Although touched upon at our last meeting, some members are still unclear as to the concept of numbering the exposures of a structure fire. I was first introduced to this procedure as a photographer and dispatcher in New England however I've been told it's also used out here on occasion. Here's a brief overview for numbering exposures. Some of you may be familiar with the numbering of threatened exposures abutting a building. Well, this is basically the same process. This numbering system can be used for identifying both. There are four (4) exposures to any structure. Identified as exposures 1,2,3 and 4, these numbers can also be combined to identify a corner of the structure. For purposes of visualizing this concept, refer to the inset diagram. I will use as an example, the recent fire at " The King of the Valley Appliances" at 6250 Lankershim Blvd. in No. Hollywood. The front of the structure, usually facing the street, is always exposure # 1. In this case exposure # 1 will be wherever the address given is located ( 6250 Lankershim Blvd.). No matter where you are standing in relation to the front of the building, it will be exposure # 1. The remaining exposure numbers will be located clockwise from exposure # 1. If you are at the front of the building, exposure # 2 will be to your left, #3 will be the rear of the structure and # 4 will be at your right. If you are at the rear of the structure, you are at exposure # 3, not # 1. Remember, exposure # 1 is the front of the building, not wherever you happen to be standing. If the structure stretches from one roadway to another, exposure # 1 will be located at the street address given. If you need to identify a corner of the structure on the radio, whether you are standing there or if a firefighter is down, etc., you simply combine the two exposures numbers that meet at that corner. For example, if a firefighter is down at a corner (see figure "A") you would simply get on the radio and say 'Firefighter down at exposure 2-3.' This will make it a lot easier for members to locate this position in relation to themselves. Since the building in the diagram is not seated at a typical 'north/south' slant, giving a compass direction can not only confuse other members at the scene, but it can very well be wrong. I have yet to see a member at a fire with a compass in hand. A key to remember: Exposure # 1 is the front door, # 3 is the rear, and the numbers run clockwise from front (#1).