Other organisations may have a variety of equipment that could prove beneficial for firefighting operations. This equipment would need to be identified and competent personnel would be required to operate it. This can create additional hazards, as other organisations may not be used to working with fire and rescue service personnel. Therefore, close monitoring of their performance, and detailed briefings on what is required, will be required from the sector commanders and incident commander. Co-operation and communication are important to resolve the incident. The importance of communicating with other organisations cannot be understated.
The incident commander has the final decision as to what is used, how it is used and by whom.
When using specialist vehicles or equipment, operators from other organisations should be closely supervised to ensure they are not taking unnecessary risks, that they have the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) and they are aware of the presence of fire and rescue service personnel.
It is reasonable to assume that other organisations will take responsibility for their own vehicles or equipment at wildfire incidents and will use safety guidance applicable to their sector.