Ch 5. Accountability at Major Fire Incidents

Question 1

What NFPA Standards address accountability systems for all incidents?

Answer 1

1500 and 1561

pg 47

Question 2

What are proving to be vital safety tools, despite some drawbacks inherent to the systems in use today?

Answer 2

Accountability systems

pg 47

Question 3

Three reasons the vast majority of departments have trouble tracking their crews and individual members at fires and other incidents:

Answer 3

1) tradition
2) problem solving (leads to freelancing)
3) reluctancy to speak on the radio
pg 47-48

Question 4

The true goal of accountability should be ___.

Answer 4

to track the location of crews on the fire scene, both inside and out.
pg 48

Question 5

What is the problem with most accountability systems in use today

Answer 5

they only let the incident commander know who is in the building and who isn’t
pg 48

Question 6

Keeping track of the crew on the fireground, both inside and out, can be accomplished without tags, boards, and computers. It takes the realistic and dedicated use of the incident management system, as well as ___. (48)

Answer 6

the commitment of company officers.

Question 7

The [accountability] system used in Toledo employs ___ and at any incident, they will have, at a minimum, a sheet that identifies ___. (49)

Answer 7

acrylic boards; who is on duty and on what apparatus each member is riding.

Question 8

[The accountability system] The FDNY uses ___

Answer 8

a daily roster system to identify on-duty members.

pg 49

Question 9

a ___ system is designed to provide a much more controlled accounting of where crews are on the fireground.

Answer 9

passport

pg 50

Question 10

A passport system requires ___ and cooperation of the officers at the scene. (50)

Answer 10

discipline

Question 11

the passport system lacks one vital aspect of accountability in that ___.

Answer 11

it fails to track crews on the fireground or, even more importantly, inside the fire structure.
pg 50

Question 12

NFPA ___: Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System

Answer 12

1561

pg 50

Question 13

7 points from NFPA 1561

Answer 13

1. The incident commander shall be responsible for accountability.
2. The department shall provide a system for rapid accounding of all personnel on the scene.
3. All officers shall maintain an awareness of the position and function of all assigned members.
4. The incident management system shall provide a system for accountability.
5. personnel who arrive on the scene by means other than a fire apparatus shall be identified and accounted for.
6. The system shall identify persons entering and leaving the structure
7. The incident management system shall include a standard operating guideline for emergency evacuation
   pg 50-51

Question 14

Although the task of accounting for personnel can be delegated, ___ is always the responsible party.

Answer 14

the IC

pg 50

Question 15

How does a department provide for rapid accountability of all personnel on scene?

Answer 15

PARs

pg 50

Question 16

___ is at the heart of our industry.

Answer 16

teamwork

pg 50

Question 17

What shall serve as the basis for accountability?

Answer 17

the awareness of the position and function of all assigned members maintained by the officer
pg 50

Question 18

What is more important than crews notifying IC they are entering the structure?

Answer 18

Informing the IC when they leave

pg 51

Question 19

NFPA ___: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Programs

Answer 19

1500

pg 52

Question 20

12 points of NFPA 1500

Answer 20

1. The department must develop a written standard pertaining to accountability.
2. It is the responsibility of all members to participate in the accountability system
3. the IC is responsible for the overall accountability of personnel
4. The IC shall maintain awareness as to the location and function of all on-scene personnel
5. Officers assigned as tactical management are responsible for their crews
6. Officers are responsible for their specific crew members
7. When assigned as a company, members are responsible for remaining under the supervision of the officer
8. Members are responsible for following accountability procedures
9. An accountability system shall be used at all incidents
10. The department is responsible for making the accountability system work
11. The standard operating guidelines shall provide for additional accountability officers as the incident expands
12. The IC and members who are assigned supervisory responsibility for a tactical-level unit that involves multiple companies or crews shall assign members to track all of those companies and crews.
    pg 52-53

Question 21

Being IC is tantamount to being ___.

Answer 21

the captain of a ship

pg 52

Question 22

Crews must ___ all movement that is not obvious.

Answer 22

communicate

pg 52

Question 23

Officers with more than one crew working under them are responsible for knowing ___, ___, and ___ of all crew working under them.

Answer 23

Location (where they are); function (what they’re doing); Identification (who they are)
pg 52

Question 24

___ are responsible for remaining with their crews at all times.

Answer 24

individual members

pg 52

Question 25

Any procedure must be comprehensible and ___. Its mechanism should begin at ___. (52)

Answer 25

enforceable; the top and work downward.

Question 26

whenever you’re assigned, you’re responsible for tracking ___.

Answer 26

everyone under your control

pg 53

Question 27

When designing an accountability system, begin by ___.

Answer 27

taking a serious look at your department.

pg 53

Question 28

The prerequisites [of an accountability system] are ___

Answer 28

discipline, control and an effective IMS

pg 53

Question 29

___ is the key [to accountability systems].

Answer 29

Discipline

pg 54

Question 30

The true essence of training is ___.

Answer 30

error without consequence.

pg 54

Question 31

a ___ is an announcement from the officer in charge of a crew that all of the members assigned to him have been located and accounted for. (54)

Answer 31

PAR

Question 32

When a PAR is requested, the officer must contact every member assigned to him, either ___ or ___.

Answer 32

visually; verbally

pg 54

Question 33

When all of the crews have reported PAR, the IC should give a ___ for the incident. (54)

Answer 33

general PAR

Question 34

the general PAR announcement is ___ for documentation purposes.

Answer 34

time-stamped

pg 54

Question 35

What are the 2 types of PARs?

Answer 35

Routine and Emergency

pg 54

Question 36

A/an ___ Given by company officer anytime he and his crew leave the building and every 15 minutes while working inside, until the fire is under control. (54)

Answer 36

Routine PAR

Question 37

A/an ___ is given at the request of the IC or ops officer. (54)

Answer 37

Emergency PAR

Question 38

Level ___ accountability will be used at normal incidents, when the incident can be brought under control in 15 minutes or less and IC can track members without aid (56)

Answer 38

1

Question 39

Level ___ accountability will be used at multiple alarm or mutual-aid incidents. (57)

Answer 39

2