JFRD Vehicle Operation Safety

• These guidelines ensure the safety of JFRD personnel and the public during JFRD vehicle operations.

Policy

• Prioritize safe arrival over speed.
• Mount vehicles quickly.
• Ensure all personnel are onboard, seated, and have seatbelts fastened.
• Wait for bay doors to open completely.
• Leave the station in a standard manner.
• Know the route.
• Drive defensively and professionally at reasonable speeds.
• Use audible warning devices when necessary.

Responsibility

• Operate all JFRD vehicles in compliance with Florida driving statutes.
• Emergency response does not remove the operator's responsibility to drive with due caution.
• The vehicle operator is responsible for safe operations.
• The Company Officer ensures operator compliance with all laws and procedures governing emergency vehicle operations.
• Operators must report any condition that could impair their ability to safely operate to their Company Officer.

Seatbelts

• All City of Jacksonville employees and passengers must use seat belts.

• The Company Officer confirms all personnel and riders are wearing seatbelts and PPE if necessary before moving the vehicle.

• The number of personnel in a JFRD vehicle is limited to the number of seat belts.

• Personnel must ride in regular seats with seatbelts.

• Riding on tailboards or in other exposed positions is prohibited.

• Protective equipment should not be put on while the vehicle is moving unless the person is seated with a seatbelt fastened.

• The only personnel permitted to be unbelted while the vehicle is moving, are those engaged in patient care that requires them to stand or kneel.

Apparatus Inspection

• Engineers/operators inspect their assigned vehicle daily to determine its condition.
• Check the water level of booster tanks and all other fluid levels.
• Complete and sign the Engineer's Daily Apparatus Report.
• Report any defects, discrepancies, irregularities, or unsafe conditions to the Company Officer immediately which then informs Tactical Support personnel.
• All firefighting and EMS equipment must be inspected daily and before leaving emergency scenes.
• Maintenance and general cleaning should be performed daily.
• When starting any vehicle or equipment motor, allow it to run until it reaches normal operating temperature before shutting it off.
• A more thorough inspection of the apparatus and all equipment must be performed every Monday.

Spare Units

• When assigned to spare units, the Company Officer is responsible for the vehicle and its equipment.
• Spare units must be fueled and cleaned when returned and any necessary repairs reported to Tactical Support personnel.
• If returned after normal work hours, the Company Officer notifies the FRCC of its location and any needed repairs.

General

• Fuel Supply: Refill the fuel supply of any vehicle immediately if it falls below 3/4 of total capacity unless the vehicle is en-route to or at the scene of an emergency, in which case it should be refilled as soon as practical.
• Private Driveways: Fire apparatus should not be driven on private driveways or over privately owned bridges unless involved in emergency response.
• Backing: Operators should avoid backing JFRD vehicles whenever possible.
• If backing is unavoidable, guides must be used who can observe possible hazards and maintain eye contact with the driver.
• During emergency operations, if no guide is available, the driver must dismount and walk completely around the apparatus to check for obstructions.

Request Tactical Support

• Contact Tactical Support personnel for consultation before attempting to pull out any JFRD vehicle that is stuck, unless the vehicle has winches.
• For repairs, Tactical Support personnel may be contacted on A8 or 693-1445 from 0700-1700 hours, 5 days a week and outside of these hours the FRCC will be notified instead of service personnel.
• Before accepting a vehicle from a repair facility, the Engineer/operator checks the water level of booster tanks and all fluid levels. The OIC must verify the fluid levels at his/her earliest convenience.

Response

• When responding to alarms, vehicles from the same station must follow the same route as far as possible.
• There should be no racing of vehicles on the way to an emergency.
• Rescue Units and Chiefs' cars can pass slower units when clear due to being more maneuverable.
• Other vehicles must not pass each other unless the lead vehicle is having mechanical difficulties.
• School Zone restrictions must be observed, and operators must not exceed the posted speed limit during designated hours.
• JFRD operators must bring their vehicle to a complete stop when a school bus displays its "STOP" sign, regardless of response status.

Warning Devices

• Warning lights and sirens must be used when responding to an emergency incident or transporting a patient to a medical facility to warn other drivers.
• Between 0100-0600, siren use should be limited to the extent necessary to warn other traffic, avoiding unnecessary disturbance.
• Sirens and warning lights do not automatically give the right-of-way, they simply request it based on the awareness of other drivers.
• Emergency vehicle drivers must make every effort to make their presence and intended action known to other drivers.

Response Downgrade

• The first-arriving unit will advise incoming units to slow down their response, when appropriate.
• When the first-arriving unit reports “situation stable” or “nothing showing,” additional units will continue emergency response with lights and sirens but should not exceed the posted speed limit.

Speed Limits

• JFRD vehicles can exceed posted speed limits only under favorable conditions such as when responding to alarms or transporting a patient to a medical facility.

• Favorable conditions include:

  • Light traffic
  • Dry pavement
  • Good visibility
  • Good roads

• Under favorable conditions, a maximum of 20 mph over the posted speed limit is authorized.

• The posted speed limit is the absolute maximum permissible under less than favorable conditions.

• If it becomes necessary to travel in center or oncoming traffic lanes, the maximum permissible speed is 20 mph.

Intersections

• Intersections present the greatest potential danger to emergency vehicles.
• When approaching and crossing intersections with the right-of-way, JFRD vehicles should not exceed the posted speed limit.
• When approaching controlled intersections using center or oncoming traffic lanes, JFRD vehicles must come to a complete stop before proceeding. This includes green traffic lights.
• When approaching a negative right-of-way intersection (red light, stop sign), the vehicle must come to a complete stop and may only proceed when the operator can account for all traffic in all lanes, yielding the right-of-way.

Fireground/Incident Scene

• No JFRD personnel should step from any moving apparatus with personnel permitting the operator to stop the apparatus completely before dismounting for catching plugs, pulling lines, or removing equipment.
• Unique driving hazards on or adjacent to the fireground or incident scene require extreme caution. Operators must consider the dangers of their moving vehicle to on-scene personnel and bystanders.
• No apparatus should be positioned in a manner that may prohibit or interfere with the removal of equipment from an apparatus.
• At the scene of an incident, warning lights must be used to make approaching traffic aware and the apparatus should be positioned to protect personnel, parked in a manner that does not impede traffic more than necessary, consistent with safe operations.
• All personnel must wear reflective vests when working in and around roadways unless wearing their issued turnout coat.

JFRD guidelines for safe vehicle operation, prioritizing safety of personnel and public. Focus on defensive driving, adherence to Florida statutes, and use of seatbelts. Operators are responsible for safe vehicle operation.