What is a PAR?

• A. A report used to account for personnel during firefighting operations.
• B. A form used to request additional equipment.
• C. A log of all radio transmissions.
• D. A plan for rehabilitation of crews.

Answer: (A)

A PAR stands for Personnel Accountability Report. It’s a quick roll call used to confirm that every firefighter at the incident is accounted for and in a known location or assigned to a specific task. This keeps the incident commander and company officers informed about who is inside, outside, or engaged in operations, which is critical for safety—especially during interior attacks or rapidly changing conditions. PARs are updated as people move, are assigned, or are released, and they help trigger protective actions if someone is missing or at risk.

The other options describe different tools: a form to request more equipment is about resource management, a log of radio transmissions records communications, and a rehab plan focuses on rest and medical needs for crews.