Toronto Fire Services Highway Responses PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HIGHWAY RESPONSES Date Issued: October 5, 2023 Rescinds: September 6, 2022 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-HIRR PURPOSE To provide Toronto Fire Services (TFS) employees with guidelines that provide safe and practical procedures to reduce risk whe...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE HIGHWAY RESPONSES Date Issued: October 5, 2023 Rescinds: September 6, 2022 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-HIRR PURPOSE To provide Toronto Fire Services (TFS) employees with guidelines that provide safe and practical procedures to reduce risk when responding to occurrences on highways. RESPONSIBILITY 1. All personnel are responsible for safety and awareness of guidelines for responses on to major highways. 2. Captains are responsible for the safety of employees under their direction. 3. Incident Commanders are responsible for safety of all TFS employees at the incident scene. 4. Communications is responsible for contacting MTO Compass Camera as soon as possible for potential updated location information regarding calls received on the highways. GUIDELINES 1. Unified Command 1.1 Command needs to be established by the first arriving apparatus. The Incident Commander’s responsibility is to conduct a size-up and stabilize the scene The Incident Commander role may transition between emergency response agencies as the incident progresses. For example: (a) The Incident Commander is more appropriately from Paramedic Services when medical treatment is required for patients and there is no fire risk or extrication required. (b) The Incident Commander is more appropriately from Toronto Fire Services when extrication is required or there is risk of fire. (c) The Incident Commander is appropriately from a police service when the patient has been rescued and stabilized or a vehicle fire has been extinguished. The focus of Command will transition to investigation and expediting traffic flow. The Joint Commanders shall establish communications between the allied agencies. 2. Police 2.1 The OPP have jurisdictional policing authority on all provincial highways (refer File Code: G-HIRR Page 1 of 5  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE to Standard Operating Guideline G-OPPA - Police (Ontario Provincial Police – OPP). 2.2 The OPP have the authority to remove or direct others (i.e. tow trucks, etc.) to remove any vehicle located on a provincial highway. This authorization may be provided verbally and without Police being on the scene. 2.3 Police personnel are responsible for the redirection of traffic at emergency incidents. 2.4 Until Police have arrived, apparatus (not personnel) should be positioned to redirect traffic and protect firefighting and other personnel on the scene. No personnel shall walk behind the vehicles to place cones and/or flares. Note: Using safety cones behind a blocker truck is not recommended. 2.5 Traffic control shall be left to law enforcement personnel. 2.6 Incident Commanders shall request Police for traffic control whenever personnel are subjected to hazardous traffic flow at an incident. Note: TFS are not required to wait for Police to arrive if: Patient is transported Scene has been stabilized and continues to remain stabile No imminent risk to Public Safety (fluids, wires down, vehicle stranded in a live highway lane) 3. Positioning Apparatus 3.1 Apparatus shall be safely positioned in the vicinity of the incident location as per the situation. 3.2 Initial and any subsequent apparatus positioning is crucial to the safety of personnel. Apparatus shall: (a) Take one traffic lane more than required for emergency operations. Taking an additional lane should only be commenced after traffic is tapered away from the incident using blocker trucks. Once traffic slows or police are on scene, traffic cones can be used between the last blocker truck and the incident to define a hot zone or work area. Note: This process is the same for both shoulders of the highway. (b) Be positioned in the flow of traffic only as an absolute last resort i. Relocate off the roadway and on the shoulder area as soon as possible once emergency operations of the incident are complete Note: Delaying traffic unnecessarily can result in secondary accidents. 3.3 On roadways, with speeds less than 90 km/h, where there is a need to File Code: G-HIRR Page 2 of 5  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE advance hose or undertake rescue operations the following should be undertaken: (a) Apparatus may be angled across a roadway to close the road off from vehicular traffic in all directions until Police assume traffic control. (b) Cones should be used to direct traffic flow safely around the parked apparatus while also providing sufficient room for a walk able safety zone. (c) All TFS employees not involved in active firefighting activities shall immediately don reflective safety vests, without exception. (d) A Captain may call for additional blocker apparatus as required 4. Blocker Vehicle 4.1 To ensure Firefighters are not injured on major highways (i.e. 400 series highways, Don Valley Parkway and Queen Elizabeth Expressway (QEW) a second fire apparatus shall be dispatched in addition to the initial apparatus required. This apparatus shall act as a “Blocker Vehicle.” 4.2 On major highways, particularly 400 series, highway emergency vehicles should block one additional lane of traffic when needed for emergency operations. 4.3 On highways the fend-off position (Apparatus at a 30 degree angle with front of apparatus towards centre line of highway) is the recommended method for positioning the apparatus at an incident to provide added protection to the scene from traffic. This position gives approaching motorists the best visibility of the emergency vehicle's side while allowing them to recognize the incident. The vehicle is positioned at an angle adequate to protect the incident. This position may also deflect any high speed impact that would otherwise crash into the scene. The apparatus should be positioned to provide both a longitudinal and lateral buffer space. 4.4 Apparatus should be placed at least 30 meters from the actual working area. 4.5 Apparatus should position the front and/or back bumper of the apparatus at least 0.3 meters from the pavement markings of an open live lane. This lateral buffer is used to reduce encroachment into the designated traffic lanes. 4.6 All TFS employees not involved in active firefighting activities shall immediately don reflective safety vests, without exception. 4.7 Toronto Fire Services employees shall not direct traffic on a highway. 4.8 Toronto Fire Services employees who are not required to assist with operations shall remain in the cab of any apparatus being used as a blocker vehicle. 4.9 TFS employees shall never cross high-speed traffic lanes on foot for any purpose. Reposition apparatus instead, or call for additional apparatus that can respond to the proper location. 4.10 Firefighters should exit fire apparatus on the untraveled side of traffic flow, whenever possible. Captains or drivers that must exit the cab on the travelled File Code: G-HIRR Page 3 of 5  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE side need to exercise caution and ideally wait for a break in traffic flow. 4.11 TFS employees who are not actively involved shall re-position themselves off the travelled portion of the road and behind a traffic barrier, even if the road is closed. 4.12 There may be occasions where a TFS apparatus responds to a non- emergency situation where the Captain decides that for the safety of the public and personnel involved the TFS needs to provide for blocker functions. All the safety points of this SOG are applicable. 5. MTO Assistance 5.1 Incident Commanders shall contact Communications to request the MTO contracted crash truck. A single crash truck is on call 24/7. If more assistance is required the TFS Incident Commander may request additional blocker trucks. 5.2 TFS Incident Commander can request that Communications contacts the MTO to have the highway overhead information signs changed. Wording can be changed to indicate an emergency scene is ahead and to provide traffic information as required. 5.3 TFS blocker trucks should not be cleared from the scene until it is safe to do so and until the MTO crash truck has arrived on scene and made contact with the first in apparatus. (The MTO pickup truck is not considered a MTO crash truck). 6. Invoicing 6.1 Persons or corporations shall be invoiced by TFS for apparatus and crew services at fires, collisions, or spills at which a lubricant or chemical absorbent material is used and either of the following: (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 employees performed no service. (c) Any incident involving a 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 of actions taken on scene, so it is important narratives are explicit on actions taken. Making the scene safe by providing a blocker truck is a billable action. 6.3 The mandatory information required by Accounts Receivable in order to process the invoice are as follows: (a) Collision Report Number (OPP report number) File Code: G-HIRR Page 4 of 5  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE (b) Details of the vehicle(s) involved: i. Plate number ii. Vehicle type and colour, where possible (c) Police service attended - name and badge number of lead officer (d) A narrative that describes: i. Services performed by each apparatus - only apparatus that performs a service qualifies for payment as per the MTO Agreement ii. Incident scenario – (ex. 2-vehicle collision, vehicle in ditch to the right of the highway) iii. Exact location of the scene in reference to the area on the highway – (ex. shoulder, ditch, etc.) iv. Number of lanes blocked due to services performed v. Cause of the emergency vi. Supplies used and why – (i.e. absorbal – quantity used) vii. Extrication services - indicate who was extricated (ex. the passenger of the Honda Civic) viii. If any other fire service responded to the call 6.4 The 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 A-DRV(E) – Emergency Responding Driving G-CMDV - Command Vehicles G-EMIR - Emergency Incident Reports G-EXTR - Extrication – Automobiles and Large Vehicles G-FFOV - Fire Fighting Operations for Vehicle Fires G-HELI - Helicopter Operations G-OPPA - Police (Ontario Provincial Police – OPP) G-POSA - Positioning Apparatus File Code: G-HIRR Page 5 of 5