Emergency Response Policy PDF

Policy 301 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Emergency Response - 1 Emergency Response 301.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to ensure a safe and app...

Policy 301 Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Emergency Response - 1 Emergency Response 301.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to ensure a safe and appropriate response to emergencies while maintaining the safety of department members and the public by requiring operators of department vehicles to conform to applicable Virginia laws and regulations during an emergency response (Va. Code § 46.2-920). 301.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Emergency response - Any call for service or assistance involving fire, explosion or violent rupture; human rescue; human entrapment; illness or injury; hazardous materials release or threat of contamination; flooding; threatened or actual acts of violence; any explosive, bomb or threatened bombing; any act of terrorism; any natural disaster; or any other circumstance that presents a threat to life-safety or to property. Emergency response does not include returning from a call. 301.2 POLICY It is the policy of the Chesapeake Fire Department to appropriately respond to all emergency calls. It shall be the responsibility of all Chesapeake Fire Department members to ensure that all requests for services are responded to and an interview is conducted of the individuals involved to determine the need for assistance. 301.3 EMERGENCY CALLS Fire personnel dispatched to an emergency shall proceed immediately, shall continuously operate flashing, blinking or alternating emergency lighting equipment and shall sound the siren or air horn giving automatically intermitted signals as may be reasonably necessary (Va. Code § 46.2-920). Headlights will be utilized on apparatus at all times (day or night), when the vehicle is in motion. Responding with emergency lights and siren does not relieve personnel of the duty to continue to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons. The use of any other warning equipment without emergency lighting and siren or air horn does not provide any exemption from Virginia law. Personnel should only respond with emergency lights and siren when dispatched to an emergency or when circumstances reasonably indicate an emergency response is required. When responding through residential areas, and the risk of traffic hazards is minimal, discretion may be used to turn off sirens when traveling less than the posted speed limit (Example: when looking for a block number, house address, or mobile home community lot number). In such cases, emergency lights must remain on for safety purposes as well as to assist citizens in flagging emergency personnel to the scene. Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Emergency Response Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Emergency Response - 2 Rapid transport of patients with emergency warning lights and siren does not relieve personnel of the duty to continue to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons. It should also be noted that some medical conditions might be exacerbated by the use of emergency lights and the siren. Personnel not authorized to respond with emergency lights and siren shall observe all traffic laws and proceed without the use of emergency lights and siren. . 301.4 MULTIPLE EMERGENCY VEHICLE RESPONSES When more than one apparatus responds to an emergency, emergency vehicle operators should remain alert to the presence of other emergency vehicles and exercise due caution. Personnel must further exercise due caution in recognizing that traffic yielding to one emergency vehicle may not expect other emergency vehicles to follow. When responding to emergencies, apparatus will not pass each other unless delayed or disabled. If passing becomes necessary, permission must be obtained, via radio communications, from the apparatus being passed. When department resources are responding to a fire alarm only the first due piece of equipment is to initiate an emergency response. All other equipment will proceed without the use of emergency lights and sirens and will observe all traffic laws, unless advised by a supervisor or on scene personnel to respond emergency. When 2 or more units are responding to the same fire alarm from the same location, only the first due piece of equipment will respond emergency. 301.5 INITIATING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE If a Company Officer believes an emergency response to any call is appropriate, the Company Officer shall ensure Emergency Dispatch Center is immediately notified. If units are dispatched to a potential emergency and canceled en route by the caller or police personnel on scene, at least one Fire Department unit will continue to the scene in non-emergency mode to conduct a scene assessment and interview/evaluate individuals on scene to determine if there is a need for assistance. The officer in charge of the vehicle must confirm that all personnel are on board, properly attired, and with seat belts on before the vehicle is permitted to move. Passengers in the jump seats must remain seated and belted whenever the vehicle is in motion. 301.6 RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESPONDING PERSONNEL Emergency response vehicle operators shall exercise sound judgment and care, with due regard for life and property, while operating a vehicle en route to an emergency response. Members must be familiar with the location of hydrants, streets, and sprinkler systems in their first run area. In addition, emergency vehicle operators shall reduce speed at all street intersections and should come to a complete stop at all blind street intersections or intersections where there is either a red light, a flashing red light or a stop sign. Emergency vehicle operators should also come to a Chesapeake Fire Department Policy Manual Emergency Response Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2023/03/29, All Rights Reserved.Published with permission by Chesapeake Fire Department Emergency Response - 3 complete stop at intersections whenever they reasonably believe they cannot account for traffic in approaching lanes or when vehicles have not yielded the right-of-way. After coming to a complete stop, emergency vehicle operators should only proceed when it is safe to do so. The exemptions from certain traffic laws are only extended to emergency vehicles when they are properly insured or otherwise protected pursuant to Virginia law (Va. Code § 46.2-920). The decision to continue an emergency response is at the discretion of the emergency vehicle operator or Company Officer. If, in the judgment of either individual, the roadway conditions or traffic congestion do not permit such a response without unreasonable risk, the response may be continued without the use of red lights and siren at the legal speed limit. In such an event, the Company Officer should ensure Emergency Dispatch Center is promptly notified. Personnel shall also discontinue the emergency response when directed by any supervisor. 301.6.1 SCHOOL ZONES When driving through school zones during school hours, the posted speed limit will be maintained, even in an emergency response mode. When an emergency vehicle responding to an emergency approaches a school bus that is loading and unloading children, the emergency vehicle must come to a complete stop and will not proceed until all children are clear of the roadway or at such time as the driver of the school bus assures the driver of the emergency vehicle that the way is safe and clear. 301.7 CANCELLATION OF RESPONDING PERSONNEL (a) When Fire Department units are responding mutual aid to another jurisdiction and are canceled by the requesting Fire/EMS agency, the Fire Department units do not need to proceed to the incident. (b) Battalion Chiefs and Field Medical Officers have the flexibility to cancel all unit responses based on additional information or extenuating circumstances. (c) If units are canceled, the fire department officer canceling the response is required to ensure that the circumstances involved with the call and the reason for canceling the response is clearly documented in the incident report. (d) Law enforcement units do not have the authority to cancel Fire Department units responding to an incident. 301.8 FAILURE OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT If the emergency equipment on the vehicle should fail to operate, the vehicle operator must terminate the emergency response and respond accordingly. In all cases, the Company Officer shall notify the Emergency Communications Center of the equipment failure so that another apparatus may be assigned to the emergency response.