area to a safety zone.
  • Safety Zones: A location where a firefighter can survive a radiant heat burnover without deploying a fire shelter (such as a large rock outcrop, wide road, or burned-out area).

Requirement 6b3 Resources

🎬 Video: LCES — https://youtu.be/46kiCPcfUyg

LCES

Next Steps

Now explore tactical suppression methods, including direct and indirect attacks, minimum impact tactics, and the Incident Command System.