Accountability on the Fireground

[mcdonl]

One department I volutneer with (I will actually go on fire calls....) has a good tag system, and enough members so that we can do 2 in 2 out or some variation of that depending on the response.

The other department. I choose not to go there, I may get lost due to lack of accountability and safe operating procedures.

[Blulakr]

Yep. On the dry erase board

Yep, or at least on a notepad.

We have velcro tags as I'm sure many others do also.

Individual crew\division leaders are responsible for assuring that IC knows where that crew is and what they're doing. No one acts without at least confirmation from IC unless it's IDLH. Example, "IC, vent crew accessing roof on c side of structure". That group doesn't proceed until IC confirms their position and what they're doing. Doing otherwise is freelancing. Crew leaders are also responsible for PAR checks of their crew members.

We contract with Cal Fire for dispatch. At any structure fire they automatically radio the IC for a par check at timed intervals.

What happens if a crew gets trapped and a fire ground emergency has been declared, command asks for PAR and the crew that is trapped cannot communicate, does command keep up with who is where? Curious..

If command doesn't have at least a general idea of where your group is then you were either freelancing or command is not doing it's job.

[fire49]

Yep. On the dry erase board

http://www.fireengineering.com/index/articles/display.articles.fire-engineering.health-and-safety.2002.08.do-you-have-par.html

http://www.firescope.org/ics-guides-and-terms/ICS%20SF.pdf

http://yourfirstdue.com/manager/data/1254172201/File/dcfr_mayday_procedures_sog_4.pdf

[farmerfire1156]

Each crew acccounts for the members on their crew and reports back to command they have all their people

What happens if a crew gets trapped and a fire ground emergency has been declared, command asks for PAR and the crew that is trapped cannot communicate, does command keep up with who is where? Curious..

[CGITCH]

One tag in truck, One to officer by door before entering.

[fire49]

Each crew acccounts for the members on their crew and reports back to command they have all their people

[tree68]

Lord knows we're trying. The problem around here is that we generally don't arrive and operate as companies. Functional crews are assembled from available personnel on-scene. The bulk of the apparatus have two-door commercial cabs, making carrying a full crew impossible.

Early in an incident, especially, we usually don't have anyone available to be the keeper of the tags and tracking clerk, documenting who's doing what where. As incidents grow, we get enough support personnel to actually do so, personnel tend to gravitate into crews, and accountability improves.

[THTMAN]

Anyone have a good procedure for conducting a roll call / par (whatever you like to call it) on the fireground? I know many volunteer depts use tags, but how you actually account for all members during the operation? How do the officers / members report that they are accounted for?