When firefighters respond to a wide area incident there are many precautions that need to be taken into consideration, such as, clean water availability and distribution, natural gas distribution, electrical energy distribution, public communication services including landline, public radio, cellular service, Emergency services communications, voice and data transmission services, including voice over internet protocol (VoIP) The fire department must work closely with the appropriate agencies when utilities are lost or damaged. There also must be in person surveys of infrastructure after an incident to determine the availability of accessibility features including roads and bridges. The staging of equipment is also something that needs carful consideration, it needs to be in a safe place in the parameters of the incident in order to evaluate the condition and availability of resources.

You are very correct DE Ed Shadoin with your answer to this question. Wide area incidents require careful coordination and awareness of critical infrastructure, including water, gas, power, and communication systems like cellular, radio, and VoIP. The fire department must collaborate with utility and public service agencies when these systems are disrupted. On-site surveys are essential to assess road and bridge accessibility. Proper staging of equipment within safe zones ensures efficient resource deployment and operational safety. These precautions help maintain situational control, ensure responder safety, and support effective incident management across a large and potentially unstable area.