Every type of call that goes out on a full time dept like Janesville gets different units. A building with smoke showing, commercial fire alarm, or even a smell of smoke will get a full response. Nothing like getting called for a smell of smoke and only bring 1 engine and get there and all the windows have fire blowing out of them. Dispatch and the caller calling it in may not always get it right. You can always disregard units if you dont need them. Volunteer depts like Milton, which I was on for a number of years also send certain trucks for certain calls.

Here in Milton, we have several senior retirement facilities. The one near Piggly Wiggly seems to see a lot of activity on the weekends. The police scanner usually just says someone has fallen, or was recently released from the hospital, etc... An ambulance, a firetruck, and a squad always respond. Must be standard procedure here.

>>>I am not aware of any response to a scene that involves more resources than needed for any type of training or exercise.<<<<

My comment was based upon statistical data as far as the reduction in calls. I don`t know what you are aware- or not aware of--.

There are responses to get cats from trees, pump out basements, etc, which would not have, util comparitively recently warranted a response. This is a fact. The response for training/skill exercise is a fact and not an adverse criticism - merely a fact.

Response is pretty much preplanned. As I understand it, the dispatcher receives the 911 call and services are dispatched according to the nature of the beast. If they get there and assess a need for more/less services they then proceed accordingly. I am not aware of any response to a scene that involves more resources than needed for any type of training or exercise.

>>>I happened to drive by, and it looked like a massive response with a lot of emergency vehicles<<<<

Not to take anything away from emergency crews but in most cities changes in construction, methods of fire fighting, smoke detectors, other prevention measures and vastly improved communication, etc, over the recent years, have resulted in a major reduction in fire calls.

Most cities I think, respond more massively than required as an aid to crew training and skill exercise.Not necessarily a bad thing but not always a good thing either. Better safe than sorry. Just saying.