PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY
VOLUNTEERS CORNER
As the concern for fireground safety continues to grow, more and more fire departments are reviewing the manner in which they keep track of their firefighters on the foreground — accountability. NFPA Standard 1500, Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, calls for a system “to identify and account for the assignment of each member at the scene of an incident.” Incident commanders are responsible for the safety of firefighters at the emergency scene, and a reliable accountability system can help them monitor firefighter safety, thereby reducing the potential for firefighter injuries and deaths. Losing personnel on the scene is not a new problem, but it is one that needs more attention. Personnel accountability has been sorely neglected by the fire service.
METHODS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Several methods can be used to track firefighters at an incident. A system can be devised using paper records, magnetic or Velcro® name strips, tags, “passports,” bar codes, or a combination of these methods.
Paper records. This system has been used for several years and consists of making multiple copies of a list of personnel on the apparatus: one copy to be kept at the station, one for the officer, and one to be kept on the apparatus.
Strips and tags. Magnetic name strips can be placed in the pocket of the turnout coat, and Velcro® name strips can be placed under the collar, on the flap seal, or in any other convenient location. Personnel identification tags could be placed in pockets or snapped to a D-ring. The identified items then should be deposited at a designated location when the apparatus or individual arrives at the scene. The designated site could be at the riding position, and the driver can collect them later. Or, the items may be kept with the officer’s tactical action clipboard, status board, or company passport or at the location where responding firefighters report. Identification tags can be gathered at the start of a shift and placed in a designated location on the apparatus.
Passports. These lists of individuals working together as a company generally are completed prior to an alarm, but they could be developed as firefighters arrive on the scene. A passport is given to the incident commander on receipt of an assignment. The incident commander then knows the task assigned to and the location of the personnel. Personnel on the passport must stay in contact with each other by physical, visual, or vocal means. This not only prevents freelancing but also provides assistance to any firefighter in trouble.
Electronic bar codes. Also used in grocery stores, these codes can be placed on any identification tag and can be used for individuals or the company as a whole. The bar codes then can be used to identify who is on the scene, to develop pay records, and to record exposure times. They also can be used in conjunction with entry control and can be tied to a data base and used to detail who on the scene has special training. The bar codes have extensive administrative uses for activities where recording time is necessary, such as training. The drawback of bar codes is that their use entails having a reader and printer at the command post.
THE SYSTEM
Accountability should begin when the firefighter reports—whether to the station for duty or an alarm or directly to the incident scene. When reporting to the station, the firefighter’s name should be placed on a written record or a passport list. If responding, firefighters should be sure that their name tags or other identification devices are with their protective clothing or in the assigned location on the apparatus. Firefighters responding directly to an incident scene should report to a designated location where their presence is recorded. They then must be assigned to a team or company so that they will not function alone, freelance, or work without supervision.
At smaller incidents, the accountability system should include collecting the means of identification and recording team assignments at the company level. The incident commander should keep all company assignment records. If required, the safety officer records the names of personnel on special entry assignments.
At larger incidents, accountability may move to the command post. Here, a resource person records the company passport or identification tags and the company’s assignment and location. The assignments of operational and staff chief officers and their identification are collected to maintain accountability of all personnel on the scene.
Accountability becomes especially critical at situations such as hazardous-materials incidents, fires in underground locations or high-rise buildings, or confined-space rescues. The fire department must meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for accountability at these incidents, and it will be held liable if a firefighter is lost. The problems inherent in these situations make it necessary to record the name, company, air supply, and entry and exit times of each individual. These records are vital information, especially for preventing a firefighter from running out of air and for recording exposure times to toxic chemicals.
An accountability system must be used at every call for each firefighter.
Do not overlook officers and their functional or geographic assignments. Every’ officer must know where individuals are and their team assignments. Incident commanders must know the location and assignment of each company and command officer. A system for accountability is a necessity. If you have not implemented one in your department, develop one quickly. It must be easy for all department members to implement, use, and remember.
Accountability will improve your department, increase fircground efficiency through better command and control, and decrease the possibility of losing a firefighter who needs help. An accountability system will put your department in compliance with the NFPA safety standard and any applicable federal, state, or local regulations. Further, it will reduce the risk of liability to fire officers and the department, develop teamwork, and pinpoint every firefighter’s location should tragedy strike at the scene.*
