Toronto Fire Services Standard Operating Guideline PDF

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE RESPONSE GUIDELINES Date Issued: October 12, 2022 Rescinds August 9, 2022 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-RESP PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for apparatus response to emergency incidents. RESPONSIBILITY...

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE RESPONSE GUIDELINES Date Issued: October 12, 2022 Rescinds August 9, 2022 Section: Incident and Emergency Operations File Code: G-RESP PURPOSE To provide all Toronto Fire Services personnel with a guideline for apparatus response to emergency incidents. RESPONSIBILITY All personnel are responsible for maintaining an understanding of the types of apparatus dispatched to a specific incident. TFS Communications Centre personnel are responsible for having a thorough understanding of TFS response guidelines. The Division Chief of the Communications Division is responsible for implementing authorized changes to TFS response guidelines. The Deputy Fire Chief of the Operations Division is responsible for reviewing and approving recommended changes to TFS response guidelines. GUIDELINES 1. General The Deputy Fire Chief responsible for the Communications Division shall approve changes to response guidelines. The Division Chief of the Communications Division is responsible for implementing changes to response guidelines and for providing updates to the Incident Type/Response Guidelines. Communications Division personnel should follow approved apparatus response guidelines when dispatching apparatus to emergency incidents. 2. Changes After following the chain of command, personnel offering recommendations regarding changes to TFS response guidelines should do the following: (a) Produce a written or electronic memorandum for submission to the Deputy Fire Chief of the Operations Division. File Code: G-RESP Page 1 of 6  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE (b) Forward copies to: i. Deputy Fire Chief of Communications ii. Division Chief of Communications iii. Division Commander (c) Provide their own: i. Name ii. Rank iii. Platoon iv. Apparatus Proposals to amend response guidelines should include the following: (a) Details surrounding a particular incident (if applicable). (b) Rationale for recommendation (e.g. additional equipment requirement, etc.). (c) Response times and related road or accessibility information. (d) Printed information providing evidence supporting the proposal. All written submissions should be responded to by the Senior Officer assigned the task of reviewing the consideration. 3. Alarm Responses and Notifications Additional apparatus may be added to any alarm as defined by address event type. Vehicles for each alarm level are minimum responses. Other vehicles may be added. Communications has the authority, under certain circumstances, to upgrade the alarm level of an incident prior to apparatus arriving on scene. The decision to upgrade will be based on information such as but not limited to:  Amount of calls received related to the incident  Report of people trapped  Availability and location of first in apparatus Single Source Alarms - Two (2) Apparatus Response A Single Source Alarm is any single notification fire alarm that is received, without a confirmation of fire or a secondary alarm source, for ANY occupancy/type/size of building. A single source alarm will receive a two- apparatus response. The second apparatus (next closest Pumper, Rescue or Aerial/Ladder apparatus) will provide support to the investigating Officer and crew by completion of a 360 degree check and, in high rise buildings, making voice announcements (there is no requirement for Lobby Control unless the incident escalates) and silencing the alarms to allow the investigating Captain File Code: G-RESP Page 2 of 6  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE and crew to complete the investigation as per SOG G-RESE. There are four (4) exceptions to the two apparatus response as follows: (a) Retirement Homes (b) Care Facilities (c) Toronto Community Housing Corporation (T.C.H.C.) buildings (d) High Rise Residential Buildings constructed prior to 2010 The above-mentioned occupancies will retain their regular complement response. If the information warrants upgrading the alarm prior to apparatus arriving on scene, the Communications Captain will direct the dispatcher to upgrade the alarm level. The dispatcher will then notify the incoming District Chief that the call has been upgraded to either a support fire or second alarm. The dispatcher will ask the District Chief if they want a Base location added and a strategic channel. A fire in a high rise building will be upgraded to a 2nd alarm. Minimum complement of resources for Initial Alarm: (a) Fire Alarm Response includes: i. Two (2) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) District Chief (b) Fire Response includes: i. Two (2) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) RIT iv. One (1) Squad v. One (1) Airlight vi. Two (2) District Chiefs For a Support Call Fire Response: (a) Dispatch additional: i. One (1) Squad (if already assigned add Aerial) ii. One (1) Air Light (unless already assigned) iii. One (1) Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) (if already assigned add a Pumper (1) iv. High Rise Unit (if requested) v. One (1) District Chief (unless 2 already assigned) vi. One (1) Platoon Chief File Code: G-RESP Page 3 of 6  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE (b) Notify: i. Police ii. TEMS (c) In non-high rise also notify: i. Hydro ii. Enbridge Additional resources for a Second Alarm: (a) Dispatch: i. Two (2) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) Squad (unless already assigned) iv. One (1) RIT unless already assigned v. One (1) District Chief vi. One (1) Platoon Chief (If not on scene from the support call response) vii. One (1) Command Vehicle viii. One (1) Hazardous Materials Unit (unless already assigned) (b) Notify: i. Platoon Chiefs not dispatched (c) Includes: i. Any combination of 10 emergency vehicles consisting of Pumpers, Aerials, Rescues and Squads ii. Up to a maximum of 14 emergency vehicles Additional resources for a Third Alarm: (a) In addition to all Second Alarm resources (b) Dispatch: i. Three (3) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) District Chief iv. One (1) Incident Command Vehicle (if not already on scene) v. One (1) Tower vi. One (1) Tower Support Pumper vii. One (1) Rehab Vehicle (Rehab01) viii. One (1) High Volume Pumper (PF121) ix. One (1) Super Tower (Tower1) x. One (1) Tower1 Support unit (c) Notify: i. Division Commander Monday-Friday 08:00- 16:30 ii. Senior Officer on-call Monday-Friday 16:30-08:00, Saturday &Sunday iii. Incident Commander regarding whether to dispatch a High Rise Unit File Code: G-RESP Page 4 of 6  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE iv. Hydro (Incident Commander to approve for a high rise fire) v. Enbridge Gas (Incident Command to approve for high rise fire) vi. Health and Safety (at the request of Incident Commander) vii. On-Call Mechanic viii. Division Chief, Quality Assurance, Legal and Engineering ix. Canteen vehicle (d) Includes: i. Any combination of 15 emergency vehicles consisting of Pumpers, Aerials, Rescues and Squads ii. Up to a maximum of 18 emergency vehicles Additional resources for a Fourth Alarm: (a) In addition to all Third Alarm resources (b) Dispatch: i. Three (3) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) District Chief iv. One (1) Air Light v. One (1) Platoon Chief to TFS Communications Centre (c) Notify: i. Fire Chief ii. Chief Medical Officer iii. Hydro Grid Supervisor iv. Deputy Chief Community Risk Reduction v. Division Chief Mechanical, Fleet Services (if on-call mechanic deployed) vi. Public Information Officer (d) Includes: i. Any combination of 19 emergency vehicles consisting of Pumpers, Aerials, Rescues and Squads ii. Up to a maximum of 22 emergency vehicles Additional resources for a Fifth Alarm: (a) In addition to all Fourth Alarm resources (b) Dispatch: i. Three (3) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. Two (2) Squads iv. One (1) District Chief File Code: G-RESP Page 5 of 6  STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE (c) Includes: i. Any combination of 23 emergency vehicles consisting of Pumpers, Aerials, Rescues and Squads ii. Up to a maximum of 28 emergency vehicles Additional resources for a Sixth Alarm: (a) In addition to all Fifth Alarm resources (b) Dispatch: i. Three (3) Pumpers ii. One (1) Aerial iii. One (1) District Chief (c) Includes: i. Any combination of 29 emergency vehicles consisting of Pumpers, Aerials, Rescues and Squads ii. Up to a maximum of 32 emergency vehicles If a RIT Team is deployed at an emergency scene, the TFS Communications Centre Dispatcher shall dispatch an additional RIT Rescue and upgrade to the next alarm level. The Incident Commander may request as many Rapid Intervention Teams (RITs) as deemed necessary. ATTACHMENT(S) N/A RELATED SOGS G-CADD — Computer Aided Dispatch Discrepancies G-COMM — Communications/Dispatching/Radio Procedures File Code: G-RESP Page 6 of 6