CIBOLO FIRE DEPARTMENT

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

 

 

 

13.0      Personnel Accountability System

 

 

13.1      Purpose:

 

To establish a coordinated system of monitoring and tracking personnel and units to used during all emergency responses, training/drills and exercises.

 

 

13.2      Policy:

 

To enable the Incident Commander to identify, locate and account for the function of all personnel operating on the scene of an emergency incident

 

 

13.3      General Instructions:

 

A.     Each member shall be issued one (2) personnel identification (I.D.) tags. The tag will be attached to the back ring of the firefighting helmet or stored in the turnout gear.

 

B.     At the arrival of an incident, personnel shall remove 1 of their I.D. tags from their helmet and place it on the collector ring of the apparatus, unless otherwise instructed by the Incident Commander.

 

C.     The person in charge of that apparatus will then give the collector ring to the Incident Commander to be placed on the status board.

 

  1. The status board records who, what and where for each unit on scene and is continually updated. The I.D. tag will remain at the Command Post until the unit and personnel are returned to service with all assigned personnel accounted for. Each individual is responsible for his/her own I.D. Tag upon leaving the scene of an incident.

 

  1. Additional arriving companies, unit(s), off duty personnel, other personnel shall report to the Command Post to be tagged-in (tags collected) and given an assignment.

 

  1. The second I.D. Tag will be utilized for areas where a controlled point of entry has been established. A designated person will collect tags from personnel entering these areas and place them on a status board. Upon leaving these areas personnel will reclaim their tags.

 

  1. Personnel Accountability Report (PAR): A roll call of units and/or personnel will be necessary to determine if anyone is unaccounted for during an emergency incident. At twenty (20) minute intervals the Incident Commander or his/her designate will activate a PAR on the operating radio frequency. Command will then initiate the roll call by announcing the unit/personnel or sector designation first and then waiting for a response from that unit. The status board will be the checklist for the roll call. Example: Command - "Engine 1" Engine 1's response - "Captain Jones, Firefighter Sims, Firefighter Wilson accounted for." If a company fails to give a return of the PAR, then the Incident Commander will immediately deploy a Rapid Intervention Team (R.I.T.) to locate the crew that has not given a PAR.

 

  1. A MAYDAY is issued by personnel that may be trapped or in need of emergency assistance. The IC may also issue a MAYDAY if conditions of the incident warrant. Should a MAYDAY be activated the IC will announce three (3) time over the operating radio frequency “MAYDAY” and give three (3) blast of the hand held air horn over the same frequency. Then it will be followed by instructions i.e. evacuate, R.I.T., etc.

 

  1. Companies shall remain intact and all personnel shall operate in the same area. If a company must be divided to perform required functions, the sector officer must maintain control of all members assigned to them. When personnel are relieved for rest and rehab, the entire company shall be relieved whenever possible.

 

  1. Company officers must know the location of all personnel in their company at all times. There shall be no transfer of personnel from one company to another on the emergency scene without positive communication between the two (2) affected company officers and Incident Command. Command must also be notified of any personnel being treated at a medical station and/or being transported to a medical facility.

 

  1. All personnel leaving the emergency scene shall depart through the Command Post for verification and to pick up their I.D. Tags.