When is it crucial to call additional resources?

Calling additional resources is crucial when more than one task needs to be accomplished quickly at an incident scene. In emergency situations, time is often of the essence, and the successful outcome can depend on how effectively multiple tasks are handled simultaneously. For example, while one crew is extinguishing a fire, another crew may need to conduct a search for any trapped victims or establish a ventilation strategy to clear smoke. Having sufficient resources allows for a coordinated effort to address the various needs of the emergency, ultimately improving the safety and effectiveness of the response.

In contrast, calling for additional resources under conditions like having too many firefighters present could lead to confusion or a lack of coordination. Similarly, if the fire is in the cleanup phase, the immediate threat has likely diminished, and overwhelming the scene with additional personnel may not be necessary or efficient. When the risk is low, it is generally not a time to escalate resources, as operations may already be manageable with the current team.