HomeMy WebLinkAbout202.016 - Vegetation Response Policy
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
202.016 VEGETATION RESPONSE POLICY
EFFECTIVE: SEPTEMBER 2018
Current Revision Date: 5/19/20 Next Revision Date: 5/19/24
Author’s Name/Rank:
Timothy J. Fulmer,
Administrative Battalion Chief Review Level: 1
Administrative Support:
Sherrie L. Badertscher,
Management Analyst II
Section 202.016
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PURPOSE
To establish a standard and consistent response and mitigation procedure for
vegetation fires.
APPLICATION
This policy applies to all operational units and personnel responding to a reported
vegetation fire.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
Everyone engaged in the incident shall wear appropriate personal protective
equipment (PPE) to include, but not limited to, helmet, eye protection, gloves,
jacket, pants, foot protection, and fire shelter.
Lookout(s), communication(s), escape route(s) and safety zone(s) (LCES)
must be established and known to ALL firefighters BEFORE it is needed.
A chief officer shall pre-approve all firing plans prior to the commencement of
firing operations.
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
GOALS:
Provide for public and firefighter safety through strict adherence to LCES, 10
standard orders, and 18 watch-out situations.
Section 202.016
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Minimize the fire threat to exposures and property of value by reducing the
spread of an uncontrolled or non-permitted vegetation fire.
Minimize fire suppression costs by mitigating vegetation fires by the use of
appropriate apparatus and effective strategy and tactics.
OBJECTIVES:
Life Safety.
Exposure protection (structures and other property of value).
Confinement to vegetation only.
Extinguishment (water, foam, jell, firing operations).
Overhaul will include mop-up and patrol.
Hazard mitigation, including post incident control procedures found in
Standard Operating Procedures Manual, Section 201.004, Post Incident
Control Procedures.
COMMAND:
The first officer to arrive at the scene is to assume command until relieved by
an equal or higher ranking officer.
Strategic objectives should be established and communicated. Objectives
should be consistent with the Fresno Fire Department’s (FFD or Department)
risk management policy.
Tactical assignments should support strategic objectives.
Determine the need for additional resources based on fire threat, potential
exposure, and the inability to reach the fire without going off road.
Requests for mutual aid resources should be approved or denied through a
chief officer. If approved, mutual aid requests are to be made through the
communications center.
Section 202.016
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First-Arriving Company:
Upon arrival, the incident commander should:
a. Report arrival at-scene, report conditions (type of vegetation, size of fire,
potential acres, rate of spread and exposures), and determine action to be
taken.
i. Investigate.
ii. Determine strategy.
iii. Determine tactics.
1. Direct fire attack.
2. Indirect fire attack.
a. Defensive firing operation with chief officer approval.
Consider need for additional equipment or cancel unneeded equipment.
a. A brush or patrol unit should be requested anytime apparatus are needed
off road.
b. Water tenders should be considered in areas deficient of water supply.
c. A chief officer should be requested anytime an incident requires more than
three (3) units or involves a high threat area. i.e., River Bluff.
Communicate with and direct actions of on-scene companies.
Communicate with and direct incoming companies.
Pass command as necessary.
Establish LCES.
Determine the need for EMS stand-by for heat related injuries.
Section 202.016
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PROCESS
RESPONSE
Typical Assignment:
One (1) engine company (Non-fire season).
Two (2) engines (Fire season).
Wildland Task Force:
Two (2) engine companies.
Two (2) brush or patrol units.
One (1) water tender.
One (1) battalion chief.
Any Special Call Assignment:
Specific companies as requested by the incident commander.
Additional overhead staff.
STAFFING
Brush and Patrol Units:
The Department maintains cross-staffed patrol units (P), brush units (BR), and water
tenders (WT) in both single and two company stations. The Department strives to
provide the quickest response possible, while maintaining the highest level of fire
suppression readiness throughout the city.
The engine company officer when dispatched on a vegetation fire and in quarters
with a patrol or brush unit has the discretion to staff the patrol or brush unit and
respond with the primary apparatus. If the patrol or brush unit is added to the
incident, the responding units and communication center must be notified.
Section 202.016
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A truck company, dispatched on a vegetation fire and in quarters with a patrol or
brush unit, staffs the brush or patrol unit and leaves the truck in quarters, out of
service. Communications must be notified.
When any unit is special called or requested for mutual-aid response, the crew staffs
the brush or patrol unit and leaves the primary apparatus in quarters, out of service.
This includes units that pick up a brush or patrol unit at another station. For
example, if E3 is dispatched to pick up Patrol 7, E3 will be left at Station 7 out of
service while the crew responds with P7. Communications must be notified.
Water Tenders:
A water tender is dispatched as part of a wildland task force, part of a first-alarm
assignment where the water supplies are deficient, or special called to an incident by
the incident commander as needed.
A qualified engineer who is familiar with water tender procedures is assigned to drive
and operate the water tender by the company officer.
A company officer dispatched to a vegetation fire while in quarters with a water
tender, has the discretion to include the water tender in the response. If the water
tender is co-stationed with a patrol or brush unit, it is the company officer’s discretion
on which apparatus would be added to the incident. If either is added to the
incident, the communication center must be notified.
In the event the primary company is out of quarters when a water tender is
requested, the nearest available company is dispatched to the station where the
water tender is located and responds to the incident with both apparatus.
When mutual-aid is provided with a water tender, the company officer and engineer
staff the water tender and leaves the primary apparatus in quarters and places it out
of service. The additional crew member(s) with direction from the battalion chief are
moved to other staffed apparatus.
Any deviation from these response procedures are to be communicated to the
communication center.
INFORMATION
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Section 202.016
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DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Incident Response Pocket Guide 2018
Standard Operating Procedures Manual
Section 208.002, Department Response Procedures