Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) Hostage/Barricade Events PDF

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) TLEI – Hostage/Barricade Events Effective Date: 01/01/2017 Procedure Number 04-17B Revised Date: Number of Pages...

Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) TLEI – Hostage/Barricade Events Effective Date: 01/01/2017 Procedure Number 04-17B Revised Date: Number of Pages 6 1. Overview On occasion, Salt Lake City Fire Department (SLCFD) suppression/EMS units may be called upon to standby during Law Enforcement (LE) tactical team operations. LE SWAT Teams are frequently faced with extremely violent perpetrators, barricaded subjects, clandestine drug laboratories, and hostage rescue situations that may involve violent behavior and the use of military type weapons. Barricaded subjects and hostage rescue operations specifically hold a high potential for both civilian and LE casualties. Care of any casualties is a shared responsibility between the SLCFD and LE. Further, not only has fire been used by perpetrators as weapon during these type of events, some tactics and techniques utilized by SWAT in an effort to safely resolve these situations could result, however unlikely, in a fire. Pre-staging SLCFD suppression and EMS personnel during these events will minimize the response time and improve the eventual outcome of these high-risk LE incidents. 2. Definitions Barricaded Subject: An incident shall be considered a Barricaded Subject when: The suspect is believed to be armed and, The suspect is believed to have been involved in a criminal act; or is a significant threat to the lives and safety of citizens and/or police; and, The suspect is in a position of advantage, affording cover and concealment; or, is contained in an open area and the presence or approach of police officers would be unsafe, and, The suspect refuses to submit to custody. Casualty Collection Point (CCP): A specific designated location within the Cold Zone and outside of the Inner Perimeter where casualties are assembled to be triaged, treated, and transported to a medical treatment facility. This is a safe location where SLCFD personnel can interface with LE operations and receive casualties without the threat of injury or violence. Containment: The isolation of a specific geographic area by LE officers in an effort to deny subjects from escaping the scene and preventing others from entering the area. Explosive Breach: Use of explosives to breach entry/access points. The precise application of measured amounts of explosive compounds such as detcord or strip shaped charges in a highly focused manner to explosively affect an opening. Improvised Explosive Device (IED): A device placed or fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 1 of 6 destroy, incapacitate, harass, or distract. It may incorporate military stores, but is normally devised from nonmilitary components. Inner Perimeter: A geographically defined area in which subjects are contained. Entrance and egress is controlled by law enforcement. Typically, this is the outer wall of the structure/building or the property boundaries in which the incident occurred. Hostage: A person held by force or fear against their will by a hostage taker as security that specified terms or an ultimatum will be met before the captured person is freed or unharmed. Hostage Taker: A person who seizes or holds someone against their will as security typically threatening them with violence unless the fulfillment of a condition is met. Operational Zones: Geographic locations or areas established based on the severity of the threat or hazard. Hot Zone: The geographic location within the Inner Perimeter in immediate proximity to a known threat (i.e. any uncontrolled area where an subject could directly engage others). Individuals within this zone are capable of taking effective incoming hostile fire or in other ways being injured. Warm Zone: The geographic location either inside or outside of the Inner Perimeter but may still be in the general proximity of a known or potential threat (i.e. an area where LE has either cleared or isolated the threat to a level of minimal or mitigated risk). Individuals within this zone are less likely of taking effective incoming hostile fire through the use of LE perimeter protection, hard cover, structure layout, and/or distance. This area can be considered “clear” but not “secure.” Cold Zone: The geographic location outside of the Inner Perimeter and well away from any known or potential threat. Individuals within this zone are no longer capable of taking any incoming hostile fire through the use of hard cover and distance. When determining Operational Zones, do not get fixated on concentric circles surrounding the scene; zones might be discontinues, asymmetrical, and dynamic depending on the threat’s locations. Noise Flash Diversionary Device (NFDD): AKA Flash-Bang is a non-lethal device creating a bright flash and loud report designed to temporarily divert the attention of persons in the immediate vicinity, giving tactical teams a window of opportunity to exploit to their advantage. Outer Perimeter: A larger area encompassing the Inner Perimeter, which is controlled by law enforcement and from which the public is excluded. Typically the city block in which the incident occurred. Rescue Task Force (RTF): A combination of SLCFD and LE Force Protection personnel deployed within the Warm Zone to areas that are clear but not necessarily secure to provide point-of- wound care to casualties. RTFs assess, treat, stabilize, and prepare casualties for removal from the Warm Zone to the Casualty Collection Point where they can then be triaged and receive definitive care and/or transportation to the hospital. RTFs wear Ballistic Personal Protective Equipment and operate under the direction of the RTF Team Leader and report to the Rescue Group Supervisor. As a minimum, an RTF shall have two SLCFD medical personnel and two 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 2 of 6  armed Force Protection officers. However, the ideal configuration is four LE officers and four medical providers. SWAT Team: An acronym for Special Weapons and Tactics team. A designated law enforcement team whose members are recruited, selected, trained, equipped and assigned to resolve high- risk critical incidents involving a threat to public safety which would otherwise exceed the capabilities of traditional law enforcement first responders and/or investigative units Tactical Command: Commands and coordinates the tactical law enforcement response within the inner perimeter of an incident. Tactical Operations Center (TOC): The location where law enforcement tactical operations are coordinated through the incident’s LE Tactical Commander. The TOC may or may not be co- located with the Unified Command Post. Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Guidelines: The civilian equivalent of the military’s combat medical guidelines (i.e. TCCC). TECC guidelines account for the unique operational considerations and limitations of medical operations in high-risk conditions and prioritize and focus medical efforts to only what must be done to affect survival. Tactical Medics (TMs): Specially trained and equipped SLCFD personnel currently assigned to the SLCPD SWAT Team. They are sworn SFOs/LEOs and trained in the principles of TECC/TCCC and LE tactical operations. Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS): TEMS encompasses the mission-preplanning, preventative care, and medical treatment rendered during mission driven, high-risk, large-scale, and extended law enforcement tactical operations. The TEMS scope of practice includes medical interventions that further the health and safety of all law enforcement personnel and others at the scene. It is intended to reduce the incidence of injury, illness, disability, and death associated with police operations. TEMS adapts and incorporates sound medical practices with police tactics for use in operations characterized by competing mission objectives, diagnostic uncertainty, limited resources, and performance decrement under stress to permit the delivery of effective medical care in an unfolding law enforcement mission. 3. Guideline The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) doctrine involving barricaded subjects and hostage situations generally calls for the initial responding patrol officers to an establish containment, isolating the general area and preventing the escape of the subject(s) thereby minimizing harm or danger to any additional individuals. For a hostage taking, an LE Emergency Action Team is also created form the first arriving officers. As part of this procedure, additional LE specialty units are called to the scene (e.g. SWAT, negotiators, TEMS, etc.). This may also include a request for SLCFD resources. These resources typically include on duty SLCFD suppression crews and SLCFD Tactical Medics (TMs). A. Due to the nature and tactics used at barricade and hostage taking incidents, SLCFD fire suppression resources may be requested to standby and stage by the LE Tactical Command. Historically, barricaded subjects and hostage takers have used both IEDs and fire itself as a 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 3 of 6  tool of violence. Further, though unlikely, the deployment of NFDDs and explosive breaching charges by SWAT may result in a fire. SLCFD personnel staged at the scene should be prepared both for immediate fire suppression activities and to receive any casualties removed from the Inner Perimeter by the Tactical Medics. B. The first arriving SLCFD unit on scene shall: 1. Confirm the nature of the incident (e.g. hostage taking, barricade, etc.) 2. Respond to an initial staging area in close proximity to the incident but at a safe location. SLCFD units should not respond directly to the scene of a barricade or hostage situation until instructed to do so by the Dispatch Center and/or the on scene law enforcement officers. 3. Upon arrival, provide a scene size-up to the Dispatch Center and other responding units. Consider designating a specific approach route for other responding units. 4. Establish initial Fire Command for SLCFD resources and amend the response as needed. Typically, for a barricaded subject only a single engine and ambulance response is needed. During a hostage taking, consider establishing a Rescue Task Force as a contingency during the early stages of the incident before SWAT arrives. The situation may change from a hostage taking to an Active Shooter Event/killing in progress, in which case LE officers will enter as Contact Teams. Having an RTF contingency on stand-by if that occurs before SWAT and TMs arrive could result if quicker casualty access and treatment. 5. Designate a staging area for other responding units. Consider an area that is not in direct line of sight or in immediate proximity to the scene. C. Upon establishing Command, the IC shall: 1. Assume command of the SLCFD resources. For a barricaded subject, Unified Command is typically not needed or established. SLCFD resources can simply standby in staging until needed for fire suppression or to receive a casualty from the TMs. For a hostage taking with multiple hostages, co-locate with the on scene, in- charge law enforcement agency IC and establish a Unified Command. Establish a Command Post if not otherwise established. 2. Work with the law enforcement IC to identify the Operational Zones, possibly by making use of a map or drawing, and ensure that SLCFD or other non-law enforcement personnel do not enter the area. 3. Provide a quick briefing to all resources on scene. 4. If the possibility for numerous casualties exists, determine the location of the Casualty Collection Point and reroute responding EMS resources to that area. 5. Request additional resources for casualty treatment and transport, fire suppression, hazardous materials, and explosive hazards as needed. 6. Make any Working Incident or other notifications as per SOP. D. If a legitimate threat of explosion or fire exists, a Fire Group shall be designated. The Fire Group is configured to suppress fires and coordinate any other SLCFD non-EMS operational needs of the incident. Additional groups (e.g. HRT, HazMat, etc.) may need to be created or 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 4 of 6  developed as well, based upon the dynamics of the incident. The Fire Group Supervisor shall: 1. Determine the type and number of SLCFD resources needed and request that they respond to a designated safe staging area. 2. Request/secure Force Protection as needed. Designate and operate on a separate radio channel from the rest of the event. 3. Confirm that open travel routes exist for responding fire apparatus and establish a safe staging area. 4. Communicate the boundaries of the incident’s Operational Zones to all companies and ensure that SLCFD personnel stay out of those areas that hold a threat of violence. 5. Under no circumstances should SLCFD personnel enter or move through the Hot Zone to deploy ladders, hose lines, or other equipment. 6. Be aware that fire can be used as a weapon. 7. Consider allowing active fire to burn until the security and safety of fire suppression personnel can be confirmed by law enforcement. E. At the scene of a barricaded subject or hostage taking, SLCFD Tactical Medics are considered a tactical asset and operate directly under the command of the SLCPD SWAT Leadership and LE Tactical Command. TMs are tasked with the following primary responsibilities: 1. Provide immediate, on scene basic and advanced life support and medical care to tactical officers, hostages, bystanders, and others during tactical operations. 2. Ensure continued team health and wellbeing during team deployments. 3. Advise Tactical Command and/or negotiators of any medically specific information during hostage or barricade situations. 4. Act as an officer advocate/liaison during any post-injury management. If an injury occurs within the Inner Perimeter Hot or Warm Zones during a barricade or hostage situation, TMs will access and initiate patient care as per the SLCFD TEMS Guidelines and move any casualties to the Outer Perimeter Cold Zone and/or a CCP were care can be transferred to staged SLCFD medical providers. F. If there is a possibility for multiple hostages and/or casualties, Command should request an SLCFD Active Shooter Event Assignment (SLCFD SOG 04-17A) and/or an MCI Assignment (SLCFD SOG 06-5B) to standby at the scene. Command should establish a Medical Group and SLCFD resources should prepare for RTF and MCI operations as per SOG. The Medical Group is configured to receive the casualties and manage the triage, treatment, transfer and transportation of casualties from the Casualty Collection Point to the local hospitals. The Medical Group Supervisor shall: 1. Before or as part of the initial triage, ensure that a body search for weapons is performed on all persons entering the Casualty Collection Point from the incident sight. 2. Implement the SLCFD Mass Casualty policy, as well as the District 2B Protocol (Mass Casualty Incident Plan) and the Triage and Treatment Protocol. 3. Assign Triage, Treatment, Transfer, and Transport officers. 4. Confirm that open travel routes exist for responding EMS vehicles to access the Casualty Collection Point and that the path away from the incident area is clear for ambulances when transporting to the hospital. 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 5 of 6  5. Direct the Dispatch Center to advise local hospitals to prepare to receive casualties of a hostage MCI. 6. Ensure documentation for all casualties is complete. G. Other general SLCFD considerations: 1. Do NOT Self-Dispatch. Safety and accountability issues are only some of the problems caused by this. If not formally requested by the Dispatch Center, SLCFD apparatus and personnel shall not respond to the scene. 2. Use extreme caution when approaching the scene and minimize personnel exposed to unnecessary risk throughout the operation. 3. Consider turning off emergency lights and warning devices before arrival. 4. If bystanders become hostile, extricate yourself and advise Dispatch and/or Command. 5. Work as teams or in pairs as a minimum. Never go anywhere alone. 6. When deploying SLCFD personnel on special assignments, if possible assign a team spotter. Their role is to observe, identify, and avoid threats while the balance of the team executes their tactical assignment. 7. Consider the possibility of IEDs or other secondary devices. If this is a real possibility, designate a second level of staging for the balance of responding resources until they are needed and can be advanced in safely. 8. While the saving of life is the primary role of SLCFD responders, all personnel on scene should remain cognizant of the need for crime scene preservation. Do not touch or move items unnecessarily or in other ways alter the scene. Report any suspicious activity or persons to LE immediately. H. Tactical Law Enforcement Incidents and Hostage/Barricade Event can take many hours to completely resolve. Although the scene may appear to be static, until the suspect(s) is in custody and all potential threats neutralized, these incidents present the potential to turn deadly without notice. It is essential that SLCFD personnel remain alert to their surroundings and situations at all times and closely monitor all developments. 04-17B Hostage Barricade Events (SOG), Page 6 of 6