1016 - Public Service Requests And Events Flashcards
Philosophy
The mission of the Tacoma Fire Department is stated as follows:
Consistent with that mission is TFD’s philosophy on public service requests and events:
“As a team of dedicated professionals, we serve the community’s needs while protecting people, property and the environment.”
“They call, we go.” Further, by responding to and resolving those public service requests and events with TFD units on an “as available” basis, the community can be assured that those units continue to be available for calls of a more emergent nature.
Who shall be responsible for maintaining this document?
The Assistant Chief of Administration & Support Services or his/her designee
Who shall be responsible for:
- Determining whether the situation presents an emergency or potential life hazard.
- Determining the level of engagement by TFD personnel.
- Coordinating with FCC regarding assignment of emergency type codes and deployment of resources.
- Ensuring that vehicle and/or building owners are provided with an appropriate level of service as outlined in this policy.
The TFD Incident Commander
Who shall be responsible for ensuring that:
- TFD unit response to all public service requests is timely and appropriate.
- TFD units responding to public service requests remain in service and available to respond to fire/EMS emergencies as needed.
- TFD apparatus are equipped with appropriate lockout tools and current locksmith lists.
TFD Company Officers
Who shall be responsible for:
- Determining the appropriate level of response (routine or priority) to a public service request based on initial information received from the reporting party.
- Dispatching appropriate personnel and apparatus.
- Attempting to contact the calling party if the responding unit(s) are diverted to another incident.
Fire Communications personnel
Who shall be responsible for maintaining and distributing in a timely manner the list of locksmiths in the TFD service area?
The Fire HQ Administrative Assistant, EMS,
Emergency or potential life hazard.
For the purposes of this policy, an emergency or potential life hazard situation refers to the following:
- A person or animal in obvious distress in a vehicle or in a situation that may result in eventual distress without rapid intervention (e.g., high vehicle interior temperature).
- A child locked in a vehicle, under any circumstances, unable to follow directions and open the door.
- A person in a building in obvious distress and unable to open the door.
- A report of a person in distress in a building where the company officer feels that there is high likelihood that the report is valid and accurate.
General Guidelines
- Fire Communications personnel shall:
a. Determine which TFD units respond to public service requests.
i. Public service requests shall be assigned primarily to ___________ when available and in district.
ii. Public service requests shall be assigned to engine companies when_________________
b. Determine whether the TFD unit response is “priority” or “routine.”
ladder companies
a ladder company is not available in a district.
TFD personnel shall respond in a timely manner to all public service requests as follows:
a. “Priority” for all emergency or potential life hazard situations
b. “Routine” for non-emergency situations
All TFD ladders and engines shall be equipped with:
a. A lockout tool.
i. The Big Easy Lockout tool shall be the authorized vehicle lockout tool for use by TFD personnel.
b. A current list of locksmiths to offer as a resource to a vehicle or building owner.
TFD personnel shall make forcible entry into locked buildings or vehicles only when:
a. There is evidence to suggest an emergency situation exists.
b. There is no other rapid way to enter the building or vehicle to address the emergency situation.
c. If the Incident Commander determines it is appropriate
TFD units shall remain in service to be available for fire/EMS-related emergency calls that may come in while they are responding to and resolving all public service requests, unless:
the TFD Incident Commander determines it is an emergency or potential life hazard as defined in Section 3.2 of this document.
a. If a non-emergency public service request turns into an emergency, the Incident Commander shall notify Fire Communications and request assignment of an emergency type code for the event.
If the Incident Commander determines there is no emergency or potential life hazard, s/he shall offer assistance to the vehicle or building owner such as:
a list of locksmiths to contact and/or a cell phone to call for assistance from a locksmith, a towing company, or a family member.
a. Once the vehicle or building owner has made contact with a locksmith or made other arrangements, the on-scene Incident Commander shall clear the incident.
In January each year, the HQ Administrative Assistant, EMS, shall:
a. Update the list of locksmiths located in the TFD service area
b. Date, laminate, and distribute the list to all engine, ladder, medic, and battalion units.
PROCEDURE FOR VEHICLE LOCKOUTS
TFD personnel
- For a non-emergency, unscheduled response, notify the individual upon arrival that your unit is still in service, and you may have to leave to respond to an emergency without completing the lockout.
- Attempt to verify the identification of the owner prior to breaching the vehicle.
- Breach a vehicle in a way that maximizes occupant and TFD personnel safety while attempting to minimize damage to the vehicle.
- If the vehicle has electronic safety devices such as airbags, consider the position of any trapped occupant before breaching the vehicle in case the device is inadvertently activated during entry.
- If the vehicle has electric door locks, airbags, or other electronic safety devices in the door, do not attempt entry using any device that penetrates the interior of the door itself.
- If activating the vehicle interior switch does not open the electric door lock, breach the vehicle by breaking a side window opposite the occupant’s location.
- Confirm owner identification with the vehicle registration upon entry into the vehicle.
