Spring Fire Department Guidelines - Ballistic Protective Equipment PDF

**[PURPOSE]** To maximize personal safety through the use of body armor in combination with prescribed safety procedures and to provide personnel with a procedure for proper use and care. **[SCOPE]** This guideline pertains to all department personnel that respond to or assist in emergency incide...

**[PURPOSE]** To maximize personal safety through the use of body armor in combination with prescribed safety procedures and to provide personnel with a procedure for proper use and care. **[SCOPE]** This guideline pertains to all department personnel that respond to or assist in emergency incidents. **[RESPONSIBILITY]** All Spring Fire Department personnel are responsible for knowing and complying with this procedure. **[REVIEW]** The Fire Chief or designee is responsible for reviewing this guideline annually and assuring its accuracy. **[REFERENCES/DEFINITIONS]** **[Active Assailant (A.A.)]: One or more individuals actively engaged in harming, killing, or attempting to kill people in a populated area with means other than the use of firearms.** **[Active Shooter (A.S.)]:** One or more individuals actively engaged in harming, killing, or attempting to kill people in a populated area with the use of firearm(s). **[Ballistic Protective Equipment (BPE)]:** An item of personal protective equipment (PPE) intended to protect the wearer from threats that could include ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, or blunt force trauma. [Cold Zone]: Areas where there is little or no threat due to geographic distance from the threat or the area has been secured by law enforcement. **[Hot Zone]:** An area where there is a known hazard or a direct and immediate life threat.  i.e., any uncontrolled area where an "active shooter" could directly engage a rescue team.  **[Warm Zone]:** An area where there is a potential for a hazard or an indirect threat to life.  i.e. an area where law enforcement officials have either cleared or isolated the threat to a level of minimal or mitigated risk. This area can be considered clear but not secure. **[GUIDELINE]** The Ballistic Protective Equipment consists of an IIIA Ballistic Helmet with adjustable chin strap and a Universal Plate Carrier with Soft Armor inserts and a Level III Ballistic Plate. Covert Armor International, LLC (CAI) manufactures Soft Armor Inserts used as ballistic resistant inserts in a complete body armor system. CAI Soft Armor Inserts are tested in accordance with and compliant to National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standards. These products are manufactured to specific guidelines and technical specifications in accordance with Quality Assurance Systems ISO 9001:2008 and BA9000. Soft Armor Inserts are the core elements of a body armor system that protect against specific threats. The most important aspect of body armor is to first understand it is "ballistic resistant" and not "bullet proof", protection is only provided if the body armor is worn and only protects the area of the body that it covers. The second most important aspect of body armor is to understand the type of threats you need protection against, and determine if your body armor product is designed and tested against these types of threats. The label on the body armor products provides important information such as the NIJ model, serial number, warranty period, threat types, compliance statement, as well as maintenance instructions. In addition, the label provides a place for you to identify the issue. Another important aspect of the label is the identification of which side is the "STRIKE FACE" and which side is the "BODY SIDE". If the label states "STRIKE FACE", then this must be facing the threat and not be worn against the body. If the label states "BODY SIDE" then this must be facing the body and not be worn facing the threat. Ballistic Protective Equipment (BPE) will be assigned to each apparatus and stored in designated areas within the apparatus. These storage areas are to provide for ease of accessibility and prevent damage to the BPE. **[NOTE]**: All BPE shall be worn in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines. [BPE shall not be worn during fire suppression activities]. The officer or acting officer of the apparatus will be responsible for ensuring BPE is worn and maintained: - When dispatched to any call in which a violent act has occurred or where there is a potential threat of violence, obtain as much relevant information as possible from the Comm Center before committing to the location. In such circumstance, as determined by the OIC, retrieve and don BPE prior to departure (preferred) from the station prior to the entry of the scene.  - If dispatched while out of the station, retrieve and don BPE in staging prior to move up.  - If advised to stage for law enforcement stage well away from the scene out of the direct line-of sight from the incident location. - The OIC has the discretion to determine the use of BPE to any other type of incident. Vests shall be worn, but not limited to the following incidents (Helmets are not required):   - Shootings - Stabbings - Assaults - Other potential violent incidents - Incidents involving entry into a residence or building with the potential of startling the occupant (i.e. forcible entry without contact of person inside) should be considered potentially dangerous and BPE donned at OIC discretion. Helmets and Vest (Full BPE) shall be worn on all Active Shooter incidents unless in the cold zone or officer's discretion. - The helmet shall be worn in the warm and hot zone of an active shooter incident or at the officer's discretion **[INSPECTION, CARE AND MAINTENANCE]** [Inspection]: The Ballistic Protective Equipment and all components will be checked for cleanliness, signs of damage, abuse, wear or tear during apparatus equipment checks. **[NOTE]**: If damage is found, the BPE will be removed from service, logged in apparatus equipment tracking system to notify the Logistic Department.  **[Proper Care of Soft Body Armor Inserts]**: The cleaning Soft Armor Inserts should follow these procedures: - Remove the Soft Body Armor Inserts from the carrier. - Gently wipe the Soft Body Armor Inserts with a damp sponge and a mixture of cold water and mild laundry detergent or antimicrobial soap. - Wipe off excess soap with clean water and a damp sponge. - Lay flat and wipe dry. DO NOT hang or line dry. DO NOT place in the sun. - Ensure Soft Body Armor Inserts are inserted into the carrier in the correct orientation, indicated by "STRIKE FACE" OR "BODY SIDE" markings on the label. - DO NOT dry clean Soft Body Armor Inserts. DO NOT commercially launder Soft Body Armor Inserts. DO NOT expose Soft Body Armor Inserts to bleach (liquid or vapor). **[Proper Care of Body Armor Carrier]**: The cleaning Body Armor Carrier should follow these procedures: - Remove the Soft Body Armor Inserts from the carrier and place to the side. - Wash the Body Armor Carrier on the gentle cycle in cold water using a very mild laundry detergent. - Lay flat or hang dry. DO NOT place in the sun. - Ensure Soft Body Armor Inserts are inserted back into the carrier in the correct orientation, indicated by "STRIKE FACE" OR "BODY SIDE" markings on the label. - DO NOT dry clean Body Armor Carrier. DO NOT commercially launder Body Armor Carrier. DO NOT expose Body Armor Carrier to bleach (liquid or vapor). **[USE AND CARE WARNINGS]** Failure to follow these use and care instructions will **[VOID]** all warranties, including but not limited to any ballistic performance warranty, and could lead to serious injury or death [Body Armor System:] This system contains three main components; soft body armor inserts, carrier and load carriage pouches, and hard body armor inserts, if applicable. The components are intended to work as a system and lack of use and care of one may negatively affect the others. Below are some additional warnings you should note prior to the use of your body armor system. [Do Not Abuse Your Body Armor System]: If the body armor system is heavily worn (e.g., wrinkles or rolls in the soft body armor inserts, open breaks in the outer carrier, heavy stains, worn threads, visible moisture, cracked seams, cover splits), regardless of its age, it shall be deemed to be abused and no longer subject to any warranties. [Inspect Your Body Armor System]: Should the Soft Body Armor Inserts (including without limitation any edge seal of a ballistic panel, where applicable) be broken, interrupted, cracked or damaged in any way, the body armor system should immediately be taken to an armor original equipment manufacturer or authorized dealer for an inspection. Soft Body Armor Inserts that are broken, interrupted, cracked or damaged may negatively impact the ballistic performance and may need to be repaired or replaced. [Storing Your Body Armor System]: The ballistic performance of the Soft Body Armor Inserts is known to change with time and wear, especially when exposed to extreme conditions and environments. The body armor system should not be stored in places where it is exposed to high temperatures and/or high humidity for long periods of time. Exposure to such extreme conditions and environments may negatively impact the ballistic performance of the Soft Body Armor Inserts. [Improper Use]: Using CAI's Soft Body Armor Inserts in a carrier that was not originally designed for the inserts at the time of manufacturing. The installation of Soft Body Armor Inserts into an undersized carrier can cause the inserts to buckle or fold, which may result in set wrinkles that reduce the ballistic performance of the Soft Body Armor Insert. The installation of Soft Body Armor Inserts into oversized carriers can cause voids in ballistic coverage, which may lead to serious injury or death. [Protective Areas and Coverage]: Soft Body Armor Inserts offer protection to only those areas that they cover. Strenuous movements or physical altercations may cause ballistic panels to shift on the user's body, thus affecting actual coverage. Body armor systems that fit improperly (e.g., too long or too wide in the chest area) can develop set wrinkles in the ballistic materials. Substantial weight gain or loss, or changes in the body shape or contour, can also cause previously protected areas to become exposed. If the user has experienced a substantial weight gain or loss, he or she should immediately take their body armor system to an armor OEM or an authorized dealer for an inspection. [Orientation of the Soft Armor Inserts]: Soft Body Armor Inserts are designed to defeat certain threats only if properly inserted into the outer carrier facing in the correct direction. The label affixed to the panel indicates which side is the "STRIKE FACE" and/or "BODY SIDE" -- meaning the side that must face outward toward the threat or towards the body, respectively. The user MUST ensure that the Soft Body Armor Inserts are properly inserted into the carrier in the proper direction. Failure to follow these instructions can result in serious injury or death. [Edge Impacts and Ballistic Performance]: Soft Body Armor Inserts work by dissipating kinetic energy across the fibers of the ballistic panel -- should the body armor system be struck by a threat close to an edge, its ability to dissipate the energy may be negatively impacted. [Obliquity Impacts and Ballistic Performance]: Soft Body Armor Inserts are designed for both frontal and angle impacts, but the greater the angle at which a shot impacts the body armor system the greater the possibility that a projectile may penetrate or slide off the side of the body armor system resulting in serious injury or death. [Multi-Threat Protection]: Soft Body Armor Inserts are designed for specific threats, and are not intended to be resistant to all threats (e.g. handgun threats, rifle threats, fragmentation threats, blunt force trauma threats, spike instruments, edged blades, needles, electronic discharge weapons, etc.) an officer may encounter in the performance of their duties. Users of CAI Soft Armor Systems MUST view the label and/or product data sheet to fully understand the level of protection each insert provides. Never assume the level of protection of your Soft Body Armor System provides, and always remember body armor is "Ballistic Resistant" and not "Bullet Proof".