Vehicle Accident Operations Guide

• This document outlines guidelines for safely and reliably approaching and operating at vehicle accidents.
• This applies to all Emergency Operations personnel.
• The responsible authority is the Fire Rescue Administrator.
• The document Issue Date: 05/21/2018, and Effective Date: 06/21/2018

General Procedures

• Refer to SOG 100-01 for Emergency and Non-Emergency Response guidelines..
• The Company Officer may request additional units based on visible conditions, area knowledge, the number of vehicles/patients involved, and other unusual circumstances.

Arrival Report Procedures

• Refer to SOG 210-01 for Arrival Report Communication guidelines.
• Additional resources to consider requesting: Engines, Rescues, EMS Captain, Battalion Chief, closest Aerial, Special Operations for extrication/hazardous materials, Law Enforcement, Utilities, and Road Rangers.
• If hazardous materials are identified, refer to SOG 700-02 (Response to Hazardous Materials-WMD Incidents).

Incident Management

• Refer to SOG 200-02 for Incident Command Sequence guidelines.

Apparatus Placement

• Placement should align with SOG 310-01 Traffic Operations.
• Consider safety hazards when parking, including fuel leaks/spills, hazardous materials, downed electrical power lines, and damage to electrical power poles.

Communications

• The Incident Commander is responsible for broadcasting incident benchmarks as outlined in SOG 210-01.

Scene Stabilization

• Refer to SOG 310-01 Traffic Operations for safety considerations.
• Company Officers must ensure personnel have proper PPE.
• No one is permitted in the Hot Zone without appropriate PPE.
• Live electrical wires should be isolated, and an Exclusion Zone established.

Vehicle Stabilization

• All vehicles damaged in accidents are inherently unstable and require stabilization before extrication can proceed.
• Vehicles should be in park, with engines off and wheels chocked.
• Vehicles on their side or upside down must be cribbed and chocked.
• Special Operations and Aerials carry specialized equipment, including Kodiak/Capabear Claw Stabilization Kits, lift bags, chains, and webbing.

Patient Extrication

• Undeployed airbags are considered "loaded" and can unintentionally deploy.
• It's critical to scan the vehicle's interior to determine the number and location of airbags/curtains.
• Maintain a safe distance between the patient and airbag; hold cervical spine immobilization from the rear when possible.
• Raise tilt steering wheels to the highest position, move seats back, and away from the front dash/steering wheel to minimize trauma if airbags deploy.
• Shut down the vehicle's electrical system as early as possible, cutting the negative, then positive battery cables. Remove ½ inch of cable and cover the ends.
• If removing cable sections isn't possible, remove cables from battery posts and keep them from reconnecting/contacting metal.
• Avoid cutting or crushing loaded side-impact airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioning devices, roll-over bags, knee airbags, and inflatable seatbelts.
• Deploy a 1 ¾" hose line and assign personnel in proper PPE if extrication is in progress to protect from hazards and potential fire threats.
• Prioritize foam application for fuel spills and use absorbent to remove small spills.

Types of Fuel

• Common types in use today: gasoline, diesel, gasoline-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric, biodiesel, ethanol/flex fuel, Propane/Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Natural Gas/Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and fuel cells.
• Each fuel type has unique hazards. Fuel cells are likely hydrogen-based and burn without a visible flame, indicated only by heat signatures on thermal imaging cameras.
• Most laws haven't standardized marking and labeling for fuel types; gasoline-electric hybrids may have yellow or orange high-voltage cables.

Emergency Scene Activities

• The first arriving unit establishes Incident Command and manages the incident until it's transferred or terminated, see SOG 200-02.
• First arriving unit tasks should be to stabilize the scene, stabilize the vehicle(s), provide patient care, and extricate victims.
• For motor vehicle collisions involving minor damage/injuries, vehicles may be moved off the roadway to reduce hazards and traffic obstruction.
• Use orange spray paint to mark vehicle placement before moving them by marking each wheel location.
• If call load permits, a unit can stay on-scene until Law Enforcement arrives, otherwise notify the Communication Center before leaving for another call.

First Arriving EMS Captain Responsibilities

• Complete a 360-degree scene size-up; be assigned as Incident Safety Officer.
• May be used to establish a Medical Group or Division when dealing with multiple victims.

First Arriving Chief Officer Responsibilities

• Assumes Incident Command if the incident is escalating or unstable.
• May work in an advisory capacity with the Incident Commander if the incident is not escalating or unstable.
• If powered hydraulic, electric, or battery tools are needed to extricate victims, the Incident Commander should request the closest Aerial and Special Operations and assign an Extrication Group or Division.