Writing a Clear Incident Note
After a small kitchen fire, a firefighter writes the following note for the report: "Responded to a structure fire call at the residence. Upon arrival there was smoke and the occupant said they had a fire on the stove. We put it out and checked for extension. Everything was fine and we cleared." The company officer needs the note to stand up to review and to support any insurance or follow-up questions. The officer knows the run was at 214 Maple Street, dispatched at 1412, on scene at 1418, fire out at 1426, cleared at 1450. The fire was confined to the stove top and one cabinet; a thermal camera check found no extension.
1. Identify the main writing weaknesses in the firefighter's note and explain why each matters.
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Key weaknesses:
- No address, times, or unit identification. The note cannot be tied to a specific incident or timeline, which matters for review and for any insurance or legal follow-up.
- Vague pronouns and undefined terms: "there was smoke," "they," "everything was fine." The reader cannot tell who said what, where the smoke was, or what "fine" means.
- Missing the objective findings: what was burning, how much, what was done to confirm no extension (thermal camera), and the result.
- Passive, compressed sequence: "we put it out and checked" hides the actions and the order they happened in.
- No disposition or clearing information.
A report should let a reader who was not there reconstruct what happened, when, and how the crew knew the scene was safe.
2. Rewrite the note in 3-5 sentences using the facts provided, keeping it factual and neutral.
Read the worked answer
Model rewrite:
"At 1412 on the date of the incident, units were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 214 Maple Street. Crew arrived on scene at 1418 and found light smoke in the kitchen; the occupant stated a fire had started on the stove top. Crew extinguished the fire, which was confined to the stove top and one adjacent cabinet, and confirmed the fire was out at 1426. A thermal camera check of the surrounding area showed no extension. Crew cleared the scene at 1450."
Why this works:
- Names the location and gives the timeline (dispatch, on scene, fire out, cleared).
- States the source of information ("the occupant stated") rather than presenting it as fact.
- Describes the extent of the fire and the method used to confirm no extension.
- Stays neutral and factual, with no speculation or vague terms like "everything was fine."