Upper Leacock Fire Company SOG's

Section 8    Safety Officer & Personnel Accountability Guidelines
 

1.    Safety Officer Definition: an appointed person in charge of monitoring and assessing hazards of unsafe situations and developing measures for ensuring personal safety.

2.    The Safety Officer position is an appointed Line Officers position acting under the chain of command. The Fire Chief is responsible to appoint a Safety Officer by Jan. 1^st of each new calendar year and the appointed member shall serve a one-year term. The person appointed to the Safety Officer position may serve more than one year if re appointed by the Fire Chief.

3.    The Safety Officer SHALL wear a blue colored helmet with Safety Officer decals/crescents on the front and sides of the Helmet. The Safety Officer SHALL also wear an orange vest overtop his turnout gear that has Safety Officer's letters across the vest. The Safety Officer is permitted to wear a blue-colored Gerber brand 911 jacket with green-colored trim and Safety Officer's letters across the back of the jacket. This jacket is only permitted to be worn when the Safety Officer is not in a hazardous environment that warrants turnout gear. The Safety Officer SHALL be issued a portable radio that has the capability of receiving and transmitting messages to the Incident Commander and monitoring fire ground operations. Any transmissions over the portable radio by the Safety Officer should be brief and to the point as to not interfere with fire ground operations.

4.    The PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY of the Safety Officer at every incident is to protect the safety of the responders. The Safety Officer should ensure that responders follow safe practices at all times. See list below:

• Responders need to be in full turnout gear at all times
• Crews need to work in teams when they are in hazardous areas
• Accountability system needs to be in place and be used to track personnel
• Crews need to follow departmental and recognized safety practices during all Fire Company events including training

5.    The Safety Officer should have an overall background in building construction, fire behavior, flame spread, etc.

6.    The Safety Officer is expected to prevent injuries to crew members by halting unsafe acts and removing them from unsafe environments

7.    The Safety Officer is to act as a role model and set an example to others in hopes that others will follow the safe practices and procedures.

8.    The Safety Officer should always be aware of indicators at the scene of emergencies or training that pose a potential hazard, such as, but not limited to:

• Puffing smoke through the mortar of a brick building.
• Learning walls or a sagging roof.
• Temperatures outside and workloads of each crewmember.
• Leaking fluids at the scene of an accident.

9.    SAFETY OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE SCENE OF AN EMERGENCY

• Arrive at the scene in a safe an orderly manner and park your vehicle in a location that does not interfere with the fire ground operations.
• Provide the responding Chief Officers with a short brief size up of the scene if you are first arriving during major incident. A major incident may include: building, dwelling, and barn fires, Haz mat incidents, rescues, etc. There is no need to provide size up information over the fire radio to responding Chief Officers on routine calls.
• Investigate the scene for potential hazards and egress points.
• If crews that are arriving are sent inside ANY building or structure for a fire attack or rescue operation your role and PRIORITY as Safety Officer WILL change to include the responsibilities of an Accountability Officer for the interior crewmembers. You SHALL remain stationary at the entrance point where the interior crew entered and maintain the accountability log for the interior crew. You SHALL resume the Accountability Officer responsibilities for that crew and remain at the entrance point until: the incident is under control; the entire crew exists the structure and no one else re-enters; you reassign the accountability responsibility to another competent member; or you are relieved by the Incident Commander. You are also REQUIRED as a PRIORITY to log the accountability environment, such as, but not limited to, ventilation crews on the roof to a structure.
• In the event that accountability is not needed or has been reassigned, you are then expected to monitor the scene for potential hazards and keep the Fire Chief or Incident Commander informed of hazards or potential hazards that may exist until the completion of the incident.
• Advise the Fire Chief to implement Rehab as needed and provide the Rehab Officer with the Rehab boxes from the apparatus
• Oversee that the Incident Commander activities a Rapid Intervention Team anytime that crewmembers are working inside a structure or hazardous environment. Oversee that the R.I.T. has deployed when they are requested to do so by the Incident Commander during an emergency situation.

10.    The safety Officer is permitted by this policy to drive his or her car to the scene of an emergency incident in order to perform his or her responsibilities. The safety Officer's vehicle should be parked in a location that does not interfere with the fire ground operations.

11. Overall Roles and Responsibilities of the Safety Officer

• Prevent injuries by halting unsafe acts at training events or emergency incidents.
• Track personnel and constantly monitor the emergency scene or training grounds for hazards or potential hazards.
• Oversee that the Rehab site is established and in operation if the Incident Commander activates rehab during an incident or training event. Oversee that the Rehab boxes stored in our apparatus are delivered to the Rehab Officer.
• Oversee that the R.I.T. team is in position and ready for deployment if established by the Incident Commander. Oversee that the R.I.T. team has deployed if given the order to do so by the Incident Command.
• Keep the Incident Commander abreast of potential hazards or changing conditions in the fire ground operations at the scene of an incident.
• Maintain and Record Accountability of personnel as outlined on the Accountability Log during major incidents.
• Report any hazards within the Fire Station to the board of Trustees to maintain Fire House Safety.
• All first aid kits stored in the apparatus and the Fire Station SHALL be checked periodically and the proper authority notified in the event that items are out of stock.
• Resume the role of the Accountability Officer and adhere to the material outlined in the Accountability Guideline. You will also be responsible to assist new members with obtaining their accountability tags.
• Maintain the Rehab boxes stored on our apparatus. Make sure that the boxes all contain the same information. You SHALL annually schedule a date and time for all members to update or to fill out the Emergency Personnel Medical History Cards for new members. This can be accomplished with the assistance from Leola Ambulance association.
• Investigate ALL personal injuries and/or infectious exposure incidents with the Deputy Fire Chief that involves our member(s) Make sure that the Officer in Charge is notified in the event that one of our members sustains a personal injury and make sure that he or she completes the personal injury forms and workman comp forms if applicable.
• Maintain the Safety Officer board in the engine bay.
• Attend Line Officer meetings and provide a Safety Officers report to the Deputy Chief and address safety concerns.
• Attend Tuesday night training secessions to ensure Firefighter safety

12.     SAFETY OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be 18 years of age.
• Must have a valid PA Drivers License.
• Should have a minimum of 3 years of Firefighting experience.
• Should have certification of completion for the following courses: Incident command, Essentials of Firefighting or Basic and Advanced Firefighting, Safety Officer course, Haz mat operations course, etc.
• Should be a member of good standing that works well with others especially with the Fire company Chief Officers and Line Officers.
• Should have an overall knowledge of the following: Standard operating guidelines, R.I.T. Rit team policy, Accountability policy, and the Rehab policy.
• Should have good communication skills.
• Should be able to attend Line Officer meetings and attend Tuesday night in house training secessions.
• Must be able to practice Harmonious Supervisory relations.
• Must be able to make decisions that require a high degree of specialized knowledge under stressful situations with a strong emphasis on safety and reducing loss.

13.     The Safety Officer has the authority to alter, suspend, or terminate operations that present an IMMINENT SAFETY HAZARD to emergency responders (NFPA 1521 paragraph 2-3.3). The Safety Officer is REQUIRED to IMMEDIATELY notify the Incident Commander of any actions taken to correct imminent hazards at the emergency scene.

4. List type of Injuries for the Month (such as but not limited to falls, abrasions/cuts, back injury, smoke inhalations, etc.)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. List who was injured, what injury they had, and how the injury was sustained.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. List any Injury Patterns or Safety Concerns/Recommendations

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. TYPE OF INCIDENT ____________________________________

2. LOCATION ___________________________________________

3. DATE________DISPATCH________ COMPLETION ________

4. WEATHER CONDITIONS _________________ TEMP________

5. TOTAL FIREGROUND INJURIES ___________

6. LIST WHO WAS INJURED AND TYPES OF INJURIES

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. LIST ALL ASSISTING AGENCIES

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. LIST ANY HAZARDS OR SAFETY CONCERNS

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PRIMARY SEARCH TEAM

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

SECONDARY SEARCH TEAM

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

INTERIOR FIRE SUPPRESSION TEAM #1

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

RAPID INTERVENTION TEAM (R.I.T.)

DEPLOYMENT TIME______ TASK COMPLETION ______

VENTILATION TEAM (Interior or Exterior) circle one

STARTING TIME______ COMPLETION TIME______

REHABILITATION

STARTING TIME______ COMPLETION TIME______

SALVAGE AND OVER-HALL

STARTING TIME______ COMPLETION TIME______

OTHER (Specify_________________________)

STARTING TIME______ COMPLETION TIME______

INCIDENT COMMANDER

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

OPERATIONS

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

INTERIOR

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

WATER SUPPLY

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

STAGING

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

SAFETY OFFICER

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

ACCOUNTABILITY

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

OTHER (Specify_________________________)

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

TEAM #1 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #2 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #3 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #4 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #5 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #6 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #7 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

TEAM #8 Assignment________________ Side___________

ENTRY TIME______ EXIT TIME______

INCIDENT COMMANDER

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

OPERATIONS

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

INTERIOR

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

WATER SUPPLY

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

STAGING

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

SAFETY OFFICER

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

ACCOUNTABILITY

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

OTHER (Specify_________________________)

Name_____________________ Fire Co. _____________________

1. This procedure describes the steps and responsibilities necessary for maintaining accountability for all personnel operating at emergency incidents.
2. Accountability is directly related to supervision. It is the responsibility of ALL Company Officers, Sector Officers, and Command to maintain a level of supervision that accounts for the location and functions of all personnel at every incident.
3. Company Officers will keep their crew intact, maintain a constant awareness of crew member's welfare, and maintain a means to communicate with Command.
4. It will be the responsibility of individual Firefighters and other personnel at the incident site to keep their supervisors informed of their activities and whereabouts. Freelancing of activities will NOT be permitted and can lead to injury and death of the Firefighter and others. Freelancing is defined as individual activities carried out independently of direct or indirect orders from the Incident Command or Sector Officers.
5. All crews and crewmembers will remain intact and under supervision by a company or Command officer.
6. All crews or other personnel assigned to the incident duties must have a radio for communication with Command.
7. All crews working within a hazardous area shall utilize at least a two-person buddy system.
8. All PASS devices must be turned to the "on" position when operating on the fire ground. Should a Firefighter become lost or injured, he/she shall immediately turn the PASS device to the "distress" position to sound the alarm.
9. EMERGENCY EVACUATION - the "Air Horn System" will be used to alert all Firefighters to exit a structure or area immediately. THIS ALERT SYSTEM WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY AN EXTENDED BLAST OF AIR-HORNS BY EQUIPMENT ON THE SCENE. County Communications will announce, while using an alert tone on the fire ground frequency, all Firefighters are to evacuate a building or other area immediately. When evacuating a situation under "emergency" conditions, the Company Officer will conduct an immediate roll call for all personnel assigned to his/her supervision. The Company Officer will report the roll call results (i.e. "accounted for" or "Firefighter missing") to the appropriate Sector Officer or Command.

10. The Incident Commander shall designate a specific frequency/channel for communications between the             Command Post and Sectors. All members operating on this channel/frequency Shall immediately cease communications upon transmission of "MAYDAY" or "URGENT" or any other language indicating an emergency condition. Immediately following the "emergency" evacuation order, Command will confirm with each Sector that all Sectors copied the evacuation order.

11. Sector Officers will contact each company within the hazard area to confirm that the company copied the order to evacuate and are indeed with drawing.

12. Upon reaching a safe area, Sector Officers will contact ALL Company Officers to confirm the roll call results. Each Sector Officer will advise Command of roll call results

13. Command will be responsible for confirming that all personnel that have been assign to incident duties are accounted for.

14. The Incident Commander will record the results of the "Roll Call" and status of any missing Firefighter; will immediately transmit an additional alarm for manpower upon receipt of "Firefighter Missing"; shall notify County Communications to mark the time of such notification; and will call with any further changes in the situation of the missing Firefighter (such as FIREFIGHTER LOCATED, ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS MISSING, FIREFIGHTERS REMOVED, NOTIFY CORNER, ETC.).

15.  Lancaster Country Firefighter Accountability System (Firefighter ID tag)

    • Each Firefighter shall be issued one Lancaster County Fireman's Association ID tag. This tag shall consist of a laminated identification tag attached to the Firefighter's helmet or coat by a metal strap.

     

16. Those Fire Companies or Departments that use a two-tag system will insure that their Firefighters have been  issued two ID tags. This tag may be an additional Lancaster County Fireman's Association Accountability ID tag or if another type of tag is used, as a minimum it must include a name and station number.

17. UNIT COLLECTOR RING

    • Each piece of apparatus shall carry one Unit Collector Ring, which SHALL consist of a large metal ring with a 4" fluorescent orange vehicle I.D. tag attached to it (i.e.:E3-11-1).

     

18. ACCOUNTABILITY BINDER

     

    • An accountability binder SHALL be used by the Incident Commander or his designated Accountability Officer to display the I.D. tags in a well-organized manner.

     

19. LEVEL 1 ACCOUNTABILITY

     

    • The purpose of Level 1 Accountability is to establish a primary method of accounting for all personnel on a fire ground. A level 1 Accountability System SHALL be implemented on every incident, regardless of its size or nature.

     

20. LEVEL 1 ACCOUNTABILITY CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING

     

    • Upon boarding the apparatus ALL personnel shall remove his/her laminated ID tag and place it on the apparatus in the position determined bye his/her Fire Company. A Level 1 Accountability remains in effect until the apparatus is released and returning to station or until the Incident Commander determines that Level 2 Accountability is necessary.

     

21. LEVEL 2 ACCOUNTABILITY

     

    • The purpose of Level 2 Accountability is to establish a comprehensive method of accounting for all the personnel on the fire ground. The Level 2 Accountability organizes personnel in "Companies" and discourages "free lancing".

     

22. LEVEL 2 ACCOUNTABILITY CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING

     

    • The Incident Commander initiates a Level 2 Accountability when he/she determines that hazardous conditions exist at the incident scene or that hazardous conditions are imminent. Hazardous conditions SHALL be defined as, but not limited to: sever fire conditions, possible building collapse, hazardous materials, confined space emergencies, water rescue, explosions, etc.

     

23. Upon activation of a Level 2 Accountability, the Line Officer or person ridding the Officers Seat to each piece of apparatus SHALL adhere to our Two Tag Accountability guideline.
24. The Incident Commander shall assign an Accountability Officer to gather all collector rings with ID tags from each unit at the scene and in staging. The collector rings with ID tags shall be placed in the Accountability Binder. Next to each clip, the Accountability Officer shall log the Unit ID Number, Unit Location, and Unit Function.
25. Upon the arrival on-scene of any mutual aid apparatus supplying personnel to operate in the hazardous area of the incident, the officer will report with the collection ring to the designated accountability area. I.e. Incident Commander, Accountability Officer, Staging Officer, First Arriving Unit.
26. Personnel reporting to the scene in private vehicles shall report to the Command Post for an assignment and shall be "checked in" to the accountability system. This process will discourage "free lancing", improve safety, and aid in tracking and identification of all personnel operating at the scene and staging.
27. Firefighting accountability is an ongoing process. Sector Officers SHALL keep the Accountability Officer appraised of any and all personnel changes as well as changes in unit status or assignment. The Accountability Officer SHALL be brief the Incident Commander periodically on personnel status. Upon leaving the hazardous conditions area, the Unit Officer will ensure that ALL crewmembers tags are collected from the Accountability Officer and that the Unit is cleared from the binder. EMS will take the ID tags to the Rehabilitation area for use.

28. TWO TAG SYSTEM (optional)

    • Upon arrival at the scene of an incident requiring immediate entry into hazardous conditions area, the first in Officer will ensure that the Unit Crewmember's tags are dropped at the entry point to the fire and hazardous area. The Accountability Binder may be used. A bucket or any other device that will hold the tags will work until the appointment of an Accountability Officer, who then will activate the Accountability Binder by logging the Unit ID Number, Unit Location. If more than one entry point exists, an additional Accountability Officer may be needed to insure proper tracking units.

     

29. The Fire Chief will appoint a Line Officer every new calendar year by Jan. 1^st to serve as the Accountability Officer. The Accountability Officer is responsible to see that all new Fire Company Members obtain a Lancaster County Fireman's Association ID tag within 60 days of being approved as a member. The Accountability Officer will also be responsible to assist members who have lost or damaged their ID tags. The Line Officer appointed as the Accountability Officer is NOT responsible for accountability at a fire call scene or training event.
30. The first arriving Safety Officer is responsible for accountability of ALL Fire Company Members at the scene of a fire call or training event in which a Level 1 or Level 2 accountability has been implemented. This SHALL be a PRIORITY of the first arriving Safety Officer. In the event that a Safety Officer is not present, the Incident Commander may elect a Chief Officer or other Fire Company Member to serve as the Accountability Officer.
31. The Safety Officer or Fire Company Member serving as the Accountability Officer is responsible to fill out all accountability worksheets during a Level 2 accountability situation and is REQUIRED to know and document which Fire Company Members have entered a hazardous environment. All documentation SHALL be given to the Incident Commander upon completion of the incident.
32. ALL Fire Company Members are REQUIRED to notify the Safety Officer or Accountability Officer prior to entering a hazardous environment. Notification is also REQUIRED when those Members exit the hazardous environment.
33. NO Fire Company Member is permitted to enter a hazardous environment alone UNLESS the Incident Commander advises otherwise.
34. One Fire Company Member SHALL be equipped with a portable radio anytime that a crew or team enters a hazardous environment so that they have communication with the Incident Commander.
35. Makeshift ID tags are permitted for new members waiting on the Lancaster County Fireman's Association ID tags to arrive. Something is better then nothing.
36. ALL Fire Company Members are REQUIRED to furnish their accountability ID tags to the Officer up front in the Officer's seat during responses to fire calls or training events. It SHALL be the responsibility of the Officer obtaining the accountability ID tags to ensure that the collected ID tags are placed in the assigned location during a Level 1 or Level 3 accountability situation. It SHALL be the responsibility of the Officer of each crew to ensure that all accountability tags have been collected and returned to his/her crew upon returning from a fire call or training event.
37. ALL Fire Company Members are REQUIRED to obtain one Lancaster County Fireman's association ID tag within 60 days of being approved as a Member of the Upper Leacock Fire Company. Members are NOT required to display a picture of themselves on the ID tag just the personal information of each Member such as name, organization, or social security number outlined by the Lancaster County Fireman's Association.
38. Any Fire Company Member that loses or accidentally destroys their Lancaster County Fireman's Association ID tag is required to immediately report it to the Fire Chief or Accountability Officer.
39. ALL Lancaster County Fireman's Association ID tags SHALL be stored on the metal clip to each Members fire helmet when not in use.

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Page last edited: 03/12/06

© Upper Leacock Fire Company 2003