The components of the Firefighter Accountability System are as follows:
ACCOUNTABILITY EQUIPMENT
Helmet Rank Identification
1. Chief Officers and Captains will be identified by white helmets.
2. Lieutenants will be identified by red helmets.
3. Firefighters will be identified by yellow helmets.
4. On the Job Training (OJT) students will be identified by black helmets.
5. Fire Equipment Maintenance Technicians and Mechanical staff will be identified by blue helmets.
Note: Outside agencies will wear head protection and the color of their helmets will be dictated by their agencies’ protocol.
Helmet Identifiers
Permanent reflective name identifiers are to be on the both sides of all Fire Captain, Fire Lieutenant and Firefighter helmets.
Personal Identification Name Tags
1. All suppression personnel of the SJRFD will be issued a red personal identification name tag.
2. When off duty, red tag shall be clipped to personnel’s bunker coats.
3. When reporting for duty, red tag shall be attached to the Crew Accountability Ring on the apparatus.
4. The red tag is given to Accountability/Entry Control before gaining access to the emergency incident working area. All personnel will be accounted for on the emergency incident working area.
5. The Fire Chief/Director, Deputy Fire Chief and Platoon Chiefs will surrender their name tags to Accountability/Entry Control when entering into the emergency incident working area.
Crew Accountability Ring
1. All SJRFD suppression apparatus shall be assigned a Crew Accountability Ring.
2. The Crew Accountability Ring shall have a designated tag matching the vehicle designation.
3. At incidents, the Crew Accountability Ring will be retrieved by the Officer in Charge (OIC) who then proceeds to the IC to receive their directions from the IC. The OICs then present their Accountability Rings to the Accountability/Entry Control (Tact 1) who will then place it on the Accountability Board as per sector assignment.
Apparatus Identifiers
All SJRFD suppression vehicles shall have apparatus identifier numbers mounted on both sides of the vehicles.
Accountability Kit (Tact 1, Unit 3, and Rescue 7)
These kits shall be located on Tact 1, Unit 3, and Rescue 7 and shall contain the following:
· Accountability Board to hold personal name tags
· Grease pencils
· Stopwatch/Clock
· Spare name tags
· Accountability/Entry Control vest
· Tactical work sheets
· Portable scene light
ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESS
Incident Accountability
Incident Accountability shall be established to ensure that all personnel assigned to an incident can be accounted for at all times. Through the use of a Personal Accountability Report (PAR) every 15 minutes or at the discretion of the IC. Sector Officers will report their status; i.e., location, number of Sector personnel and lowest remaining air supply within Sector personnel.
Accountability/Entry Control
Accountability/Entry Control shall be established to ensure that all personnel entering emergency incident working area; the working area will have their location and the task being performed entered on to the Accountability Board. Personnel entering the emergency incident working area will have their “Time In” and “Time Out” recorded.
Accountability Boards
1. Accountability Boards will be placed on Tact 1, Unit 3 and Rescue 7.
2. All personnel entering the emergency incident working area will leave their tag with Accountability/Entry Control.
3. Accountability/Entry Control will attach the tag onto the board and record the relevant information.
Reporting for Duty
1. The Officers in Charge (OICs) of each vehicle, upon reporting for duty and prior to their apparatus leaving the Station, shall ensure that personnel assigned to their vehicle have attached their name tag to the Crew Accountability Ring at the commencement of the working shift.
2. Firefighters reporting for duty shall ensure that his/her name tag is placed on the assigned apparatus Crew Accountability Ring and that the name tag of the person he/she relieved from duty has been removed from the Crew Accountability Ring.
3. The Crew Accountability Ring shall be located in the crew compartment.
Responding to Incidents
1. All personnel shall ensure that their name tag is on the Crew Accountability Ring and the apparatus OIC shall ensure the delivery of the Crew Accountability Ring to the Accountability/Entry Control before entering emergency incident working area.
2. If the emergency is being investigated or if the IC initiates a Fast Attack, the Crew Accountability can remain on the apparatus pending the formal initiation of Accountability/Entry Control.
Note: It is understood that the Firefighter Accountability System is self-operating until arrival of the Accountability/Entry Control (i.e., IC appointed or arrival of Tact 1).
Accountability/Entry Control
1. Upon arrival at an incident, the driver of Tact 1 shall be designated as Accountability/Entry Control. If, for some reason, Tact 1 is not available, Incident Command will assign Accountability/Entry from personnel on site and use the Accountability Kit from Unit 3 or Rescue 7.
2. The OIC in charge of the incoming apparatus after collecting Crew Accountability Ring will then report to the IC to receive assignment. Upon receiving their sector assignments, then and only then will they proceed to the Accountability/Entry Control to give their accountability tags and sector assignment for placement on the Accountability/Entry Control Board. Any name tags collected on the crew rings shall be removed and placed onto the Accountability Board.
3. Accountability/Entry Control staff should set up the Accountability Board in a visible, safe, exterior location and close to the OIC as possible.
4. Once Accountability/Entry Control staff has set up the Accountability System, he/she should make a radio announcement stating “Command, Accountability has been set up and is located at ___________ (state your location)”.
5. For staff who have already entered the emergency working incident area, the Accountability/Entry Control the On Scene, as received from 911 Dispatch as well as their “Time In”.
6. Once the Accountability Board has been set up, the clock on the Accountability Board shall be used to record Time In and Time Out.
7. Accountability/Entry Control personnel shall record the name, sector, working location and role of all personnel passing through his/her entry control point.
8. Safeguard Tactical work sheets shall be used as duplicates of all the Accountability Board Information at emergency incidents.
Once the Accountability Board Has Been Set Up
1. The Accountability/Entry Control staff shall be responsible to track:
· The personnel who have entered the emergency working incident area.
· The time in, time out, location and task assigned for each passing through the entry control point.
· The total number of personnel attending the scene.
· The total number of personnel working in each sector.
2. If all Sector placements on the Accountability Board are occupied, then Accountability/Entry Control can request an additional board at the same entry control point.
3. All additional personnel arriving at emergency incident scene shall report to the IC, then the IC will direct them to the Accountability/Entry Control.
Communications
Radio communication shall be established between all Accountability/Entry Control staff, Sector Officers and the IC.
Personnel Accountability Reports (PARs)
At the request of the IC Accountability/Entry Control, personnel shall conduct Personnel Accountability Reports (PARs) through radio communication at least every 15 minutes. Accountability/Entry Control personnel shall be responsible to monitor the time and remind the IC of a PAR requirement.
Note: All members acting as Accountability, shall ensure all writing is legible and clear.
Mayday Procedures
Activate Emergency Alert Button
As soon as a firefighter identifies the need to call a MAYDAY he/should should depress the emergency alert button on their portable radio. This activates an alarm in the 911 Communications Center, which alerts the 911 dispatcher of an emergency activation on Portable #--. No tones or alarms will be audible to other radio users at the emergency scene, therefore the initiator will not assume other personnel on scene are aware of this initiation at the outset.
· Communicate on the radio “MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY” along with your Location, Identity of yourself and your crew and the Problem you are experiencing.
The acronym LIP will assist firefighters with transmitting crucial information:
L – Location (where are you)
I – Identification (who you are, what sector, what crew, number in crew)
P – Problem (what the problem is; i.e., trapped, low on air, lost, etc.)
Example Transmission:
“MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY
This is Lieutenant Clark, Sector 1. We are in a second floor bedroom on the Charlie Side. Par times 2, we are both low on air).
Manually Activate Your PASS Alarm
After making radio contact with someone, and/or after a second unsuccessful attempt at making radio contact, the firefighter should:
· Manually activate his/her PASS alarm and keep it in full alarm mode.
Doing this will assist the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) in locating the firefighter(s). The PASS alarm should be left activated in the alarm mode until the firefighter(s) are reached by the RIC, self-rescue is accomplished and the firefighter needs to use radio again.
Note 1: The PASS alarm should be turned off when you are trying to communicate by radio, and should then be turned back on again to assist the RIC team.
Note 2: If the activation of the emergency alert button was accidental, the user will state, “This is portable #-- with accidental emergency button activation”. Communications will acknowledge and the reset procedure will be initiated.
Search for an Exit
A lost firefighter should make reasonable attempts to exit a building by any means possible.
· Attempt not to remain in the middle of an open space.
· Find a wall. Use the wall to find an exit (window or door).
· Breech a wall for escape or to access breathable air.
A REVIEW OF STEPS TO TAKE FOR MAYDAY
· Press: Emergency Alert Button on the Portable Radio
· State: MAYDAY-MAYDAY-MAYDAY
· State: LIP – Location, Identify Your Crew, Problems you are having
· Activate: Pass Alarm Manually
· Search: For An Exit (Window or Door)
911 Communication Center Responsibilities When a MAYDAY is Called
Whenever a MAYDAY request is received, all radio communications are to cease and only radio communications between the firefighter initiating the emergency, the IC, RIC, and 911 dispatchers are permitted.
IMPORTANT: The 911 dispatchers should wait twenty (20) seconds before notifying the IC that Portable #-- has activated the emergency locator button and MAYDAY information has been received. This twenty (20) second delay is to ensure the radio transmission is not cut off. It is imperative that a 911 dispatcher notify the IC anytime an alert activation or a MAYDAY radio call is heard.
· 911 Communications should dedicate a 911 dispatcher to monitor the radio communications until the end of the MAYDAY event.
· Normal radio use will resume upon completion of the emergency.
Incident Command Responsibilities When a MAYDAY is Called
It is the responsibility of the IC to conduct the following:
· Ensure that all MAYDAY messages are acknowledged.
· Confirm the location, identification and problems or needs of the personnel making the MAYDAY call.
· Request the Accountability to conduct a PAR, starting with personnel in the immediate area of the problem.
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· Ensure crews working on the emergency incident working area continue their assigned tasks.
· Assign a RIC to deal with the MAYDAY emergency.
· Inform, brief and deploy the RIC and request additional personnel to establish a new RIC.
· The IC will turn the emergency incident scene over to the Platoon Chief or senior officer and deal with the MAYDAY only.
· Have 911 Communications contact Emergency Medical Services and have them position their personnel at the appropriate Entry Control Point, or at a safe location outside of the controlled area.
· Notify 911 Communications to announce the conclusion of the MAYDAY event.
Note 3: It is important to remember that these are guidelines for the action taken by the IC upon receiving a MAYDAY. They do not have to be accomplished in the order listed; it is important that they be achieved.
Responsibilities - Firefighting
· It is the responsibility of all radio users to understand when to activate the emergency button, the appropriate information that will be relayed in the event of an emergency/accidental transmission and how to reset the emergency button.
· It is the responsibility of all personnel to be aware of and adhere to the procedures in this POG.
Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)
A Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC):
· Should be designated to stand by in the state of readiness to initiate a rescue effort for downed or missing firefighters.
· Is comprised of a minimum of a Lieutenant and a Firefighter attired and equipped to perform the actions necessary to affect the rescue of other emergency workers.
· Should have awareness of where resources are committed.
· Upon arrival, should report to Command, conduct a 360 of the emergency scene looking for means of ingress/egress.
· Should be used to place ladders above grade windows to provide means of escape.
· Shall be constantly monitoring the radio channel.
· Should not be used for regular firefighting duties as they should be in a state of readiness once they have completed their size up of the emergency scene.
Incident Termination
1. At the termination of the incident, the red personal identification tag shall be returned to the firefighter’s Crew Accountability Ring.
2. The Crew Accountability Ring with the red personal identification tags attached shall be returned to the respective vehicle.
3. The Firefighter Accountability System shall be terminated at the direction of the Incident Commander only when all immediate hazards have been mitigated or responsibility for the scene has been handed over to another agency. This shall be broadcast to the SJRFD Communications Center.
4. The Accountability System shall be terminated when the last SJRFD member leaves the scene. Tactical worksheets should be returned to the Platoon Chief at the end of each emergency call. |