STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES 208.002 DEPARTMENT RESPONSE PROCEDURES EFFECTIVE: AUGUST 2007 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide standard response procedures for members utilizing Department apparatus. POLICY It is the policy of the Department to educate its members in, and enforce compliance with, Department response procedures. APPLICATION Responding to emergencies is a major cause of firefighter line-of-duty injuries and death. Historically, approximately one-quarter of all firefighter line-of-duty deaths result from vehicle accidents while responding to or from emergencies. Proper knowledge and compliance with the California Vehicle Code, Department response procedures, and defensive driving precautions can greatly reduce these occurrences. This document provides response procedures for the following areas: Preparing for emergency response Response guidelines Responding Code 3 Water tender response Freeway responses Roadway incident responses Response to unsecured medical aids In addition to any other provisions in this section, officers and apparatus drivers will be familiar with, and comply with, the California Vehicle Code, Sections 21055, 21056, and 21057 when operating Department vehicles as emergency vehicles. Page 1 of 6
PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE Upon initial notification of emergency dispatch, all on-duty firefighting members will immediately and continuously prepare for a response until assured their unit is not directed to respond. Note: Company officers will be responsible for the correct interpretation of alarms. Once designated unit(s) has/have been identified by vocal dispatch, apparatus and crew members will respond (whether from in or out of quarters) and en route to the designated location within 60 seconds between the hours of 0700 2200, and within 90 seconds between the hours of 2200-0700. Prior to responding, members will ensure all equipment is safely stowed, appropriate PPE is donned, and all crew members are utilizing seat belts. Firefighters may don their seat-mounted SCBAs prior to responding or while en route, as long as the SCBA is donned safely and the member remains seat belted at all times. Note: Engineers do not need to don their turnout coats while driving. Based on updated dispatch information or information gathered from the first-arriving unit, the battalion chief or appropriate company officer may request additional resources or reduce or cancel incoming units. RESPONSE GUIDELINES Code 2 A call accompanied by a Code 2 designation will be responded to immediately. Emergency lights and siren will not be used during a Code 2 response, and all traffic laws will be observed. Code 3 A call accompanied by a Code 3 designation is an emergency call and response will be immediate. Emergency lights are required on a Code 3 response, and sirens will be used appropriately. Code 3 responses will be restricted to Department apparatus equipped with emergency lights and sirens while responding to emergency incidents or directed by a superior officer. Page 2 of 6
1. Apparatus will not respond Code 3 if the apparatus emergency lights or siren are inoperable or defective. 2. Staff and support members will not respond Code 3 unless directly involved with the abatement of the emergency or when directed by the incident commander. Prior to leaving the station in response to Code 3 alarms, drivers will turn on headlights, clearance lights, and emergency red lights. Once on scene, emergency lights will be utilized as needed to provide for scene safety of personnel. Nonessential lights will be shut down. Note: Emergency lights will not be used while apparatus are returning to quarters. RESPONDING CODE 3 All members will exercise extreme caution when responding to emergency calls. When responding Code 3, apparatus will not pass each other unless disabled or delayed. Racing with apparatus at any time is strictly prohibited. Department non-firefighting vehicles (e.g., battalion chief, PIO, training officer, investigator) will yield the right of way to firefighting apparatus while responding to alarms. All apparatus responding to alarms are to be under absolute control when approaching and crossing controlled intersections and intersections on local streets (neighborhood streets encompassed by the main streets, arterials, and/or collectors). While traversing a controlled intersection, the speed of the emergency vehicle will not be greater than that enabling the vehicle to stop without collision should the member's right-of-way be violated. It may be necessary to come to a complete stop at a controlled intersection and cautiously proceed after it has been determined the intersection is clear. The same caution must be used when traversing local intersections. Any apparatus responding Code 3 must come to a complete stop when a school bus is displaying its flashing red lights. Once the right-of-way is determined to be clear, the Code 3 response will be resumed even if the bus s red lights continue to flash. Page 3 of 6
Note: School buses displaying flashing red lights, which are across a divided roadway, need not delay a Code 3 response. At the company officer s discretion, firefighters are encouraged to periodically trade seats with the engineer for continued driving experience, including Code 3 driving to emergencies not requiring apparatus operator skills on scene. WATER TENDER RESPONSE Due to the well documented dangerous handling characteristics of water tenders, these additional response guidelines will promote safe driving practices. At the beginning of the shift, the company officer should task the most qualified and experienced engineer to drive the water tender in emergency response. Staffing levels permitting, consider assigning two members to respond on the water tender. The vehicle should respond at or below the posted speed limit. When traversing a controlled intersection the vehicle will come to a complete stop until the intersection is clear. FREEWAY RESPONSES The use of freeways for emergency response is discouraged, except when arrival at an incident would be expedited. Companies using freeways for emergency response will use all required emergency warning devices when exceeding the posted speed limits or when necessary to request the right-of-way from other vehicles. Note: Emergency warning devices need not be used on freeways if the apparatus is driven in a normal manner and consistent with applicable regulations. The number one lane (inside, far left) should be used when responding Code 3. Upon arrival at vehicle accidents or other emergencies on a freeway, emergency apparatus will, when necessary, be used as temporary blockades positioned upstream from the incident activity area(s) as to protect the emergency scene from oncoming traffic. When not used for traffic control or temporary blockade, apparatus will be positioned as far off the freeway as is practical. In all cases, officers will expedite emergency operations to minimize the time apparatus placement affects traffic flow. Page 4 of 6
When apparatus are parked within traffic lanes, the emergency warning lights, vehicle clearance lights, and directional light bars (if available) will be turned on. Headlights, Opticom lights, and white strobe lights will be turned off. If apparatus are positioned out-of-normal traffic lanes, vehicle clearance lights will be turned on. The use of four-way flasher lights and directional light bars (in flasher mode) is optional. Emergency lights, headlights, and white strobe lights will be turned off. Note: Use of compartment lights and ground lights (if available) is always recommended at night. ROADWAY INCIDENT RESPONSES Motor vehicle accidents, vehicle fires, and vegetation fires often, by their very nature, require members to work on or near a roadway. Members must be especially vigilant when operating at these scenes. Visibility, access, and driver reaction times must be considered. All firefighting members will wear Reflective Personal Protection Equipment (R-PPE) and utilize safety officers for the purpose of increasing safety measures when operating on ANY roadway emergency incident. Use of R-PPE Obtain and utilize high-visibility PPE when working near moving traffic. This policy requires all firefighting members to wear helmets AND high-visibility PPE at roadway incidents BEFORE there is a chance of being struck. High-visibility brush or turnout gear ensembles (minimum equipment should include helmet and brush jacket) will be worn when operating on a roadway. Use Safety Officers at Roadway Incidents The company officer (or designated member) will be the designated safety officer for all roadway incidents. The safety officer will monitor traffic activity, ensure the use of proper PPE by all members (including themselves), and correct and notify the incident commander of safety problems BEFORE personnel are placed in a position where they may be struck by passing traffic. Page 5 of 6
RESPONSE TO UNSECURED MEDICAL AIDS At the discretion of the company officer, units may respond Code 2 to unsecured medical-aid scenes. Companies will only respond Code 2 to an unsecured scene when responding from their first-in district to locations within their first-in district. Upon receipt of information that the scene has become secure, equipment en route will immediately begin responding Code 3. Dispatchers will advise responding companies of the nature of the incident, whether or not a police officer is at the location, and all pertinent known information regarding scene security. The decision of when it is safe to proceed to the location will be determined by the company officer. The only deviation to this will be when police officers at the scene advise units not to enter. CROSS REFERENCES California Vehicle Code, Sections 21055, 21056, and 21057 Standard Operating Procedures Manual Section 207.001, General Guidelines Page 6 of 6