Hoffman Estates Fire Department Standard Operating Guidelines - PDF

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 018 September 1, 2023 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: T...

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 018 September 1, 2023 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Telephone Use Revision: 5 APPROVED BY: NUMBER OF PAGES: Re-evaluation Date: Alan Wax January 1, 2024 Fire Chief 3 PURPOSE To establish criteria and guidelines relating to proper use of Department and personal telephone use. Telephones, cell phones, IPads, and voice mail are a part of the Village’s electronic communications system. The term “Cell Phone” shall apply to all electronic devices capable of receiving or sending phone calls, text messages and or emails: A. Department owned cellular phones use. B. Personal owned cellular phones use. C. Business telephone with outside lines found in the stations. POLICY A. Department cellular phones: 1. All Department cellular phones, other than Department assigned staff/divisional phones, are to be used exclusively for communications related to emergencies or Fire Department Administration. 2. Cameras on Department cellular phones shall only be used when needed to document an incident or in the course of official Department business. B. Personal cellular phones: 1. Personnel shall not use any personally owned cell phones to photograph, document, or record any emergency scene/incident while on-duty and in attendance as a member of the Fire Department at those scenes. 1  2. On occasion there may be a need for making or receiving a personal telephone call. Employee contact during working hours, as defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Appendix C, Section 4, with family members and other personal activities must be limited to essential and emergency matters. Such use shall be of short duration, and for neither business conducted for personal gain or from outside employment. C. Business telephones with outside lines, found in the stations: 1. All incoming calls of a non-Fire Department business nature are to be limited to a maximum length of five minutes. 2. All incoming calls to the fire stations are to be answered giving the station number, rank and last name of the person answering the phone. Example: “Station 23, Firefighter Smith.” 3 All outgoing calls are to be of a Fire Department business nature. NOTE: The use of the telephones found in the stations is considered a privilege and is not to be used as a "free phone". RESPONSIBILITIES A. Cellular Phones: 1. Department cellular phones are the property of the Village provided at its expense. All information and messages that are created, sent, received, accessed or stored through this system constitutes official Village records and are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and by subpoena. 2. The appropriate use of Department cellular phones is the responsibility of all personnel assigned to the apparatus in which the Department cellular phone is located. 3. The Fire Department prohibits the use of cell phones that creates unsafe work situations. Personnel shall not engage themselves in personal cell phone conversations or text messaging, while engaged in firefighting activities, emergency operations, patient care, patient transport, and/or on the scene of any emergency call. 4. Personnel may photograph, document, or record emergency scenes utilizing Department owned devices with proper authorization from the Fire Chief or 2  incident commander of the scene. Any electronic media documenting the incident such as digital pictures, videos or other records of the incident that are collected by any member of the Department shall remain property of the Fire Department. 5. Such electronic media and/or other documentation shall be for internal, investigation or training uses and shall not be transmitted by any means outside the Department unless expressly authorized by the Fire Chief or their designee. Photos and videos taken on the Illinois Tollway are to be used for internal training purposes only and not to be shared outside the department without prior approval from the Fire Chief and the Illinois Tollway Authority. 6. As of January 1, 2014, Illinois law bans the use of all hand-held devices while driving in Illinois. Only hands-free technology such as speakerphones, Bluetooth, and headsets are permitted. In addition: (1) all cell phone use is prohibited while driving in a school zone; (2) all cell phone use is prohibited while driving in a highway construction zone, and (3) all cell phone use is prohibited if you are a novice driver. All Illinois drivers are prohibited from texting. B. Business telephones with outside lines, found in the stations: 1. The Company Officer(s) or Acting Officer(s) assigned to the station where the telephone is located is (are) responsible to monitor the appropriate use of these business telephone. The standard of reasonable and prudent supervision will be applied in each situation. 2. All firefighters and officers are responsible to follow these guidelines and each may be held financially responsible for their own non-compliance with the appropriate and approved use of these phones. PROCEDURES EXCEPTIONS REFERENCES Village Policy Manual – 2018: Telephone Usage and Personal Electronic Devices Policy Collective Bargaining Labor Agreement – Appendix C, Section 4 DEFINITIONS End of Document 3