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HomeMy WebLinkAbout320.003 - Wildland Fire SheltersEffective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 1 of 7 Fresno City Fire Department 300 Training and Equipment Manual SECTION 320.003 WILDLAND FIRE SHELTERS PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to familiarize Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) members with the use and care of wildland fire shelters. APPLICATION The New Generation Fire Shelter is found on all FFD apparatus and is a mandatory part of a member’s personal protective equipment during wildland incidents. The fire shelter is to be properly worn during all fire line activities. OPERATIONAL POLICY The fire shelter is a mandatory part of a member’s personal protective equipment during wildland incidents and should be properly worn during all fire line activities. The Department does not re-bag fire shelters. If a fire shelter is deemed to be out of service, contact FFD supply to order a replacement. The out of service fire shelter is tagged with an FD-37 and sent to the Training Division to be evaluated. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE The fire shelter must be readily accessible. It is to be carried on the web gear waist belt in the vertical or horizontal position on either hip as shown below (See Figures 1 and 2). The shelter may be carried in the fire shelter pouch, which is a feature of some fire line packs. Carry the shelter case with Velcro tabs towards the top or the side (forward facing). Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 2 of 7 (Figures 1 and 2) PROCESS 1. Care and Maintenance: • Inspect the carrying case and shelter when first issued and every 14 days during fire season. Members are to ensure the PVC bag seal is unopened; it contains a field instruction sheet; and note any damage. • Fire shelters do not have a specified shelf life; their serviceability depends on its condition. • Hard plastic liners must be present to protect the shelter from any premature wear while in the carrying case. • Do not open the shelter to inspect it; look through the clear PVC bag and follow the Fire Shelter Inspection Guideline below. Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 3 of 7 Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 4 of 7 (Figures A through H) Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 5 of 7 • To prolong the life of a shelter, the following rules apply: o Do not sit, lean, or lay on it. o Do not stack heavy objects on it. o Do not allow it to get wet. o Keep the shelter away from sharp objects which may puncture them. o Use the hard-protective liner provided. 2. Deployment Procedures: • Open the top flap and remove the shelter from its case (See Figure 3). • Pull either red ring on the plastic bag down to the bottom and up the other side. Remove the shelter (See Figure 4). (Figures 3 and 4) • Grasp the shake handles that extend from the folded shelter. The handles are marked, RIGHT HAND in red and LEFT HAND in black (See Figure 5). • When the shake handles are in the proper hand, the shelter unfolds with the opening toward your body. Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 6 of 7 • Holding the shake handles, shake out the shelter (See Figure 6). Do not release hold of the shelter as the wind can blow it away. (Figures 5 and 6) • Lie face down with feet toward the oncoming flames. The hottest part of the shelter is the side closest to the advancing fire. Keep your head and airway away from these high temperatures. (See Figure 7). (Figure 7) • The hold-down straps on the new shelter are sewn into the floor panels. As soon as you are under the shelter, slip your arms through the straps up to your elbows (See Figure 8). Effective Date: November 2014 David Polanco, Engineer Current Revision Date: 9/19/2023 Section 320.003 Next Revision (1) Date: 9/19/2026 Page 7 of 7 (Figure 8) • Once on the ground, push out the top and sides of the shelter so it holds as much air as possible. The air between you and the side of the shelter is excellent insulation. Ensure the shelter is fully unfolded and not bunched beneath you when deployed. • Do not pull the shelter against you as you would a blanket. Instead, push the shelter material away from your body so it doesn’t burn you and leaves more space for cool air. • Hold the shelter down with your feet, legs, elbows, and hands. Keep your nose and mouth on the ground. Temperatures just a few inches off the ground are dramatically higher than those at the surface. Breathing through a dry bandanna or a shroud helps reduce the heat and smoke inhaled. INFORMATION New Generation Fire Shelter USFS Fire Shelter Inspection Guide DEFINITIONS This section intentionally left blank. CROSS REFERENCES No cross references recognized.