Procedures, Pre-Incident Planning, and Size-Up

1. 2 Procedures, Pre-Incident Planning, and Size-Up

2. Learning Objectives (1 of 10) • List the kinds of operations that should be covered by standard operating procedures. • Explain the importance of standard operating procedures.

3. Learning Objectives (2 of 10) • Discuss the relationship between standard operating procedures, pre-incident plans, and size-up. • Examine the relationship between standard operating procedures, equipment, and training.

4. Learning Objectives (3 of 10) • Compare standard operating procedures to standard operating guidelines, explaining the role of a “reasonable person” clause. • Articulate the main components of pre-fire planning and identify steps during a pre-fire plan review.

5. Learning Objectives (4 of 10) • Recall major steps taken during size-up and identify the order in which they will take place at an incident. • Recognize the relationship between pre-incident planning and construction characteristics common to a community.

6. Learning Objectives (5 of 10) • Analyze construction methods during everyday responses and while surveying buildings under construction and demolition. • Explain how pre-incident plan information is gathered using pre-formatted forms, as well as methods for storing and retrieving pre-plan information.

7. Learning Objectives (6 of 10) • Examine compatibility issues and usefulness of computer programs in pre-incident planning. • Construct a priority chart of buildings to be preplanned by occupancy type.

8. Learning Objectives (7 of 10) • List factors to be considered during size-up and briefly define and explain the significance of each factor. • Demonstrate (verbally and in writing) knowledge of fire behavior and the chemistry of fire.

9. Learning Objectives (8 of 10) • Recall the basics of building construction and how they interrelate to pre-fire planning and size-up. • Define and explain the difference between occupancy, occupant, and occupied.

10. Learning Objectives (9 of 10) • Explain the size-up process in the chronological order in which information is received. • Evaluate a specific fire department’s standard operating procedures. • Prioritize occupancies to be pre-incident planned in a specific jurisdiction.

11. Learning Objectives (10 of 10) • Create a pre-incident plan drawing and narrative. • Perform an initial size-up based on limited information. • Apply size-up factors to a fire situation and categorize factors as primary or secondary.

12. Overview (1 of 3) • Fire-ground operations should be outlined in SOPs. • The better the SOPs, the fewer decisions that will need to be made. • SOPs, pre-plans, and incident-specific information are important size-up components.

13. Overview (2 of 3) • Incident Action Plans (IAPs) require SOPs and a good size-up. • Specific building information can be obtained through pre-planning. • Evaluating an incident and developing an IAP must take place rapidly.

14. Overview (3 of 3) • The IC has time to reevaluate as more information becomes available. • Size-up information and the IAP should improve.

15. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (1 of 4) • General guidelines used at structure fires or fires in similar occupancies • Address any operation using a standard approach • Written specifically for an individual department

16. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (2 of 4) • There is a need for regional planning. • Take the guesswork out of the fire-ground • Are necessary for the first-arriving engine company

17. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (3 of 4) • Influenced by: • Types of property to be protected • Resources available • Equipment • Training • Other factors

18. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (4 of 4) • Provide a structure for the decision-making process • Answers questions of: • Who makes what decisions? • At what level of command? • From where?

19. National Incident Management System (NIMS) • Establishes a command structure • Describes the roles at incident scene • Training must be commensurate with SOPs. • NFPA 1500

20. SOPs, Equipment, and Training Are Interrelated

21. SOPs: Naming Controversy (1 of 2) • Standard operating procedures, standard operating guidelines, general operating guidelines. • More important to have written procedures or guidelines than naming. • Procedures are guidelines. • Guidelines become procedures through practice.

22. SOPs: Naming Controversy (2 of 2) • Solution • “Reasonable person” clause in the procedures manual • Personnel should act reasonably if modification of the procedure is appropriate.

23. Procedures or Guidelines • Write them down. • Train to them. • Use them consistently.

24. Evaluating a Specific Property • There should be a procedure describing the pre-planning system. • Makes sense to gather information about a facility while visiting • Title III: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) requirement

25. Pre-Plans • Second step of the size-up process • Can take several forms • Formal: include narrative and drawings • Simple: notations of particular problem • NFPA 1620: Recommended Practice for Pre-Incident Planning • Outlines development, maintenance and use

26. Recommended Occupancies (1 of 2) • Assembly • Educational • Health care • Detention and correctional • Residential • Residential board and care

27. Recommended Occupancies (2 of 2) • Mercantile • Business • Industrial • Warehouse and storage • Special outdoor locations, such as transformer sub-stations

28. Types of Pre-Plans (1 of 4) • Complex • Three or more buildings • Shows overview of complex • Used to identify: • Building and fire protection features • Hazards • Building numbering

29. Types of Pre-Plans (2 of 4) • Formal • Property with substantial risk • Includes: • Drawing of property • Specific floor layouts • Narrative • Could include several plans

30. Types of Pre-Plans (3 of 4) • Notation • Simple notation about a building • Previous fire damage • Notations in CAD systems • Exterior marking systems • State of New Jersey Truss Marking System

31. Types of Pre-Plans (4 of 4) • Training Issue • Could include buildings under construction or demolition • Interior framework (skeleton) exposed • Could reveal construction methods/materials

32. Pre-Plan Incident Checklist and Drawings (1 of 4) • Includes planning for special occupancies or type of buildings • Standard pre-incident plan form • Advantage: Predictable location of specific information • Disadvantage: Large amounts of “not applicable” space

33. Pre-Plan Incident Checklist and Drawings (2 of 4) • Detailed format and intuitive drawing symbols are recommended. • Symbols should not require legend. • Drawings are extremely useful.

34. Pre-Plan Incident Checklist and Drawings (3 of 4) • Include: • Building name • Owner/manager/agent name • Telephone numbers • Emergency contact information

35. Pre-Plan Incident Checklist and Drawings (4 of 4) • Include a tactical consideration. • Provides reminder • Do not pre-assign companies.

36. Pre-Planning Preparation and Time • Keeping current is as important as creating. • Revision process is also time-intensive. • Computers help save time. • Bad information can be worse than no information.

37. What Structures Are Pre-Planned • Decision depends on jurisdiction. • Operational priority list provides direction. • Life safety • Extinguishment • Property conservation • Challenging buildings should be pre-planned.

38. Modifying SOPs • Standard method for addressing predictable operational circumstances • Pre-plans address what is different or unusual. • Pre-plans are specific, SOPs general. • SOPs are not always the most effective way.

39. Estimating Life Safety Needs • Buildings with unusual high risk to fire fighters or occupants should be pre-planned. • Nursing homes • Hospitals • Places of assembly • Schools

40. Estimating Extinguishment Needs • Buildings with high fuel load should be pre-planned. • More than two standard pre-connects necessary • Volume of fire compartment divided by 100 • Buildings with special or hazardous materials present in quantity should be pre-planned.

41. Estimating Property Conservation Needs • High value contents could justify pre-planning effort. • Furs, jewelry, electronic equipment

42. Relationship of Pre-Planning to Size-up • Size-up is a continuous process. • Natural extension of SOP/pre-planning process

43. Analyzing the Situation Through Size-Up (1 of 2) • Size-up factors are difficult to categorize. • Incident conditions dictate • Life safety most critical • Begins before incident: SOP development and pre-planning • IC considers what is already known at time of alarm • Dispatcher relays other information.

44. Analyzing the Situation Through Size-Up (2 of 2) • Upon arrival, IC adds what is known. • Personal observation • Communications with companies/building personnel • Reconnaissance • Size-up continues throughout the incident into overhaul.

45. Life Safety/Fire Fighter Safety (1 of 2) • Smoke and fire conditions • Directly related to occupant survival and fire fighter safety • Primary factors at a structure fire

46. Life Safety/Fire Fighter Safety (2 of 2) • Experienced ICs learn to evaluate pressure, smoke characteristics, and other factors. • Interior reconnaissance best way to determine fire intensity

47. Fire Location • Necessary to successfully combat the fire • Usually determined on arrival • Information from Dispatch • Alarm systems • Information from occupants • Visual clues • Smoke flowing rapidly from an opening may indicate fire is nearby.

48. Direction of Travel • Life safety/fire fighter safety • Direction of travel • Knowing where fire may spread is important. • Fire, heat, smoke travel upward via path of least resistance • Important to know the probability of fire travel (construction methods, alterations)

49. Ventilation Status • Key factor in all phases of operation • Venting for life • Vent should pull fire away from occupants and fire fighters. • Possibilities can be known through pre-planning.

50. Occupancy Type • Major occupancies should be pre-planned. • Building use will determine: • Likelihood of occupancy • Number of occupants • Fuel load and type • Value of contents • Other essential facts