Bridgeport Fire Department Emergency Evacuation Procedures PDF

Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 I. EMERGENCY EVACUATION 09/01/98 PURPOSE: A. To provide a plan for evacuation of personnel when building collapse, or similar life threatening situation is imminent. II. RESPONSIBILITY: A. Incident Commander 1. Recognizing imminent u...

Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 I. EMERGENCY EVACUATION 09/01/98 PURPOSE: A. To provide a plan for evacuation of personnel when building collapse, or similar life threatening situation is imminent. II. RESPONSIBILITY: A. Incident Commander 1. Recognizing imminent unsafe environments 2. "All Evacuation," Procedures 3. Accountability of all members 4. Search and rescue plan B. Company Officer 1. Immediate evacuation with assigned personnel 2. Prepare for Roll Call C. Firefighters 1. Immediately leave building 2. III. After exiting the structure, locate company officer and fellow members to prepare for Roll Call PROCEDURES: A. RECOGNITION OF IMMINENT UNSAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENTS 1. All personnel at the scene of emergency operations and related functions (training) are required to observe and report significant changes in the scene environment; especially those changes which forecast sudden deterioration. These deterioration factors include but are not limited to: a) Loss of building integrity; partial or complete collapse of walls, floors, parapets, or roofs. b) Change in smoke conditions; sudden change of smoke direction, (building pressure) intensity, color, back draft conditions, etc. Page 1 Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 EMERGENCY EVACUATION 09/01/98 c) Uncontrolled ignition source with flammable or explosive vapors in the area. d) Threatened harm to personnel on scene. Includes bomb threats and observation of suspected bombs or similar devices. e) Civil Unrest (riot). 2. The report of imminent unsafe conditions should be made without delay, directly to Command. If the severity of the situation dictates, Command may activate evacuation procedures. Reporting units not able to contact Command shall communicate directly to FCC on Channel 1 and follow evacuation procedures. 3. FCC has an EVACUATION tone that it will broadcast over the department frequency being used at the incident, following the procedures outlined in this document. The tone is an alternating, high-low sound, similar to a European siren. B. EVACUATION PROCEDURES: 1. When it is determined that an imminently unsafe condition exists, there is a need for rapid evacuation of the hazard area and a QUICK and ACCURATE WARNING to be given to all personnel. 2. Examples for communicating the Evacuation Order are: a) “URGENT, ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE THE FIRE BUILDING” b) Additionally, the reporting unit will declare: “URGENT TO BRIDGEPORT, ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE (SPECIFIC FIREGROUND LOCATION).” c) Upon Receiving an Evacuation Order from the scene of an emergency, FCC will: (1) Broadcast the EVACUATION Tone over the fire ground frequency for FIVE FULL SECONDS. (2) Additionally, announce: “ALL PERSONNEL EVACUATE FROM (SPECIFIC FIREGROUND LOCATION).” 3. Command or reporting unit shall assign an emergency vehicle to signal the need for evacuation by repeatedly sounding three short blasts from the air horn. This signal should continue until all personnel have evacuated the area. Page 2 Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 EMERGENCY EVACUATION 09/01/98 4. The EVACUATION tone and signal applies to any situation where REMOVAL OF RESCUE PERSONNEL IS TOP PRIORITY! Personnel hearing this warning will immediately exit the structure or area and report to their company officer. If the officer is not present or missing, report to the IC. Crews should assemble at either their vehicle, (if located outside the threatened area) or the Command Post. Officers will immediately begin accounting for their assigned personnel and prepare for a roll call from the IC. 5. The Incident Commander will conduct a Roll Call. To prevent excessive radio traffic during roll call, the term “PAR” (personnel accountability report) will be used when answering a roll call. (See OPG 23, Sec. III, E) a) Example: (1) A roll call is transmitted (2) Company is contacted: “Rescue 5, Are you PAR?” (3) Company’s response: “Rescue 5 is PAR” C. ACCOUNTABILITY: 1. Each unit will keep a Daily Riding List of all working members assigned to it by group. This list will be kept in the apparatus, attached to the officer's side sun visor or dashboard. 2. After evacuation, Officers shall conduct a head count of personnel assigned under their direct control. Sector Officers shall account for individual firefighters. 3. Command shall account for each company by retrieving the riding list from all units involved in the incident. 4. Radio communication shall be restricted to locating personnel in the most threatened area(s). 5. Unaccounted personnel shall be assumed to be missing and MAYDAY procedures (see OPG #23) shall commence stating the last known location of the unaccounted for personnel. D. RESCUE PROCEDURES: 1. Notify FCC of the MAYDAY situation, request additional units, call back, and/or mutual aid. 2. FCC will alert all personnel with the MAYDAY Tone as specified in OPG #23. Page 3 Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 EMERGENCY EVACUATION 09/01/98 3. All personnel will monitor radio traffic; using radio communications for essential traffic only. 4. Command will survey the fire ground tactical worksheet to ascertain the last known assignment/location of the missing personnel. 5. Command will weigh the risk/gain factors, deciding on the most prudent course of action. The action plan may include: a) Assign the Rapid Intervention Team to conduct search and rescue procedures. b) Assign additional companies to the Rapid Intervention Team, as needed. c) Assign an additional Rapid Intervention Team. d) A change in strategy and tactics; which may minimize the danger to missing personnel. 6. All personnel are advised to use discretion when attempting to locate or rescue a co-worker. The use of sound judgment may be clouded, resulting in inappropriate risk and additional victims. 7. Command shall request all necessary rescue equipment and support resources as required to stabilize the incident. 8. A critical incident stress team shall be requested and made available to all personnel and family members. E. Notes 1. Every Monday, immediately following the Monday morning radio test, and immediately before the MAYDAY Test, FCC will test the EVACUATION Tone in the following manner: a) FCC will announce over the All Call system and Channel 1, “All companies stand by for a test of the Emergency Evacuation Tone.” b) Tone will be broadcast for FIVE FULL SECONDS. c) FCC will then announce: “This concludes the test of the Emergency Evacuation Tone.” d) Any company that does not receive the test, or for whom the test was not clearly broadcast, will immediately call FCC and ask for the test to be run again. 2. Refer to OPG # 23 MAYDAY Procedure. Page 4 Bridgeport Fire Department Standard Operating Procedures #520 EMERGENCY EVACUATION 3. Refer to OPG #25 Rapid Intervention Team. Separated from OPG #05: 09/01/98 Rev. 08/01/03 BY ORDER OF THE FIRE CHIEF Page 5 09/01/98