Fire Department Operational Guidelines

• These study notes cover operational procedures and radio communications for fire rescue personnel.

Unit Assignment Board

• The Operational Captain posts daily unit and position assignments on the station's Unit Assignment Board.
• The Unit Assignment Board displays: unit designations, positions, personnel assigned to each position, and designated tools/assignments for structure fire response.
• The Operational Captain notes Unit Designation and Personnel in the Station Log Book and ensures the UIPs accurately reflect the Unit Assignment Board.

Daily Operations Bulletin

• The Dispatch Supervisor prepares the Daily Operations Bulletin daily.
• The Daily Operations Bulletin includes: real feel temperature, Red Flag Warning or Watch status, pertinent local weather advisories, daily burn status, winds, daily drive status, weekly road/bridge closures, and open burn permits.

Swimmer/Diver Assignments

• Only fire rescue personnel fit to swim or dive are assigned as Swimmers or Divers.
• Level 1 Basic and Rescue Swimmers maintain swim attire on their assigned unit for the shift's duration.
• Level II Dive Team availability is communicated to the Dispatch Supervisor at the beginning of every shift.
• A minimum of 3 DR1 certified personnel and 1 Dive Comm Line Tender are needed to maintain a Level II or Level III Dive Team.
• The combination of 4 personnel may occur between all units in a fire station.

Fire Alarm Response

• Responding units can cancel if the Communications Center is notified of a "false alarm and proper code was given" by a monitoring company.
• Continue code 1 to verify if the Communications Center was notified by a Business or Homeowner
• Units dispatched to automatic fire alarms reported as water flow alarms respond Code 3.
• When responding to a water flow alarm code 3, with no indication of fire from side Alpha or after locating the annunciator panel, personnel perform a 360, locate outside risers, and check if water is flowing (pressure gauges, water gong alarm etc.).
• If a building with a Fire Alarm system is found to not have a knox box or is not operating appropriately, advise the appropriate area inspector within the Bureau of Safety Services.
• After responding to a fire alarm:
  • If a Building Rep is present:, advise them of the problem and turn the building over to them. Advise Comms Center.
  • If NO Building Rep is present: Advise Comms Center alarm has been silenced; they will notify the monitoring company to contact the building Rep.

Fire Protection System Support

• The second arriving engine supports fire protection systems (sprinklers/hose cabinets) in a building fire.
• The second arriving engine supplements the sprinkler system water supply by connecting to the FDC with a minimum of two 3" supply lines and connecting to a hydrant with LDH.
• Supply lines are be charged and maintained at 150psi.
• Static water sources (lakes, canals, etc.) cannot be used to support fire protection systems connected to a potable water supply.
• Verify all sprinkler control valves are open, including PIV, WIV, and OS&Y valves.
• If sprinkler control valves are not completely open, open unless IC says so.
• Notify the IC and await orders if a sprinkler control valve is closed and marked "Closed for Repair" or similar.
• Verify the Fire Pump is running; if not, start it manually and notify the IC if it cannot be started.
• Sprinkler systems should not be shut off until the fire has been extinguished or at the ICs discretion.
• Control valves for sprinkler systems should only be closed upon order of the IC.
• When a control valve is closed, a FF with a radio should remain at the valve, ready to open if necessary
• The Building Owner is solely responsible for sprinkler system repairs.
• After a fire, the IC advises the BOSS (Bureau of Safety Services) of the sprinkler system's status.
• Whenever a sprinkler system is activated:
  • An incident report
  • A Life Safety Systems Activation
• In addition to the required incident report, include:
  • Info on any problems encountered while supplying or working with the Fire Protection System.
  • What actions Fire Rescue personnel took.
  • Any valves found closed.
• For buildings with only hose cabinets and standpipes, supply lines are initially charged at 100psi, then adjusted based on hose layout.
• Driver Operators should ensure the pressure at the FDC (Fire Department Connection) does not exceed 200psi.
• Companies should connect one floor below the fire and advance up when connecting to a hose cabinet or standpipe.

Combined Systems

• A combined system is an integrated standpipe and sprinkler system sharing a common FDC.
• When supplying a combined system:
  • The DO shall maintain a minimum pressure of 150psi for sprinklers.
  • IF hose lines are deployed, DO may need to pump at a higher pressure. The discharge pressure shall not exceed 200psi at the FDC.

General Operations

• Driving into oncoming lanes is a last resort for extreme situations and should be done with extreme caution.
• The Company officer can assign themselves to an incident if it it is in the best interest of the incident and Fire Rescue, communicating the intent and justification to the Communication Center.
• Permission to self-assign in a multi-company response must be obtained from the Incident Commander or highest-ranking officer if the IC is not yet established.
• Non-emergency requests for assistance are forwarded to the On-duty Fire Operations Officer (FOO).
• The Dispatch Supervisor ensures call type changes are supplied immediately to responding units for response code reevaluation.
• Second due units slow to Code 1 on Commercial or High Rise Structure Fires as soon it is confirmed that no fire is present.
• During dry brush season, a wild land fire has has a Code 3 response by the Engine and Brush truck. All other units respond Code 1 unless there are Life Safety Concerns, Threatened Structures, or Extreme Weather Conditions.

Radio Communication

• Good radio communication is critical; speak clearly at a practiced rate, deliberately control your emotions and breathing.
• Personnel dispatched to a non-emergency incident (public assist) remain on Firemain Tac 1A to monitor for emergency incidents in their response zone.
• Radios unable to communicate inside a building on a repeated TAC channel switch to designated fire ground simplex channels Tac 14a and Tac 15a, typically operating within a 1-mile radius.

Structure Fire Benchmarks

• Primary Complete, All clear
• Secondary Complete, All clear
• Water on the fire
• Fire Under Control: Confined the fire, eliminated extension, and protected any threatened exposures.
• Fire Out: Overhaul is complete.

Open Water/Dive Operations Terminology

• "Object located" or "3 pulls" indicates a victim or object has been located; "3 pulls" is used when discretion is needed.

Rescue Mode

• "Rescue Mode" indicates there is a chance to save a life.

Arrival Report

• The first arriving unit provides an arrival report containing CANS:
  • C: Current conditions visible from the cab.
  • A: Immediate action company will perform.
  • N: Additional resources needed not on the initial alarm.
  • S: State command name, location, mode.
• Offensive mode is assumed, but Defensive mode must be declared.

Progress Reports

• Progress Reports are essential to incident management, allow for effective decision making, and assist in prioritizing the commitment of resources.
• They also allow for effective refinement and revision of the IAP (Incident Action Plan)
• Company officers provide timely progress reports to confirm progress and outcomes against objectives.
• Progress reports need to be timely, complete, and concise, detailing where actions are being undertaken and have been completed.
• Progress reports occur more frequently in the early stages of an incident, typically every 5-10 minutes, or as major parts of the job are completed.
• The IC may request progress reports on a periodic basis.
• The Communications Center announces benchmarks every 10 minutes to assist the IC with time tracking.
• The IC should give a progress report at each 10 minute benchmark

Priority Traffic

• Trauma Hawk may use Priority Traffic for immediate communication during landing; no alert tones unless requested.
• "Priority Traffic, All Clear" indicates the need for immediate communication is complete.

Emergency Traffic

• Emergency Traffic advises personnel of Imminent Danger.
• Dispatch announces Emergency Traffic.
• Any company can request Emergency Traffic for immediate communication, taking priority over routine traffic.
• The Communication Center uses Emergency Traffic to broadcast information related to the health and safety of units responding to an emergency call.
• When a company advises Emergency Traffic, the Communications Center sounds the Alert Tones and broadcasts for all units to stand by.
• Emergency Traffic is used when communicating an Exclusion Zone.
• "Emergency Traffic, All Clear" indicates all personnel are clear of the imminent danger.
• The Communication Center logs the time Emergency Traffic started and ended in the incident history using a miscellaneous comment.

Emergency Evacuation

• "Emergency Evacuation" advises personnel of imminent danger requiring evacuation to a Safe Place (Rally Point).
• Upon announcement, the Communication Center sounds the radio alert tones and advises all companies to evacuate the building immediately; the message is repeated twice.
• Units on scene blast their air horns intermittently (1-10 seconds on, 1-10 seconds off) for a total of 50 seconds during an Emergency Evacuation.
• The IC performs a PAR (Personnel Accountability Report) during an Emergency Evacuation.
• All personnel report to their Supervisor or pre-designated area during an Emergency Evacuation.
• The Communications Center logs the time "Emergency Evacuation" started and ended in the incident history using a miscellaneous comment.

10-24

• 10-24 is Law Enforcement's code for help, used when Fire Rescue personnel are in a Life Threatening situation and need immediate Law Enforcement assistance.
• Emergency Traffic is in effect during a 10-24 and remains in effect until LE arrives and/or the requesting unit advises the scene is secure.
• The Communications Center logs a 10-24 in the incident history as a benchmark.

Alert Tones

• The Communications Center only sounds radio alert tones for Emergency Traffic, Emergency Evacuation, and Maydays.

The Channel Marker

• "The channel marker" by the Communications Center is designed to provide a timed, short beep over the radio channel to indicate an emergency event is in progress and radio transmissions on the channel should be kept to an absolute minimum
• When an Alert Tone is sounded, the Communications Center shall initiate The Channel Marker

Multi-Jurisdictional Incidents

• During Multi Jurisdictional incidents, the IC shall verify that other agencies have direct communications with Incident Command by:
  • Compatible Radio Systems
  • Incident Command Post Representative
  • Disseminate Radios
  • Merge Companies
• During Multi Jurisdictional incidents with Compatible Radio Systems, incoming units with compatible radio systems shall be instructed as to what frequencies are being utilized.
• During Multi Jurisdictional incidents with Incident Command Post Representative: In the event that incompatible radio systems prevent direct communication with mutual aid companies, a representative shall respond with units from their jurisdiction to establish a direct communications link with the Incident Commander at the Unified Command Post.
• During Multi Jurisdictional incidents where Radios are Disseminate, the requesting agency shall provide radios to mutual aid companies with a frequency allowing communications with the Incident Commander.
• During Multi Jurisdictional incidents where companies merge, Mutual Aid companies shall be merged with companies that have communications with the Incident Commander

VHF Radio Procedures

• To hail another agency, use the agency name 3 times followed by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
• Transmissions end with "Over."
• Once VHF communications are established, the PBCFR VHF radio operator replies with an Operating Channel to switch to.
• The agencies will respectively say their agency name followed by "out" to indicate channels are free. Example; "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, out".
• USCG response channel: Channel 16 VHF, hail 3 times then may direct to Channel 22.
• Bridge tender hailing channel: Channel 9, tender twice, then identify.

Operational guidelines for fire department personnel cover responsibilities such as personnel assignment documentation and awareness of environmental conditions. Specific requirements are provided for swim attire based on swim level, dive team composition, and fire alarm response protocols to ensure efficient functionality.