Word of the Day
18 April 2026
size-up
The initial evaluation of an incident and how to deal with it.
Why this one
Fire service language that spread to industrial rescue and spill response: the point is that it never really stops, because conditions change and the first read gets revised on arrival and again after entry.
In use
First engine gave us a size-up on the radio before they even pulled up, so we knew the tank was involved.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.