5007 Vehicle, Apparatus or Specialty Trailer Accidents (safety)

Question 1

TFD Battalion Chiefs and Incident Safety Officers shall be responsible for

Answer 1

1. Investigating accidents involving TFD vehicles, apparatus and specialty trailers
2. Photographing the accident or damage scene in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this document
3. Completing required written reports in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this document

Question 2

What policy number is Vehicle, Apparatus or Specialty Trailer Accidents

Answer 2

5007safety

Question 3

Who is responsible for:

1. Maintaining the Vehicle/Apparatus Safety Packet and requesting replacement items as needed

Answer 3

Drivers/Operators/Pilots

Question 4

Define

Collision.

Answer 4

Any unplanned situation or event where contact occurs and a TFD vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer sustains or causes damage to property or equipment and/or injury to people.

Question 5

Define

Deliberate Occurrence L. D. (Line of Duty)

Answer 5

A situation in which a TFD
employee finds it necessary, in an emergency and after exhausting all alternatives,
to intentionally use a TFD vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer as a ram.

Question 6

Define

Incident.

Answer 6

For the purposes of this policy this term is defined as follows:
Any situation or event that occurs when a TFD vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer and/or its associated equipment sustains or causes damage to property or equipment and/or injury to people, whether or not the vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer was in motion.

Question 7

Define

No Fault Incident.

Answer 7

Any reported incident wherein it is determined that a properly parked, secured and unoccupied TFD vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer was damaged by contact with a private vehicle, equipment or object.

Question 8

Define

Reviewable Incident

Answer 8

Any incident wherein it is determined that the action and/or inaction of TFD personnel may have been the cause of the accident.

Question 9

Define

Road Hazard Incident

Answer 9

Any reported incident wherein it is determined that a small object was thrown from a tire or fell off of a moving TFD or private vehicle, apparatus and/or specialty trailer or similar type circumstance and causes minor damage.

Question 10

Define

Staff call out

Answer 10

Notification of uniformed personnel in the event of an extraordinary or unusual incident; call signs for this group are 140, 141, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 192, 193, 194, 197, 218 and 221.

Question 11

Define

Unfounded Incident.

Answer 11

Any reported incident wherein it is determined that the vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer was not involved or insufficient evidence is found to establish involvement of the vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer.

Question 12

The Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety shall report accidents to other City departments/offices as follows

Answer 12

a. Accidents involving citizens and/or their property to the Legal Department
b. Actual or potential accident claims to the Risk Management Office

Question 13

After hours, weekends and holidays the information for non-injury/non-
fatality accidents may be left on the

Answer 13

Safety Office voice mail.

Question 14

The Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety or his/her designee shall review and classify all accidents involving TFD vehicles, apparatus and/or specialty trailers as one of the following:

Answer 14

a. Collision
b. Incident
c. Deliberate Occurrence L.D. (Line of Duty)

Question 15

The Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety or his/her designee shall further classify accidents deemed to be incidents as one of the following

Answer 15

a. Road Hazard
b. No Fault
c. Unfounded
d. Vandalism
e. Reviewable

Question 16

The Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety or his/her designee shall refer the following accident classifications to the Accident Review Board for further action as delineated in TFD Policy 5008:

Answer 16

a. Collision
b. Reviewable incident
c. Deliberate Occurrence L.D. (Line of Duty)

Question 17

Each TFD vehicle and apparatus shall have on board a Vehicle/Apparatus
Safety Packet that contains the following items

Answer 17

a. Laminated Accident Procedure checklist
b. City of Tacoma Motor Vehicle Accident Report (PER 708)
c. State of Washington Vehicle Collision Report
d. One disposable camera for accident and damage documentation
e. City of Tacoma Risk Management Office business cards

Question 18

TFD personnel shall not give the Accident Procedure checklist to

Answer 18

the other party involved in the accident.

Question 19

The Officer, In-charge Firefighter/Paramedic or other in-charge personnel,
in consultation with TFD Fire Garage personnel as necessary and appropriate, shall place a TFD vehicle, apparatus and/or specialty trailer out of service when:

Answer 19

a. The accident involves a serious injury or fatality

b. The damage sustained in the accident prevents its safe operation

Question 20

The Officer, In-charge Firefighter/Paramedic or other in-charge personnel
shall relieve the engine or ladder driver of his/her driving responsibilities for the rest of the shift when:

Answer 20

a. The accident involves an injury or fatality

b. The damage sustained in the accident prevents safe operation of the apparatus

Question 21

Before leaving the accident scene, the Officer or In-charge Firefighter/Paramedic shall ensure that

Answer 21

a. The Accident Procedure checklist has been completed
b. The other party(ies) involved in the accident are given a business card for City of Tacoma Risk Management Office OR
c. Pertinent information is left in a conspicuous place on the damaged vehicle and/or property if the owner cannot be located

Question 22

If an injury or fatality occurs as a result of an accident involving a TFD
vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer, FCC personnel also shall

Answer 22

a. Perform a Staff call out

b. Notify the City of Tacoma Safety Officer

Question 23

The Officer, In-charge Paramedic or Supervisor shall ensure the following
written reports are completed and submitted prior to going off duty for all accidents involving TFD vehicles, apparatus or specialty trailers:

Answer 23

a. State of Washington Vehicle Collision Report if there is an injury or damage in excess of $700
b. City of Tacoma Motor Vehicle Accident Report (PER 708)
i. The PER 708 may be submitted electronically via e-mail to the Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety
ii. If submitted electronically, also send a hard copy diagram of the accident scene to the Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety
c. On-the-job injury reports as needed and in accordance with TFD Policy 5013
d. Serious injury and fatality reports as needed and in accordance with TFD Policy 5014

Question 24

The Battalion Chief and/or ISO who responded to the accident scene shall
complete a written accident investigation report in IDC format and forward it via e-mail to:

Answer 24

a. The Deputy Chief of Emergency Operations, Support Services and/or Prevention and Preparedness as appropriate
b. Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety

Question 25

Both the electronic PER 708 form and accident investigation report in IDC
format can be accessed on

Answer 25

FireWeb, under Safety, then Forms.

Question 26

When taking photographs of the accident scene:

Answer 26

Take at least four pictures of each TFD vehicle, apparatus or specialty trailer and any private vehicle(s) or object(s) involved in the accident to include–

i. Damaged portions as well as any pre-existing damage to private vehicles in the photographs
ii. Tire tread condition of private vehicle if indicated
e. Take photos of the other driver pointing to the damaged parts of his/her vehicle

Question 27

Send digital photographs via e-mail and/or disposable camera via messenger to

Answer 27

the Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety

Question 28

The Administrative Battalion Chief for Safety or his/her designee shall be responsible for

Answer 28

1. Ensuring accidents involving TFD vehicles, apparatus and specialty trailers are handled according to the guidelines set forth in this document
2. Providing Vehicle/Apparatus Safety Packets
3. Notifying the appropriate City departments/offices in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this document
4. Maintaining this document