Hoffman Estates Fire Department Standard Operating Guidelines PDF

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 030 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Award and Recogn...

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: ADMINISTRATIVE – 030 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Award and Recognition Program Revision: 5 APPROVED BY: NUMBER OF PAGES: Re-evaluation Date: Alan Wax January 1, 2024 Fire Chief 6 PURPOSE This SOG establishes the Hoffman Estates Fire Department Award and Recognition Program. It is the policy of the Hoffman Estates Fire Department to appropriately recognize members of the department, on or off duty, or members of the community, who perform acts of distinct heroism or who provide outstanding service to the department, or the public safety of the community. A member of the fire department is any employee, sworn or civilian. DEFINITIONS AWARDS COMMITTEE The Awards Committee is a selection board made up of five (5) fire department members appointed by the Fire Chief. The board will meet, as needed, to review and agree or disagree with award recommendations. POLICY NOMINATION CRITERIA Any member of the department may recommend a person for an award. The recommendation must be made on the appropriate form and is to include a statement, which outlines the person’s eligibility for that award. Statements from additional individuals, letters, newspaper articles, etc., which further substantiate the recommendation should be attached. Nominations are completed in the following manner: Nominations for emergency incidents – fire, EMS, etc. 1. The nominee’s company officer or acting officer will initiate the process by completing the nomination form. The company officer will gather all pertinent information including witness statements and all supporting documentation. If 1  the person being nominated is a company officer, the process will begin with the Battalion Chief. 2. The form is then forwarded to the Battalion Chief who will review the nomination, make any comments in the appropriate space and indicate if they agree or disagree with the nomination. 3. The nomination is then forwarded to the Deputy Chief of Administration for staff discussion. Staff will determine whether to form the awards committee or not. If the Staff disagrees with the recommendation they may send it back for changes. If accepted, the awards committee should be formed within 14 days. Nominations for Program Activities, Special Teams, Assignments, etc. 1. The completed nomination form is submitted to the person under whom the individual is responsible, for that program or activity. Example: a recommendation for a Public Education Instructor to receive a non-incident related award, would either originate with, or be submitted to, the Public Education Officer. This individual is to review the nomination, make any comments in the appropriate space and indicate if they agree or disagree with the nomination. 2. The nomination is then forwarded to the Staff Officer responsible for that program, special team, etc. Example: the above nomination would be forwarded to the Deputy Chief of Administration. The officer is to review the nomination, make any comments in the appropriate space and indicate if they agree, or disagree with the nomination. 3. The nomination is forwarded to the Award Committee. All award nominations are submitted to the Committee, regardless of the agreement or disagreement of the reviewing officers. Nominations for civilian awards are sent directly to the Deputy Chief of Administration. These nominations will be reviewed by the Awards Committee and returned to the Deputy Chief of Administration. After the Awards Committee has met, reviewed the nomination, and reached a decision, the reviewing officers will be notified of the decision. In cases where an award is approved, the committee will notify the members of the department by memorandum. AWARD TYPES Medal of Valor The Medal of Valor may be awarded to a member for an outstanding act of public service under unusual circumstances or conditions, and involving a degree of personal risk, while on duty. 2 Award of Merit The Award of Merit may be awarded to a member, village employee or civilian for outstanding accomplishment, where the individual has gone far beyond the requirements of their normal assignment. The Award of Merit may be awarded for emergency or non- emergency incidents. May be awarded to an individual upon their retirement for service above the standard. Purple Heart Medal The Purple Heart Medal may be presented to a member who, in the line of duty, suffers a serious wound, injury or death. This award may be presented to a member(s) injured enroute to an emergency, provided the injuries are not due to negligence on the part of the company. Not included are injuries sustained from falls on ice, fire station accidents (slips & falls) etc. Also not included are incidents due to carelessness or self-inflicted injuries, or any injury resulting from conduct that is less than acceptable by Department Standards. Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award may be awarded to any group of two or more fire department members who make up a company, team or group, which has performed in an outstanding manner worthy of recognition on an emergency scene. There is no limit placed on the number of awards, which may be made to any one individual, or unit. Subsequent awards will be an Oak Leaf Cluster mounted in the center of the original award. AWARD TYPES – CIVILIANS Citizen Lifesaving Award The Citizen Lifesaving Award may be made to a person outside the fire department, who has been involved in a lifesaving effort at an emergency incident before the arrival of the fire department, or who has provided extraordinary assistance to the fire department members in a lifesaving effort. Fire department personnel assigned to the incident normally make this nomination. Fire Chief’s Appreciation Award The Fire Chief’s Appreciation Award may be presented to a person outside of the fire department, to recognize their contribution to the Hoffman Estates Fire Department and/or the Village of Hoffman Estates, by exhibiting outstanding efforts to improve the fire department service and/or the quality of life in the Village of Hoffman Estates. 3 ADDITIONAL AWARD TYPES Memos, Certificates, Letters of Commendation May be issued throughout the year, by the Fire Chief, to department members and/or citizens for recognition of commendable actions or performance. Special Award Plaques The Fire Chief and/or his representative may present plaques throughout the year to individuals and/or organizations for special recognition as determined. AWARD DECORATIONS Persons named to receive awards as outlined in this SOG will receive the appropriate decorations. Department/Civilian Medal of Valor (Department Only) 1. Medal of Valor. Ribbon bar [red/white/blue/white/red] 2. Appropriate framed certificates. Award of Merit (Department/Civilian) 1. Award of Merit. Ribbon bar [red/white/red/white/red] 2. Appropriate framed certificates. Purple Heart (Department Only) 1. Purple Heart Medal. Ribbon bar [white/purple/white] 2. Appropriate framed certificates. Individual Department Citation/Commendation 1. Also can be awarded for Firefighter of the year. 2. Ribbon bar [red] 3. Appropriate framed certificates. Unit Citation/Commendation (Department Only) 1. Valorous Unit Award. Ribbon bar [blue] 2. Appropriate framed certificates. WEAR OF DEPARTMENT AWARDS Individual awards are to be worn on the Class A uniform, centered 1/8” above the nameplate. Unit awards are to be worn centered on the right breast pocket, below the nameplate, top edge even with the stitch seam. Order of precedence, will be from the individuals right to left as they wear the coat. 4 Awards received from agencies outside of the Hoffman Estates Fire Department Awards received from agencies outside of the Hoffman Estates Fire Department must be reviewed by the Recognition Committee as well as the Fire Chief to see if the award qualifies to be displayed on the class “A” uniform of the individual receiving the award. Awards of this nature may be considered for conversion into an award that we utilize and may be worn on our uniform. PROCEDURE EXCEPTIONS REFERENCE SUPPLIER Trader John’s Outpost 1173 N. Lafox South Elgin, IL 60177 847-741-3388 5  NOMINATION FOR AWARD/RECOGNITION Date _________________________ Nominee(s): Name_____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ Phone_____________________________________________________________ Company/Shift _____________________________________________________ Date/Shift/Company/Incident Number_____________________________ __________________________________________________________________ I wish to recommend the above individual(s) or unit based on the following: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Attachments _______ Yes ________ No ______________________________ Company Officer Battalion Chief Comments:______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________ Agree ________ Disagree ________________________ Signature Date: ____/_____/_____ End of Document 6