It is the policy of the Varna Volunteer Fire Company to encourage safe and effective behavior at all operations in which the Company may engage. The following General Orders of the Chiefs are designed to instruct members on appropriate behaviors, to mandate certain policies, and to provide general procedures for typical types of incidents. Additional recommendations for specific types of incidents are contained in the companion document "Recommendations for Incident Commanders and Vehicle Operators for Scene Management and Initial Incident Procedures."

The Company recognizes that every incident is unique. Moreover, the Company follows an Incident Command System wherein a senior officer may choose not to relieve a subordinate officer as Incident Commander, but may choose to fill a supporting role. This simply reflects an understanding that the time taken to transfer command is time lost to managing the incident, and that the development of junior officers requires experience in the command role.

Therefore, specific conditions are described under which the Incident Commander may order members to forego adherence to certain policies. Furthermore, should any part of these policies become a liability to the safety of personnel during an emergency incident, the Incident Commander is specifically authorized to suspend that portion of the General Orders. All other parts of the General Order affected, and all other General Orders shall remain in full effect.

In the event of such suspension of all or part of a General Order, a review committee comprised of the Chief Officers and the Incident Commander who suspended the Order shall examine and revise the Order to accommodate the circumstances surrounding the suspension.

These General Orders shall be reviewed annually by the Chiefs, or their designees, for applicability, scope, and effectiveness. Any changes must be accepted by the Chiefs, posted in the station, and/or distributed to the members. Even though this document is organized into discrete sections, it is intended to be used as a single document. Please read it thoroughly.

In the absence of a direct order from Incident Command, all Company policies remain in full effect. Failure to follow Company policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the company.

General Order # 1

Vehicle Response to Incidents

Amended January 2003, to clarify “4WD/chain mode,” re-define “emergency response,” and add provisions for driver training and testing. (1/20/2003)

Purpose:

· To specify who may drive VVFC vehicles to incidents and the safety procedures that must be followed. [Amended 9/28/04, to clarify ownership of vehicles]

Application:

· This policy applies to all persons of the fire company, no exceptions.

Enforcement:

· Violation of the provisions of the policy will be subject to review by the Chief, Incident Command, and other officers of the company. The intent of the review will be educational rather than punitive. However, driving privileges may be suspended as a result or pending such review, if the violation appears reckless, or resulted in harm to persons or property.

Qualified Drivers:

· Only personnel who have passed a drivers test AND who are posted and approved by the Chief as drivers for specific vehicles may drive those vehicles to an incident. Drivers between the ages of 18 and 21 may drive to alarms only if there are no qualified drivers over 21 available.

· An officer may request a non-driver to move or respond a vehicle if they feel that the person is capable of doing so safely.

· No-one, who is not qualified as a posted driver, should touch any 'status button,' or transmit any radio message that the truck is awaiting crew, nor in any other way suggest that the truck is ready to respond.

· Members who are qualified to drive 1942 or 1943 who are not EMTs or CFRs should pull the truck onto the apron and transmit via radio "1942 (or 1943) is awaiting crew."

· Members who are qualified to drive 1942 or 1943 who are not EMTs or CFRs, may respond the vehicle to EMS calls ONLY when they are responding with an EMT or CFR, or when they have been told by radio or phone that an EMT or CFR is en route to the scene and will arrive BEFORE the truck. If the truck arrives at scene before an EMT or CFR, the driver and crew are to wait until the arrival of the expected EMT or CFR before making patient contact.

Driving Safety Rules:

· No-one may drive any vehicle at any time while they are under the influence of alcohol, or any mind-altering drug, prescription or otherwise.

· At controlled intersections (stop signs, red lights, and yield signs) all vehicles, regardless of response mode, will not proceed until all lanes of traffic have been accounted for and right-of-way granted.

· All drivers will use good judgment and maintain control of their vehicle at all times. All drivers will exercise due regard for the safety of all persons.

· The driver and all passengers will be seated.

· The driver and all passengers will wear seat belts.

· No one will ride on the tailboard or running boards.

· Passengers may ride on top of the truck only when loading hose to place the truck back in service.

However, during this exception the following safety rules shall apply:

a. The truck shall be under the direction of a safety officer who shall be in direct view of the driver and all passengers.

b. Truck speed shall not exceed 5 MPH.

· If road conditions warrant, trucks will respond in 4WD or with chains. Neither Incident Command nor any officer shall order a driver to respond without chains or 4WD if the driver judges that conditions warrant the precaution.

Emergency Response Mode:

· Emergency response mode shall be used only for those calls at which the following two conditions are both met:

a. A potential for serious injury, property damage, or loss of life exists which may be mitigated by the arrival and presence of the responding unit and personnel.

b. The prompt actions of the first arriving units MAY reduce the severity of injury, property damage, or save a life.

· All other types of calls, as typically dispatched, lack sufficient information to determine the severity of the situation, and therefore contain the potential for serious injury, etc.

· Therefore, all vehicles will respond to all types of calls in emergency mode unless told otherwise by Fire control (Dispatch), Incident Command, a responding officer to other locations for mutual aid “standby”, or at the discretion of the driver, with due consideration for the nature of the call.

· Vehicles responding in emergency response mode shall respond with all headlights, warning lights and siren on. The siren may be turned off to listen to radio traffic, or to listen for other emergency vehicles.

· While the siren is off, the vehicle must be operated in accordance with all applicable motor vehicle laws.

· Both lights and siren must be used to exercise the privileges set forth in Sect. 1104 of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. These privileges must be exercised only when deemed necessary by the driver of the vehicle and at all times when in emergency mode. However, lights and siren will not excuse any driver from the consequences of reckless disregard for the safety of others.

· The siren must be sounding at least 300 feet before an intersection, and should be changed to 'yelp' mode 150 feet before the intersection.

· At all controlled intersections, all vehicles will not proceed until all lanes of traffic have been accounted for and right-of-way granted.

Driver Training And Testing:

· A qualified driver of a vehicle may allow a non-qualified driver, who is a department member, to drive that vehicle for training purposes at any time other than responding to an incident. Driver training should include familiarization with the Varna Fire District, along with exercises to practice vehicle maneuvering. Practice should be done within the Varna District.

· Driver testing shall be done by the Captain of the vehicle, or by a designee of the Chief. Since the Chief is the final judge of all driver tests, he should not be involved in the administering of the test. Upon successful completion, the test results will be submitted to the Chief for evaluation and approval. With the Chief’s consent, the candidate will be added to the current driver operator list for that vehicle.

General Order # 2

Order of Vehicle Response

Purpose:

· To specify which trucks should respond to specific types of incidents and the order in which they should respond.

Application:

· This policy applies to all persons of the fire department, no exceptions. Amended 2/03 to match County dispatch codes and Airport Pre-plans

· If a vehicle is out-of-service, or on a previous call, a suitable replacement will respond or be requested via mutual aid.

· Members who are not qualified drivers of first listed vehicles should respond on the next vehicle to which they are qualified.

The listed order of response shall be follows, unless other orders are given by Incident Command, a responding officer, or by pre-incident plans:

Brush, tree or grass fire 1941 1921 1943 1901

Hazardous Materials 1943 1901
- other vehicles as requested by incident command

EMS Calls 1942, 1943 if 1942 OOS

Motor Vehicle Crash 1943 1942 1901 1941 for FP if needed

Mass Casualty Incident 1943 1942 1901 1921 1941

Structure Fire 1901 1921 1943 1941 1942
(includes chimney or any other type fire, Alarm activation, Gas or smoke odor)

Remote Access Structure Fire 1941 1901 1921 1943 1942

Trash Fire 1901

Utility Call 1941
“Service call” -- Tree or Wires down
Hazardous Condition 1941 1901 1943

Explosion/no fire 1901 1943 1942
(includes outside spill)

Mutual Aid:

Mutual Aid to AIRPORT 1921 1943

· All personnel shall report to station to man trucks and await assignments.

Mutual Aid Request for engine to stand by in station

1901 1921

· All members respond to our station.

· Station OIC will detail members for response

MAOIC in POV

Mutual Aid (Other): Per request of host agency

General Order #3

Vehicle, Facility, and Equipment Maintenance

Purpose:

To ensure that Varna vehicles, facilities, and equipment remain safe and functional.

Application:

This policy applies to all members of the fire department, no exceptions.

Vehicles and Equipment:

The Varna Volunteer Fire Company will make every effort to see that all vehicles comply with state motor vehicle laws to which they are not specifically exempted. All vehicles will receive an annual NYS vehicle inspection. All vehicles will have the fluids changed and filters replaced every 6 months or 5000 miles whichever comes first. 1942 and 1941 will have the tires rotated every 5000 miles.

Each week members will complete a "truck check" for each vehicle and specific equipment. The results of that check will be recorded on a "truck check sheet." Every piece of equipment shall be tested at least once per month. SCBA monthly checks shall be logged in the SCBA logbook. All SCBA bottle fills shall be logged in the “bottle log” in 1943’s cascade compartment.

Should 1942 be found to be out of service due to problems associated with the vehicle or inadequacies in medical supplies, an out of service sticker will be placed on the vehicle and 1942 will be taken temporarily out of service. Dispatch will be notified if any vehicle is out of service.

During the weekly truck check, medical kits will be checked for completeness and readiness. Manual defibrillators will be checked for charging and basic self-test function. All defibrillators will receive annual calibration / service checks. Suction units will be tested for charge and function. Oxygen bottles will be checked for pressure and regulator function monthly. Repairs and maintenance performed on equipment will be documented.

After each call, it shall be the responsibility of the driver and crew to see that each vehicle is placed back in service. Captains shall see that their vehicle is back in proper service as soon as possible after a call. Any safety or maintenance problems with the vehicle or equipment must be immediately brought to the attention of the Truck Captain or a Chief Officer.

Facility

The Varna Volunteer Fire Company will make every effort to maintain the fire station in compliance with local, state, and federal codes, as they apply to health, safety, and fire protection.

Specific storage areas for EMS supplies and personal protective equipment shall be supplied separate from household or other chemicals. These specific areas shall minimize exposure to dust and other contaminants including, but not limited to, truck exhaust.

A separate and specific storage area shall be supplied for biological waste (latex gloves, soiled linens, or other disposables) that minimizes exposure of personnel to these items. [See infection control policy for additional details.]

General Order # 4

Special EMS Patient Care Situations

Purpose:

To provide direction to Varna personnel in special circumstances that may arise during EMS calls.

Application:

This policy applies to all persons of the fire department. It is expected that good judgment and proper patient care protocols shall prevail at all times. This Order does not supersede state protocols.

Responsibilities of EMS Personnel When:

Patient cannot be located:

a. Every effort shall be made to locate the patient. Search diligently.

b. Call dispatch and verify address or location.

c. Have dispatch use call-back number (if available) to re-call reporting person and get further instructions or information.

d. Request law enforcement assistance in locating patient.

e. Document inability to locate patient and steps taken to do so on PCR.

Entry cannot be gained to patient/victim/scene:

a. Try all doors and windows. Look for spare keys.

b. Contact Dispatch to see if there is an emergency contact or key-holder living nearby.

c. Talk to neighbors about patient's presence or absence from the residence.

d. Request law enforcement response and request permission from them to gain access. It is best if a law enforcement officer is on-scene when we make entry, but do not delay patient access and care. Relay all actions taken to the responding officer via dispatch.

e. Survey residence for signs of victim’s presence and medical status.

f. If survey or dispatch indicates a potential life threatening illness, permission to enter may be assumed. Use good judgment and make the decision to enter in "good faith."

g. The least intrusive, most repairable method of entry should be used. Usually this will be using the K-tool to remove the lock; however, do not delay entry just to avoid breaking a window.

h. Document actions taken on the PCR (as this constitutes a delay in initiating patient care).

i. Fires are immediately dangerous to life and health and highly destructive of property. Entry must be made in the most rapid, expedient method available. (That is the fire will do far more damage while you look for a key than you will do breaking a window or forcing a door).

Patient judged to be in need of medical assistance refused treatment and/or transport: