01               The importance of ongoing revisions to a manual cannot be overstated.  This process requires time and effort as well as a commitment to the finished product.  However, a high priority does exist on keeping the manual current.  Outdated manuals will result in confusion, interference with the quality of service provided, and may actually lead users to the conclusion that the manual is unreliable and should not be used.

02               Inclusion of outdated Guidelines defeats the purpose of the manual and renders it virtually useless.  It must be remembered that all outdated material must be removed from the manual and destroyed.

03               Individual roles and responsibilities in the maintenance process for this manual have been defined further in this section.

01              The Departmental Guidelines Manual has been developed to provide consistent Guidelines which apply to all levels throughout the Fire Department.

 02              In order to support this concept, this information must be readily available and easily accessed throughout the Fire Department.  That is why distribution and continuous updating of the manual and its contents are so critical.

 03             There must be a mechanism in place to support the updating and distribution of all material for the Guidelines manual.  It must meet the needs of the department, yet remain practical and easily managed.

 04              Coordination of distribution is the responsibility of Administration including determination of the distribution list.

01               All injuries to emergency responders will be reported to either the Chief Medical Officer, Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief.

02               All injuries that have been brought to the attention of the supervisor will be documented in the standard injury report form.

01               All members reporting for emergency calls will be under the direction of the Officer-in-charge whether at the fire or emergency scene or in the fire hall.

02               Under direction of the Officer-in-charge ALL MEMBERS will take an active part in the task of returning equipment to service immediately upon its return to quarters.

03               Under no circumstances will members leave the fire station for any reason until authorized by the Officer-in-charge.

If required, at the discretion of the Officer-in-charge, and if manning levels permit, a member may request permission to leave before general dismissal.  Such permission will not be unreasonably denied, but must not adversely affect the return to service of all equipment.

04               Any member who leaves the fire station without authorization of the Officer-in-charge may have their name removed from the attendance sheet and may be subject to further disciplinary action

01               Only members of the on duty crew are permitted to complete Fire Reports.  The Officer on duty is responsible for the accuracy of these reports.

02               A rough draft of each Fire Report is to be forwarded to the Fire Chief or  Deputy Fire Chief when completed as far as possible. 

03               All Fire Reports shall be kept at the Firehall.  Under no circumstances will the original Fire Report records be taken from the Firehall.

01               When operating any Marsh Lake Fire Rescue vehicle in a reverse movement, the operator will use extreme care. It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that this operation is completed safely.

02               Before a vehicle is to be operated in reverse, the operator will make a visual check at the rear of the vehicle and along the intended path of travel unless there is a spotter available during the reversing operation. Before moving the vehicle or apparatus in reverse, if the vehicle does not have a backup warning beeper, the horn will be sounded (3) times to warn bystanders.

03               The operator will use another member to guide the unit back whenever possible.  ALWAYS use other members when backing into the Firehall.

04               Whenever it is necessary to operate a vehicle in reverse in high hazard locations, in traffic, under extreme weather conditions, or in night conditions, it is imperative that a spotter be used for all reversing operations.

01               During the absence of the Fire Chief the Acting Fire Chief will immediately be informed by radio or telephone of ALL calls that occur.

01               The use of seat belts is mandatory in all Fire Department vehicles at all times.

02               When responding to an emergency, all vehicles will use their red flashing lights and sirens [siren use may be discretionary, depending on conditions]

03               All vehicles will be driven in a safe manner.  Having an accident en route to an emergency is a double tragedy, as the initial victims are affected, as well as any personnel or equipment that is hurt or damaged.

In order to maintain fuel levels in Fire Department vehicles at acceptable levels, the following procedure will be used for fuelling vehicles.

01               All vehicles will be re-fuelled when the fuel gauge indicates 3/4 full or less.  Care should be taken when fuelling vehicles in winter, as expansion of fuel once unit is back in Firehall may cause a vehicle tank to overflow.

02               All fuel used shall be logged in the appropriate fuel logbook.

03               If the outside main fuel tank shows less than 1/4 full (dipstick) , the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief shall be notified so that more fuel may be ordered.

04               In winter, gas line antifreeze shall be added to the main tank to ensure that all vehicles are automatically protected against gas line icing problems.

05               If a vehicle has 2 tanks, the driver will switch the tanks when the first tank is reading ¼ full, in case of switch malfunction or remaining tank problem.

01               Any approach by a member of the news media will be referred to either the Fire Chief or the Deputy Fire Chief.

02               No member of Marsh Lake Fire Rescue may release any information in respect to any incident other than that which is contained in the Fire Report Form.

03               Under no circumstances will any member of the Fire Department either speculate or provide personal views to the public or the news media in respect to any incident or other matter which may discredit the Fire Department or it's members.

04               The following is the only information which may be released by the officer in charge:

(a)   date of the incident

(b)  time of the incident

(c)   location of the incident

(d)  cause, only if it is confirmed.  Under no circumstances will a cause be released for incidents under investigation.  In these cases the media will be informed that the incident is "UNDER INVESTIGATION".

(e)   estimate of damage; ensure that press is informed that the figure provided is a preliminary estimate only.

(f)    number of Fire Department staff and apparatus used in the incident.

(g)  number of injuries and/or deaths.  NOTE: under no circumstances will names or other personal information of injured or deceased victims be released to any member of the press, public or other agency without prior approval of the Fire Chief.

(h)  name of property owner or occupant may be released if there are no casualties, and in the opinion of the officer in charge that the incident is not potentially controversial.

Post Incident Critiques are intended to provide a constructive assessment of the Fire Department's actions with an aim towards improving our service to the community, as well as increasing safety and efficiency within the department.  A thorough Post Incident Critique has enormous training benefit, as the pros and cons of the incident are still fresh.

01               The Senior Officer at the scene of an incident will call for a post incident critique if in his opinion there will be a benefit to the Fire Department or its members. This critique will be held immediately after all equipment is back in service whenever possible.  All members in attendance at the scene will be required to attend these critiques unless excused by the Officer in Charge.

02               The Fire Chief or the Deputy Fire Chief may require that a critique of any incident be held.

03               Do not use the critique to find fault or place blame.  This will only defeat the purpose of the post incident critique.

04               The officer conducting the critique will keep notes and also complete the departmental critique form.  This information is to be submitted to the Fire Chief when complete.

01               Critical Incident Stress Debriefings will be scheduled whenever there is a need.  The Fire Chief is to be notified immediately of any concerns regarding this subject.

Vehicle checks must be carried out and the check sheet completed in order to keep track of the equipment and its state of readiness.

01               Vehicle check sheets are to be completed at least monthly.

02               Defects or missing items will be noted on the check sheet and the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief will be notified.

The Fire hall logbook is used to provide a written record of all activity of this department on a day-to-day basis.

This document provides the only written record of department activity, and because of it's possible implication in litigation, absolute accuracy and integrity is imperative.

01               All entries in the log book will be made in pen only.

02               All entries will be signed or initialed, and any corrections initialed

03               Information recorded in the logbook will include all activities undertaken by this department that are of an emergency nature or have implications of an emergency nature.

This includes but is not limited to information for all emergency responses regardless of the nature, all vehicle movements including training, relaying of emergency requests to other agencies such as RCMP, Ambulance, Forestry, other fire departments etc., whether or not this Department responds to the incident, and other information considered pertinent.

01               All used hose will be washed and put back on the apparatus as soon as possible after use.

02               All forestry hose will be laid out to dry and put back on the apparatus as soon as possible after use.

03               If any damage is noticed on any type of hose, bring it to the attention of the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief immediately.  If in doubt as to the extent of damage to a hose, remove it from service and tag it.

The proper maintenance of the foam proportioning and induction system is imperative to ensure the correct operation of the equipment. 

01               Inspect wiring, hoses, flow metres and connections for tightness, corrosion, leaks, and/or damage.

Personal Alert Safety System = P.A.S.S.

01               The PASS Alarm is to be operational at all times when SCBA is being used.

02               PASS Alarms will be attached to the SCBA harness, and where provided, shall not be removed.

03               PASS Alarms will be tested when ever SCBA is inspected as part of routine inspections and after each use.

04               PASS Alarms will be tested to ensure the automatic activation of the Pre-alarm and the Main alarm by switching the unit on and letting the alarms occur.

05               Whenever an SCBA is removed from a piece of apparatus for repair or maintenance, the PASS alarm will be transferred to the SCBA being put back on the apparatus.

06               Batteries in the PASS alarms shall be replaced whenever the low battery warning is sounded.

07               Maintenance of the PASS Alarms is to be in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations

01               Turnout Gear and other equipment will be authorized for issue by either the Fire Chief or the Deputy Fire Chief.

01               Turnout gear should be inspected on a quarterly (3 month) basis using an Inspection Report Form, which will be put on file.

02               If Turnout Gear is found to be deficient, the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief will be notified immediately.

There are documented reports of respiratory damage to firefighters while working in and around vehicle fires due to the high amount of synthetic products used in today's automotive industry.  The possibility of inhaling toxic fumes from burning synthetics is high and can be expected in everything from garbage fires to structure fires.

01               Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) will be used by all Fire Department personnel in all cases where there is a danger of the atmosphere being contaminated.  This includes, but is not limited to: all structure fires, vehicle fires, dump fires, haz-mat incidents, and for most overhaul Guidelines.

02               In all cases members will work in teams when using breathing apparatus.

Breathing apparatus will continue to be used by ALL personnel until such time as they are clear of the contaminated atmosphere.  The officer in charge of the incident is responsible for declaring the area "safe", at which time SCBA will no longer be required

FULL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING INCLUDING SCBA MUST BE WORN

01 The scene commander may choose to perform immediate rescue or to protect exposures rather than attack the fire.

02   Co-ordination between fire crews is crucial.  For example, do not ventilate before hose lines are in place.  Ventilation properly performed will aid the entry and attack of the hose line teams.

03   A fully dressed backup team with charged line should be in place before interior attack.

04   A fully dressed RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) should be in place before interior attack.  The RIT equipment should be on a separate tarp in a separate place from ordinary tools.

05 The fire should be approached and attacked from the UNBURNED side to keep the fire from spreading throughout the structure.

06   DO NOT attack the fire from opposite sides of the structure, as this could cause the fire to be driven towards the opposite crew.

07   Teams advancing hose lines should also carry equipment that may be needed to force entry (axe, pry tool, pipe wrench)

08   Before entering fire area, the nozzle man should bleed air from the hose line by opening the nozzle slightly.

09   Before entering a doorway any burning facia or cornices should be extinguished.

10   The hose crew should wait, ready at the entrance, staying low and out of the doorway until the scene commander gives the order to advance.  Feel any door for heat and stay low.

01   When adequate ventilation ahead of the nozzle can be provided, it may be possible to use a 30 degree fog stream.  This allows smoke, heat and steam a place to go without rolling back over the attack crew.  This will also help to maintain normal thermal layering and visibility.

01   The most efficient use of water on free burning fires is by a direct attack by a straight or solid stream.

02   Apply water directly to base of fire with short bursts until the fire darkens down.  DO NOT apply the water for too long duration or the thermal layer will be upset and you may cook yourself in superheated steam.

THIS METHOD IS TO BE USED WHEN THE FIRE CREW IS UNABLE TO ENTER THE STRUCTURE OR AREA DUE TO INTENSE FIRE CONDITIONS, OR A FIRE THAT CAN’T BE SEEN (END OF LONG HALLWAY, ETC)

01   This attack is NOT desirable where victims could be trapped or where the fire may spread to an unburned area where it may not be easily contained.

02   Fire streams should be directed upwards and played back and forth at the superheated gases near the ceiling.  This creates steam which is very efficient at extinguishing fire. (1 cubic foot of water completely vaporized creates 1700 cubic feet of steam.)

03   Hose streams should be shut down BEFORE disturbing thermal layers.

04   Once the fire has darkened and the space ventilated, the hose lines may be advanced to extinguish remaining hot spots with a direct attack.

THIS METHOD USES THE STEAM GENERATING TECHNIQUE OF CEILING LEVEL ATTACK COMBINED WITH A DIRECT ATTACK ON MATERIAL BURNING NEAR FLOOR LEVEL.

01   The nozzle may be moved in a ‘O’ pattern starting with a straight or narrow fog stream in a CLOCKWISE direction.

02   With the ‘O’ pattern, the stream should be directed at the ceiling and rotated with the stream edge reaching the ceiling, wall, floor and the opposite wall.  The stream should be applied for short duration to avoid thermal layering.

03   The fire fighter assisting the nozzle man should not bunch up directly behind the nozzle man.  This makes nozzle manipulation difficult.

IN ALL INTERIOR ATTACKS, TEAM MEMBERS MUST ALWAYS WATCH FOR CHANGE OF CONDITIONS.

SOME DANGERS:

BUILDING OR CEILING COLLAPSE

FIRE BEHIND YOU

WEAK STAIRS, HOLES IN FLOOR

KINKS AND OBSTRUCTIONS OF HOSE

BACKDRAFT OR FLASHOVER BEHAVIOUR

ELECTRICAL OR TANGLING HAZARDS

If the main pump is run without water, for even a short time, the impeller may be damaged resulting in loss of the pump.

01   To ensure that pump does not pump without water, OPEN tank to pump valve before pump is engaged at the driver’s station. 

02   The pump may be bled at this time.

01   To minimize heat build up when pump is engaged and either at idle or NOT PUMPING, partially open tank to pump lever to circulate water throughout pump.  (in idle, the small bypass may be used)

01               When an emergency call is received and subsequently cancelled, the responding apparatus shall, in ALL incidences, proceed to the scene and investigate the situation.  The only exception to this will be if a senior officer of the Fire Department is on the scene first and determines that the responding apparatus is not required.  In that case the officer on the scene will direct responding apparatus to return to quarters.  He will then investigate the incident and complete the report.  ALL alarms received by this department will be acted upon.

This procedure is designed to provide all emergency responders an immediate assessment of the situation upon arrival of the first arriving apparatus.

01               If there is no visible fire or smoke on arrival, the officer on the first-in apparatus will report "on the scene, nothing showing".  If a second piece of apparatus has been dispatched, the non-responding station will contact and instruct the operator to stage in an appropriate location.  If further investigation determines that the second apparatus will not be required, the officer on the scene will instruct the unit to return to quarters.

02               If there is smoke visible on arrival, but no visible flame, the officer on the first-in apparatus will report "on the scene, smoke showing".  In this situation, the second-due apparatus will continue to the scene and will stage so that it can be used most effectively.  At such time as the second-due apparatus is staged, the On-Scene Commander will be advised by radio, and will also be informed as to the location at which the apparatus is staged

03               If there is fire visible on arrival, the officer on the fist-in apparatus will report "on the scene, fire showing" and will attempt to indicate the severity of the situation; ie: fully involved, or an estimated of the portion of the structure involved.  In this situation, the second-due apparatus will proceed to the scene and ensure that an adequate water supply is established.

01               Upon receipt of a Wildfire report, Dispatch shall immediately inform Forestry using the standard Wildfire Report Form.

02               Dispatch shall relay Forestry's response ETA, size of crew and other instructions back to the responding Marsh Lake Fire Rescue members as soon as possible.

01               During an incident, if any member spots a hazard that may affect firefighters involved in an area out of sight (such as inside a building) they are to use the WITHDRAW SIGNAL which will be a continuous blast on the apparatus vehicle horn OR a continuous blast from a handheld device such as a boating horn.

02              Upon hearing the WITHDRAW SIGNAL all firefighters shall withdraw immediately from the area and report to the person using the WITHDRAW SIGNAL.

In all cases the Fire Department Officer in charge will obtain the following information in addition to the information currently required for reporting purposes:

01               Name, address and telephone number of the Registered Owner(s) of all vehicles involved in the incident.

02               Name and address of all occupants of vehicles involved in the incident.

03               Name of insurance company(s), name of insured if different from owner/occupant, address of insurance company(s) and policy number(s).

04               Make, model and serial number of all vehicles involved.

05               License number(s) of all vehicles involved in the incident.

01   Use Latex Gloves when dealing with all patients

02   Change gloves between patients

03   In extreme situations (hepatitis, HIV suspected) double-gloving is reasonable

04   In a situation where patient is coughing, sneezing or any suspicion of TB or other airborne infectious disease, wear facial mask and eye protection

05   In any situation where EMS volunteer may be exposed to spurting fluids (MVA, childbirth etc) wear eye protection, masks and double glove if possible

06   After each call, remove gloves using standard procedure for maintaining sterility as much as possible (with as little self-contamination as possible)

07   Dispose of all gloves and materials immediately in the approved container

08   Clean all medical instruments that may have been exposed and WASH HANDS THOUROGHLY

09   If any EMS volunteer suspects an exposure to HIV, Meningitis, Hepatitis, TB, Herpes they should IMMEDIATELY contact supervisor