This handbook has a primary objective to describe statistical techniques for analyzing data typically collected in fire departments. Motivation for the handbook comes from the belief that fire departments collect an immense amount of data, but do very little with the data. Think for a minute about the reports you complete on incidents. You probably document the type of situation found, action taken, time of alarm, time of arrival, time completed, number of engines responding, number of personnel responding, and many other items. For fires, the list grows even longer to include area of fire origin, form of heat of ignition, type of material involved, and other related facts. If civilian or fire fighter injuries occur, you complete other reports.