GOG 10-29 Emergency and Non-Emergency Response Procedures.docx

**General Operational Guideline** ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Subject: EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Effective Date: 10-1-04 GOG: 10-29...

**General Operational Guideline** ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Subject: EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Effective Date: 10-1-04 GOG: 10-29 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: GAG dated 2/1/00 Page 1 of 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- **PURPOSE:** To promote the Department's concern for safety of our personnel and citizens **SCOPE:** These guidelines shall apply to all members of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. **GUIDELINES:** The Labor/Management Safety Committee has jointly recommended the following procedure. This procedure is being implemented to promote the Department's concern for the safety of our personnel and the citizens of the community we serve. I. COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES A. The Company Officer or Working Out Of Class (WOC)/Captain 1. The Company Officer or Acting Company Officer will be responsible for the safety of all persons riding and operating fire Department apparatus. The Company Officer shall: a. Make certain that seat belts shall be worn when operating or riding in any City owned vehicle. b. Make certain that the Fire Apparatus Operator or Acting FAO operates the apparatus in a safe manner, in accordance with this procedure and other pertinent Department rules and policies. c. Monitor the vehicle speed, advising the FAO if it is too fast. d. Be alert of other vehicles, especially at intersections. e. Operate the sirens and air horn during an emergency response. f. Conduct regular intervals of pump and/or aerial training for all members of the company. B. The Fire Apparatus Operator (FAO) or WOC/FAO 1. The Fire Apparatus Operator or Acting FAO is responsible for their actions and the safety of the apparatus' passengers. The FAO or WOC/FAO shall: a. Perform the required daily or weekly Apparatus Checklist at the beginning of each shift of duty. b. Be in control of the apparatus at all times when driving. c. Make certain that seat belts shall be worn when operating or riding in a vehicle equipped with seat belts. d. Have a good knowledge of the apparatus being operated. (weight, height, width, length, know the acceleration and braking characteristics). e. Secure all equipment and compartment doors before operation. f. Operate the apparatus in a safe manner, in accordance with this procedure and other pertinent department rules and policies. **General Operational Guideline** ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Subject: EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Effective Date: 10-1-04 GOG:10-29 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: GAG dated 2/1/00 Page 2 of 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- II. RESPONSE MODES A. Non-Emergency Response 1. Non-emergency vehicle driving is considered normal city or highway driving. Standard defensive driving techniques shall be utilized. The below listed non-emergency driving procedures shall be followed when dispatched to respond "non-emergency" or "non-emergency without delay": a. Obey the posted speed limit. b. All emergency-warning lights shall be off. c. The apparatus shall be operated with the headlights on. d. Accelerate and decelerate slowly, use the "Jacobs Brake, weather permitting. B. Emergency Response 1. These procedures set forth the exceptions permitted for emergency vehicles in the Traffic Code pursuant to Kansas City, Missouri Code of Ordinances Chapter 70, while such emergency vehicles are parked at an emergency or are responding to, but not returning from, an emergency while operating emergency red and/or blue lights and siren. The exceptions include the following: a. Parking in a manner that would otherwise be unauthorized. b. Proceeding past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation. c. Exceeding the maximum speed limits, so long as the vehicle does not endanger life or property. d. Disregarding regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions such as one-way streets. e. KCFD vehicle operators operating an emergency vehicle pursuant to any of the above exceptions shall do so with due regard for the safety of the public and KCFD personnel. 2. KCFD vehicle operators shall be prepared to come to a complete stop for the following: a. When directed to do so by other KCFD personnel. b. When directed to do so by a law enforcement officer. c. When a school bus with red operating flashing warning lights is encountered on the same roadway. d. When encountering a railroad crossing gate in the down position. 3. KCFD vehicle operators shall exercise caution and may proceed for a safe operation without coming to a complete stop when approaching: a. A red traffic control signal. b. A stop sign. c. A negative right of way intersection. d. An unguarded railroad crossing. 4. KCFD vehicles shall be operated at a safe speed while ensuring response time efficiency. ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Subject: EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Effective Date: 10-1-04 GOG: 10-29 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: GAG dated 2/1/00 Page 3 of 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- 5. Fire department vehicles shall be parked in a manner that ensures operational effectiveness and to protect the public and KCFD personnel. If practical, support vehicles should be parked where they will not disrupt normal traffic flow. C. Fire Companies and Chief Officers Responses 1. Fire companies and Chief Officers shall be dispatched and respond non-emergency to the following incidents: a. Automatic alarms, sprinkler alarms and manual pull stations. b. Smoke detectors. c. Natural gas leaks with no fire present. d. Carbon monoxide detectors with no medical symptoms. e. Wire down. f. Assist the police. g. Lockouts. h. Investigation of odors. i. Rubbish or trash fires with no reported exposure. j. Broken sprinkler or water pipes. k. Move-ups or fill-ins unless designated by Chief Dispatcher as an emergency move. 2. All other incidents shall be considered an "EMERGENCY" response. 3. If an alarm is dispatched as "non-emergency" and additional information is received by the Communications Center indicating that life is in danger, persons are injured, there is a working fire, etc., Communications should upgrade the response to "emergency". 4. The first company to arrive on the scene of any incident shall make an initial size-up and notify other responding companies, through the Communications Center if the following occurs: a. If other companies are responding emergency and there is no emergency, have the other companies respond in a non-emergency mode. b. If other companies are responding non-emergency and there is an emergency, upgrade their response through the Communications Center to emergency. III. DEFINITIONS: A. Non-Emergency Response or Non-Emergency Move Up 1. Apparatus shall have headlights on and driven in a manner considered normal city or highway driving. 2. Companies shall proceed to apparatus immediately and respond to incident without delay in a non-emergency manner as previously described. B. Non-Emergency Without Delay Response or Non-Emergency Without Delay Move Up 1. Companies shall proceed to the apparatus immediately and respond to the incident without delay in a non-emergency manner as previously described. **General Operational Guideline** ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- Subject: EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES Effective Date: 10-1-04 GOG: 10-29 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: GAG dated 2/1/00 Page 4 of 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------- 2. The apparatus responds to the incident without delay. The apparatus shall have headlights on and driven in a manner considered normal city or highway driving. 3. However, given the nature of the incident or road and/or weather conditions should warrant a change in the company's response mode, the Company Officer may elect to do so. The Company Officer shall notify the Communications Center of this change in their response mode. C. Emergency Response or Emergency Response Move Up 1. Apparatus responds with all emergency warning devices (lights, sirens & air horns) activated.