Bridgeport Fire Department Department Safety Officer Policy #311 PDF

Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer 1. 2. Purpose 1.1. The Bridgeport Fire Department holds the safety of our members as our highest priority. The purpose of this procedure is to describe...

Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer 1. 2. Purpose 1.1. The Bridgeport Fire Department holds the safety of our members as our highest priority. The purpose of this procedure is to describe the responsibilities of the on-duty Safety/Training Officer in relation to daily training, clerical duties, emergency response requirements and to establish general operating guidelines/responsibilities for the on-duty ISO. Any member witnessing an unsafe act by another member that may result in injury has the authority and obligation to intervene and stop the unsafe act. 1.2. The SO will operate under the command of Battalion 1 for all incidents and responses as the Incident safety officer (ISO), for all other workflow functions the SO will fall under the direction of the SSD/Training Captain. Definitions 2.1. SO - The on-duty Incident Safety Officer/Training Officer of the Bridgeport Fire Department. 2.2. IC - The Incident Commander - The first arriving Officer who takes command, the Battalion Chief or Chief Officer who eventually takes command. 2.3. ICS - The Incident Command System - Is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective. 2.4. IAP - Incident Action Plan - An IAP formally documents incident goals, operational period objectives, and the response strategy defined by incident command during response planning. 2.5. SOP - An SOP is a set of written instructions that document a routine or repetitive activity followed by an organization. They clearly spell out what is Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer expected of personnel during emergency response and non-emergency activities. 2.6. IDLH - Immediately Hazardous to Life and Health - Is defined by NIOSH as an exposure to airborne contaminants that is likely to cause death or immediate or delayed permanent adverse health effects or prevent escape from such an environment. 2.7. PIA - Post Incident Analysis - An after-action report that should be a positive experience for all with a focus on organizational and operational improvement. 2.8. SSD - Special Services Division - A division within the BFD which organizes and develops the training, safety, EMS, and communication programs within the BFD. 2.9. RIT - The Rapid Intervention Team of the BFD which is normally the 4th Engine company dispatched on a full assignment. 2.10. Hazardous Energy (utilities) - Electric, Gas and Water. 3. Responsibility 3.1. Maintain the SO vehicle, assist the SSD in conducting daily/scheduled department training. 3.2. Assigned directly to the IC as part of the ICS at Emergency Incidents, the SO will monitor and assess safety hazards at an incident scene or training evolution, including the welfare of fire department personnel. 3.3. The SO shall act as the eyes and ears of the IC on matters related to safety. The SO shall have the authority to alter, suspend or terminate activities at an emergency scene or training exercise when he/she judges those activities to be unsafe or an imminent hazard. Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer 3.4. 08:00 meet with Battalion 1 for a daily briefing to prioritize the needs of the shift. 3.5. 09:00 report to the SSD/TR-2 for a daily briefing to plan the training workflow for the shift, in the absence of TR-2 any Captain assigned to the SSD can assist with the training priorities for the shift. 3.6. The SO shall deliver shift training daily that matches the SSD training schedule for the month and deliver “additional training” classroom and or practical as needed. 3.7. The SO shall be available as a resource to the Company Officer to assist, plan or deliver other drills along with the Company Officers that may exceed the monthly training obligation. 3.8. The SO shall log all MUD’s (multi-unit drills) and track hours as necessary to document. 3.9. Each SO moving forward shall assist in developing and delivering a training plan (evolution) each quarter that will be added to the monthly training, this will assist with succession planning and ownership into your shifts training benchmarks. 3.9.1. Medical Component roles and responsibilities of the Safety Officer ➢ Medical Supplies carried on the Safety Car shall be carefully inventoried once a week, as is the current practice in all the firehouses per SOP 405. If a company has an IMMEDIATE need for medical supplies, the Safety Officer may distribute them to the company. The distributed supplies will be recorded, and the Safety Officer shall fill out an “EMS Supply Box Request – Inventory” form and send it to the Quartermaster, CC EMS Captain, to replenish them. This form can be found on the Fire (J) Drive in the folder “Medical Supply and Equipment”. The Safety Officer should be the Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer LAST potential source of Medical Supplies. The sources, in order, are: ➢ The Firehouse’s EMS Supply box, which should be inventoried once a week as per SOP 405 ➢ The Quartermaster and EMS Captain, who fill the weekly Medical Supplies for the EMS Supply Boxes as per SOP 405 ➢ The Safety Officer if there is an IMMEDIATE need for Medical Supplies. 4. Applicability 4.1. Procedure at an Incident 4.2. The SO should not give a first report or take command if arriving first at an incident when first alarm companies will be arriving in a short period of time. The objective of the SO is to monitor safety issues and not be pre-occupied with making command level tactical decisions. 4.3. The SO shall make every attempt to complete a full exterior walk-around of the structure/scene to get a comprehensive picture of the incident and inform the IC of any safety concerns. 4.4. The SO shall then report to the IC for a briefing on the IAP. 4.5. Ensure the establishment of safety zones, collapse zones, hot zones, and other hazard areas. The SO should stay mobile at an incident and monitor such conditions as fire extension, life hazards (civilian or firefighter entrapment), changes in smoke conditions, means of egress, impediments to egress, building stability, potential building collapse, overhead wire dangers or other hazardous energy hazards and communicate such hazards to the IC. Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer 4.6. Attempt to monitor safe apparatus placement in relationship to overhead or downed wires or open manholes. 4.7. Will monitor safe placement and usage (monitoring overhead wires) of ground and aerial ladders, including roof operations. 4.8. The SO shall immediately suspend any action if there is an imminent threat to safety and communicate that suspension of action to the IC and reason why. 4.9. Ensure all PPE/SCBA is being worn and worn properly. 4.10. Establish lighting in the rear of the structure using the SO’s portable flood light. 4.11. Monitor all radio traffic on the fire ground frequency, listening for specific benchmarks (water on the fire, rescue situations, fire extension, Maydays). 4.12. After performing an exterior 360 of the fire building and monitoring exterior conditions, the SO shall do a face to face with the IC noting exterior findings and if requested by the IC, make entry to the fire building and team up with companies operating. 4.13. The SO shall monitor entry/egress stairwells, proper hose stretches, changing interior conditions and periodically confer with the IC when the SO feels the need for the IAP to be adjusted due to unsafe conditions or acts. The SO will not get involved with hands on tactics, but communicate problems noted to the IC. 4.14. Meter the structure/space for IDLH atmospheres during overhaul operations and ensure personnel are using SCBA (on air) until notified that the atmosphere is safe. Bridgeport Fire Department Policy #311 Effective Date : 07/05/2018 Revision Date: 06/16/2023 Fire Chief fSignature Department Safety Officer 4.15. Recommend firefighter rehab to the IC as needed. Monitor weather conditions and recommend quicker rotations of personnel to rehab in extreme heat or cold conditions. 4.16. Recommend calling for sand during icy conditions and additional fluids during extreme heat conditions. 4.17. The SO will prepare for the IC a brief written narrative for the post-incident analysis (PIA) from the SO perspective per SOP 303. 5. Forms 5.1. None BY ORDER OF THE FIRE CHIEF