Canton FD's Newest Tool Is Simple, But Vital

Town of Canton Fire & EMS Department

CANTON, CT — The newest tool in the local fire department's arsenal isn't high tech by any stretch of the imagination.

But it can serve as a vital piece of organizational equipment that makes saving lives and property less daunting than it usually is.

The Town of Canton Fire & EMS last week announced the recent acquisition of a new Incident command board system, "made possible through the generous support of a grant from Eversource and a donation from the Canton Lions Club."

An incident command board is sort of like the giant lineup card a baseball manager might have on the dugout wall, only a bit more complex and the stakes much, much higher.

The command board acts as a scorecard of sorts relative to the responding agencies and who is in charge and who needs to be contacted when orders are carried out.

It is a fold-up, table-like tool that utilizes a whiteboard and dry-erase markers.

They are especially necessary at large, multi-agency incidents such as large fires or accidents.

"This advanced system will serve as a vital asset not only to Fire & EMS operations, but also to all first responder organizations within the Town of Canton and throughout the broader areas we serve. It is particularly valuable during large-scale or complex emergency incidents," wrote the local fire department.

"The Incident Command Board is designed to enhance operational effectiveness in a wide range of situations."

Fire officials said they "are deeply grateful for the support of our community partners, whose contributions help us continually improve the tools and capabilities available to our first responders."