Directive #35

• The Philadelphia Fire Department Directive #35 concerns the death of a member and funeral arrangements
• It was created in April 2016

Policy

• The Fire Department will formally acknowledge deaths of members killed in the line of duty designated by the Fire Commissioner
• All Fire Department personnel who die while on active duty get an honor guard if requested by their next of kin

Definitions

• Color Guard: A ceremonial team of an officer and four firefighters from the Fire Prevention Division with special equipment and training
• Family Liaison Officer (FLO): An officer assigned by the Fire Commissioner represents the Department to the family of the deceased and handles short-term death/funeral issues
• In most cases, the deceased member's commanding officer serves as the FLO
• An assistant FLO will be assigned when necessary at the discretion of Fire Commissioner
• Honor Guard: 10-12 selected uniformed members in Class “A” uniform stand at the head and foot of the casket during the viewing and are relieved every 10-15 minutes by the Training Division staff
• Honor guard members usually come from the deceased member's company, station, or battalion, but there are no set criteria and the FLO manages the selection process.
• Pallbearers: People chosen by the deceased's family to carry the casket
• If non-uniformed pallbearers are used, a secondary team of uniformed members will ceremoniously place and remove the casket from a designated fire apparatus
• The FLO ensures cooperation and provides the names of all pallbearers to the Training Division.

Responsibilities

• In a line-of-duty death, the incident commander or ranking officer at a non-emergency site must have the FCC Supervisor notify the Fire Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners immediately
• Fire Commissioner designated Fire Communications Center Supervisor will announce "Attention all companies – all officers and members stand by to receive an announcement from the Fire Commissioner"
• The firefighter on watch will sound the house bell to assemble the company if the company is not in roll call formation
• The company assembles at attention in roll call formation at or near the watch desk
• One minute after the initial announcement, the Fire Communications Center Supervisor will then announce the death
• The announcement includes the member's rank, name, company, number, the box number, address, time, and date of death
• Note that the exact wording will be approved by the Fire Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner
• The exterior of Fire Headquarters and all stations will be draped with black bunting which will remain in place until 1700 hours on the seventh day after the funeral

Specific Roles

• The Director of Training, with a support team headed by the "Funeral Operations Officer," will plan, manage, and coordinate all operational aspects of a "Firefighter Funeral,” including the viewing, motorcade, church service, interment, and memorial service
• The Executive Officer, with the Employee Relations Officer and the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (C.I.S.D.) Team, will handle emotional/stress problems and hold defusing and debriefing sessions, activating back-up Employee Assistance Program (E.A.P.) counselors as needed
• The Employee Relations Officer, along with the Executive Officer and C.I.S.D. Team, will handle emotional/stress problems and hold defusing and debriefing sessions, activating back-up E.A.P. counselors as needed
• The Family Liaison Officer (FLO) will handle short-term death/funeral issues, serving for 4–6 weeks, providing a manual of responsibilities and procedures for handling claims, benefits, and compensation
• An assistant FLO may be activated in certain situations
• The Chief of the Fire Prevention Division, working with the Director of Training, will act as the Public Information Officer (PIO) at all funeral-related events, ensuring press activities align with the family's and Department's desires, and provide the Department's Color Guard
• The Chief of the Emergency Medical Services Division, working with the Director of Training, will provide emergency medical services staffing and apparatus
• The Chief of the Technical Support Unit, working with the Director of Training and the Apparatus and Equipment Officers, will plan, supervise, coordinate, and follow up on funeral-related issues pertaining to apparatus and/or equipment, acting as liaison to Fleet Management
• The Personnel Officer will assist the FLO in addressing and resolving matters relating to employee benefits, compensation, etc.

General Information

• Family Notification: The Department forms a three-person “Family Notification Team” for a prompt, official, face-to-face notification
• The team includes a uniformed chief officer, an Employee Assistance Program Unit staff counselor, and another member, briefed and provided with a city vehicle

Operational Guidelines

• The Department maintains a 14-page booklet, "IN THE LINE-OF-DUTY" DEATH NOTIFICATION GUIDELINES (12/91), addressing command officer and initial notification-team key issues
• These booklets are available with key personnel and facilitate addressing complex and emotional issues during initial family notification
• Each “Firefighter Funeral” is a unique event primary shaped by the family's wishes, physical limitations of the funeral home and church, logistical constraints, and concurrent activities
• Under the supervision of the Director of Training/Training Division staff, guidelines for "Firefighter Funerals" include
• A planning meeting with the cleric, funeral director, cemetery director, etc., ensures cooperation
• Training Division staff will survey the funeral home, church, cemetery, preparing detailed sketches and maps of routes, locations, positions, capacities, weight restrictions, and overhead obstructions
• Times, locations, and uniform of the day for all Department assemblies are selected
• When practical, a nearby fire station can serve as an assembly point or staging area
• Pallbearers get white gloves and instructions from Training Division staff and funeral director; gloves are returned to Training Division staff
• A Training Division staff officer will coordinate the commands to all formations
• When the casket is in motion outside a structure, the formation will offer a "Hand Salute"
• Examples include from the funeral home to the hearse, from the hearse to the church, from the church to the hearse, and from the hearse to the grave site
• When the casket is placed inside the hearse, enters the church, is secured to the apparatus, or comes to rest at the grave site, the command "Two" will be given
• The FLO will make all formal introductions of dignitaries to the next of kin, assisted by Training Division staff and the Chief of the Fire Prevention Division
• On-duty members at stations along the traffic route will line up in Class "A" uniform and salute the funeral procession, coordinated by the field deputy chief and Training Division staff
• If the American Flag is to be presented, the Training Division staff will handle this with a three-person team versed in protocol
• The flag is presented to the Director of Training, then to the Fire Commissioner, who presents it to the next of kin
• At the conclusion of each event, on-duty members return to assignments, and excused members are identified
• The Training Division maintains a manual entitled “PHILADELPHIA FIRE ACADEMY, FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS: LINE-OF-DUTY DEATH” with detailed instructions on each phase of the funeral process