Howlett Hill Fire Department

Standard Operating Guidelines

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES

( SOG’s )

Howlett Hill Fire Department
Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Responding to Alarms 3

EMS 4

SCBA 5

PAS 6

Structure Fires 7

Wires Down 8

POV 8

Auto Extrication 8

Radio Guidelines 10

Fire Police 11

Fire Attack 12

Hydrant Operations 14

Injuries (to firefighters) 15

Responder sign-in 15

Emergency Vehicle Operation 15

General Training 17

Driver Training 18

Rescue 2 19

Equipment Maintenance 19

Equipment Borrowing 20

Apparatus Bay Useage 20

Helicopter Landing Zone 21

Confined Space Rescue 21

Hazardous Materials 22

CO2 Detector Activation 30

R.A.M. Program 32

Introduction

Safe coordinated extinguishing of fires and resolution of emergencies is the basis for the existence of the fire service. Preservation of life and property is the result of good fire rescue and suppression techniques. These techniques and guidelines must be adopted through the department to effect a constant level of readiness and performance. All members of this department have an obligation to themselves, fellow fire fighters and the people of the community they serve to effectively and safely operate at any department operation or emergency situation.

The succeeding pages of this manual will detail everyday operational guidelines that have been developed by the officers of the HHFD. This manual and its contents are a basis of an orderly, adaptable, and self-sufficient set of guidelines so that all firefighters and officers can act on the same basis on the fire scene. This also helps ensure that no one person is setting his own standards on the fire scene, and if firefighters and officers follow these operational guideline, the incident scene should be a safe, orderly, operating work place.

The guidelines set forth are a result of research and evaluation and are set forth to the members of HHFD to be followed on an everyday basis as much to the letter as possible. In some cases of safety and common sense, some of these guidelines can be changed, but the firefighters should revert back to the guidelines stated within.

RESPONDING TO AN ALARM

GENERAL RULES

  1. All necessary reports shall be filled out upon returning to the station.
  1. All members are to return to the station after every call, to assist in cleaning and getting apparatus back in service.
  1. When responding to an alarm, respond to the station to man the apparatus.
  1. Requests for mutual aid are to be made by the Officer in Charge.
  1. When medical equipment such as backboards must leave the scene, the officer in charge shall be notified so arrangements can be made to pick it up at the hospital.
  1. Only qualified persons shall use medical equipment.
  1. When members of other fire departments offer their assistance at the scene, they must report to the OC first.
  1. All personnel will be courteous and respectful in dealing with the public while performing their duties.
  1. All press releases shall be referred to the Chief, or any designated public information officer, as assigned by the Chief.
  1. Each firefighter is responsible for his/her own personal protection equipment. Any damage, breakdown in clothing, loose fit, or poor fit should be reported to the Chief Officers as soon as possible for proper action.
  1. No officer of firefighter shall respond to alarms while drugs or alcohol impairs his/her ability. Violation of this rule will result in proper disciplinary action.
  1. Generally, no firefighter is to use equipment they are not trained to use at any time.
  1. No significant overhaul operation shall be undertaken until so ordered by the OC. This is to ensure that there be no disruption of evidence that may be needed in a cause and origin investigation.
  1. A firefighter should never leave the scene of an incident without notifying an officer.

APPARATUS RESPONSE

STRUCTURE FIRES, FIRES WITHIN BUILDINGS, FIRE ALARM ACTIVATIONS; ALL OTHER FIRE CALLS AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION CALLS:

Engine 3

Engine 6

Rescue 5

Rescue 2

Squad 4

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS (79 & 80)

Rescue 5

Engine 6

Rescue 2

Squad 4

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CALLS

Rescue 2

Squad 4

Rescue 5 (if needed)

MUTUAL AID (Scene or standby)

Respond with whatever apparatus Fire Control dispatches, however the senior HHFD fire officer may send alternate equipment it its place. Make sure Fire Control is advised that a change has been made in the box assignment.

RESPONDING TO AN ALARM (EMS)

E.M.S.

  1. Assume that all patients have communicable disease.
  2. Assume that all body fluids are infectious.
  3. For patients with a known communicable disease, inform those personnel on the scene and the ambulance service. Document this fact and also how you were informed.
  4. Disposable latex gloves must be donned by all personnel providing care prior to beginning care.
  1. Use turn-out clothing when the situation warrants maximum protection. If clothing becomes contaminated, turn same over to the OC for proper testing and care.
  2. Extreme caution must be exercised when assisting paramedics with needles and other sharp instruments.
  3. Following patient contact, avoid placing your hands near your mouth, nose, eyes, or other mucous membranes until you have washed your hands thoroughly.
  4. Wash your hands after every call; use liquid hand soap provided. Dry your hands with paper towels.
  5. Exposure to or possible exposure to a communicable disease shall be reported to the OC as soon as possible and an injury report shall be filled out.

CANCELLATION OF AMBULANCE OR MEDI-CAR

The following standard operating guidelines shall be strictly adhered to in regards to canceling the Ambulance or Medi-Car:

  1. The only HHFD personnel who may cancel an ambulance or medi-car are EMT’s and Chief Officers.
  2. Other personnel may cancel the ambulance and medi-car at the direction of a mutual aid Chief officer or EMT.
  3. Keep the ambulance or medi-car responding if there is any doubt. When appropriate, advise the responding units to continue on code white to the scene for non-emergencies.

SCBA

  1. Only firefighters approved by the Chief or Training officer are to use SCBA.
  2. The use of SCBA is mandatory in any case of interior fire attack. SCBA must also be used below ground level or inside any confined space.
  3. SCBA will be used during fires involving motor vehicles, landfills, dumpsters, furniture fires, hazardous material incidents, and any other incident where the OC deems it necessary.
  4. At no time will one person enter a structure by himself even with SCBA in full operation.
  5. All persons wearing SCBA shall have a working personal alarm device.

PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM (PAS)

  1. The emergency incident scene is a hazardous place. At the operation, crews may spread out over a large area and lose contact with each other. Occasionally a situation may occur at an incident when, for many reasons, the instant whereabouts of all personnel must be known. Therefore, a system has been established to achieve a level of personnel accountability. All HHFD personnel are issued three accountability tags, which are to be utilized in accordance with this standard operating guideline. It is essential that all personnel follow the accountability system, since it may aid in the rescue of a lost, trapped, or injured firefighter.
  1. Absent exigent circumstances, this standard operating guideline (SOG) shall apply to all emergency incidents and training evolutions as determined by the Incident Commander (IC). It is MANDATORY that as a minimum, the HHFD name and accountability tags shall be clipped to the firefighters’ turnout gear (coat, helmet, D ring) in a highly visible location. The third accountability tag shall be placed inside the pocket of the firefighters’ turnout gear, preferably the inner coat pocket.

LEVEL 1: Upon boarding the apparatus, one accountability tag shall be removed from the turnout gear/helmet, and clipped onto the crew accountability ring located in the crew compartment in each piece of apparatus. This arrangement shall constitute LEVEL 1 accountability.

Once fire apparatus reach the scene of the incident or training evolution one of the red accountability tag buckets shall be placed at the initial/primary point of entry into the structure so that firefighters may drop the second accountability tag into the bucket on their way into the structure and retrieve it once they are out of the structure. If the firefighter climbs a ladder at the incident or training evolution, the second accountability tag shall be clipped to the end of the halyard and then removed once the firefighter is no longer working on the ladder or on the roof. A second accountability tag bucket shall be placed at rehab station and the second accountability tag shall be placed in the bucket once the firefighter arrives at the rehab station. The accountability tag shall not be removed from the bucket until the firefighter has properly rehabbed and has been cleared to return to firefighting activities.

LEVEL 2 accountability can be initiated by the Incident Commander at any time he/she deems it necessary. This can include, and may not be limited to, interior structural firefighting operations, hazardous materials and confined space incidents.

Upon notification of Level 2 accountability, the Incident Commander will designate a PAS Officer to collect all of the accountability tags from the apparatus operating at the scene. The PAS tags will be taken to a point at or near the command Post and remain there until accountability must be taken, the incident has been resolved, apparatus or departments are released.

Any firefighting personnel that respond to the scene in his/her personal vehicle must report to the Command Post and leave one PAS tag there. (This includes Chief Officers, Investigators, County Coordinator, Auxiliary, etc.)

All PAS tags for staged apparatus will remain on the apparatus with the personnel until such time as they have received an assignment and will be operating in the hazardous environment. At that time PAS tags will be taken to the Command Post.

Whenever practical, companies that respond to or are assigned at the scene should remain together as a company throughout the entire incident in an effort to maintain personnel accountability. The Company Officer must keep track of all personnel that have been assigned to their company.

STRUCTURE FIRES

  1. No one shall get off the vehicle until ordered to do so by a Fire Officer or the vehicle driver. The Officer in the front seat or the Officer riding in the back of the vehicle shall brief the crew before they arrive on the scene and assign initial tasks to each firefighter such as attack lines, hydrant man, extrication crew, EMS or support roles. All interior crews will work in teams of minimum of two and a maximum of four.
  1. Once a crew is established, that crew will work together the entire duration of the incident.
  1. All firefighters entering a structure at an incident shall enter with a partner and remain with his/her partner and exit the structure when needed with the partner.
  1. First crew in will receive orders from the OC en route to the scene.
  1. All following crews will check in with the OC when arriving on scene and be given orders in front of the structure.
  1. Anyone arriving on scene in personal vehicle and getting SCBA off any apparatus will report to the OC for assignment.
  1. The OC has the option of assigning interior officers (Fire attack, Overhaul, Rescue, etc.)
  1. At no time will anyone enter a fire building without first getting an assignment from the OC.
  1. All crews entering the structure with SCBA donned will have with them the following:
  2. Hand light
  3. Portable radio on channel 3
  4. Hand tool (halagan, axe, closet hook, water extinguisher, etc.)

ELECTRICAL WIRES DOWN

  1. No one shall get off the vehicle until ordered to do so by a Fire Officer or the vehicle driver. The Officer in the front seat or the officer riding in the back of the vehicle shall brief the crew before they arrive on the scene and assign initial tasks to each firefighter.
  1. Responding units shall keep clear of area and set up a perimeter to keep spectators from the area.
  1. A request for National Grid or NYSEG will be made to Fire Control and the area shall be maintained safe by firefighters or fire police until the arrival of the utility company.

PERSONAL VEHICLE RESPONSE

The use of blue lights when responding to an emergency does not exempt you from the law. They are just to warn oncoming traffic that you are a volunteer firefighter responding to an emergency. All members using blue lights should abide by the following rules:

  1. While responding to emergency alarms in POV’s all motor vehicle traffic laws shall be observed. NO member is exempt from this rule.
  1. Blue lights are to be used in accordance with the Vehicle and Traffic Laws. And upon the issuance of a Blue Light Authorization Card from the Chief.

Blue is the only color light to be used by any member of this department. No other color may be used except for chief officers; qualified fire police may add yellow.

  1. Passing of apparatus or chief vehicles in POV’s is prohibited.
  1. POV’s are not allowed on the West Seneca Turnpike on emergency calls unless member is a qualified fire police responder.

AUTO EXTRICATION & RESCUE

  1. No one shall get off the vehicle until ordered to do so by a Fire Officer or the vehicle driver. The officer in the front seat or the officer riding in the back of the vehicle shall brief the crew before they arrive on the scene and assign initial tasks to each firefighter.
  1. Upon arrival of the first unit at the scene of an accident, the officer will size up the scene and assign duties to personnel as needed. After the initial size-up has been completed the officer will call for additional help as needed, such as ambulances, police, haz-mat, etc.
  1. On all vehicle extrication, a hose line of at least 2 inches shall be pulled, charged, and manned throughout the rescue incident as a backup for possible fire hazards. Due to weather conditions, the OC can use his/her own judgment in charging the hose line.
  1. All personnel operating hydraulic, pneumatic, or power tools, as well as personnel in immediate proximity of these tools, when in use shall wear protective goggles and/or helmet shields, to protect the eyes from flying materials.
  1. All non-essential personnel and personnel without proper protective clothing will be removed from inner circle of the scene and sent to do tasks away from the accident’s inner circle.
  1. Incident involving fire, use normal rescue and fire extinguishing procedures first, personal protective equipment shall include protective clothing and SCBA.

VEHICLES WITH AIR BAGS