Monterey County Fireground Safety System

1. Monterey County Fireground Safety System Revised April 2003

2. Why? • Several firefighter fatalities at “routine” fires • Confusion of missing firefighters • Inability to rescue distressed firefighters • Poor accountability & “freelancing” • Adopted & tailored to suit the needs of Monterey County fire departments • Auto Aid / Mutual Aid - compatibility

3. 6 Components • Firefighter Accountability System • Building Emergency Evacuation Signal • Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) • Missing Firefighter Procedure • Initial Rapid Intervention Crew (IRIC) • Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC)

4. Improve firefighter safety through accountability Purpose

5. System Description • Passport Overview • System Hardware • Nametags - personal • Passports – crew members • Status Boards – Overhead vehicles • Helmet ID tags – Unit Numbers (Appendix A)

6. Pre-Incident Procedures • Passport set-up • Update & keep accurate • Proper order • Helmet ID Tags • Accurate to apparatus

7. Emergency Incident Procedures • Initial crews leave passport in apparatus • Next crews check in with IC w/ passport • Vol. check-in w/ respective engines • Maintain accountability on status board of all assigned personnel at incident

8. Accountability Officer’s Checklist (Appendix B)

9. Building Emergency Evacuation Signal • Provide a uniform signal to alert personnel of dangerous conditions that requires them to immediately leave the building • IC’s responsibility to initiate once determined conditions have deteriorated to point it is too dangerous to continue inside • IC must conduct post-incident analysis if this signal was activated

10. Signal Procedure • IC initiates “Building Emergency Evacuation Signal” • Shall consist of 3 components: • Radio message from IC • Transmitted on all frequencies of incident • “Attention all units on the ____Incident, standby for emergency traffic, clear the building” • Evacuation Signal – Engine at scene gives short blasts of airhorn for ten seconds followed by ten seconds of silence for 3 cycles • May need to be transmitted on each division • Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) • IC initiates a PAR to confirm “all clear”

11. Upon activation of the “Building Emergency Evacuation Signal” all radio traffic shall cease except that which is pertinent to the rescue efforts or obtaining a PAR • The term “Emergency Traffic” will be utilized & have priority • Use clear text and report the following: • Location of emergency • Number of missing or injured • Identity if known • What happened? • Special equipment? • Specific hazard?

12. Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) • Roll call to ensure personnel safety • Hazardous events occur • Tactical objectives are achieved • At designated timed intervals

13. Benchmarks for PAR • Report of missing or trapped firefighter • Sudden hazardous situation • Change from offensive to defensive • Crews reporting an “all clear” on a search • When fire is declared controlled • Any time IC deems necessary to initiate roll call • 10 minute elapsed time intervals

14. Elapsed Time Notification • Firecom / ECC shall notify IC every ten minutes after arrival at scene until incident is controlled or IC cancels timer • 10 minute – used to keep track of fatigue, structural integrity, progress, etc. • 20 minute – PAR checks • “IC, Monterey…(10, 20, 30, etc.) minute elapsed time notification”

15. Missing Firefighter Procedure • Initiate PAR immediately • Assume firefighter is lost in hazard area until proven otherwise • Immediately send RIC crews to last reported work area of missing firefighter • Immediately call for additional resources, including a medical component • Location & rescue of the missing firefighter must become the top priority at the incident

16. Initial Rapid Intervention Crew (IRIC) Purpose Whenever interior operations are initiated in an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life & Health) atmosphere, an IRIC shall be established to be immediately available to effect rescue of a lost, trapped or injured member of the IDLH operations crew(s).

17. The IRIC shall: • Consist of min. 2 trained firefighters in full PPE w/ SCBA trained in RIC operations thru MCFTOA • 1 member must remain at point of entry monitoring #, identity, location and function of interior crew ready to initiate rescue • Other IRIC member may perform other duties such as IC, pump operator, ventilation, accountability, etc. so long as task may be abandoned to assist in rescue • Be immediately available with radio communications • Be equipped with RIC bag

18. RIC BAG • RIC bag must have “RIC” in 4” letters on the side and consist of a minimum of the following: • 2 hand-held lights • 2 door wedges • Safety line – 100’ of 3/8” in a rope bag with carabiner at each end • 10’ loop of 1” or 2” webbing for rescue • 1 pair of wire cutters • 1 pair of trauma shears

19. Consider the following: • Thermal Imaging Camera • Forcible entry tools • Airbags / cribbing • Hydraulic rescue tool • Chainsaw / rotary saw • Additional safety line (tag line) • Chalk • Ladders • Additional door wedges / latch covers

20. IRIC must also: • Have one complete SCBA with mask • Have backup / rescue hoseline immediately available. • Be assigned by the IC • Be assigned to IC or Ops directly • Stage at “point of entry” unless otherwise assigned

21. Deployment of IRIC • Upon activation of “Emergency Traffic” signal, IC shall deploy IRIC to last known location of distressed firefighter • IRIC at point of entry will establish positive physical connection to pt of entry • Initiate S&R with necessary RIC equip

22. Deployment of IRIC (Cont) • Maintain positive physical connection at all times • IC will announce IRIC deployed. IRIC ops will always have communications priority • IC consider reassigning other resources to support IRIC effort • IC consider ordering more resources including EMS for shift in strategy

23. Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) Purpose • IC deems appropriate due to complexity • Large residence, commercial, high rise, etc. • RIC intended to replace IRIC & meet 2 in / 2 out requirements

24. Differences – IRIC vs. RIC • Establishes a leader • Minimum 4 firefighters, preferably 5 firefighters • Minimum of 2 at door • Other members conducting RIC related tasks • Est. egress / access points • Secure utilities • Firefighter accountability • Deploy ladders

25. IRIC / RIC Duties (Appendix C)

26. Rapid Intervention Crew Tactics Review

27. An Effective RIC is: • Prepared • Equipped • Trained • Properly placed • Expected to overcome

28. RIC is a combat position • A dynamic working crew • Not a rehab position • Will be busy • All personnel trained as RIC • Must have full PPE and proper equipment required for any potential search and rescue operation

29. The RIC Officer • Competent • Has guidelines to follow • Disciplined & focused • Trained to meet RIC expectations • Understands: • If something goes wrong, you’re it! • EMS protocol • Get to victim in 4-6 minutes

30. Role of Rapid Intervention Crew Our highest priority. . . Firefighter Rescue Officers or members assigned to RIC shall not get involved with routine firefighting activities, but remain in a state of readiness keeping company members together and ready for deployment

31. RIC Size-Up • Type of building • Extent of fire • Type of occupancy • Level of alarm • Special hazards • Monitor radio to gather info • On approach, what do you see?

32. Report to Operations • IC if Ops is not assigned • Know strategic mode & tactics being deployed • Understand radio & unit ID • “RIC” or “DIV 3 RIC,” etc.

33. RIC Size-up is Ongoing • Take a lap around building • Anticipate fire spread • Locate alternate entrances & exits • Place additional ladders, if appropriate • Look for anything that might make your job harder or easier

34. RIC Size-up Continued • Anticipate firefighter rescue • Establish crew position, tools needed, & plan • On going process

35. RIC on the Fireground RIC size-up similar in function to Safety Officer

36. Questions?