FIRE DEPARTMENT · NORTH BRANFORD, CT
JANUARY 2008
STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE
FOR
PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY
AND
EMERGENCY EVACUATION NOTIFICATION
1.0 SCOPE
The North Branford Fire Department hereby updates the written plan for a "Personnel Accountability System." This procedure will be according to the recommendations of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1500, "Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety Program" and NFPA 1561, "Fire Department Incident Management Systems." This guideline will provide for the tracking and inventory of members of this Department operating at an emergency incident scene.
Combined with the Personnel Accountability System, the "Evacuation Notification" procedure is hereby amended. This manually triggered audible signal is designed to alert operating personnel who are in immediate danger when unanticipated conditions exist, to evacuate the incident scene.
2.0 PURPOSE
The primary purpose of this standard operating guideline is to provide the Company and Chief Officer or their designee, with an inventory of fire department personnel who are operating at any incident scene as well as control access to the incident site. As safety is of paramount importance, this guideline shall provide a mechanism to rapidly account for all members on the incident scene, especially where hazardous conditions exist and it becomes necessary to account for those present. It is the responsibility of each member of this Department to actively participate in this system. Overall accountability for members operating in the incident is ultimately the Incident Commander's responsibility.
3.0 IMPLEMENTATION
Each member of the Department shall be provided with a Personnel Accountability Tag (PAT). This device shall be maintained by the assigned member and in their possession when responding to and operating on any emergency incident scene or participating in training evolutions. At a minimum, this tag will provide following information:
· Name, Rank and ID number if applicable
· Company/Car Number
· Level of Department Training/Certification
· Special Information
· Photo of Member
Each member is responsible for possessing and maintaining a personnel accountability tag with their assigned personal protective clothing ensemble. Upon reporting to an incident scene, members shall ensure they report to the fire-officer-in charge and when necessary, deploy their personnel accountability tag. The PAT shall be provided to the pump/apparatus operator of the closest unit to the scene. Whenever possible, an accountability officer should be designated by the Incident Commander and assigned to collect and manage PAT’s.
Chief Officer’s will maintain a master list of Department members qualified to perform structural firefighting duties. This list can be used to supplement the PAT system during incident scene operations.
4.0 OPERATIONS
Company Officers or those members serving in such a capacity will maintain an ongoing awareness of the location and condition of members under their command. When conditions warrant or an unanticipated event occurs such as a sudden structural collapse, flashover, etc., the Incident Commander shall initiate the Emergency Evacuation Signal and instruct the Accountability Officer to inventory the PAT’s; assisting the Incident Commander in establishing a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR). A PAR must include either face-to-face contact or radio confirmation of a companies/members location and their well being. If a determination is made that a member is unaccounted for, the Incident Commander shall immediately initiate a search and rescue operation through the utilization of a Rapid Intervention Team. A dedicated radio channel shall be instituted for this purpose. Periodic PAR’s shall also be used during structural firefighting operations or extraordinary events.
5.0 NOTIFICATION
When a determination is made the rapid withdrawal of operating personnel is necessary from any emergency scene, the Incident Commander shall initiate an Emergency Evacuation Signal. This notification will be provided through two means of communications; first, a Department radio message and second, the audible blast of an apparatus air horn.
The verbal evacuation order shall be as follows:
"CAR 1 WITH EMERGENCY TRAFFIC, ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE THE FIRE BUILDING." Note: Concurrently, the closest apparatus is ordered to sound their air horn three times – each blast five seconds long.
Additionally, the reporting Incident Commander will transmit "EMERGENCY TRAFFIC TO NORTH BRANFORD, ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE (SPECIFIC FIREGROUND LOCATION)". This message will be repeated by the North Branford Fire Department telecommunicator at least three times on Channel 1 (Fire Dispatch) and Channel 2 (Fireground Operations). The transmitted message should state: "NORTH BRANFORD TO ALL UNITS OPERATING AT (GIVE INCIDENT LOCATION) COMMAND HAS ORDERED THAT ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE THE BUILDING."
Concurrent with the Incident Commander’s order, the closest apparatus shall sound its air horn for five seconds, three times. Note: When the evacuation signal is initiated, a Personnel Accountability Report as noted in 4.0 shall be initiated by the Incident Commander.
Upon exiting the location, personnel shall report to the command post or a pre-determined rally point. Officers shall immediately begin accounting for their members and report same to the Accountability Officer who shall notify the Incident Commander.
6.0 RADIO MESSAGES
The following radio messages shall be implemented as part of this Standard Operating Guideline and when transmitted, the dispatcher shall devote themselves specifically to fire department radio messages until the Incident Commander clears such signals.
EMERGENCY TRAFFIC: This term shall be used to transmit an important radio message to the Command Officer’s and or NBFD Communications Center. When transmitted, all radio traffic shall cease until an all clear is given.
MAYDAY: This term shall be used when any member is lost, trapped or otherwise disabled and cannot provide self rescue. This shall be viewed as a life threatening and dangerous situation. The message shall be answered immediately by NBFD telecommunicators and all information re-transmitted to the Incident Commander.
7.0 EFFECTIVE DATE
This Standard Operating Guideline is effective January 23, 2008; pre-existing guidelines are hereby revoked.
BY ORDER
OF THE
CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT