Chesterfield fire department response to severe storm emergencies executive analysis of fire department operations in emergency management
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- ADDENDUM D TO OPERATIONAL POLICY 13 PROCEDURE FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER
- FIRE TYPE PRI DESCRIPTION A 90 2 ALARM ACTIVATION/NO FIRE
- M 59 2 MUTUAL AID
- 2 14 2 BRUSH FIRE
- 2 43 2 EXCESSIVE HEAT
- March
- RESPONSE Severe Storm Conditions
CHESTERFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA OPERATIONAL POLICY #13 SUBJECT: Floods and Storm Related Emergencies DATE: September 20, 1996 PURPOSE: Guidelines are in place to help manage floods and other unusual storm related emergencies such as severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The Senior Battalion Chief on duty or the Emergency Incident Coordinator is responsible for the overall operation. SECTION 1 The Senior Battalion Chief or Emergency Incident Coordinator will: 1. Monitor and evaluate National Weather Service, water levels, and the State Office of Emergency Services information. 2. Keep Emergency Communications informed and have them maintain a 24 hour log to record all contacts, pertinent information, and action taken. 3. Implement the Chesterfield County Emergency Operations Plan and activate the Emergency Operations Center per Emergency Services Operating Instruction #4. Chesterfield Emergency Services has previous documentation on flood gauge readings for floods that have occurred in Chesterfield County. 4. Coordinate with other county and outside agencies such as the Red Cross, State Police, National Guard, etc. 5. Activate documentation and request TSU if photo or video documentation is necessary. 6. Prepare a written report of the shift's activities, conditions, preparedness, contacts, problems encountered, and actions taken for the Fire Chief by 0900 hours each day. Give a verbal report at 1630 hours and as needed during the incident. 7. Immediately following a flood or storm related emergency of significant damage, compile a damage assessment report (see Addendum B). Reports should contain all pertinent damage information, names of occupants, and monetary value estimates. 8. Keep stations updated and ensure complete preparedness. 9. Notify the Duty Deputy County Administrator when appropriate per Administrative Policy #7. 10. Notify the private residences and industries along the James River, Appomattox River, and Swift Creek areas affected by the weather and offer the fire department's assistance. See the attached addendums. SECTION 2 The Assistant Emergency Services Coordinator will also: 1. Monitor and evaluate National Weather Service, water levels, and the State Office of Emergency Services information. 2. Coordinate with other county and outside agencies such as the Red Cross, State Police, National Guard, etc. SECTION 3 Environmental Engineering will: 1. Monitor Swift Creek and the Appomattox River during working hours per their emergency plan. This will be turned over to the fire and police departments during non-working hours, weekends, and holidays. 2. Respond personnel from Environmental Engineering to the scene of a potential flooding problem that could be alleviated by remedial action, provided that: - Fire and police have checked out the scene and determined remedial action can be taken. - They are given the basic nature of the problem, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of residents affected. - They are called in the following order by the Emergency Communications Center (after hours only):
Drainage Superintendent Jerry Duffy (703) 967-2445 Director, Env. Engineering Dick McElfish 790-1293
Note: During normal working hours, just contact the Environmental Engineering office for response. SECTION 4 Government agencies to contact for weather and water flow information are listed below: Corps of Engineers (Norfolk) Lane Killam (804) 441-7562 National Weather Service (Wakefield) Bill Sammler (804) 899-4200 or (800) 697-3373 National Weather Service (Sterling) Barbara Watson (703) 260-0209 National Weather Service (Richmond) Rick Winther (804) 222-2126 National Weather Service (Blacksburg) (800) 221-2633 SECTION 5 Weather event reporting to the National Weather Service is as follows: 1. If personnel have questions regarding potential severe weather, they should call (800)697-3373. 2. If severe weather reports are received by agencies other than the National Weather Service, the Senior Battalion Chief will have Emergency Communications relay this information as soon as possible to the National Weather Service at (800)737-8624. The following examples of severe weather should be reported: - Tornado or funnel cloud - Storm rotation or rotating wall cloud - Hail and its size and depth on the ground - Wind if 50 mph or greater - Heavy rain - 1" or more in a given amount of time, or any indication that flooding may occur - Damage from winds, tornadoes, hail, or floods. If trees or branches have fallen, try to estimate size and type of tree. - Ice accumulation on surfaces. - Snow accumulation of 4" or more on road and grassy surfaces. 3. After the event, personnel should relay any documentation of severe weather to the National Weather Service by telephone or fax at (804) 899-3605. F. Wesley Dolezal Chief of Department CHESTERFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT Appendix E - Chesterfield Fire Department, Operational Policy #13, Addendum D
- Truck Company (2 personnel) - Utility Vehicle (1 personnel) - Ambulance (2 personnel) b. Assign available staff to four-wheel drive vehicles for those stations that do not have four-wheel drive brush trucks. Where possible, use utility vehicles instead of brush trucks for ALS responders to protect ALS equipment. This will enable the department to reduce engine and truck responses during adverse conditions. These assigned vehicles will carry the radio designation of “UTILITY” followed by the respective station number. Whenever possible, utility vehicles and brush trucks should be staffed with at least one ALS firefighter or officer and ALS equipment at ALS stations. Four-wheel drive vehicles will respond in place of engines or trucks to assist ambulances, and for Priority 3 calls for service. When responding to calls for service, four-wheel drive vehicles should proceed, if possible, ahead of other vehicles as “scouts” to assess conditions and help avoid other vehicles becoming stuck. c. Direct Logistics to distribute tow straps and linch pins to all four-wheel drive units. Such equipment should be used to assist ambulances and other similar sized fire department vehicles that become stuck. d. Consider staffing the Chain Repair Shop with at least one Chain Repair Technician dedicated solely to repairing chains for Fire and EMS units. In addition, special arrangements need to be made for disbursing spare chain saws and for servicing all chain saws to assure their availability. e. Direct Emergency Communications to begin: - Reducing response of emergency apparatus to calls for service; - Suspending Flexible Unit Deployment of ambulances equipped with tire chains; - Limiting number of Priority 3 EMS calls to no more than 3 at a time; - Limiting number of Priority 3 fire calls to no more than 3 at a time due to ice storm, wires down, etc. f. For snow emergencies, initiate snowplowing operations with assigned staffing, using Utility North and Utility South as soon as possible to stay ahead of accumulation. Vehicles should have plows mounted and be loaded with sand the day prior to expected inclement weather. Give priority to plowing those fire stations staffing ambulances and rescue squad units. g. Direct the Administrative Officer to initiate emergency minimum staffing procedures and suspend use of computerized minimum staffing rotation for morning staffing needs. The AO should attempt to fill vacancies using personnel from the off-going shift at the station where the vacancies exist. If unable to do so, use the next closest station and so forth. h. Initiate Flexible Shift Change to allow short notice traded time arrangements and allow personnel extra time to reach their duty station. Allow short notice annual leave, if still available in the Staffing Book, for those personnel unable to report for duty due to severe weather. i. If the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated, fill the department’s representative position with an off-duty Battalion Chief. The on-duty Senior Battalion Chief should go to the Emergency Communications Center to coordinate all county resources. If the EOC is not activated, and if beneficial, assign an off-duty Battalion Chief to the Emergency Communications Center, to coordinate communications and resource allocation, while allowing on-duty Battalion Chiefs to stay operational in the field. The Senior Captain in charge of Emergency Communications can also serve in this position. j. For snow/ice conditions, consider establishment of staged ambulances not equipped with tire chains, for use during long transports once main roads are clear of snow or ice. k. The Senior Battalion Chief should notify rescue squad operations officers of the implementation of Section 1, Part B through Section 1, Part E above, as soon as possible. 2. Fire Station Level Responsibilities - Company Officers will be responsible for the following once the Senior Battalion Chief declares that this policy is in effect. a. Snow emergencies - assure that the primary and spare sets of snow chains are ready for each piece of apparatus that is equipped in their station. Ambulances should have two spare sets of chains. Test the operation of the insta-chains. b. Assure that all portable power equipment is serviceable and has adequate fuel available. This includes, but is not limited to: - Portable power saws, particularly chain saws - Portable generators - Rescue equipment, i.e., Hurst tool power plants and accessories.
Appendix F - Preliminary Assessment Plan, Myrtle Beach, SC, Fire Department Appendix G - Windshield Survey Form, Redmon, WA , Fire Department Appendix H - Priority 1 Call Types Recommended for Revision to Priority 2 FIRE TYPE PRI DESCRIPTION A 90 2 ALARM ACTIVATION/NO FIRE includes all alarm activations (i.e: alarm company reporting); if water flow, be sure to note in comments and radio operator will add a truck company. IF CALLER IS AT ACTUAL RESIDENCE OR BUSINESS BE SURE TO ASK IF ANY SMOKE OR FIRE IS VISIBLE M 40 2 MACHINERY ENTRAPMENT incidents where people are trapped in commercial, industrial, construction or farm machinery which may require specialized stabilization, lifting and manipulation; these incidents may also require the specialized cutting, distorting and/or disassembly of equipment components to rescue or recover a victim(s) M 59 2 MUTUAL AID includes all mutual aid calls outside of the county (i.e.: Petersburg, Powhatan - Fire and EMS type calls included) R 01 2 REDUCED STRUCTURE includes all structure fires where a reduced assignment is warranted 2 01 2 SPECIAL (FIRE ONLY) includes any fire not classified in other sections (i.e.: telephone poles, electrical poles, porta-johns, etc.) 2 13 2 VEHICLE FIRE includes any vehicle fire outside of a structure or vehicle fires reported out 2 14 2 BRUSH FIRE includes all woods, grass, trees, field fires and fires of same nature, or out on arrival 2 15 2 OUTDOOR/REFUSE includes all yard storage, fences, etc. 2 40 2 HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS includes standby for downed power lines, transformers, lightning strikes with no fire, hazard control (not involving 10-50) etc. 2 41 2 CHIMNEY FIRE includes fires that are contained completely within a chimney and does not cause damage to structure. If damage occurs to structure, this should be coded as structure fire 2 43 2 EXCESSIVE HEAT includes calls where there is no evidence of flame production, but there is evidence of melting or excessive heat 2 61 2 SMOKE INVESTIGATION includes all calls where smoke or smell are present (outside only) and fits no other category Appendix I - Proposed Severe Storm Response Guidelines for Chesterfield Fire Department
Chesterfield County is vulnerable to a full range of severe weather. Severe weather is categorized as: (1) straight-line wind storms (severe thunderstorms, microbursts and macrobursts); (2) storms with rotational winds (tornados); and (3) tropical systems (tropical storms and hurricanes). The entire geographic area of Chesterfield County is subject to the destructive force of severe storm winds. Because of its location between two major rivers, the County is subject to rapid local and small stream flooding caused by intense severe storm associated rainfall. Severe storm winds do much damage, but drowning is the greatest cause of severe storm deaths. PREPAREDNESS In Central Virginia, the conditions for severe thunderstorm development are most favorable during the early spring and summer months. Hurricane season, that time most favorable for the development of tropical storm systems, is June through November. Tropical systems that affect Virginia occur most frequently in August and September. The month of March is designated for Severe Storm Season Preparation. By March 31st of each year the department will ensure that the following activities are completed: Each Operational Battalion Chief will ensure that each of the stations for which they have operational responsibility have completed the following:
The Operational Senior Battalion Chiefs will ensure that the following items are completed:
Each First-line Supervisor and Middle Manager will ensure that:
The Chief of Maintenance and Logistics will ensure that:
Severe Storm Watch When the National Weather Service issues a severe storm watch for Chesterfield County, Chesterfield Fire Department will activate the appropriate sections of these guidelines. Severe weather can strike quickly and without adequate warning - - be Proactive. Monitor Weather Conditions - The on-duty Battalion Staff and all First-line Supervisors should begin to closely monitor weather conditions.
The Senior Battalion Chief will increase Emergency Operations Division staffing resources through one, or all, of the following means:
Initiate Documentation Process
Identify locations and status of reserve Fire and EMS apparatus
RESPONSE Severe Storm Conditions When actual severe storm conditions exist, every attempt will be made by the Chesterfield Fire and EMS continue its primary mission of protecting the lives and property in Chesterfield County. However, it should be remembered that Fire and EMS personnel are subject to the same environmental limitations as are the members of the public. Situational Assessment The purpose of situational assessment is to complete a brief rapid assessment of the overall situation, not a thorough detailed assessment of each situation. The information obtained from the impact assessment process will be evaluated to develop incident strategies based on identified priorities. Situational Assessment shall be completed through a rapid survey conducted in two phases: the “Snapshot” Survey and the “Windshield Assessment”. (See Appendix C for forms). As soon as possible after the passage of severe weather, environmental conditions permitting, the Senior Battalion Chief will direct all Fire/EMS stations in the county to conduct a “Snapshot” Survey of their staff, station, apparatus, and area adjacent to the station. The “Snapshot Survey should evaluate:
The First-line Supervisor will document this information on the “Snapshot Assessment” Form. The Battalion Command Team (BCT) Planning Officer for each battalion will collect the results of this survey during the Fire/EMS Station Roll Call. The Roll Call will be conducted via telephone if telephone service has not be compromised. If telephone service is not available, the BCT Planning Officer will conduct the Roll Call using the Information Radio Tac assigned to their respective battalion. (See Communications Section of these Guidelines) Following the Roll Call, the BCT Incident Commander(s) will direct units in the area affected by the severe weather will conduct a “Windshield Assessment” of their first-due response area using the pre-defined routes for their district. Areas known to be affected by the severe weather should be given highest priority.
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