SOG 110-01: Emergency and Non-Emergency Response

• Purpose: Establish procedures for emergency and non-emergency responses.
• Authority: Fire Rescue Administrator
• Scope: Applies to all Emergency Operations personnel.
• Personnel Responsibilities: Remain ready, move quickly to vehicles safely, follow all safety guidelines.
• Seatbelts: Drivers ensure all personnel wear seatbelts during transport.
• Emergency Response Procedure:
  • Use warning devices (visual and audible) for vehicular and pedestrian safety.
  • Turn off wig-wag lights at night to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.
  • Use low-beam headlights.
  • Driving into oncoming traffic is a last resort, use extreme caution.
  • Approach large, heavily blocked intersections with caution, consider turning off lights/sirens to avoid forcing vehicles.
  • Monitor radio channels for information prior to arrival.
  • Emergency response triggered by a notification of immediate life/property threat.
• Responding Units:
  • First arriving unit may advise others to continue or slow response or proceed to staging.
  • Company officers may self-assign if it's in the best interest of the incident, communicate intent and justification to the Communication Center.
  • Chief officers may respond to selected incidents.
  • Vehicles for code 3 responses must have appropriate lighting, equipment, and markings.
• Non-Emergency Response:
  • Non-emergency response when no immediate threat to life or property.
  • Second-due units may respond to non-emergency situations for certain situations in emergencies.
  • Public Assists are non-emergency requests.
  • Do not use warning devices when responding to a non-emergency. Obey all driving rules.
  • Forward public requests to the Fire Operations Officer for determination on response and communication of delay reasons.
• Designated Response Codes:
  • Personnel must know response code for the incident.
  • Local knowledge may upgrade or downgrade response. Notify Communication Center of changes.
  • Dispatch supervisor ensures call type changes are relayed to responding units.
• Specific Incident Response Codes:
  • Medical: Code 3 response, slow second-due units to Code 1.
  • Structure Fires: Residential (11R): Code 3, "nothing showing" indicates automatic slowdown. Commercial/high-rise (11C/11H): Code 3, slowdown once no fire.
  • Brush Trucks: Respond with the accompanying apparatus code to increase water supply during structure fires. Light and Air, reservist canteen respond Code 1.
  • Wildland Fires: (14): Code 3 during regular season, Code 3 (14D) during dry season. Other units respond Code 1 unless life safety concerns, threatened structures, or extreme weather.
  • Other Incidents: Numerous examples given for Code 1 and Code 3 response priorities for various incident types.
• Law Enforcement Incidents:
  • Fights, assaults, and domestic situations begin Code 1, upgrade to Code 3 after Law Enforcement has secured the scene.
  • Shootings/stabbing: Code 1 response to staging; upgrade to Code 3 after Law Enforcement secures scene
  • 911 hang-ups, active alarms: consider Law Enforcement matters. Fire personnel should stage.
• Unrelated Incidents:
  • Perform 360-degree size-up, immediately contact Communication Center for assistance, choose to respond to original or new incident, secure scene and provide aid (to level of training) for any Fire Rescue personnel who respond to a new incident.

This quiz covers the Standard Operating Guidelines for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue regarding emergency and non-emergency responses. It includes procedures, personnel responsibilities, and safety measures for effective and safe operations. Test your knowledge on emergency vehicle operations and response protocols.