HomeMy WebLinkAbout311.012 - Body Armor UseEffective Date: May 2025 Sean A. Johnson, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 05/23/2025 Section 311.012
Next Revision (2) Date: 05/23/2029 Page 1 of 3
Fresno City Fire Department
300 Training and Equipment Manual
SECTION 311.012 BODY ARMOR USE
PURPOSE
To ensure the safety of Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) personnel by
outlining the procedures for donning and doffing enhanced personal protective
equipment (PPE), including body armor, and identifying the specific situations in which
it is to be utilized.
APPLICATION
This policy applies to all sworn suppression members who may be required to deploy
in situations where enhanced PPE is deemed necessary for their safety.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
Enhanced PPE, including body armor, shall be donned under the following
circumstances:
1. Active Shooter and Hostile Event Response (ASHER):
Personnel must wear body armor when deployed to provide medical care
and evacuate victims in a controlled warm zone during an ASHER incident.
2. Civil Unrest Situations:
Body armor must be donned when responding to incidents involving civil
unrest, as communicated and directed by the Department.
3. Captain and Crew Discretion:
Captains and their crews may decide to wear body armor in any situation
where they believe enhanced safety measures are warranted, based on
situational awareness and threat assessment. However, purposeful self-
deployment into an ASHER situation without direction from Unified
Command is strictly prohibited.
Effective Date: May 2025 Sean A. Johnson, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 05/23/2025 Section 311.012
Next Revision (2) Date: 05/23/2029 Page 2 of 3
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
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PROCESS
Procedures for Donning Enhanced PPE:
1. Inspect the body armor for any visible damage or defects prior to donning.
2. Ensure the vest contains Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC)
medical equipment, including tourniquets, hemostatic agents, chest seals,
trauma shears, and a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) with lubricant.
3. Securely fasten all straps and ensure the armor fits snugly to allow full
mobility while providing optimal protection to the upper chest and head.
4. Consider bringing improvised litters or other equipment that may aid in the
evacuation of victims during high-risk incidents.
5. Conduct a final check to ensure proper fit, functionality, and readiness of
both the armor and accompanying equipment before deployment.
Procedures for Doffing Enhanced PPE:
1. Ensure the scene is safe before removing body armor.
2. Remove the armor carefully to avoid contamination or damage.
3. Inspect the armor and accompanying TECC equipment for any damage
or used supplies; report and replace any defects or expended items.
4. Restock any used TECC supplies, including tourniquets, hemostatic
agents, chest seals, trauma shears, and NPA kits, to maintain readiness
for future use.
5. Clean and store the body armor and TECC equipment in accordance with
department guidelines.
Effective Date: May 2025 Sean A. Johnson, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 05/23/2025 Section 311.012
Next Revision (2) Date: 05/23/2029 Page 3 of 3
INFORMATION
Each fire apparatus is equipped with two (2) bags of ballistic personal protective
equipment, while squads are equipped with one (1) bag. The contents of one (1) bag
are as follows:
• Ballistic Protective Helmet (x2)
• Ballistic Protective Vest with front and back Type IV armor plates (x2)
o Each ballistic vest is equipped with an individual first aid kit with the
following content:
Tourniquet
Israeli Bandage
Hemostatic Gauze
Vented Chest Seal
Size 26 & 28 nasal pharyngal airway (NPA) with lubricant
DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 3000™ (2021 Edition)
Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Guidelines (Current Edition)
Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (C-TECC)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Active Shooter Preparedness and Response Guidelines
City of Fresno
Fresno Police Department and Fresno Fire Department Response to Critical
Incidents Memoranda of Understanding