Brush_and_Wildland_Fires.pdf

Procedure 408 Chesapeake Fire Department Fire Procedure Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/25, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Brush and Wildland Fires - 1 Brush and Wildland Fires 408.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This document provides arrival and initial...

Procedure 408 Chesapeake Fire Department Fire Procedure Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/25, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Brush and Wildland Fires - 1 Brush and Wildland Fires 408.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This document provides arrival and initial procedures for Chesapeake Fire Department personnel responding to a brush/wildland fire. This procedure should be implemented at all brush and wildland fires. Corresponding Policies: 302 Fireground Accountability 907 Heat Illness Prevention Program 300 Incident Management 315 Wildland Firefighting 408.2 FIRST FIVE MINUTES The first arriving Chesapeake Fire Department unit should: #Contact the Emergency Communications Center and provide the following information: • Unit on-scene and location • Initial scene size-up should include, but is not limited to, the following information: o Aspect o Slope o Wind speed o Size of fire o Fuel type o Exposures • Location of Primary (Level 1) Staging area • Unit assuming incident command (IC) The IC should: #Perform or direct another member to perform a 360 assessment, if possible, and report results to the IC. In addition to more complete information on the subjects listed in the initial scene size-up, the 360 assessment should reveal, but not be limited to, the following information: • Whether evacuation warnings or actual evacuations should be initiated due to smoke or fire • Fire path • Whether roads will need to be closed Chesapeake Fire Department Fire Procedure Manual Brush and Wildland Fires Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/25, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Brush and Wildland Fires - 2 • Whether the location and potential path of fire could move onto a state responsibility area (SRA) or federal responsibility area (FRA), requiring notification to the responsible agencies by the Emergency Communications Center #Establish the Department personnel accountability system. #Begin developing an incident action plan (IAP) that includes a strategy to contain the wildland fire. #When resources allow, assign an incident health and safety officer. #Request additional resources as appropriate, including but not limited to: • State or federal forest service support, regardless of whether the fire is on or is expected to travel to an SRA or FRA • Manned aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems for scene assessment 408.3 PROCEDURES 408.3.1 RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT (a) Apparatus 1. Apparatus should proceed to the primary staging area or as directed by the IC. 2. Whenever practicable, driver operators should back into their assigned location to avoid becoming trapped by deteriorating fire conditions. (b) Personnel 1. Personnel should be in fullwildland fire personal protective equipment (PPE), if such PPE is available, with structural firefighting PPE accessible should the need arise to transition to structural firefighting activities. If wildland fire PPE is not available, then personnel should be in structural firefighting PPE. 2. Personnel should remain with their assigned crew and wait for assignment. 408.3.2 OPERATIONS (a) The IC should: 1. Establish an LCES or LACES based scene management practice, which includes: • Lookouts • Awareness (If using LACES practice) • Communications • Escape routes • Safety zones 2. Locate and establish the anchor point to begin wildland firefighting operations. 3. Keep informed on fire conditions weather conditions and forecasts. Chesapeake Fire Department Fire Procedure Manual Brush and Wildland Fires Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/25, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Brush and Wildland Fires - 3 4. Continue developing the IAP, including a strategic plan to contain the wildfire. In developing the strategy, consider the current and expected behavior of the wildfire. 5. Establish divisions and assign supervisors on the fire flanks and fill in additional divisions as appropriate. 6. Perform ongoing evaluations of strategy and tactics, assess if are they working and adjust as conditions and resources allow. 7. Provide for adequate gross decontamination before releasing units from any scene where personnel were exposed to potentially harmful substances including: • Smoke • Soot • Body Fluids • Hazardous materials (b) Division supervisors/Strike team leaders should: 1. Confirm that a Temporary Refuge Area (TRA) has been identified for all operating units. 2. Base all actions on current and expected behaviors of the fire. 3. Identify escape routes and safety zones and make them known. 4. Perform ongoing evaluations of strategy and tactics, assess if are they working and report any desired adjustments to the IC. 5. Communicate reasonably identified changes in actual or anticipated wildfire behavior and progress of assigned tasks to the IC. (c) Company Company Officer: 1. Know where TRAs are located. 2. Communicate progress and reasonably identified changes in conditions to the IC or Division Supervisor, if divisions have been established. 3. If assigned to protect structures or engage in structure fire operations, perform a size-up and 360 assessment and conduct structure triage if multiple structures are involved. 4. Maintain accountability practices for the company. 408.4 UNIVERSAL PRACTICES Follow USDA Forest Service 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watch Out Situations . Chesapeake Fire Department Fire Procedure Manual Brush and Wildland Fires Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/25, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Brush and Wildland Fires - 4 408.5 PROCEDURE DECISION TREE