Toronto Fire Services Standard Operating Guideline - Firefighting Operations for Vehicle Fires PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS FOR VEHICLE FIRES Date Issued: June 6, 2022 Rescinds: October 1, 2020 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-FFOV PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for safely and effectively fighting vehicle...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS FOR VEHICLE FIRES Date Issued: June 6, 2022 Rescinds: October 1, 2020 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-FFOV PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for safely and effectively fighting vehicles fires. RESPONSIBILITY All personnel are responsible for following safe and effective operations for fighting vehicle fires. Company Officers are responsible to develop an effective IAP to successfully control and extinguish vehicles involved in fire and to conduct these operations safely and professionally. The Incident Commander’s responsibility is to rescue any patients, stabilize the scene and protect the environment. Company Officers are responsible for ensuring personnel assigned to them use and wear personal protective equipment, as required. Company Officer narratives shall be explicit on actions taken and materials used, so that proper invoicing can occur. Company Officers are responsible to conscientiously establish the cause of all vehicle fires. GUIDELINES 1. Firefighting Tactics Refer to TN 106.21 – Fire Fighting Operations for Vehicle Fires 1.1 For attacking any vehicle fire, personnel should do the following: (a) Ensure all PPE including SCBA is worn for all vehicle fires. (b) Deploy and charge a minimum of two (2) 45mm hose lines. One for an attack line and one for a backup line. The line can be used as a second attack line, if needed. The attack line shall be set at the proper pressure and flow rate. The backup line/second line shall be set at the proper pressure and flow rate. (c) Observe the interior of the vehicle for occupants. (d) Chock the wheels of the vehicle involved in fire (to prevent horizontal movement) (e) Ensure constant water supply to hose lines (f) Attack the vehicle fire by; File Code: G-FFOV Page 1 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE i. Approaching from an angle of approximately 45 degrees ii. Extinguishing any ground fire around or under the vehicle. iii. Attack the remaining fire in the vehicle. 1.2 The Incident Commander may request foam be used to combat the fire. Class A foam percentages (as per TFS pump chart) should be used for vehicle fires with no fuel involvement. Class B foam percentages (as per TFS pump chart) should be used for vehicle fires with fuel involvement or vehicles with fuel spills. 1.3 If the Communications Centre has indications of a working fire, involving a vehicle, on a 400 series highway, the Don Valley Parkway or the Gardiner Expressway, a second apparatus equipped with an onboard tank and fire pump should be dispatched, in addition to a blocker apparatus for a total of three apparatus. 1.4 The Incident Commander can request any type of apparatus that will assist with extinguishing the vehicle fire. 1.5 Apparatus Drivers should avoid closely passing a vehicle that is fully involved in fire while arriving at scene. 1.6 Apparatus should be positioned at least 30 metres from any vehicle fire. 1.7 A Pumper apparatus should be positioned on higher ground and upwind, where possible. The only exception to this position rule is when the vehicle is fueled with liquefied natural gas (lighter than air) then the Pumper should be positioned on lower ground and upwind, where possible. 1.8 For vehicle fires in sloped driveways, personnel should be aware of the potential hazard created by fuel spillage, caused by tank rupture. 1.9 All TFS personnel at the incident scene exposed to smoke or contaminants shall wear all personal protective equipment (PPE) including SCBA. 1.10 During icy conditions, crews should make safe their work area by using onboard salt and/or by having Communications call for a City salt truck via; City of Toronto, 311. 1.11 Water supply may be an issue on highways due to hydrant access being some distance from the scene and sound barriers. The lncident Commander needs to consider their water supply options early, if they believe the fire will not be extinguished quickly. 1.12 Some options to aid in extinguishment are: (a) The water tanker (b) Relay pump operations (c) Foam operations 2. Unified Command 2.1 Command shall be established by the initial arriving apparatus. 2.2 The Incident Commander may change between the first responders as the File Code: G-FFOV Page 2 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE incident progresses. (a) For example: i. The Incident Commander is more appropriately Paramedic Services when medical treatment is required for patients, where no extrication is required and there is no risk of fire. ii. The Incident Commander is appropriately Fire Services when extrication is required or there is risk of fire. iii. The Incident Commander is appropriately Police Services when the patient has been stabilized, transported from scene or the fire extinguished. The focus of Command will change to expediting traffic flow. 3. Notifications 3.1 For all vehicle fires, where the owner/operator of the vehicle is not present, Police shall be requested. This is especially important when there are suspicious situations arising from vehicle fires such as abandoned vehicles, vehicles in remote areas, vehicles possibly involved in criminal activity etc. In situations where the owner/operator of the vehicle is on scene, notification of the police is at the discretion of the Officer in Charge. The personal information of the owner/operator of the vehicle shall be obtained by the Officer in Charge. 4. Cause Determination 4.1 It is the responsibility of TFS to determine fire cause and origin. 4.2 Officers should use available resources to attempt to determine the cause of each fire and may use TFS Fire Investigators. 4.3 Fire cause shall be determined in accordance with G-FCAU - Fire Cause Determination or by TFS Fire Investigators. 5. Reporting 5.1 The Incident Commander should ensure that sufficient information is obtained in order to complete the necessary reporting upon return to the fire station (refer to G-EMIR Emergency Incident Reports). (a) The Incident Report should record what actions were taken by the crew. 5.2 It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to ensure all fires involving vehicles are thoroughly reported using the Emergency Incident Report in the Fire Records Management System. 5.3 Insurance information should be requested from the on scene police officer. TFS Officers should not enter vehicles or search patient clothing to obtain this information without requesting police permission first. 5.4 It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to ensure all fires of possible incendiary origin are reported. File Code: G-FFOV Page 3 of 4  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE 6. Invoicing 6.1 Persons or corporations shall be invoiced by TFS for services at fires, collisions, or spills at which a lubricant or chemical absorbent material is used and either of the following are met: (a) Vehicle owner is a non-City of Toronto resident. (b) Occurrence takes place on a provincial highway. 6.2 Invoicing shall not occur for any of the following: (a) False fire call. (b) TFS personnel performed no service. (c) Any incident involving and injury or fatality. (d) Incidents that are 15 minutes or less in duration from dispatch to clear of the call. (e) Incidents where the Company Officer does not provide enough detail taken on scene. 6.3 All Accounts Receivable requires to process the invoice is: (a) The OP number from a OPP officer plus the vehicle license plate number (b) The TPS number from a TPS officer plus the vehicle license plate number 6.4 The Emergency Incident Report shall be processed by the TFS Accounts Receivable Section for billing and cost recovery. 6.5 Questions regarding vehicle incident billing shall be directed to the following: Accounts Receivable Section TFS Headquarters 4330 Dufferin Street, Second Floor Tel.: (416) 338-9148 Email: [email protected] ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS G-EMIR - Emergency Incident Reports G-EVID - Evidence Protection G-EXTR - Extrication – Automobiles and Large Vehicles G-FCAU - Fire Cause Determination G-FFOU - Fire Fighting Operations in Underground Facilities G-HIRR- Highway Responses G-INSU - Insurance Information G-OPPA- Police (Ontario Provincial Police – OPP) G-POPT- Police (Toronto) G-POSA - Positioning Apparatus G-FFOF- Incident Observation Form G-FOAM - Fire Fighting Foam File Code: G-FFOV Page 4 of 4