What determines a two alarm blaze, three alarm etc??

Question

I've always wondered what determines how big a fire is and what to the "alarms" mean. Five, six, seven alarm fire??

Answer 1

thats how many stations went to the call

Answer 2

The first answer is ok, but the real reason is how many fire companies from the surrounding areas they have to call.

Two alarm - two fire companies

Three alarms - three fire companies.

-Em

Answer 3

The size of the fire and how much danger it is to surrounding structures. The bigger the fire the more equipment you need to fight it.

Answer 4

The number of alarms corresponds to the amount of assistance called to the scene. The precise meaning of an "alarm" varies depending on the fire department, but in general it means that after the first few units arrive on scene, and they need help, that request for help is called an alarm. For example, in New York City, dispatchers send out 25 units and 106 firefighters for a two-alarm fire, 33 units and 138 firefighters for three alarms, 39 and 168 for four, and 44 and 198 for five...In most cities, dispatchers will respond to a one-alarm fire with three or four units and then send a few more each time more assistance is requested (an alarm).

Answer 5

How hard the fire is to contain.