The Origins of the 10 & 18

The Origins of the 10 & 18

How the prevalent 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watch out situations came to be today


Context

10 Standard Firefighting orders - Based on the successful "General Orders" used by the United States Armed Forces, the 10 orders are sequential steps that serve as fundamental guidelines for all fire officials. They are intended to reduce preventable fireline casualties and improve safety for individuals. 

18 Watch out Situations - Developed shortly after the 10 orders, the 18 are cautionary steps that are more specific and intended to expand on the 10. The application of the 18 is aimed at Wildland situations. 

Click Here to view the 10 & 18

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Chapter 1 - Meeting

        On April 12, 1957, a report was submitted to the Chief of Forest Service, Richard E. McArdle. The report was by a commissioned task force that was assigned to analyze 14 tragic fires that occurred from 1937 to 1956. From the research, the task force drafted the Elements of Tragedy Fires, a list of factors that resulted in disaster while working in the fire service. These elements would serve as guidelines for fire service members, and are credited to be the initial form of the 10 & 18.

Elements of Tragedy Fires:

(1) Unexpected fire behavior - Basic elements not understood; indicators of change in usual fire behavior not recognized; local fire weather forecasts not obtained, inaccurate, or not understood.

(2) Instructions - Not followed, not clear, or not given.

(3) Foremanship - Lost control of men at a critical time.

(4) Line Supervision - Overhead busy with minor jobs, not available when major decisions had to be made. 

(5) Communication - Not available, not used, or broke down.

(6) Firefighting strategy and tactics - Control effort made in the wrong location or without adequate margin of safety; detailed line location incorrect.

(7) Scouting - Not done, not thorough, too dependent on air scouting. 

(8) Escape plan - Not formulated, not explained, not executed.

(9) Lookout posting - The routine practice not followed. 

(10) Organization - Men and machines committed to action without adequate supervision, or without an adequate tie to rest of organization.

(11) Post-Injury actions - Delayed first aid; search for injured delayed or not thorough; rescue facilities inadequate. 

The Fires that Shaped it All - 10 & 18 Series

       In the report, a list of 14 fires along with their fatalities is included. While records exist for each, some fires have a substantial amount of information while others have the bare minimum. The following research is based on public records and will have some assumptions based off of logical reasoning. Each fire had at least two or more elements of tragic fires. Below is the list of fires.

This is an in-progress documentation project. You can find the publications on each fire on the list below. A link will be set when published

(1) Inaja Fire - 1956: http://emergencyradar.blogspot.com/2018/07/10-18-series-inaja-fire.html 

(2) East Highlands Fire - 1956: http://emergencyradar.blogspot.com/2018/07/10-18-series-east-highlands-fire.html 

(3) Seneca Fire - 1955: https://emergencyradar.blogspot.com/2019/09/10-18-series-seneca-fire-article.html

(4) Johnson Fire -1955: 1 reported fatality, No public records found

(5) Tunnel No. 6 - 1954: 

(6) Rattlesnake - 1953

(7) Mann Gulch - 1949

(8) Hells Canyon - 1949

(9) Walton Spur - 1949

(10) Barrett Dam - 1948

(11) Bryant Canyon - 1947

(12) Silver Plums - 1940

(13) Blackwater - 1937

(14) Welcome Lake - 1937

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