INCIDENT SAFETY OFFICER

Purpose: To establish a structured guideline for an incident safety officer.

Scope: An Incident Safety Officer [ISO] will be appointed at incidents as determined by the Incident Commander based upon the complexity, activities or duration of the incident.

Once appointed the IC shall announce who the safety officer is and the radio designation i.e. “Command to all units Car 7 in now safety”

The Incident Commander shall have the ultimate responsibility for incident scene safety.

Qualifications: The following are eligible to serve as the incident safety officer

· Line Officers

· Staff Officers

· Former officers or senior firefighters

· Any firefighter deemed by the IC to have sufficient knowledge of the particular type of incident.

Authority: The ISO has the authority to alter, suspend or terminate any activity, which creates an imminent hazard. The ISO shall immediately notify the IC of his actions taken to abate the aforementioned hazard.

When the ISO identifies an unsafe condition, operation, or hazard that does not pose an imminent danger, the ISO shall take corrective action through the IC.

When appropriate, the ISO shall request an assistant ISO.

General Duties of Incident Safety Officer:

The ISO shall monitor the scene and report the status of conditions, hazards and risks to the IC.

The ISO shall ensure that the Personnel Accountability System is being used.

The ISO shall communicate with the IC and provide a risk assessment of the incident action plan.

The ISO shall ensure that established hot, collapse, safety or other hazard type zones are communicated to all fire personnel.

The ISO shall evaluate motor vehicle scene traffic hazards and apparatus placement and take appropriate actions to mitigate hazards.

The ISO shall monitor radio transmissions to identify barriers that could result in missed, miss-understood, or incomplete communications.

Additional Duties during Fire Emergencies:

The ISO shall ensure that the RIT is available and ready for deployment.

The ISO shall advise the IC of hazards, collapse potential, or unchecked extension.

The ISO will evaluate visible smoke and fire conditions and advise the IC on the potential for flashover, backdraft, or other fire events that could pose a threat.

The ISO shall continually monitor the accessibility of the entry and egress of structures to determine the effect on interior operations.

Additional Duties during Haz-Mat Operations:

The ISO shall be involved in any planning session and provide input on member safety.

The ISO shall assist in developing, and disseminating a safety briefing to all crews.

The ISO is responsible to see that all rehab, accountability, and RIT needs are conveyed to the IC and that each function is in place prior to the beginning of operations.

Post-Incident Duties

If required by the Incident Commander, the ISO shall provide a written report detailing any safety related issue pertaining to the incident.

The ISO shall also work collaboratively with the appropriate Company Officer and Department Safety Committee to investigate and document any injuries or safety related issues.

Date: 08-06

Proponent: RHFD Staff

Replaces: New