Nsw fire and rescue radio code meanings

[hwp200]

G'day today I heard Pumper 424a state a fire as a 3 alarm. Does anyone know what it means? I'm still learning the codes. What would a 1 and 2 alarm be also?

Thanks

[JAFO]

A 3RD Alarm is part of a Greater Alarm Response Protocol System of responding firefighting resources.

They are used in mainly the Metropolitan areas of Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong and Blue Mountains, with a little variations between Sydney Metro and the other areas based on the number of stations and appliance types, such as Sydney has 4 Hazmat Stations, while Newcastle, Central Coast and Illawara has 1 Hazmat in each Fire District.

There are 4 Sets of Alarm Response Protocols that RNSW currently use:
1. Structural Greater Alarm Protocol. (2nd Alarm to 13th Alarm)
2. Non-Structural (Grass/Bush) Greater Alarm Protocol. (2nd Alarm to 13th Alarm)
3. Rescue Greater Alarm Protocol.
4. Hazmat Greater Alarm Protocol.

Can't remember the whole protocol, but initial response to a Building related Call is straight up a "1st Alarm", being 2x Pumps. The following Numbers will be what is committed once the Next Alarm is Called On:

- 2nd Alarm = 4x Pumps, 1x Aerial, 1x Rescue, 1x Inspector

- 3rd Alarm = 6x Pumps, 1x CAFS Pump/Tanker, 1x Aerial, 1x Rescue, 1x Hazmat, 1x Inspector, 1x LSV

- 4th Alarm = 8, Pumps, 2x CAFS Pump/Tanker, 2x Aerial, 1x Rescue, 1x Hazmat, 2x Inspectors, 1x Zone Commander, 1x Mobile Command, 1x LSV

Each extra Alarm Level, 2x additional Pumps are pup on all the way to a 13th Alarm.
At 6th & 8th Alarms Levels, an extra Aerial & Hazmat are put on, to total 4 Aerials etc etc etc.

Sydney has had on two occasions in my time, has had Two 13th Alarm Jobs working at the same time, which had seen crews responded from the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong Regions to those Jobs, and in return Sydney based Crews have responded out of Sydney to support Crews outside Sydney, the furthest I have responded has been from the Penrith area to Bathurst school fire.

I'd would have to go searching through our Doc's to find exactly what is responded these days, we have got a few more new toys since the Alarm Response Protocols First came in 12 or so years ago, like CAFS Pumps & CAFS Tankers, TAFS, and Hose Layers etc.