Emergency Personnel Accountability System

• The purpose is to provide a consistent countywide standard to track and account for the assignment of companies, units, and personnel at all times during emergency incidents.
• This SOG applies to all Emergency Operations personnel and Reserves.
• The Fire Rescue Administrator, Fire Chiefs Association of the Palm Beaches, NFPA 1500, NFPA 1561, National Incident Management System (FEMA), and Florida Field Operations Guide (October 2012) are authorities.

Personnel Accountability System

• Chief and Company Officers are responsible for the enforcement of this SOG.
• At the beginning of each shift Fire Rescue personnel must attach one name tag to the Primary Passport and one to the Backup Passport, and attach the appropriate helmet tag on their helmet shield.
• Company Officers must ensure accountability components are checked periodically, components are available and useable, compliance with this SOG is enforced, and all personnel are rostered on the unit.
• If an employee changes a unit or location during the shift, the Company Officer must update the Primary Passport, Backup Passport, Helmet Tag, and Roster.

Passport Hardware Specifications

• Primary Passports should be 2” x 4”, flexible with Velcro.
• The primary Passport should be maintained under the brim of the Company Officer's helmet.
• Backup Passports should be 2” x 4”, rigid with Velcro.
• The backup Passport shall is located inside the cab of the vehicle, on the officer's side.
• Unit ID tags should be ½' x 2”, with Velcro, have the unit ID engraved, and can be white (Chief Officers), red (Engine), blue (Rescue), green (Brush Truck), or black (Specialty Units).
• Name tags should be 3/8” x 2”, color-coded by rank, with hook Velcro on the back, and have the firefighter's last name engraved.
• If the name tag is white it is most likely a Battalion Chief or above.
• If the name tag is red it is most likely an EMS Captain, Operational Captain or Lieutenant.
• If the name tag is blue it is most likely a Paramedic.
• If the name tag is black it is most likely a Driver Operator.
• If the name tag is yellow it is most likely a Firefighter.
• Four name tags should be kept on the underside of each firefighter's helmet when not in use.

Helmet Hardware Specifications

• Helmet Shields are secured to the helmet.
• Helmet Tags are secured to the helmet shield.

Emergency Scene Protocols

• Accountability involves a personal commitment to work within the safety system at an incident, and all personnel must actively participate in the Personnel Accountability System.
• All personnel must initiate activities to check into the accountability system before responding on any unit or working at any incident.
• The Company Officer must update the Passport anytime personnel change apparatus or location during a shift.
• All personnel shall work for the Incident Commander or within the confines of the Incident Command System, and no freelancing shall be allowed.
• Only the person holding the Passport of a unit or individual can provide strategic or tactical orders to them.
• Personnel accountability shall be tracked at all incidents where personnel are operating in an IDLH environment.
• Companies arriving on the same unit should stay together to maintain company integrity.
• Personnel are responsible for conducting a face to face verification before returning the Passport
• Single unit resources must report to the Incident Commander and provide their Passport.
• When personnel are working away from their Company their Name Tag shall be placed upside down on their Passport.
• Normally kept at the bottom of the Passport, the Unit ID tag shall be removed and kept by the Incident Commander as incidents escalate to a Division or Group.
• The Unit ID tag will track assigned and re-assigned companies from various Divisions or Groups.
• Passports go with the Company to the new assignment to be given to Division or Group Supervisor.
• Account for all Fire Rescue personnel regardless of atmospheric conditions, utilize the Passport Accountability System, and collect Passports.
• Incident Commanders should make every effort to keep Companies intact.
• Based on the needs of the incident, assign an Accountability Officer.
• The Incident Commander should utilize an Incident Command board to manage span of control, assist with accountability, maintain resources, and track tactical priorities.
• Special Operation Units should remain intact and kept as a Task Force.
• Special Operations Rescues should not be lumped into the total Rescue units on scene to preserve accountability.
• Aerial Station Units should remain intact and kept as a Task Force.
• A minimum company size is two personnel.
• Fire Rescue personnel should only receive orders from (or give orders to) the person holding their Passport.
• Safety related orders from the Incident Safety Officer or Assistant Safety Officer are exceptions.
• Identity, location, tactical assignment, and time of assignment for all personnel that Company Officers directly supervise must always be known.
• Notify the Communication Center, Incident Commander, or person holding their passport, that they are entering or exiting the IDLH as personnel enter or exit the environment.

Communication Protocols

• TAC channels or face-to-face communication is required when entering/exiting an IDLH
• Unit ID, location entering or exiting, PAR of Number of personnel, Assignment and direction of travel if relevant
• Rescue personnel operating in an IDLH environment must have a portable radio.
• All Fire Rescue personnel are to stay with their company by voice, vision, touch, or other single line method when in an IDLH environment.
• Radio communication cannot substitute voice contact.

Accountability Officer

• Accountability Officers manages personnel accountability at the incident.
• Fire Rescue personnel in charge of unit accountability receive Passports from Companies.
• Fire Rescue personnel record Unit ID, entry/exit location, number of personnel, assignment if relevant, direction of travel if relevant, time entering, maintain awareness of activities being supervised in IDLH environments.
• Passports are used to conduct emergency accountability duties when necessary.
• A Site Access Control Leader will control access through a controlled entry point and is assigned to track accountability.
• On Special Operations or TRT incidents.

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR)

• A PAR is an accountability check of all Fire Rescue personnel on an incident.
• Incident Command must request “Emergency Traffic" when performing a PAR.
• The following must be relayed when providing a PAR: Unit, number of personnel, and location.
• A PAR should be performed for any "Mayday" or as determined by the Incident Commander or Incident Safety Officer.
• The Incident Commander must notify the Communication Center when the PAR is complete.
• The Communication Center will log the PAR initiation and completion in the incident history as a benchmark.

Releasing from Emergency Scene

• Company Officers must ensure their Passport are retrieved and returned to the proper location as units or personnel are released from an incident.