drill of the month safety officer’s role march 2010 maryland fire and rescue institute

Drill of the MonthSafety Officer’s Role

March 2010

Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute

Maryland Fire and Rescue InstituteMaryland Fire and Rescue Institute Drill of the Month - Drill of the Month - 22

Student Performance Objective Student Performance Objective

At the conclusion of this session, the firefighter, At the conclusion of this session, the firefighter, operating as a health and safety officer will be able to list operating as a health and safety officer will be able to list the general duties of the incident scene safety officer, the general duties of the incident scene safety officer, identify scene safety concerns, fire behavior identify scene safety concerns, fire behavior considerations, special operations incidents, the role of considerations, special operations incidents, the role of the safety officer prior to an incident, during an incident the safety officer prior to an incident, during an incident and after the incident.and after the incident.

..


Overview Overview

IntroductionIntroduction

Scene Safety considerationsScene Safety considerations

Special operationsSpecial operations

Role prior to the incidentRole prior to the incident

Role during the incidentRole during the incident

Challenges for the Safety OfficerChallenges for the Safety Officer

Role following the incidentRole following the incident


IntroductionIntroductionIncident commander has ultimate responsibility.Incident commander has ultimate responsibility.Larger/Complex incidentsLarger/Complex incidents

– Safety responsibility is broadSafety responsibility is broad– Delegation is essentialDelegation is essentialNFPA 1521 defines the Safety Officer’s role.NFPA 1521 defines the Safety Officer’s role.

– Incident Safety Officer, andIncident Safety Officer, and– Health and Safety OfficeHealth and Safety OfficeMore FF’s injured and killed on scene.More FF’s injured and killed on scene.

– Having a safety officer will reduce injury and Having a safety officer will reduce injury and deathdeath


IntroductionIntroductionOther duties of the Safety Officer:Other duties of the Safety Officer:

– Scene rehabilitation initiated/sustainedScene rehabilitation initiated/sustained– Monitor conditions, hazards and risksMonitor conditions, hazards and risks– Personnel accountabilityPersonnel accountability– Ensure understanding of the IAPEnsure understanding of the IAP– Risk assessmentRisk assessment– Identify safety/collapse/hot zonesIdentify safety/collapse/hot zones– Monitor vehicle trafficMonitor vehicle traffic– Monitor radio communicationsMonitor radio communications– Identify need for additional Safety OfficersIdentify need for additional Safety Officers– Evaluate aircraft operationsEvaluate aircraft operations


IntroductionIntroductionEffectiveness as a Safety Officer requires:Effectiveness as a Safety Officer requires:

– Support, andSupport, and– Confidence of the ICConfidence of the ICSafety Officer must pocess:Safety Officer must pocess:

– CreditabilityCreditability– Interpersonal skillsInterpersonal skills– Mutual respectMutual respect


Scene Safety ConsiderationsScene Safety Considerations

SO must be knowledgeable:SO must be knowledgeable:– Incident scene operations.Incident scene operations.– Potential hazards for all types of incidentsPotential hazards for all types of incidentsIMS must be employed.IMS must be employed.

– SO must function within the IMS.SO must function within the IMS.



Special knowledge the SO should possess:Special knowledge the SO should possess:– Firefighting strategy and tacticsFirefighting strategy and tactics– Building constructionBuilding construction– Fire behavior and Fire loadsFire behavior and Fire loads– Forcible entryForcible entry– VentilationVentilation– Evacuation proceduresEvacuation procedures– SCBA and PPE usageSCBA and PPE usage– Climatic conditionsClimatic conditions– Ladder operationsLadder operations– Establishing control zonesEstablishing control zones



Firefighting strategy and tactics:Firefighting strategy and tactics:– All types of incidentsAll types of incidents– Placement of apparatusPlacement of apparatus– Use of supply and attack linesUse of supply and attack lines– Ventilation proceduresVentilation procedures– Rescue operationsRescue operations– Forcible entry proceduresForcible entry procedures



Building construction:Building construction:– Good understanding of building designGood understanding of building design– Risk evaluationRisk evaluation– Hazard recognition abilityHazard recognition ability

Light weight wood constructionLight weight wood constructionTruss weaknessesTruss weaknessesWall collapseWall collapseBalloon frame constructionBalloon frame construction

– Predict collapse scenariosPredict collapse scenarios



Fire behavior:Fire behavior:– Principals of heat transferPrincipals of heat transfer– Backdraft/flashoverBackdraft/flashover– Forms of fuel classificationForms of fuel classification– Properties of fuelProperties of fuel– Physical science of firePhysical science of fire



Fire loads:Fire loads:– Maximum heat productionMaximum heat production– Target hazards and fire load potentialTarget hazards and fire load potential– Knowledge aids operationKnowledge aids operation

Forcible entry:Forcible entry:– Understand techniquesUnderstand techniques– Understand hazardsUnderstand hazards



Ventilation:Ventilation:– Understand ventilation principalsUnderstand ventilation principals– Effects of improper ventilationEffects of improper ventilation– Understand negative and positive VentilationUnderstand negative and positive Ventilation

Evacuation procedures:Evacuation procedures:– Essential at all types of incidentsEssential at all types of incidents– Understand policy:Understand policy:

Ordering an evacuationOrdering an evacuationNotifying and using personnel effectivelyNotifying and using personnel effectivelyEstablishing a relocation areaEstablishing a relocation area



SCBA and PPE:SCBA and PPE:– Understand standards and policyUnderstand standards and policy– Enforce use as appropriateEnforce use as appropriate

Climatic conditions:Climatic conditions:– Weather can have an adverse effectWeather can have an adverse effect– Maintain constant awarenessMaintain constant awareness– Adverse conditions include:Adverse conditions include:

Extreme temperature and humidityExtreme temperature and humidityFreezing rain and snowFreezing rain and snowHigh windHigh wind



Ladder operations:Ladder operations:– Understand ground and aerial laddersUnderstand ground and aerial ladders– Ensure sufficient ground ladders are in placeEnsure sufficient ground ladders are in place

Establishing Control zones:Establishing Control zones:– Allow for personnel accountabilityAllow for personnel accountability– Collapse zone based on:Collapse zone based on:

Building height andBuilding height andConstruction typeConstruction type

– Control zones aid in scene managementControl zones aid in scene management


Special OperationsSpecial Operations

Type of incidents:Type of incidents:– Hazardous materialsHazardous materials– Emergency medical and mass casualtyEmergency medical and mass casualty– Technical rescuesTechnical rescues

Confined spaceConfined spaceStructural collapseStructural collapseHigh angleHigh angleextricationextrication

Government regulations and standards:Government regulations and standards:– OSHA/MOSHOSHA/MOSH– NFPANFPA


Role of SO Prior to the IncidentRole of SO Prior to the Incident

Identify high hazard and risk locationsIdentify high hazard and risk locationsReview and develop pre-incident plansReview and develop pre-incident plansReview and develop standard operating proceduresReview and develop standard operating proceduresEnsure adoption and implementation of the IMSEnsure adoption and implementation of the IMSConduct research and development relating to:Conduct research and development relating to:

– firefighting strategy and tacticsfirefighting strategy and tactics– Safety best management practicesSafety best management practices– Other technologiesOther technologies


Role of the Safety Officer at an IncidentRole of the Safety Officer at an Incident

Coordinate with the IC, understand the IAPCoordinate with the IC, understand the IAPConduct incident safety size-upConduct incident safety size-upReport size-up information to the ICReport size-up information to the ICEstablish control zonesEstablish control zonesEstablish rapid intervention teamsEstablish rapid intervention teamsProvide advice on challenging conditionsProvide advice on challenging conditionsMonitor communicationsMonitor communicationsMonitor vehicle trafficMonitor vehicle trafficContinually assess risksContinually assess risks



Recognition of how conditions changeRecognition of how conditions changeContinual risk assessment at benchmark operations:Continual risk assessment at benchmark operations:

– Primary search completedPrimary search completed– Fire knocked downFire knocked down– Patient extrication completePatient extrication complete– Hazardous materials spill containedHazardous materials spill containedManage the riskManage the riskEffectively use interpersonal skillsEffectively use interpersonal skillsEnforce accountabilityEnforce accountabilityEffectively support operationsEffectively support operationsPlan for additional resourcesPlan for additional resources


Role of the Safety Officer after the Role of the Safety Officer after the IncidentIncident

Post incident analysis and reportsPost incident analysis and reportsInjury or death reportsInjury or death reportsIdentification of corrective action for future incidents:Identification of corrective action for future incidents:

– Violations of department SOP’sViolations of department SOP’s– Poorly defined proceduresPoorly defined procedures– Unforeseen conditionsUnforeseen conditions– Training deficienciesTraining deficiencies


Student Performance Objective Student Performance Objective

At the conclusion of this session, the firefighter, At the conclusion of this session, the firefighter, operating as a health and safety officer will be able to list operating as a health and safety officer will be able to list the general duties of the incident scene safety officer, the general duties of the incident scene safety officer, identify scene safety concerns, fire behavior identify scene safety concerns, fire behavior considerations, special operations incidents, the role of considerations, special operations incidents, the role of the safety officer prior to an incident, during an incident the safety officer prior to an incident, during an incident and after the incident.and after the incident.

..


Overview Overview

IntroductionIntroduction

Scene Safety considerationsScene Safety considerations

Special operationsSpecial operations

Role prior to the incidentRole prior to the incident

Role during the incidentRole during the incident


Role following the incidentRole following the incident

drill of the month safety officer’s role march 2010 maryland fire and rescue institute

Documents

incident safety officer

incident scene safety

safety officer role

scene safety concerns

rescue institute drill

rescue institute slide

incident slide

ic safety officer