D-28

Watch Duty Policy

• All Philadelphia Fire Department stations must have a member on "Watch Duty" when occupied.

Master Watch List

• A Master Watch List is an assignment roster of members performing Watch Duty.

Member Responsibility

• Each member is responsible for appropriate control as dictated by rank.

Officers and Unit Heads Responsibilities

• Station Captains develop and maintain an updated Master Watch List of assigned members for Watch Duty.
• Company officers post a list of members performing Watch Duty based on the Master Watch List at each tour, including medic unit and detailed members.
• Station Captains post a list of approved perimeter companies in clear view of the member on watch, as found in Appendix A.
• Company officers ensure watch duties are properly conducted according to the directive.
• Company officers ensure newly appointed members are trained in watch desk duties and procedures.
• Upon an extra alarm notification, officers proceed to the watch desk and take action.
• At 0700 and 1900 hours, the responsible or ranking officer ending their tour reviews Watch Desk Log entries since the last official entry.
• The relieving member assumes responsibilities if an officer is properly relieved before the tour ends.
• Discrepancies are brought to the attention of the concerned member(s) and noted in the officer’s official entry with names.
• Information is entered in the Officer’s Log Book and brought to the off-going platoon officer's attention.
• When Controller's or District Attorney's Office representatives arrive at a fire station, their business is stated, and clearance is obtained from the Fire Commissioner via Fire Department channels.
• Station captains ensure companies in the station have 3X5 box response cards at the watch desk area and on the apparatus, with all sets kept up to date.
• Perform related duties as required.
• Ensure that no personal multimedia/entertainment devices whether wired or wireless like game consoles, tablets are in the watch desk area.
• Ensure fire phones are used for official Fire Department business only, with fire phone numbers not given to the public.

Members on Watch Responsibilities

• Members must be ready 5 minutes before the start of watch duty.
• Remain alert and at the watch desk until properly relieved.
• Make a visual check of the Box Response Cards Box, manuals, and ensure all communication systems are on.
• Members must maintain the Watch Desk Log as per the directive.
• Members perform no more than 2 hours of consecutive watch duty during day (0800-2000) and night (2000-0800) tours of duty.
• Members maintain order on the apparatus floor in the absence of an officer.
• Watch desk areas must be kept neat and clean.
• Telephones are answered promptly and in the prescribed manner, with double houses using the engine company identification number, single ladder houses use the ladder company identification number.
• Members ensure MITs (Mobile in Tray) stay on the station’s assigned radio band.
• Radios, approved TVs, and multimedia/communication devices are kept at a lower tone level than the Public Address System (PAS) and MITs.
• Follow procedures when units respond to alarms: turn on fire lights, pause, sound station bells, give information to the commanding officer, including Code of Response (Directive #42), and accompany the unit.
• Alert officers immediately on all extra alarms.
• Inform officers of all unusual messages, including adverse weather conditions.
• Messages about a member’s lateness, going off sick, or leaving home while being off sick or injured are not accepted by the watch member.
• Sound station bells at 0700 hours and anytime unusual conditions arise that cannot be handled or take the member out of hearing range of communications equipment without proper relief.
• Members are responsible for receiving visitors and promptly announcing them to the proper officer, sounding station bells for officials: one bell for a Battalion Chief, two for a Deputy Chief and above.
• Report any defects in the communications system to the officer in charge.
• Conduct tests on communications systems as directed by OIT Communications Services or Supervisor of the Fire Communications Center.
• Do not tamper with any communications equipment, and do not allow anyone else to tamper with the equipment.
• Control use of the fire phone by non-Fire Department members, directing doubtful individuals to the officer in charge.
• Unauthorized loitering is not permitted in the watch desk area.
• Approval from the officer in charge is needed before exchanging watch tours of duty.
• Perform related duties as required.

Battalion Chief Responsibilities

• If a unit fails to respond to an alarm, the Battalion Chief will respond to the fire station involved, and will obtain the watch desk log and forward it with other incident reports.
• Check the position and/or level of all on/off switches and volume controls, including extension speakers.
• Request tests from the FCC on the Public Address System, Mobile in Tray, Station Printer, and Fire Phone; include the results with other reports.
• Obtain statements from all involved individuals, including the officer in charge, watch member, and witnesses.
• Check company records for previously reported communications problems.
• Check the status of these complaints at the time of the missed response.
• Personally check perimeter companies watch desk logs to confirm appropriate responses were received and recorded, including the entry and the five entries logged prior to the alarm.

Watch Desk Log

• The Watch Desk Log serves as an official station record for Fire Department alarms and information.
• It is to be used by the watch duty member under a company officer's supervision.
• Entries are recorded legibly with a blue or black ballpoint pen.
• No pages or parts of pages are removed from the log.
• The officer in charge makes entries inside the front cover when the log is started and finished, including Snorkel 2, Battalion 4 Started 9/1/13 (Initial entry) Completed 12/15/13 (Final entry).
• When starting a new log book, center the day and date on the top line of page one, drawing a line beneath the last entry recorded at 2400 hours, recording the following day's date on the next line, with no skipped lines or pages, and one day beginning other than on the top line of the page and continued onto a succeeding page, the day and date will then be entered on the top line of the succeeding page, as above.

Signing on Watch

• Watch members sign their name, rank, badge number, platoon, and time when assuming watch duty, including cover-up companies and medic unit members left alone in the station.

Recording Alarms

• After an initial tone alert, the FCC transmits all alarms simultaneously over the PAS and MITs, and a printer provides a hard copy response.
• Incidents are recorded with the time, code of response, and all responding companies using abbreviations, with the Fire Under Control (FUC) time recorded after the incident: Example shown Box 32 21st & Market Sts. Q43, 20, 24, 44, L9, L23, Bn1 & 11 FUC 0830 hrs.
• Perimeter company responses as listed in Appendix A are recorded like: S2 3rd & Arch Sts. (Asst. Police), and E11 4th & Chestnut Sts. (Med. Emer.).

Recording Responses

• Station unit responses are marked with an asterisk: "*0840 E5 – 36th & Spruce Sts – Alarm System", and "*0840 L6 – 36th & Spruce Sts – Alarm System", and include the return time.
• If units respond on other than the first alarm, it is recorded as "*0505 S2 Box 5441 Ogontz & Nedro Aves. 3rd Alarm – Ret 0615".
• Multiple alarms are recorded as "0515 Box 5441 Ogontz & Nedro Aves 2nd Alarm Logistic Co E73, E61, Q9, E59, E55, L18, LT22 Bn8, Logistic Officer Bn10, Bn12, Bn3".
• Units responding to the 2nd alarm are entered directly beneath the 2nd alarm entry, continuing for subsequent alarms, with an entry made on the initial box line after the fire is under control.

Announcements

• Orders received over the PAS or station printer are recorded, for instance: "0805 Heat index of 90 or greater. Authorized to wear department-approved T-shirt until 2400 hrs" and "0900 the American Flag will be displayed at half-mast from sunrise to sunset over all fire stations until further notice".
• Messages received over PAS or station printer concerning the station are recorded.
• For example "1010 Race St. between 4th and 5th Sts. closed to traffic until 1800 hrs this date." and "1141 Low pressure hydrant O.O.S. SWC Front & Arch Sts."

Companies Going out of Service

• Companies going out of service are recorded with the time, company/unit designation, and out-of-service remark. The return time of all companies/units is noted to the extreme right of the entry (e.g., "1500 E52 OOS Ret. 1600").

Mechanics and Repairmen

• Record the time of arrival, title, name, department, brief description of repairs made, and departure time. Record out and return time if mechanic(s) and/or repairmen leave for equipment or supplies. Example: "1000 Mr. Cooper and Peck (OFM) at station to replace pumper windshield. Left station – 1130", and "1030 Mr. Hake and Shaw, PP painters at station to paint apparatus room ceiling. Out for supplies 1130 Ret. 1215. Left station – 1415 Job completed".

Department Entries

• All entries of companies leaving the station for reasons other than responding to alarms are recorded. For instance, "0900 E51 on block check. Ret 1200" and "0900 L29 on driver training. Ret 1000".
• Actions by company personnel not related to fire fighting are entered in the log. Example: "0830 Test received over PAS, MIT, and station printer" and "0930 Called 911 – Police – Burglar alarm 419 Cherry St".

Abbreviations

• Abbreviations which are currently in use in the Department may be used when recording entries in log.

Disposition of Completed Log

• Completed watch desk logs are stored at the company level until instructed otherwise.

Forms required

• Watch Desk Log: Order Record Book via Office Supply form located on P drive in V & W folder under Warehouse files.
• Status of Hydrant Report: Located on T drive in Forms PDF folder.

Appendices

• Appendix A: List of Perimeter Companies - Engines and Ladders
• Appendix B: List of Perimeter Companies - Medic Units