High Country Training Center

Emergency Communication

And Evacuation SOP# 505 Training On Demand

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• The Emergency Communications and Evacuation Policy provides the Incident Commander and Firefighters general policies regarding the following:– Conducting an emergency evacuation;– Language to use that will be common to all personnel.

• Identifies policies for the following communications:– Emergency evacuation signal;– Emergency communication.– Defines terminology to be used to describe the emergency.

•  Defines terminology to be used to describe the emergency.

Policy Purpose

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Emergency Equipment.

• All members operating within the hazard zone should be equipped with a portable radio.

• All members should be monitoring the fire ground operations channel that is being used. 

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• All members shall use the term MAYDAY three times to initiate radio traffic that communicates a firefighter or crew is lost, injured, trapped, missing and needs IMMEDIATE assistance. All further radio traffic shall then be limited to the IC and member(s) calling MAYDAY.

• "MAYDAY" transmissions have priority over "EMERGENCY“ transmissions.• Any officer hearing a "MAYDAY" signal and realizing that it is not being

acknowledged by the Incident Commander, shall acknowledge signal and ascertain nature and promptly relay all information to the Incident Commander

• All members or IC shall use the term "EMERGENCY" to initiate radio traffic that communicates a serious fire ground situation that needs to be realized by everyone on scene.

• The MAYDAY and EMERGENCY transmissions are to be used with discretion. They are intended for use in situations where immediate communication is necessary to protect life or prevent injury.

• Whenever the terms "MAYDAY" or "EMERGENCY" are transmitted, all radio communications on the frequency are to cease, except those between the member initiating the emergency transmission and the Incident Commander. Normal radio use may be resumed upon completion of the emergency unless the Incident Commander orders otherwise.

Emergency Communications

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• transmission is an indication that a life threatening situation has developed. It should be used in the following situations:– Disoriented or lost firefighter.– Trapped firefighter.– A firefighter is unconscious or suffers a life threatening

injury.– A division leader, officer or team leader becomes

aware that a member or team under their supervision is missing.

• A firefighter who is facing a life threatening situation and needs IMMEDIATE assistance.

MAYDAY

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• This transmission is used to inform members of a serious change in the fire ground conditions. It should be used in the following situations:– When evacuation of the structure is immediately necessary– A member suffers an injury that is not immediately life

threatening but which requires medical attention and transport to the hospital.

– Discovery of a structural problem indicating the danger of collapse

– Fire is discovered entering an exposure to a degree that any delay may considerably enlarge the fire problem.

– Loss of water that could endanger members.– Sudden changes in weather or wind that would seriously

affect the incident.

EMERGECY

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• Upon learning of imminent danger to members operating in the hazard zone or that an immediate evacuation of the building or area is needed due to a serious life safety considerations

• Make the announcement "Break for Emergency Traffic" over the fire ground radio frequency.

• Command will order the immediate evacuation of the building or area on the fire ground radio frequency.

• Command will order all attended apparatus on scene to "initiate the emergency evacuation signal". All attended units will sound their air horns with one consecutive air horn blast, until the air is exhausted. This is to be followed with the activation of the sirens for 30 seconds.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

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• Command or the designee should key their radio microphone near the apparatus for a period of 15 seconds to broadcast the signal to members who may be unable to hear the apparatus. – If longer than 15 seconds, fire ground communications could be

delayed

• Upon hearing the order or signal to evacuate, all personnel are to immediately evacuate the building or area. – All must report to the apparatus you arrived with or designated area. – Tools or equipment that might slow the evacuation should be left behind.

• The order and evacuation signal will be followed by sufficient quiet time to allow incident command to conduct PAR (personnel accountability report). – The company officers will be responsible for the crew PAR.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures cont.