D-32

Policy

• Philadelphia Fire Department prioritizes the safety of its members and the public
• The goal is to prevent and reduce accidents
• This directive outlines guidelines and standards for safe driver training for the Philadelphia Fire Department members

Definitions

• Apparatus refers to fire department vehicles
• Non-Tiller Apparatus: Front and rear wheels connected by a fixed frame
• Tiller Apparatus: Tractor-trailer with a steering wheel connected to the rear axle for maneuvering
• Specialized Apparatus: Apparatus with operational or driving challenges like quints, water towers, snorkels, ladder towers, and airport apparatus
• Other Apparatus: Medic units, chief's vehicles, light wagons, air units, rescue apparatus, grass firefighters, foam units, field communications, and emergency medical service vehicles

Training

• Company Level Training: Members learn to drive, operate, and/or tiller assigned apparatus or similar types for emergency response situations
• Cross Training: Training members to drive, operate, and/or tiller all apparatus at a particular station
• Members may be detailed from one station to another with a ladder company or specialized apparatus to meet Battalion needs

Driving Exercises

• Driving exercises are outlined in PFD Training Manual Supplement #7, Driving and Tillering Maneuvers
• These exercises demonstrate a driver’s/tillerperson's ability to safely maneuver and control an apparatus
• Driving exercises combined with EVOC, Driver/Tiller Training Review, and off/on-street training ensures PFD drivers are highly trained

Driver/Tiller Training Review

• Driver/Tiller Training Review is a body of knowledge every member learning to drive/tiller should know before off-street training
• The review ensures familiarity with PFD driving/tillering responsibilities (See Appendix A)

Emergency Vehicle Operator’s Course (EVOC)

• EVOC is a state-mandated 16-hour course
• EVOC teaches driving principles through classroom instruction, driving simulation, and hands-on exercises
• It is part of the cadet-training curriculum

Personnel

• New Member: A firefighter, fire service paramedic, or fire service emergency medical technician assigned to a company or EMS pool after graduating from the Fire Academy
• Newly-Assigned Member: A firefighter, fire service paramedic, or fire service emergency medical technician transferred from another company (who may or may not be a qualified driver)

Training - Continued

• Off-Street Driver/Tiller Training: Members first develop basic driving/tillering skills in a traffic-free area, practicing exercises from PFD Training Manual Supplement #7, Driving and Tillering Maneuvers, Part One
• On-Street Driver/Tiller Training: Training officer ensures the driver/tiller trainee's skills improve during driving/tillering on company's local district streets (after off-street training)
• On-street training ensures the trainee can drive a Philadelphia Fire Department apparatus on emergency responses
• Company officers use on-street training to maintain the driving/tillering skills of qualified members
• On-Street Testing: Planned route to demonstrate the member’s ability to safely maneuver and control an apparatus conducted by the Safety Office (See PFD Training Manual Supplement #7, Driving and Tillering Maneuvers, Part Two)
• Training Officer: Assigned officer responsible for the training of new or newly assigned members
• The safety officer, FSP preceptor, and/or EMS field officer assume the training officer’s duties for newly hired or assigned fire service paramedics and fire service emergency medical technicians

Responsibility

• Deputy Chiefs must ensure all members comply with this Directive and approve all companies going out-of-service to the Fire Academy, or Safety Office
• Battalion Chiefs must ensure all members comply with this Directive, help coordinate company requests for driver/tiller training, and make recommendations if members cannot meet the Directive’s time constraints

Responsibility - Continued

• Company Officers must ensure that members comply with this Directive
• They must ensure members have a valid Pennsylvania Driver's License before Driver/Tiller Training
• Company Officers must ensure members receive sufficient training, demonstrate driving proficiency, and are qualified by the Fire Academy and Safety Office, as well as demonstrate knowledge of response areas and routes

Comprehensive Training

• Hands-on training should cover all operational aspects of assigned apparatus, and routine maintenance procedures
• Members must be able to perform all aspects of assigned apparatus operations
• Company captains should establish a list rotating all drivers to maintain sharp skills
• Training of newly-assigned firefighters to drive/tiller should begin ASAP
• Ensure qualification within one year of assignment, with an additional six months for tiller qualification (if needed)
• Assigned firefighters must be qualified to drive and/or tiller
• The Fire Academy and Safety Office will assist company officers in qualifying firefighters and trainees will not drive while another trainee is tillering

Additional Directives

• Firefighters must be qualified to drive/operate an engine or ladder apparatus within two years of graduation; an additional six months is provided to qualify as a driver/operator in a tiller company
• Ensure FSP/FSE are qualified to drive a medic unit upon assignment with an EMS field officer
• Company captains submit progress reports to the Deputy Commissioner, Operations for members not qualified within the specified time, listing areas needing more training
• All firefighters qualified to drive an engine/ladder must be trained and qualified at the company-level on "other" vehicles assigned
• The appropriate qualification will be entered in the journal and log books after company-level training

Cross Training

• Training firefighters to drive/tiller when a long-term replacement apparatus is assigned
• For example, training all firefighters to tiller and then drive a tiller ladder when the assigned ladder is a non-tiller ladder and the long-term replacement is a tiller ladder
• Cross-training should begin where appropriate

Member Responsibilities

• Members must maintain a valid Pennsylvania Driver's License
• Members must familiarize themselves with this Directive and their responsibilities

Evaluations

• Fire Academy will conduct operational evaluations for engine, ladder, or specialized apparatus qualification
• These consist of written and hands-on testing
• Safety Office ensures members complete EVOC while cadets at the Fire Academy
• Safety Office ensures training information/equipment is available to the company officer
• Safety Office conducts the driving evaluations (written, driving skills, on-street) for engine/ladder and medic unit drivers and conduct qualification for tillerperson
• Engine/Ladder qualification means completing Fire Academy and Safety Office requisites, a must for driving “other” apparatus

Program Information

• The Driver/Operator Training Program is divided into qualifications that provide an instructional outline for officers and members to follow

Procedures

• All new firefighters being trained as drivers, operators, or tillerpersons, will follow procedures for driving non-tiller apparatus, tillering apparatus, driving tiller apparatus, and driving medic units
• A newly-assigned firefighter must receive driving and operating qualification(s) before driving/operating a Philadelphia Fire Department apparatus in emergency conditions
• Newly-assigned firefighters who have not been qualified follow the appropriate procedures in Section 4.2.1
• The Safety Office qualifies members to drive an engine, water tower, ladder tower, snorkel, or quint
• The member must receive operations qualification from the Fire Academy to drive an engine, water tower, or quint

Fire Academy Responsibilities

• The Fire Academy is responsible for qualifying members to operate an engine, water tower, quint, non-tiller/tiller ladder, snorkel, or ladder tower
• Company officers notify the Fire Academy via memorandum of any additional driver/operator qualification needs, and the Safety Office for tiller qualification
• The memorandum includes the member’s name, rank, payroll number, company/platoon, type of apparatus qualification needed, and prior driver/tiller qualifications
• The chief/company officer ensures members can drive "other" apparatus after approval from the Safety Office/Fire Academy
• The company officer records driver/tiller qualifications in the log book

Non-Tiller Apparatus Driver Training

• Previously qualified drivers train as outlined in Section 4.2.2
• Before off-street training, the company officer ensures that the Driver Training Review and checksheet are complete
• The company officer then begins off-street driver training. (See PFD Training Manual Supplement #7, Driving and Tillering Maneuvers, Part One.)
• The company officer, with the permission of the deputy chief, may schedule practice on the Fire Department driving range

On-Street Training for Non-Tillers

• Begins when the firefighter can safely complete the exercises in PFD Training Manual Supplement #7 (See Appendix B)
• The company officer makes sure a minimum of 16 hours on-street driving time are performed, with both day and night driving being practiced
• At least four hours of the 16 must be at night and all must be logged in Appendix C and the company log book
• The company officer will schedule on-street driver training during non-emergency situations
• Comprehensive hands-on training covering maintenance is also done under the company officer's guidance

Practical Qualification - Non-Tillers

• The firefighter must perform all aspects of the assigned vehicle's operations
• Demonstrated proficiency in the training outlined
• The company officer forwards a memorandum, including personnel information, to the Fire Academy (or Safety Office, if only driver qualification is needed) to schedule driver/operator qualification
• The training checksheets accompany the memorandum (See Appendices A-1, B, C)
• Company officers only use the parts of this section that apply to a firefighter who has previous driving/operating qualifications, and keeps these checksheets in the firefighter's personnel folder
• The firefighter will be scheduled for driver testing by the safety office & operations testing by the fire academy staff upon the memorandum's receipt

Fire Academy/Safety Office Administration

• The Fire Academy administers a written test on assigned apparatus operations and maintenance and hands-on tests of maintenance, pump, and/or specialized apparatus operation
• The Safety Office administers a written test on the Driver Training Review, apparatus driving skills, and an on-street driving test
• The member will be qualified by the Fire Academy and the Safety Office upon successful completion
• If the member fails to successfully complete these requirements, they will continue training and the Company Officer will submit a list of areas the member needs more work in, along with the training dates

Tiller Training Procedures

• Before off-street tiller training, the company officer ensures the Tiller Training Review and checksheet are done (Appendices A, A-1)
• PFD Training Manual Supplement #7, Driving and Tillering Maneuvers, Part One guides off-street tiller training
• Another member secured with an Atlas life belt is permitted to ride next to the tiller trainee during off-street tiller training only
• The company officer, with the permission of the deputy chief, may schedule practice on the PFD driving range

On-Street Tiller Training

• Begins when the firefighter can safely complete the exercises outlined in PFD Training Manual Supplement #7 (See Appendix B)
• Sixteen hours on-street tillering are required with both day and night training
• Four or more hours must be at night, and Appendix C and the company log book must reflect dates and hours
• Company officers schedule training during non-emergency situations

Tiller Qualification

• When the firefighter demonstrates proficiency in tillering, the company officer forwards a memorandum to the Safety Office to schedule tiller qualification
• The memorandum must include personnel information, and the completed checksheets must accompany the memorandum (Appendices A-1, B, C)
• The company officer keeps a copy of these training checksheets in the firefighter's personnel folder
• The firefighter will be tested by the Safety Office upon receipt of the memorandum and Appendix forms A-1, B and C

Tiller Training Administration

• The Safety Office administers a written test, a tillering skills test, and an on-street tillering test
• The firefighter is qualified by the Safety Office upon completion of all requirements, and able to train to drive a tiller ladder
• If a firefighter fails to successfully complete requirements, they will continue tiller training, and the company officer will forward a memorandum to the Safety Office listing the areas where retraining occurred and the dates completed
• The firefighter will be qualified at the Safety Office upon successfully addressing the areas of concern

Tiller Apparatus Driver Training

• Before driving a tiller apparatus, the firefighter must qualify to tiller
• Previously qualified drivers will be trained as outlined in Section 4.2.2
• The company officer ensures the Driver Training Review and checksheets are complete before beginning off-street driver training

Driving Operations for Tillers

• The company officer then begins off-street driver training
• On-street driver training begins when the firefighter has demonstrated the ability to safely complete the driving exercises outlined in PFD Training Manual Supplement #7
• A minimum of 16 on-street driving hours are required along with the personnel data
• Appendix C must be completed to successfully document this

Tiller Ladder Operations and Certification

• Hands-on training should cover all operational aspects of main ladder & maintenance
• If the firefighter is shown proficiency, The Company Officer will forward a memo to the Fire Academy (or Safety Office, just for driving qualifications), to schedule the Driver/Operator certification
• The Firefighter's name, rank, pay number, etc AND prior Tiller certifications are required in the memo with training checklists
• They will undergo all the testing and administration procedures
• Upon successful completion, the member will be certified

Medic Unit Driver Training

• A firefighter/emergency medical technician will not drive a medic unit until qualified to drive an engine or ladder
• The fire service paramedic and fire service EMT will begin driver training during the fire academy cadet curriculum and will be tested before completion of his/her internship
• The driver training checksheets will be initialed and dated by the member and the training officer and EMS preceptor

EMS Protocol and On-Street Training for Medics

• EMS training will provide personnel with all training review material listed in Appendix A
• The safety officer will review and test the personnel on all training material and initial and date Appendix A-1
• The safety officer and staff will test personnel utilizing the Driving and Tillering Maneuvers Skill Course during the EVOC
• Remedial training will be provided to those who do not display competence
• On-street happens after all the requirements for safe diving have been met
• Paramedic preceptor/EMS must make appointments to the Safety Office

Training and Proficiency

• During internship/ride along period, the FSP perceptor/EMS field officer will ensure that a minimum of 16 on-street driving hours are performed and dates/times are recorded in Appendix C
• If the FSP preceptor/EMS felt the need to schedule more non-emergency situations for on-street training, a memo must be made

Medics Requirements

• All FSPs/EMS are to be sure to familiarize themselves reverse into ER access areas
• The all must familiarize themselves with hospital access areas
• Paramedics are to follow guidelines for maintenance
• When the FSP/FSE has demonstrated proficiency in training through EMS training, a driving qualification test will occur

Successful Qualifications

• If the member demonstrated proficiency, the testing will consist of maneuvers
• The results of an FSE exam are documented by memos and training checksheets
• The paramedic will be driver-qualified pending;

Medic Training Requirements for certification

• 16 hour EVOC course
  • Consisting of classroom instruction AND drill simulator training
• Completion of Appendix A-1 review
• Completion of appendix B Driving/Tillering exercises
• On road Completion of Appendix C D
• Finalization of Road Exam and the review

Remedial Action from The Safety Office

• After training outlined, if training requirements are not met, the FSP must be retested under direct advisement from the safety director

Driving Other Apparatus

• If members are training for apparatus not talked about above, they must be qualified and documented by the company officer

Airport Driving Training

• Airport personnel will receive and conduct training under the airport officers

New Apparatus Training

• Documentation of training and qualifications are recorded by the airport training officer
• And a module must be created to accommodate
• FAA, PFD’s and the divisions guides must be adhered by

Key Resources

• The standards for the PFD is the NFPA’s 1001’s
• The PFD must also utilize the standard for operation of QUALIFIED drivers/operators

Other Important NFPA’s

• Qualified Fire Officers = NFPA 1021
• All must adhere to the Standards for service vehicle operation NFPA 1451
• And OSHA’s, Fire Department Health and Safety plan. NFPA 1500

General PA Law governing emergency vehicles

• Title 75, chapter 3 part iii
• Rights the Driver when in emergency vehicles, states no signal devices required
• It is up to the driver’s care, to drive with safety in mind
• Emergency preemption devices must be promulgated to traffic laws
• All must adhere to school bus rules