Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Forcible Entry Procedure PDF

202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc Page 1 of 5 Standard Operating Procedure for Forced entry into secured structures No: Reviewed date: Effective date: Supersedes: I. II. Type: Fire Suppression – 200 series Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Department: Signature: 3/22/26 Expires: INTRODUCTION A...

202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc Page 1 of 5 Standard Operating Procedure for Forced entry into secured structures No: Reviewed date: Effective date: Supersedes: I. II. Type: Fire Suppression – 200 series Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Department: Signature: 3/22/26 Expires: INTRODUCTION A. Purpose: To establish procedures for forced entry into secured properties during emergency/exigent medical responses. B. Scope: These procedures are to be used by all department personnel who provide emergency response. C. Author: The Deputy Chief over Operations, or designee, shall be responsible for the content, revision, and review of this instruction. RESPONSIBILITY A. III. FR202.40 2/21 3/22/21 6/8/20 All employees who provide emergency response are responsible to be familiar with and follow this instruction. POLICY A. General forcible entry considerations 1. Forcible entry should not be made unless there is a high level of suspicion of an endangered life (e.g., a medical pendant activation without contact with the person reporting (PR) does not indicate a high level of suspicion). a) 2. Levels of suspicion shall increase with additional information such as a car in the driveway or a neighbor or family member verifying occupant is typically present at this time. The primary objective of any forced entry is to gain rapid entry into a secured structure through an access route that produces the least amount of property damage. a) At times, it may be necessary to sacrifice the objective of minimizing damage to enter a structure with the greatest speed. It should be remembered, however, that the majority of 202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc Page 2 of 5 incidents do not justify indiscriminate damage in order to gain entry into a secured structure. b) IV. When forcing entry into secured structures, consideration should also be given to securing the structure after access has been gained and the emergency remedied. 3. Remember to try before you pry, in all situations involving forcible entry. 4. Use Knox Box, if applicable. 5. Safely investigate alternate means of ingress/entry. Personnel shall refrain from entering side/rear yards or peering through windows unless there is a high level of suspicion of an endangered life. 6. Full turnout gear, gloves, and eye protection shall be worn by all members involved in forcible entry operation. 7. LVFR personnel shall notify the on-duty Battalion Chief before forcing entry, if conditions permit. PROCEDURE A. B. Before initiating forced entry 1. LVFR personnel will make their presence known as obviously as possible when on scene. 2. Emergency lights will be on; turnout coats and firefighter helmets should be worn. 3. LVFR personnel shall knock on the main entry door declaring loudly and clearly that they are from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. 4. LVFR personnel shall attempt to verify life hazards from the main entryway. Forced entry at medical emergencies 1. If LVFR personnel can see or communicate with an incapacited patient inside a secured structure, the following actions should be taken: a) Notify the dispatcher that forced entry will be initiated to gain access to the patient. 202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc 2. 3. Page 3 of 5 b) Perform a safe assessment of the structure to see if a means of ingress/entry exists that does not require forced entry. c) Request the response of a law enforcement officer, as needed (i.e., domestic, gunshot wound). d) Request the assistance of an engine/truck company, as needed. e) Force entry and provide patient care, as needed. If LVFR personnel cannot see or communicate with anyone inside a secured structure, the following actions should be taken: a) Contact the dispatcher and confirm the location of the call; inquire about the location where the 911 call originated. b) Request the response of a law enforcement officer and standby as needed. c) Request a callback by the dispatcher for further information. d) LVFR personnel shall wait for the arrival of a law enforcement officer and NOT enter the structure until cleared by law enforcement. e) Force entry and provide patient care if needed. If LVFR personnel are responding to a medical pendant activation, the following actions should be taken: a) Assume the Combined Communications Center (CCC) was unable to attempt to make contact with with PR before making the dispatch. b) Continue to attempt to contact the PR via telephone. c) If PR contact is made, obtain the following information: (1) Name and age of person on the phone. (2) Confirm person is alert and oriented times four (A&Ox4). (3) Location of the person in relation to the reported address. 202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc (4) d) Page 4 of 5 Was the pendant inadvertently activated by the owner or someone else with access to the pendant? If PR contact is made and the activation is determined to be accidental, report the following information to CCC: (1) Responding crew made contact with PR via the phone. (2) PR confirmed the activation was accidental. e) Mandatory: LVFR personnel shall document acquired information in the ePCR. f) When on scene of a medical pendant activation the following guidelines will be followed in regards to forcible entry: (1) Fire crews will make their presence known as obviously as possible. Emergency lights will be on, turnout coats and firefighter helmets should be worn. (2) Forcible entry should not be made unless there is high level of suspension of an endangered life. (a) A pendant activation without contact of the PR is not a high level of suspicion. (3) Levels of suspicion increase with: Car in the driveway, neighbor or family member verifying occupant is typically present at this time. (4) Crews will knock on the door, declare clearly and loudly that they are from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and attempt to verify life hazards from the front entryway. (5) Crews are discouraged from entering rear/side yards or peering through windows unless there is a high level suspicion for an endangered life. (6) If crews are unable to ascertain the presence of a patient the crew should contact Metro and stand by until Metro has gained access. 202.40 Forcible entry into secured structures.doc C. Forced entry at other emergencies 1. 2. D. Page 5 of 5 Properly equipped personnel are authorized to safely force entry into secured structures to which they have been dispatched, when any of the following conditions are observed: a) After conducting a safe assessment of the structure, forced entry is the only option available to gain entry and it is absolutely necessary to prevent further destruction of property, injury, or death. b) Obvious signs of smoke or fire. c) Obvious signs of water leaking from under doors, which may indicate sprinkler activation or a broken water pipe. Personnel shall not force entry into a secured structure to which they have been dispatched to investigate a fire alarm activation, unless there are obvious signs of smoke, fire, or sprinkler activation. a) Request the dispatcher make every effort to contact a responsible party to respond to the scene and open the structure. b) Company officers should check the exterior of the structure for a Knox Box or posted lists of emergency contact persons. Securing property following forced entry 1. Before leaving an incident scene where forced entry occurred, the structure shall be re-secured, or turned over to a responsible individual. 2. Board-up should be requested if unable to re-secure structure when no responsible party is left on scene.