town chiefs handbook

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Town of Hamburg Armor

Fire Chief’s Association Big Tree Blasdell Hamburg Lake Shore Lake View Newton Abbott Scranton Woodlawn

Fire Chiefs Handbook

Town Wide

Informational Packet Including Standardizations, Policies, Procedures, & Guidelines

Drafted and Adopted in 2004 / 2005

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Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose

2.0 Fire Service Role During Power Outages

3.0 Town Wide Incident Command S.O.P.

4.0 Town Wide Accountability S.O.P.

5.0 Firefighter Rehabilitation (REHAB) Policy

6.0 Town Air Bank

7.0 Town of Hamburg Emergency Management Team

8.0 Southtowns Hazardous Materials Team

9.0 Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit

10.0 Fire Investigations 11.0 Town Emergency Medical Services 11.1 E.M.S. Response Modes 11.2 E.M.S. Contract for Back-up Coverage 11.3 E.M.S. Advisory Board

12.0 Hamburg Fire Control / Dispatch Related Issues

13.0 Building Inspection / Code Enforcement

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14.0 Town Highway Department

15.0 Town Board Liaison

16.0 Town Wide Automatic 2nd Alarm Assignments

17.0 Town Ordinance for Fire Alarm Activations

18.0 Town Emergency Operating Center

19.0 Town Fire Police / Peace Officers 19.1 Coverage at Non-Fire – EMS Calls

20.0 Forms and Worksheets

21.0 Town Wide Policy on Mutual Aid Assistance

When Not Dispatched

22.0 Mutual Aid Response from Chiefs / Assistant Chiefs

23.0 Town Fire Coordinators D-2 and D2-1

24.0 Policy for Requesting State or County Courses

25.0 Town Wide Geographic Designations at Incidents

26.0 Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association Clothing

27.0 Town Wide Procedure for Chief’s Review of

Purposed Buildings

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28.0 Safety / Accountability Officers

29.0 Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignments

30.0 Protocol When Called To An Incident That Is In a

Neighboring District.

31.0 Staging (Level 1 and 2)

32.0 Emergency Enclosures

33.0 Fire Chaplain Services ES-11 / ES-12

34.0 Responding to Incidents on NY State Thruway

35.0 Town of Hamburg Interior Firefighter Qualifications

36.0 Town of Hamburg Minimum Staffing for Mutual

Aid Responses

37.0 Mutual Aid Coverage When Company is Out of Service / Unavailable

38.0 Town Wide Training / Facilities / Standardization

39.0 Officers / Committee Chairs / Appointees

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1.0 Purpose This Handbook is intended to improve communications and continuity from Chief to Chief and Administration to Administration regarding the delivery of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services in the Town of Hamburg. This provides a more reliable dissemination of information. The Handbook will be produced and maintained by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. A copy will be issued to any Chief in need and all new members of the Chief’s Association. It will be in a 3-ring notebook format so additions and amendments can be added. Officers, Committee Chairs, and Appointees will be listed on one page so it can be easily updated and placed in the binder each year. An open line of communication will be maintained between the Town Board, the town department heads, and the fire service. Any issues or concerns that arise should be directed to the appropriate department heads by letter with the Town Board Liaison being copied on the letter. The most up to date copy will be maintained by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. 2.0 Fire Service Role during Power Outages During 2004, the Fire Chiefs in our town drafted and adopted a protocol for the role of fire service personnel during power outages.

TOWN OF HAMBURG FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

TRAFFIC DIRECTION DURING POWER OUTAGES

PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to formalize the response and operation policy relative to Town companies directing traffic during power outages. More specifically the use of portable generators to power traffic signals.

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DISPATCH PROTOCOL: In the event of a power outage that involves traffic signals, prior to dispatching the involved fire companies, a chief officer will be contacted and advised of the situation. The chief will have the prerogative of designating the response mode. For example, fire police and available manpower to station etc. The Town dispatchers will then dispatch the company as directed. RESPONSE PROTOCOL: Upon response to the station, personnel will be directed to designated intersections based on priority set by the New York State Department of Transportation (See Attachment 1) and/or the discretion of the officer in charge. Response will be cold utilizing fire company apparatus. The use of personal vehicles will be discouraged unless absolutely necessary. PORTABLE GENERATOR SPECIFICATIONS: Portable generators shall be a minimum of 5,000-watt capacity with a minimum circuit breaker size of 20 amps. TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL BOX OPERATION: Each fire company has been provided with a universal key to open the control box. Generator shall be connected and placed into operation prior to switching the lever to standby operation. Once the lever is engaged the traffic signal will function normally. In the event that the signal does not function properly, ranking officer shall immediately advise Fire Control and begin directing traffic using fire police or other qualified personnel. FIRE COMPANY COMMITMENT: Upon establishment of standby power at a given traffic signal, the portable generator shall be manned at all times until such time as the power is restored or the Fire Company is relieved by an authorized agency. Upon establishment of standby power within a given fire district, the incident commander shall contact Fire dispatch to advise the Town of Hamburg Police Shift Commander of the status and to formulate a plan for the duration of the incident. RELIEF PROTOCOL: As jointly established by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs Association and Town Officials, the Fire Companies will be relieved as soon as practicable by the Town of Hamburg Buildings and Grounds Department. Ideally this relief shall be available within two hours of the establishment of standby power supplies. In the event that relief is

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unavailable, it will be up to the discretion of the incident commander and the Town Police Shift Commander to formulate a plan for staffing the intersections.

3.0 Incident Command System S.O.P.

(I.C.S. S.O.P.)

The nine town companies originally created and adopted a standardized Incident Command System Standard Operating Procedure in 1992 for all town companies to use at incidents. In 1999, a task force comprised of the nine fire chiefs along with the town fire coordinators and the senior public safety dispatcher met to review and revise the S.O.P. The current S.O.P. ( Revision F )was adopted in 2000. The detailed S.O.P. can be found in the back of this handbook. It is important that all firefighters in our town are familiar with and utilize the procedures laid out in this S.O.P. 4.0 Accountability The ability to quickly account for all firefighters and other emergency personnel operating at an incident is critical. It is particularly important that command officers be familiar with the procedure to conduct a Personal Accountability Report (PAR), an Emergency Head Count, and an Emergency Roll Call. A detailed accountability procedure was established as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. and can be found as (APPENDIX D) with-in the I.C.S. S.O.P. contained in the back of this Handbook. The importance of all town firefighters knowing, understanding, and utilizing this Accountability Procedure can not be overstated.

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5.0 Firefighter Rehabilitation (REHAB) A standardized town wide Firefighter Rehabilitation Policy was adopted in 2000. The detailed policy is contained as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. and can be found in the back of this Handbook. 6.0 Town Air Bank Recognizing the need to have a local source from which to refill SCBA bottles, vehicle on-board air tanks, and cascade systems, the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s purchased and installed an air bank system located at the Lake Shore Rogers Rd. Fire Station. The Town Fire Chief’s Association owns and pays for the maintenance of the air bank. Each fire company pays an annual assessment towards the upkeep of the air bank. The Lake Shore Fire Company is exempt from the annual payment in place of housing and powering the system. The President of the Chief’s Association annually appoints a Chairman to oversee air bank concerns. The chairman is expected to give a status and financial report at each Chief’s Association meeting. A complete history and Standard Operating Procedure for the Town Air Bank can be found in the rear of this handbook. 7.0 Town of Hamburg Emergency Management Team The Town of Hamburg established an Emergency Management Team to assist the Town Board and Town Agencies in the management of major emergencies. The team is comprised of town employees that have expertise in all areas overseen by the town.

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A detailed description of the team, their capabilities, and resources as well as the process of a declaration of a State of Emergency can be found as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. (APPENDIX B) in the rear of this handbook.

8.0 Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team The Fire Chiefs from the Town of Hamburg recognized the need to have specially trained personnel and unique equipment to mitigate hazardous material incidents in the Town of Hamburg. Following discussions at a Town Chief’s Association meeting, the concept of creating a hazardous materials team was formulated. As a result of hard work and determination by some fire service leaders and some local elected officials, the concept evolved into the creation of the Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team. Detailed information about the Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team can be found as part of the Town of Hamburg’s I.C.S. S.O.P.’S which is contained in the back of this Handbook (APPENDIX C).

9.0 Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit The Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association formed a committee in 1987 that investigated the feasibility of developing a Water Rescue Unit to respond to fire service related emergencies in and along Lake Erie where it borders the Town of Hamburg. The unit was also to respond to emergencies involving water throughout the Town of Hamburg such as in ponds, creeks, streams, etc. In 1987, federal grant monies were secured specifically for the formation of the Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit. The Unit operates under the direction of the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. They utilize the Chief’s Association Tax Exempt Permit and give a status and financial report at each Chief’s Association meeting.

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The Town of Hamburg has established a modest annual budget to assist with the operational costs of maintaining the team. In addition, a building was erected at the Hamburg Town Park to house the Water Rescue Equipment. The team continues to pursue grant monies and fund raising activities to support the organization. The team members are comprised of firefighters from the 9 fire companies in the town. Firefighters interested in joining the team must have been a firefighter for at least 1 year and with the written permission of their fire chief, make application to the Water Rescue Team. The Hamburg Water Rescue Team is also a member of ALERT (Advanced Local Emergency Rescue Team) which is made up of several different paid and volunteer units in the western end of New York and the eastern end of Canada. These units include police departments, rope rescue, under water rescue and swift water rescue teams, as well as the United States and Canadian Coast Guard. The team is trained and equipped to handle lake rescue, boat and marina fires, swift water rescue, ice rescue, underwater recovery, shoreline rescue and support, as well as pond and creek rescue. The Hamburg Water Rescue Team can be requested through Hamburg Fire Control. 10.0 Fire Investigations When a fire occurs, it is the Incident Commander’s responsibility to determine the cause of the fire. More serious fires, most often in structures, may be difficult to determine cause and origin. In these cases, the Incident Commander often calls upon Fire Investigators who have more equipment, training, and expertise in making that determination. When the cause is linked to criminal activity such as Arson, the fire becomes a crime scene and evidence may need to be collected. When the cause of a fire is suspicious or difficult to determine, a fire investigator can be called to assist.

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The Town of Hamburg Police Department, the Village of Hamburg Police Department, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department all have trained investigators. If you are in need of a fire investigator at an incident you can notify Hamburg Fire Control of your need and they will contact the appropriate agency. You can also speak with the police officer at the incident to convey your request for assistance or express any suspicions that the fire may be arson. Depending upon the complexity of the incident, you may have multiple agencies working together to determine cause and origin of a fire. Some of these agencies might include: New York State Police, Erie County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Fire Arms (ATF), and the local police agency.

Times can occur when there is no availability of investigators to conduct the investigation. It is likely that the law enforcement agency will request assistance from another agency. In those instances, the police agency having jurisdiction, under the direction of the commanding officer, will make the request for assistance and compensation needs will be handled by that agency having jurisdiction. If a fire investigator is requested, it is important that a fire department officer remain on the scene until the investigator arrives. Once a building is turned back over to the owner or occupant, the chain of custody of potential evidence may be called into question and a search warrant may even need to be obtained for an investigation to occur. If a fire investigator is not yet on scene, owners, occupants, or civilians should not be allowed in or around the building. There could be an occasion where an occupant may need to go into a building to get medication or the like. Should that be the case, the person should be escorted and closely supervised by a police or fire officer. When a Fire Investigator is used to determine cause and origin, the Fire Incident Commander should be prepared to provide the investigator with a complete list of all fire service personnel that were on scene at the incident.

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11.0 Town Emergency Medical Services The Town of Hamburg Chief’s Association has an EMS Committee. The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Chief’s Assoc. President annually. The committee is made up of EMS personnel from each Town Company / Department that is appointed by the Chief of that Company / Department. The committee meets as needed to discuss EMS issues in the town and seek ways to improve the delivery of emergency medical services to residents and visitors to our town.

11.1 E.M.S. Response Modes Information pending

11.2 E.M.S. Contract for Back-up

Coverage Information pending

11.3 E.M.S. Advisory Board The Erie County Executive has an EMS Advisory Board that meets to discuss EMS issues and make recommendation to the County Executive pertaining to Emergency Medical Services in Erie County. The Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association makes a recommendation to the County Executive and sends a letter of endorsement for a person chosen by the Association to represent our interests. Once the appointment is made by the County Executive, the member attends the Advisory Board meetings and conveys our position on EMS issues. Our representative also attends the Town Chiefs Association meetings to give a report from the Advisory Board Meeting.

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12.0 Hamburg Fire Control Dispatch Related Issues

Hamburg Fire Control is a vital part of the fire, rescue, and EMS team in our town. As the initial point of contact with the public that is need of assistance, the Public Safety Dispatchers collect information, determine the appropriate response needs, dispatch the appropriate apparatus, and pass on important information to responding units. The use of airtime on the usable frequencies is closely monitored and the use of approved and professional radio procedures is important. In an effort to limit the use of valuable airtime during emergencies, the nine companies in our town have voted and requested the following procedure changes to shorten air usage during emergencies:

• The length of the tones were shortened • The alerting of companies was changed for automatic second alarms

to have the home company dispatched with all appropriate information given. The tone repeated for the home company along with the tones of the mutual aid companies. The tone of the mutual aid companies is only sent out the one original time with subsequent alerting preceded only by the alert tone.

• Mutual aid companies should send only one chief or assistant chief with any others going to their halls to man the requested apparatus.

• It is incumbent upon the users of the air to maintain radio discipline and only make necessary transmissions.

Another procedure change requested by the Town of Hamburg companies for the dispatch procedure of automatic second alarms is the announcing of the switch to the F-4 frequency for all units upon arrival at the scene with the exception of the unit establishing command which will give the initial radio size-up report on F-1 and monitor both the F-1 and F-4 frequencies. The following is a sample of what the dispatching of a second alarm incident might sound like: Home company tones: Lake Shore firefighters – report of a garage fire at 123 Orchard Ave.

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Home company tones and mutual aid tones: Repeat to Lake Shore, Lake View pumper, Woodlawn 6, Big Tree 7, Scranton 8 - Report of garage fire at 123 Orchard Ave. Units switch to the F-4 after calling on location. Alert tone: Repeat above message. It is important to firefighter safety to have the initial units begin operations on the F-4 frequency. It is very difficult to get firefighters that are already committed to switch frequencies when engaged in a firefight in smoke filled atmospheres. If firefighters that are already engaged do not hear the order to switch frequencies or are unable to do so, critical radio transmissions from those most in danger can be missed. The Senior Public Safety Dispatcher has extended an open invitation to all fire companies to come to the dispatch office to observe the process and get a better understanding of what the PSD’s are faced with. If interested in observing, please call Hamburg Fire Control prior to going, to make certain that there is no conflicting reason why observing may not be possible. Hamburg Fire Control records the radio transmissions of the F-1, F-2, and F-4 frequencies. It can be beneficial for a company to obtain a copy of the radio transmissions of an incident to review procedures as part of a post incident review. The Chief of the home company must fill out a tape request form to request a tape recording of the incident. A copy of this form can be found in the rear of this handbook. Messages to fire companies are to be requested by a chief from that company. If requesting a message for a home receiver test, when possible please call the PSD by 5:00 PM to request the message. You can also FAX a message request to the dispatch office at 648-4821 and be sure to sign the paper as the requesting chief. Hamburg Fire Control has also established an E-Mail address so messages can be E-Mailed to the PSD. You can E-Mail message requests to [email protected] General town wide messages must be approved by one of the fire coordinators or the senior dispatcher and general messages to all fire companies under Hamburg Fire Control must be approved by the senior dispatcher.

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The Building Inspector from the Town and the Villages work closely with the fire service. It is common for fire service personnel to come across buildings that have sustained damage from fire or other sources. Also, building code violations are often discovered by fire service personnel when called to various incidents.

The structural stability of buildings is important in preventing injuries to the public and fire service personnel. As a result, we both share the mission of correcting dangerous situations for the safety of our members and the public we serve.

If fire service personnel encounter any possible code violations, they should notify Hamburg Fire Control requesting that they leave a note for the Building Inspector to investigate the possible violation. It is important to advise the Public Safety Dispatcher if the violation poses an immediate threat so the proper priority can be assigned to the investigation.

When should we call for a Building Inspector at a structure fire?

• If there is structural damage to the building as a result of the fire or the integrity is compromised by the extinguishing effort (water load, walls breeched, etc.), The building inspector should be requested to report to the scene prior to the fire personnel leaving the scene. When summoned to a scene, the building inspector should report to the Incident Commander upon arrival for accountability purposes and he / she should be wearing I.D. and some type of clothing that identifies him / her as a Building Inspector.

• If the possible violation or hazard is determined to be minor, the building inspector may follow up the complaint on the next business day.

• If you are in doubt, contact Hamburg Fire Control and explain the situation. A Public Safety Dispatcher will notify the inspector on call and allow them to make the determination for when they should report.

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Who can order an emergency demolition of a building that is damaged and threatening to the public’s safety?

• An emergency demolition of a building must be ordered by the building inspector of that municipality. If the incident commander feels a building needs to be demolished to prevent a danger to the public, he/she should request the building inspector to the scene to evaluate and arrange proper action.

14.0 Town Highway Department Fire Service Related Issues The Town of Hamburg Highway Department has resources that can be provided to assist the fire service at incidents.

Some examples might include:

• Barricades for lengthy road closings • Large volumes of stone or sand for diking to contain run

off • Heavy equipment to mitigate immediate hazards at fires • For building collapse or other rescue situations requiring

heavy equipment • Emergency fuel supplies for generators or apparatus

that are committed at long incidents

If Highway Department resources are needed, they can be requested by calling Hamburg Fire Control and explaining your need. Hamburg Fire Control will contact the Highway Superintendent or the supervisor-on-call to explain your need. If they are able to assist, the appropriate Highway Personnel will be sent along with the needed equipment. You must understand that the Highway Dept. personnel will make a determination of the level of assistance they can provide keeping in mind the safety of their personnel and the limits of their equipment or training.

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15.0 Town Board Liaison The Town Supervisor appoints a Board Member to serve as a liaison between the fire service in the town and the Town Board. At the time of this writing, the appointed liaison is Council Woman Joan Kesner. All fire and EMS issues that need to be addressed to the Town Board should come from a chief or Chief’s Association Officer to Council Woman Kesner. She will be the liaison for information flowing in both directions. 16.0 Town Wide Automatic 2nd Alarm

Assignments The Chiefs from the nine fire companies in the town formed a task force to address several fire service related issues. Among them was how to get a sufficient amount of manpower and apparatus to the scene of a fire in a timely manner to mount a safe and efficient attack while complying with mandates such as Two-in / Two-out. The Chiefs decided on the use of an automatic 2nd alarm for reports of smoke or fire in or on a structure and for external fires with-in 10 feet of a structure. The 2nd alarm assignment is to consist of:

• A mutual aid engine • A mutual aid ladder truck • A mutual aid rescue truck • A mutual aid ambulance (ALS)

(volunteer or Rural Metro) A standardized 3rd alarm assignment can be found as # 29.0 in this handbook.

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17.0 Town Ordinance for False Fire Alarm Activations

The Town Board adopted a town ordinance that levies fines against building owners that have false alarm activations.

The intent of this ordinance is to serve as a motivation for responsible parties to fix faulty alarm systems. This should reduce the number of needless alarm activations and lower the demand on the emergency services resources. A copy of the Town Alarm Activation Ordinance can be found in its entirety in the rear of this handbook. 18.0 Town Emergency Operating Center Incidents can occur that affect the whole town or encompass several districts. These are usually weather related events such as a tornado, flood, snow storm, or earth quake. It could also include a wide spread power outage or hazardous materials release. During these times, a Chief, the Town Supervisor and/or the Emergency Management Team may determine the need to establish a Town Emergency Operating Center (EOC). The purpose of an EOC is to provide a location where emergency personnel, department heads, agency representatives, and decision makers can meet to determine resources, devise a plan for action, implement the plan, and disseminate information to the public and the media.

Provided that conditions allow, the designated location for the Town Emergency Operating Center is at the Hamburg Town Hall in the Financial wing of the building.

Radio communications, phones, computers, resource information, and back-up generator power are all available there. There are also conference rooms for meetings and planning as well as space to conduct public and media briefings.

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The Village of Hamburg has a well equipped Emergency Operating Center located at the Hamburg Fire Hall on Union Street for incidents affecting the Village of Hamburg. The Village of Blasdell may establish an EOC to handle incidents affecting the Village of Blasdell. There is no defined site at this time.

Some incidents may require the need for an EOC that is closer to the incident but those usually are limited to only affecting 1 or 2 districts. In such a situation, the Incident Commander will determine the need for and designate a location for an Emergency Operating Center. The Emergency Management Team has a communications trailer available to be brought to a remote location if needed. Additional information regarding the communications trailer can be found as part of the I.C.S. S.O.P.’S (APPENDIX B) located in the back of this handbook. 19.0 Town Fire Police / Peace Officers When a mutual aid company is dispatched to assist another company / department in our town, the Fire Police from the mutual aid company may respond to assist even if not specifically requested. This is usually during fires or motor vehicle accidents. When a mutual aid fire police does respond to a neighboring district, they are to follow all laws, park off of the roadway when possible, and report to the Officer-in-Charge (when possible) or Fire Police Coordinator to receive orders. 19.1 Fire Police Coverage at Non- Emergency

Incidents Fire Police are occasionally requested by the local Police agency to assist with traffic. Even though it may not appear to be a fire, rescue, or EMS emergency, fire police that have been requested and properly dispatched are covered by VFBL. This was the opinion of the State Comptroller as well as Asst. Town Attorney Richard Boehm that there is coverage.

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This may be different for the Village of Hamburg, Village of Blasdell, and the Lake View Fire District. It is recommended that each company / department contact their individual Insurance Agency for their opinion regarding coverage of fire police officers during power outages and other events requiring traffic and crowd control. A copy of the State Comptroller’s and Asst. Town Attorney’s opinion can be found in the back of this Handbook. 20.0 Forms and Worksheets There are several forms and worksheets that are commonly used at incidents to help document and coordinate the incident. A copy of these forms can be found in the back of this handbook. You are welcome to make copies of these forms to assist you at incidents. 21.0 Town Wide Policy on Mutual Aid

Assistance When Not Dispatched There are times when a company or department is dispatched to a call and a properly staffed mutual aid company or department is in the area and could respond to more promptly protect life or property at that incident. In September of 2004, the Chiefs in our town drafted and adopted an agreement that is intended for the home company to accept assistance from the mutual aid unit and to ensure coverage for the mutual aid company in the event that no response is obtained from the home company / department. A copy of the agreement can be found in the back of this handbook titled: Town of Hamburg Fire Companies / Departments Agreement for Mutual Aid Response When Not Officially Requested.

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22.0 Mutual Aid Response from Chiefs / Assistance Chiefs

It has been a long standing agreement between companies in our town that when mutual aid is requested, only 1 chief or assistant chief from the mutual aid company should respond.

We encourage the other chiefs to respond to their hall to help man the requested piece of apparatus.

On mutual aid calls where a chief is going to his/her hall, it is not necessary to call Hamburg Fire Control to report you are responding to the hall.

Calls with multiple companies dispatched require strict radio discipline to reduce unneeded radio traffic. Once there is 1 or 2 chiefs already on location or in route to a call, additional chiefs need not call responding unless there is a specific need for such a radio transmission to be heard. Common sense and radio discipline can reduce the use of air time and keep the air open for more important transmissions. 23.0 Town Fire Coordinators D-2 and D2-1 Erie County’s Department of Emergency Services designates “D-Units” to serve as radio coordinators to oversee fire radio issues in Towns throughout the County. The Town of Hamburg’s designation is D-“2”. Some of our neighboring Towns are: Town of Evans – D-3, Town of Boston – D-4. The Radio Coordinators for the Town of Hamburg are elected by the 9 Fire Chiefs of the districts comprising the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. The election is held annually at the January Town Chief’s meeting. In addition to their role as radio coordinators, the Town of Hamburg designates these radio coordinators to also serve as Fire Coordinators for the Town of Hamburg.

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As Fire Coordinators, they respond to mutual aid incidents and report to the Incident Commander to assist as directed. Some of the typical roles they assist with are, but not limited to:

• Handling Radio Transmissions so as to free up the IC to do other functions

• Record information pertaining to the incident • Provide input and suggestions to the IC as requested • Serve as part of the Command Staff in appointed roles • Track the movement of fire crews by closely monitoring radio

transmissions • Provide resource information as needed • Approve Town wide radio messages to assure consistency with E.C.

Radio Procedures and Message Policy. The Fire Coordinators also serve in many administrative roles as directed by the Chief’s Association President as well as coordinating town wide trainings and committees. It is important to note that the Town Fire Coordinators do not take over command of any incidents nor do they have power over any firefighters unless the IC has appointed them to hold a command staff position where they supervise crews. 24.0 Procedure for Requesting State or County

Courses If a company plans to host a state or county course, it is requested that the company convey their intent to the Assistant Fire Coordinator (D2-1) to prevent multiple requests for the same course in our town. The chief (or designee) of the host company will make the arrangements with the county. See section number 38.0 for further detail on training with-in our Town.

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The Companies in the Town of Hamburg have adopted a policy that

standardizes the terminology for designating the sides and floors of a building.

These designations are consistent with those taught in Office of Fire

Prevention and Control (OFPC) and National Fire Academy (NFA) courses.

The sides of a building will be referred to as follows: A – Alpha for the street or address side of the building

Going clockwise around the building the next sides are: B - Bravo C - Charlie (back) D - Delta (opposite side from B –Bravo) Floors will be referred to as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The basement will be referred to as BASEMENT and the roof will be

referred to as ROOF. Roof

C - Charlie

B – Bravo D - Delta A – Alpha 1st Floor

Bb Basement

A more detailed description of these designations can be found with-in the I.C.S. S.O.P.’s found in the rear of this handbook.

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26.0 Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Assoc. Clothing

Shirts, hats, jackets, and coats that display the insignia of the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association are periodically ordered. Members of the Chief’s Association in need of any of this clothing should notify a town fire coordinator so an order can be generated. 27.0 Town Wide Procedure for Chief’s Review

of Purposed Buildings The Chiefs in our town in conjunction with the Town Building Department have established a procedure that will provide review of building plans by the home fire company prior to a building permit being issued. The home fire company will be afforded the opportunity to give input regarding fire service related concerns. The form was drafted and its intent is to have the Building Department give it to the developer, construction firm, or occupant of any commercial buildings, multiple occupancy dwellings, or sub-divisions so it can be completed and returned to the Building Department. The home company will receive this completed form along with the building plans so they will have a better understanding of what fire service concerns there might be. The form will also serve as a source of information from which the fire company can develop a pre-plan for the building(s). A copy of the form can be found in the back of this handbook titled: Town of Hamburg Fire Service Building and Pre-Plan Information Form. 28.0 Safety / Accountability Officers in the

Town Incidents in the Town of Hamburg often involve more than 1 fire company / department. It is important to have all firefighters operating at an incident

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abiding by the same set of procedures, guidelines, and philosophy. This is especially true when it comes to matters concerning firefighter safety and accountability. All 9 companies in our town recognized this need and have opted to standardize our accountability procedures and share the same philosophy regarding keeping our firefighters safe. In an effort to promote these common practices, town wide trainings are periodically held for Safety and Accountability Officers. The intent of these trainings is to have these officers trained the same so a mutual aid safety or accountability officer can function effectively at any incident in any district with-in our town. Trainings are typically arranged and facilitated by a Town Fire Coordinator. 29.0 Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignment The Fire Chiefs in 2000 established what a Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignment would consist of. If a 3rd Alarm is requested, you will get:

• One mutual aid Engine • One mutual aid Ladder Truck • One mutual aid Rescue Truck

Some companies have opted to define specific companies to be on a 3rd alarm. Those that did not specify will receive these mutual aid apparatus from companies chosen by the Public Safety Dispatcher based on their knowledge of availability, location of the incident, if certain apparatus is not in service, etc.

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30.0 Protocol When Called To an Incident that is in a Neighboring Company’s District

There are times when a call is dispatched for an incident that ends up being in a neighboring company’s district. This commonly happens for motor vehicle accidents that occur on roadways that define district boundaries. Should you be dispatched to such an incident and find that the incident is in the district of a neighboring company, Hamburg Fire Control should be notified of the exact location and that it is in another company’s district. Hamburg Fire Control will contact a chief of the district that the incident is in to notify him / her of the incident. The home company chief will advise Hamburg Fire Control if he / she wants his / her company dispatched or if it is more appropriate to allow the originally dispatched company (that may have already responded) to handle the incident. In many cases it is difficult to avoid dispatching the wrong company. When it does occur, the assistance is appreciated but it is important that the proper home company chief or assistant chief knows that there is an incident in his / her district. 31.0 Staging (Level 1 and 2) Staging apparatus is an effective way to manage resources that are dispatched to an incident until the Incident Commander (IC) can develop a plan and assign units where they are needed. There are 2 types of staging used in our town; Level 1 and Level 2 Staging. Units that are sent to Level 1 staging should stop about 2 or 3 blocks before the incident scene. They should call on location and notify the IC that they are at level 1 staging and state their location. The crew should stay together on the apparatus in readiness to be deployed. If the incident is on a long road without typical block cross streets, the unit should stage about a ½ mile before the scene.

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There may be times when an IC will direct a unit to stage at a specific location. For example, in a parking lot, at a specific hydrant, or at a sprinkler or standpipe connection. When a unit is sent to any type of staging – they are to downgrade to a COLD response. Level 2 Staging is usually used at major, on-going incidents where additional or relief units may be needed. A specific location will be defined for where level 2 staging is. You should report to that location on a COLD response and report to the Staging Officer (assigned by the IC). Once at level 2 staging, it is important to stay together in readiness for quick deployment. In the back of this handbook, additional information about staging can be found in the ICS SOP’s along with a quick reference sheet that can be posted. 32.0 Emergency Enclosures Following fires in buildings, the building often will have windows that are broken, ventilation holes cut in the roof, and / or doors that have been damaged and can not be easily secured. Whenever possible it is beneficial to have these openings covered so as not to allow the weather to enter the building and possibly cause further damage or to prevent non-authorized people from entering. The security of the building after the fire company / department leaves could be the responsibility of the police, fire investigator, the owner, or the resident. Strictly in an attempt to assist residents that are in need of help, a representative of the fire company / department may ask the owner if they are in need of someone to provide the emergency enclosure services. If the owner requests that we help them by contacting a company that provides these services, Hamburg Fire Control can be contacted and requested to contact an enclosure company.

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This request should only be made if the owner of the property requests us to contact a company for them. Keep in mind that the owner has every right to secure the building themselves or contact any company that they wish to provide the service. If requesting a company, it is helpful to advise fire control of the approximate number of vent holes, doors, and windows that need to be secured so the enclosure company can bring the appropriate supplies. The fire company / department has no stake in contacting any specific enclosure company and should not profit from nor be responsible for any fees from such services. Emergency enclosure personnel arriving at a scene should be directed to the owner so those parties can establish an agreement for services and payment. The enclosure personnel should not commence work on the building until permission is granted by the Office-in-Charge and /or the Fire Investigator. 33.0 Fire Chaplain ES-11 / ES-12 When a fire or tragic incident occurs, we often are presented with victims that are in need of aid, both physically and emotionally. Many times our resources are committed to mitigating the cause of the tragedy and we may not have ample personnel to deal with the victim’s emotional needs. In addition, exposure to the tragedy can also be very traumatic for the emergency personnel as well. Because we recognize the need to support the emotional needs of both victims and emergency service personnel, an Emergency Services Chaplain can be used to provide these critical services for us. The Chiefs in the Town of Hamburg unanimously voted to have Erie County’s Emergency Services Chaplain Father Joseph Bayne (ES-11) automatically respond to any second or greater alarm assignment and upon request, for incidents involving multiple companies or where severe injuries or deaths have occurred.

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If ES-11 is not available to assist, his assistant ES-12 can be contacted by Hamburg Fire Control or MERS Control to serve in that capacity. An Emergency Services Chaplain can be a valuable asset to victims of tragedy as well as making notifications to family members or assisting injured emergency service personnel and their families. He may also assist with post-incident needs such as stress debriefing and / or confidential counseling. 34.0 Responding to Incidents on the New York

State Thruway BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• The New York State Thruway is divided and assigned to contracted Fire Companies by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) at the discretion of the Erie County Fire Coordinator. Currently, Scranton and Newton Abbott are assigned to respond to the Thruway within the Town of Hamburg.

• Scranton covers: Westbound from Sowles Rd. overpass to the 18-Mile Creek and eastbound from the 18-Mile Creek to the South Park overpass.

• Newton Abbott covers: Westbound from the Lackawanna Toll to the Sowles Rd overpass and eastbound from the South Park overpass to the Lackawanna Toll.

• Seneca Hose covers east of the Lackawanna Toll and Evans Center covers west of the 18-Mile Creek.

• Each Company has their own SOP for response on the Thruway. • Scranton and Newton Abbott currently have an automatic mutual aid response

agreement between themselves. The current agreement consists of the following: 1. Auto Accidents – Automatic mutual aid rescue and ambulance

responds directly to the scene. 2. Vehicle Fires- Automatic mutual aid engine directly to the scene.

MUTUAL AID

• The NYSTA prohibits personal vehicle usage (other than Chiefs’) on the NYS Thruway.

• If Mutual aid is requested it should be limited to the Unit requested (Engine, Rescue, or Ambulance) and one (1) Chief from the requested company.

• Other Chiefs’ should follow the Town Protocol for mutual aid and respond to man the unit requested.

RESPONSE

• The NYSTA requests that you DO NOT go through a lane with the RED “X”. • If there is a clear, manned tollbooth, the responding vehicle is to stop at the booth

and state your intention before proceeding. Example: “We are responding to the

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accident at mile marker 440.5.” Usually the toll taker will be waving you through upon your approach.

• It is requested that you temporarily curtail the use of your siren while passing through the Toll area.

• If the manned lanes are clogged it is advisable to use the EZ Pass lane. • Once you have entered the Thruway you should call Operations well in advance

of your approach so that he/she may direct you as to which lane or shoulder is going to be the most accessible.

ON SCENE

• All efforts will be made to keep at least one (1) lane of traffic open to relieve congestion.

• When you have arrived at the scene all personnel must exit on the curbside to avoid struck by traffic while exiting your apparatus. If this is not possible you must exercise extreme caution while exiting the apparatus.

• If at all possible, it is advisable to place apparatus such that operating personnel are protected from traffic by the apparatus.

• If circumstances warrant and/or the safety of those operating at the scene is jeopardized, the Thruway may be totally shut down. This will be at the discretion of the Incident Commander. This decision must also be relayed to the State Trooper in Charge at the scene or the Thruway Representative present prior to the Thruway being shut down.

EXITING THE THRUWAY

• If transporting a patient, contact Hamburg Fire Control (HFC) and tell them which Toll Barrier you are going to exit through and request that they contact that Toll with your intentions or destination. Usually, the Toll Barrier will tell HFC which lane will be clear for you to go through. (This will usually be the EZ Pass lane).

• If you are returning to service, and must utilize a “U” turn area, you should slow your approach well in advance of the turn around area, signal and make your turn. Wait and make sure all lanes of traffic are clear before entering. While waiting in the turn around area, make sure the front and rear of your apparatus is clear of approaching traffic. Once all lanes are clear, make your turn and proceed to the far right shoulder. Utilize the shoulder of the road until you have reached appropriate speed. Once you have reached the appropriate speed then you can enter a driving lane when it is clear to do so. (Emergency Flashers are recommended under speeds of 40 mph). A list of “U” turn locations is included as Table 1.

• It is recommended, but not necessary, to exit the same Toll Barrier that you entered. Upon entering the Toll Barrier use a manned Toll Lane and explain to the Toll Taker that you are returning from an incident. Usually, the Toll Taker will just wave you through, but they may have you sign a toll ticket prior to leaving.

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MUTUAL AID STANDBY • If you are requested to stand by at a Toll Barrier, this will be considered a

“staging area”. • You are to respond to this area with no lights or sirens, same as the policy adapted

by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs’ for mutual aid. • Stage before the Toll Barrier and out of the way of traffic entering this area.

TABLE 1 - N.Y.S. THRUWAY MILEPOST MARKERS and TURN-AROUNDS

MP 430.5 Lackawana Toll Booth turn-around at 430.8 MP 431.6 Willet Rd. turn-around at 431.9 MP 432.5 Lake Ave.

MP 433 Exit 56 Milestrip Rd. turn-around at 432.8/9 MP 434 Big Tree Rd.

MP 434.5 Route 20

MP 434.9

NEW

TON

AB

BO

TT

South Park Ave.

MP 435 South Park Ave. turn-around at 435.8 MP 436 Exit 57 Camp Rd. turn-around at 436.8

MP 438 Pleasant Ave. turn-around at 439.8/9 MP 441 Lakeview Rd. turn-around at 440.4 MP 442 North Creek Rd. turn-around at 441.9 MP 442.5

SCR

AN

TON

18 Mile Creek turn-around at 443.9

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Green accountability tags in the Town of Hamburg also serve to identify firefighters as being qualified interior firefighters. Because firefighters respond to mutual aid incidents and will be assigned tasks based on that qualification, it is important that all town companies use the same criteria to qualify an interior firefighter. In November of 1999, the fire chiefs adopted a standard to define the criteria to be an Interior Firefighter in the Town of Hamburg. A copy of this standard can be found in the rear of this handbook.

36.0 Town of Hamburg Minimum Staffing for Mutual Aid Responses

The second and third alarm assignments in the Town of Hamburg have specific types of apparatus being requested. When an IC knows there is an engine, truck, rescue, FAST, or ambulance responding to an incident, it is with the expectation that there is a minimum number of firefighters on board who are capable of performing tasks that may be assigned. In 1999, the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association adopted a minimum staffing guideline for all mutual aid responses to ensure that crews are capable of carrying out assigned tasks. A copy of this Minimum Staffing Standard can be found in the rear of this handbook.

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There are times when an entire fire company or department may be out of service or unavailable and may depend on mutual aid response to provide coverage for their district. Some of these times include during installation dinners, member funerals, company picnics, etc. If a company needs to be out of service, the chief should contact Hamburg Fire Control to advise them of the times they will be unavailable, which companies will be covering for them, as well as any specific response needs they will have. As a courtesy to the mutual aid companies that are covering the district, the home chief should contact the covering chiefs to advise them that his / her company will be out of service and to see if there will be any coverage issues. If there are any alarms that are handled by mutual aid companies, the home company should also fill out a NIFR for that call as well as the mutual aid company filling one out to document their activity at the incident. While it has been difficult to find a written decision on this subject, it has been stated by many that if you are the Chief of a district, you are ultimately responsible for the activities at an incident. Even if another company handles the incident, the home Chief remains in charge and / or responsible. In the past, some companies have kept a crew for a piece of apparatus or a Chief or Asst. Chief available to respond to an incident. This may be a year by year, case by case basis however some benefits may be realized during fire incidents because the home personnel may have preplan knowledge of a building in their district that can be very helpful for a safe and efficient outcome.

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38.0 Town Wide Training / Facilities/ Standardization

Fire Service courses are often funded by New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control or by Erie County Emergency Services. The Funding is not guaranteed each year and is subject to annual budget approval. This process leaves the potential for budget cuts and/or an inability to fund training courses or State or County Instructors. As a result, the Chiefs Association voted to form a Training Committee in 2005. The Committee was charged with investigating options that will allow us to get our firefighters trained regardless of State and County funding that may or may not be available. The committee has focused on four (4) primary aspects of training. These are:

• Coordinated efforts to request and receive State and County Courses in our town

• Local facilities and props that can be used by Town of Hamburg Companies and Departments for the purpose of conducting training

• Standardizing philosophies and procedures among Companies and Departments in the Town of Hamburg so we function together in a safer and more efficient manner

• Take advantage of the synergy that can come from sharing ideas and resources with other agencies such as the police departments, hazardous materials teams, water rescue units, and surrounding fire service agencies.

These efforts have been embraced and encouraged by our Town Board and an ongoing dialog has been established between the fire service and the Town Board to seek funding opportunities and assure properly trained firefighters to serve our community. At the time of this writing, the committee is in the early stages of this process and will be formulating plans to present to the membership of the Chief’s Association for approval.

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This Handbook was conceived, drafted, and adopted by the Fire Chiefs of the Town of Hamburg during 2004 and 2005 along with input from Association members. It was reviewed for accuracy by the various department heads from the town to assure there is a mutual understanding between the department they oversee and the fire service. The Town Board Liaison and the Town Legal Department also reviewed the content. Armor Chief Robert Mischel 2004 Chief Paul Zemla 2005 Big Tree Chief Robert Stoberl 04, 05 Blasdell Chief Robert Michalski 2004 Chief John Welch 2005 Hamburg Chief Timothy Moses 2004 Chief George Utz 2005 Lake Shore Chief Christopher Farris 04, 05 Lake View Chief Roger Black 04, 05 Newton Abbott Chief Paul Uzar 04, 05 Scranton Chief Michael Quinn 04, 05 Woodlawn Chief Donald Baxter 04, 05 Fire Coordinator D-2 John Carlin 04, 05 Deputy Coordinator D2-1 Stephen Ruesch 04, 05 Association President Michael Chiacchia 04, 05

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39.0 2005 Association Officers, Committee Chairs, and Appointees

President Michael Chiacchia Vice President Thomas Moses Treasurer Christopher Wilson Secretary Jennifer Schafer Sergeant – At – Arms Fred Bence Fire Coordinator D-2 John Carlin Deputy Coordinator D2-1 Stephen Ruesch Fire Advisory Board John Witka Michael Gates EMS Advisory Board Joseph Casper Hamburg Town Board Liaison Councilwoman Joan Kesner Town Police Liaison Lt. James Koch Fire Police Chairman Thomas Eaton Town Air Bank Joseph Casper

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Table of Contents

9.0 Purpose

10.0 Fire Service Role During Power Outages

11.0 Town Wide Incident Command S.O.P.

12.0 Town Wide Accountability S.O.P.

13.0 Firefighter Rehabilitation (REHAB) Policy

14.0 Town Air Bank

15.0 Town of Hamburg Emergency Management Team

16.0 Southtowns Hazardous Materials Team

9.0 Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit

10.0 Fire Investigations 11.0 Town Emergency Medical Services 11.1 E.M.S. Response Modes 11.2 E.M.S. Contract for Back-up Coverage

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11.3 E.M.S. Advisory Board

12.0 Hamburg Fire Control / Dispatch Related Issues


14.0 Town Highway Department

15.0 Town Board Liaison

16.0 Town Wide Automatic 2nd Alarm Assignments

17.0 Town Ordinance for Fire Alarm Activations

18.0 Town Emergency Operating Center

40.0 Town Fire Police / Peace Officers 19.1 Coverage at Non-Fire – EMS Calls

41.0 Forms and Worksheets

42.0 Town Wide Policy on Mutual Aid Assistance

When Not Dispatched

43.0 Mutual Aid Response from Chiefs / Assistant Chiefs

44.0 Town Fire Coordinators D-2 and D2-1

45.0 Policy for Requesting State or County Courses


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47.0 Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association Clothing

48.0 Town Wide Procedure for Chief’s Review of

Purposed Buildings

49.0 Safety / Accountability Officers

50.0 Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignments

51.0 Protocol When Called To An Incident That Is In a Neighboring District.

52.0 Staging (Level 1 and 2)

53.0 Emergency Enclosures

54.0 Fire Chaplain Services ES-11 / ES-12

55.0 Responding to Incidents on NY State Thruway

56.0 Town of Hamburg Interior Firefighter

Qualifications


58.0 Mutual Aid Coverage When Company is Out of

Service / Unavailable

59.0 Town Wide Training / Facilities / Standardization

60.0 Officers / Committee Chairs / Appointees

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7.0 Purpose This Handbook is intended to improve communications and continuity from Chief to Chief and Administration to Administration regarding the delivery of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services in the Town of Hamburg. This provides a more reliable dissemination of information. The Handbook will be produced and maintained by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. A copy will be issued to any Chief in need and all new members of the Chief’s Association. It will be in a 3-ring notebook format so additions and amendments can be added. Officers, Committee Chairs, and Appointees will be listed on one page so it can be easily updated and placed in the binder each year. An open line of communication will be maintained between the Town Board, the town department heads, and the fire service. Any issues or concerns that arise should be directed to the appropriate department heads by letter with the Town Board Liaison being copied on the letter. The most up to date copy will be maintained by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. 8.0 Fire Service Role during Power Outages During 2004, the Fire Chiefs in our town drafted and adopted a protocol for the role of fire service personnel during power outages.

TOWN OF HAMBURG FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

TRAFFIC DIRECTION DURING POWER OUTAGES

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PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to formalize the response and operation policy relative to Town companies directing traffic during power outages. More specifically the use of portable generators to power traffic signals. DISPATCH PROTOCOL: In the event of a power outage that involves traffic signals, prior to dispatching the involved fire companies, a chief officer will be contacted and advised of the situation. The chief will have the prerogative of designating the response mode. For example, fire police and available manpower to station etc. The Town dispatchers will then dispatch the company as directed. RESPONSE PROTOCOL: Upon response to the station, personnel will be directed to designated intersections based on priority set by the New York State Department of Transportation (See Attachment 1) and/or the discretion of the officer in charge. Response will be cold utilizing fire company apparatus. The use of personal vehicles will be discouraged unless absolutely necessary. PORTABLE GENERATOR SPECIFICATIONS: Portable generators shall be a minimum of 5,000-watt capacity with a minimum circuit breaker size of 20 amps. TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL BOX OPERATION: Each fire company has been provided with a universal key to open the control box. Generator shall be connected and placed into operation prior to switching the lever to standby operation. Once the lever is engaged the traffic signal will function normally. In the event that the signal does not function properly, ranking officer shall immediately advise Fire Control and begin directing traffic using fire police or other qualified personnel. FIRE COMPANY COMMITMENT: Upon establishment of standby power at a given traffic signal, the portable generator shall be manned at all times until such time as the power is restored or the Fire Company is relieved by an authorized agency. Upon establishment of standby power within a given fire district, the incident commander shall contact Fire dispatch to advise the Town of Hamburg Police Shift Commander of the status and to formulate a plan for the duration of the incident.

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RELIEF PROTOCOL: As jointly established by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs Association and Town Officials, the Fire Companies will be relieved as soon as practicable by the Town of Hamburg Buildings and Grounds Department. Ideally this relief shall be available within two hours of the establishment of standby power supplies. In the event that relief is unavailable, it will be up to the discretion of the incident commander and the Town Police Shift Commander to formulate a plan for staffing the intersections.

9.0 Incident Command System S.O.P.

(I.C.S. S.O.P.)

The nine town companies originally created and adopted a standardized Incident Command System Standard Operating Procedure in 1992 for all town companies to use at incidents. In 1999, a task force comprised of the nine fire chiefs along with the town fire coordinators and the senior public safety dispatcher met to review and revise the S.O.P. The current S.O.P. ( Revision F )was adopted in 2000. The detailed S.O.P. can be found in the back of this handbook. It is important that all firefighters in our town are familiar with and utilize the procedures laid out in this S.O.P. 10.0 Accountability The ability to quickly account for all firefighters and other emergency personnel operating at an incident is critical. It is particularly important that command officers be familiar with the procedure to conduct a Personal Accountability Report (PAR), an Emergency Head Count, and an Emergency Roll Call. A detailed accountability procedure was established as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. and can be found as (APPENDIX D) with-in the I.C.S. S.O.P. contained in the back of this Handbook.

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The importance of all town firefighters knowing, understanding, and utilizing this Accountability Procedure can not be overstated. 11.0 Firefighter Rehabilitation (REHAB) A standardized town wide Firefighter Rehabilitation Policy was adopted in 2000. The detailed policy is contained as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. and can be found in the back of this Handbook. 12.0 Town Air Bank Recognizing the need to have a local source from which to refill SCBA bottles, vehicle on-board air tanks, and cascade systems, the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s purchased and installed an air bank system located at the Lake Shore Rogers Rd. Fire Station. The Town Fire Chief’s Association owns and pays for the maintenance of the air bank. Each fire company pays an annual assessment towards the upkeep of the air bank. The Lake Shore Fire Company is exempt from the annual payment in place of housing and powering the system. The President of the Chief’s Association annually appoints a Chairman to oversee air bank concerns. The chairman is expected to give a status and financial report at each Chief’s Association meeting. A complete history and Standard Operating Procedure for the Town Air Bank can be found in the rear of this handbook. 7.0 Town of Hamburg Emergency Management Team

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The Town of Hamburg established an Emergency Management Team to assist the Town Board and Town Agencies in the management of major emergencies. The team is comprised of town employees that have expertise in all areas overseen by the town. A detailed description of the team, their capabilities, and resources as well as the process of a declaration of a State of Emergency can be found as part of the Incident Command System S.O.P. (APPENDIX B) in the rear of this handbook.

8.0 Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team The Fire Chiefs from the Town of Hamburg recognized the need to have specially trained personnel and unique equipment to mitigate hazardous material incidents in the Town of Hamburg. Following discussions at a Town Chief’s Association meeting, the concept of creating a hazardous materials team was formulated. As a result of hard work and determination by some fire service leaders and some local elected officials, the concept evolved into the creation of the Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team. Detailed information about the Southtowns Haz. Mat. Team can be found as part of the Town of Hamburg’s I.C.S. S.O.P.’S which is contained in the back of this Handbook (APPENDIX C).

9.0 Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit The Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association formed a committee in 1987 that investigated the feasibility of developing a Water Rescue Unit to respond to fire service related emergencies in and along Lake Erie where it borders the Town of Hamburg. The unit was also to respond to emergencies involving water throughout the Town of Hamburg such as in ponds, creeks, streams, etc.

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In 1987, federal grant monies were secured specifically for the formation of the Town of Hamburg Water Rescue Unit. The Unit operates under the direction of the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. They utilize the Chief’s Association Tax Exempt Permit and give a status and financial report at each Chief’s Association meeting. The Town of Hamburg has established a modest annual budget to assist with the operational costs of maintaining the team. In addition, a building was erected at the Hamburg Town Park to house the Water Rescue Equipment. The team continues to pursue grant monies and fund raising activities to support the organization. The team members are comprised of firefighters from the 9 fire companies in the town. Firefighters interested in joining the team must have been a firefighter for at least 1 year and with the written permission of their fire chief, make application to the Water Rescue Team. The Hamburg Water Rescue Team is also a member of ALERT (Advanced Local Emergency Rescue Team) which is made up of several different paid and volunteer units in the western end of New York and the eastern end of Canada. These units include police departments, rope rescue, under water rescue and swift water rescue teams, as well as the United States and Canadian Coast Guard. The team is trained and equipped to handle lake rescue, boat and marina fires, swift water rescue, ice rescue, underwater recovery, shoreline rescue and support, as well as pond and creek rescue. The Hamburg Water Rescue Team can be requested through Hamburg Fire Control. 10.0 Fire Investigations When a fire occurs, it is the Incident Commander’s responsibility to determine the cause of the fire.

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More serious fires, most often in structures, may be difficult to determine cause and origin. In these cases, the Incident Commander often calls upon Fire Investigators who have more equipment, training, and expertise in making that determination. When the cause is linked to criminal activity such as Arson, the fire becomes a crime scene and evidence may need to be collected. When the cause of a fire is suspicious or difficult to determine, a fire investigator can be called to assist. The Town of Hamburg Police Department, the Village of Hamburg Police Department, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department all have trained investigators. If you are in need of a fire investigator at an incident you can notify Hamburg Fire Control of your need and they will contact the appropriate agency. You can also speak with the police officer at the incident to convey your request for assistance or express any suspicions that the fire may be arson. Depending upon the complexity of the incident, you may have multiple agencies working together to determine cause and origin of a fire. Some of these agencies might include: New York State Police, Erie County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Fire Arms (ATF), and the local police agency.

Times can occur when there is no availability of investigators to conduct the investigation. It is likely that the law enforcement agency will request assistance from another agency. In those instances, the police agency having jurisdiction, under the direction of the commanding officer, will make the request for assistance and compensation needs will be handled by that agency having jurisdiction. If a fire investigator is requested, it is important that a fire department officer remain on the scene until the investigator arrives. Once a building is turned back over to the owner or occupant, the chain of custody of potential evidence may be called into question and a search warrant may even need to be obtained for an investigation to occur. If a fire investigator is not yet on scene, owners, occupants, or civilians should not be allowed in or around the building. There could be an occasion where an occupant may need to go into a building to get medication or the like. Should that be the case, the person should be escorted and closely supervised by a police or fire officer.

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When a Fire Investigator is used to determine cause and origin, the Fire Incident Commander should be prepared to provide the investigator with a complete list of all fire service personnel that were on scene at the incident. 14.0 Town Emergency Medical Services The Town of Hamburg Chief’s Association has an EMS Committee. The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the Chief’s Assoc. President annually. The committee is made up of EMS personnel from each Town Company / Department that is appointed by the Chief of that Company / Department. The committee meets as needed to discuss EMS issues in the town and seek ways to improve the delivery of emergency medical services to residents and visitors to our town.

14.1 E.M.S. Response Modes Information pending

14.2 E.M.S. Contract for Back-up

Coverage Information pending

11.3 E.M.S. Advisory Board The Erie County Executive has an EMS Advisory Board that meets to discuss EMS issues and make recommendation to the County Executive pertaining to Emergency Medical Services in Erie County. The Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association makes a recommendation to the County Executive and sends a letter of endorsement for a person chosen by the Association to represent our interests. Once the appointment is made by the County Executive, the member attends the Advisory Board meetings and conveys our position on

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EMS issues. Our representative also attends the Town Chiefs Association meetings to give a report from the Advisory Board Meeting.

15.0 Hamburg Fire Control

Dispatch Related Issues Hamburg Fire Control is a vital part of the fire, rescue, and EMS team in our town. As the initial point of contact with the public that is need of assistance, the Public Safety Dispatchers collect information, determine the appropriate response needs, dispatch the appropriate apparatus, and pass on important information to responding units. The use of airtime on the usable frequencies is closely monitored and the use of approved and professional radio procedures is important. In an effort to limit the use of valuable airtime during emergencies, the nine companies in our town have voted and requested the following procedure changes to shorten air usage during emergencies:

• The length of the tones were shortened • The alerting of companies was changed for automatic second alarms

to have the home company dispatched with all appropriate information given. The tone repeated for the home company along with the tones of the mutual aid companies. The tone of the mutual aid companies is only sent out the one original time with subsequent alerting preceded only by the alert tone.

• Mutual aid companies should send only one chief or assistant chief with any others going to their halls to man the requested apparatus.

• It is incumbent upon the users of the air to maintain radio discipline and only make necessary transmissions.

Another procedure change requested by the Town of Hamburg companies for the dispatch procedure of automatic second alarms is the announcing of the switch to the F-4 frequency for all units upon arrival at the scene with the exception of the unit establishing command which will give the initial radio size-up report on F-1 and monitor both the F-1 and F-4 frequencies.

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The following is a sample of what the dispatching of a second alarm incident might sound like: Home company tones: Lake Shore firefighters – report of a garage fire at 123 Orchard Ave. Home company tones and mutual aid tones: Repeat to Lake Shore, Lake View pumper, Woodlawn 6, Big Tree 7, Scranton 8 - Report of garage fire at 123 Orchard Ave. Units switch to the F-4 after calling on location. Alert tone: Repeat above message. It is important to firefighter safety to have the initial units begin operations on the F-4 frequency. It is very difficult to get firefighters that are already committed to switch frequencies when engaged in a firefight in smoke filled atmospheres. If firefighters that are already engaged do not hear the order to switch frequencies or are unable to do so, critical radio transmissions from those most in danger can be missed. The Senior Public Safety Dispatcher has extended an open invitation to all fire companies to come to the dispatch office to observe the process and get a better understanding of what the PSD’s are faced with. If interested in observing, please call Hamburg Fire Control prior to going, to make certain that there is no conflicting reason why observing may not be possible. Hamburg Fire Control records the radio transmissions of the F-1, F-2, and F-4 frequencies. It can be beneficial for a company to obtain a copy of the radio transmissions of an incident to review procedures as part of a post incident review. The Chief of the home company must fill out a tape request form to request a tape recording of the incident. A copy of this form can be found in the rear of this handbook. Messages to fire companies are to be requested by a chief from that company. If requesting a message for a home receiver test, when possible please call the PSD by 5:00 PM to request the message. You can also FAX a message request to the dispatch office at 648-4821 and be sure to sign the paper as the requesting chief. Hamburg Fire Control has also established an E-Mail address so messages can be E-Mailed to the PSD. You can E-Mail message requests to [email protected]

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General town wide messages must be approved by one of the fire coordinators or the senior dispatcher and general messages to all fire companies under Hamburg Fire Control must be approved by the senior dispatcher. 16.0 Building Inspection / Code Enforcement

The Building Inspector from the Town and the Villages work closely with the fire service. It is common for fire service personnel to come across buildings that have sustained damage from fire or other sources. Also, building code violations are often discovered by fire service personnel when called to various incidents.

The structural stability of buildings is important in preventing injuries to the public and fire service personnel. As a result, we both share the mission of correcting dangerous situations for the safety of our members and the public we serve.

If fire service personnel encounter any possible code violations, they should notify Hamburg Fire Control requesting that they leave a note for the Building Inspector to investigate the possible violation. It is important to advise the Public Safety Dispatcher if the violation poses an immediate threat so the proper priority can be assigned to the investigation.

When should we call for a Building Inspector at a structure fire?

• If there is structural damage to the building as a result of the fire or the integrity is compromised by the extinguishing effort (water load, walls breeched, etc.), The building inspector should be requested to report to the scene prior to the fire personnel leaving the scene. When summoned to a scene, the building inspector should report to the Incident Commander upon arrival for accountability purposes and he / she should be wearing I.D. and some type of clothing that identifies him / her as a Building Inspector.

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• If the possible violation or hazard is determined to be minor, the building inspector may follow up the complaint on the next business day.

• If you are in doubt, contact Hamburg Fire Control and explain the situation. A Public Safety Dispatcher will notify the inspector on call and allow them to make the determination for when they should report.

Who can order an emergency demolition of a building that is damaged and threatening to the public’s safety?

• An emergency demolition of a building must be ordered by the building inspector of that municipality. If the incident commander feels a building needs to be demolished to prevent a danger to the public, he/she should request the building inspector to the scene to evaluate and arrange proper action.

14.0 Town Highway Department Fire Service Related Issues The Town of Hamburg Highway Department has resources that can be provided to assist the fire service at incidents.

Some examples might include:

• Barricades for lengthy road closings • Large volumes of stone or sand for diking to contain run

off • Heavy equipment to mitigate immediate hazards at fires • For building collapse or other rescue situations requiring

heavy equipment • Emergency fuel supplies for generators or apparatus

that are committed at long incidents

If Highway Department resources are needed, they can be requested by calling Hamburg Fire Control and explaining your need. Hamburg Fire Control will contact the Highway Superintendent or the supervisor-on-call to explain your need. If they are able to assist, the appropriate Highway Personnel will be sent along with the needed equipment.

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You must understand that the Highway Dept. personnel will make a determination of the level of assistance they can provide keeping in mind the safety of their personnel and the limits of their equipment or training.

19.0 Town Board Liaison The Town Supervisor appoints a Board Member to serve as a liaison between the fire service in the town and the Town Board. At the time of this writing, the appointed liaison is Council Woman Joan Kesner. All fire and EMS issues that need to be addressed to the Town Board should come from a chief or Chief’s Association Officer to Council Woman Kesner. She will be the liaison for information flowing in both directions. 20.0 Town Wide Automatic 2nd Alarm

Assignments The Chiefs from the nine fire companies in the town formed a task force to address several fire service related issues. Among them was how to get a sufficient amount of manpower and apparatus to the scene of a fire in a timely manner to mount a safe and efficient attack while complying with mandates such as Two-in / Two-out. The Chiefs decided on the use of an automatic 2nd alarm for reports of smoke or fire in or on a structure and for external fires with-in 10 feet of a structure. The 2nd alarm assignment is to consist of:

• A mutual aid engine • A mutual aid ladder truck • A mutual aid rescue truck • A mutual aid ambulance (ALS)

(volunteer or Rural Metro)

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A standardized 3rd alarm assignment can be found as # 29.0 in this handbook.

21.0 Town Ordinance for False Fire Alarm Activations

The Town Board adopted a town ordinance that levies fines against building owners that have false alarm activations.

The intent of this ordinance is to serve as a motivation for responsible parties to fix faulty alarm systems. This should reduce the number of needless alarm activations and lower the demand on the emergency services resources. A copy of the Town Alarm Activation Ordinance can be found in its entirety in the rear of this handbook. 22.0 Town Emergency Operating Center Incidents can occur that affect the whole town or encompass several districts. These are usually weather related events such as a tornado, flood, snow storm, or earth quake. It could also include a wide spread power outage or hazardous materials release. During these times, a Chief, the Town Supervisor and/or the Emergency Management Team may determine the need to establish a Town Emergency Operating Center (EOC). The purpose of an EOC is to provide a location where emergency personnel, department heads, agency representatives, and decision makers can meet to determine resources, devise a plan for action, implement the plan, and disseminate information to the public and the media.

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Provided that conditions allow, the designated location for the Town Emergency Operating Center is at the Hamburg Town Hall in the Financial wing of the building.

Radio communications, phones, computers, resource information, and back-up generator power are all available there. There are also conference rooms for meetings and planning as well as space to conduct public and media briefings. The Village of Hamburg has a well equipped Emergency Operating Center located at the Hamburg Fire Hall on Union Street for incidents affecting the Village of Hamburg. The Village of Blasdell may establish an EOC to handle incidents affecting the Village of Blasdell. There is no defined site at this time.

Some incidents may require the need for an EOC that is closer to the incident but those usually are limited to only affecting 1 or 2 districts. In such a situation, the Incident Commander will determine the need for and designate a location for an Emergency Operating Center. The Emergency Management Team has a communications trailer available to be brought to a remote location if needed. Additional information regarding the communications trailer can be found as part of the I.C.S. S.O.P.’S (APPENDIX B) located in the back of this handbook. 19.0 Town Fire Police / Peace Officers When a mutual aid company is dispatched to assist another company / department in our town, the Fire Police from the mutual aid company may respond to assist even if not specifically requested. This is usually during fires or motor vehicle accidents. When a mutual aid fire police does respond to a neighboring district, they are to follow all laws, park off of the roadway when possible, and report to the Officer-in-Charge (when possible) or Fire Police Coordinator to receive orders. 19.1 Fire Police Coverage at Non- Emergency

Incidents

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Fire Police are occasionally requested by the local Police agency to assist with traffic. Even though it may not appear to be a fire, rescue, or EMS emergency, fire police that have been requested and properly dispatched are covered by VFBL. This was the opinion of the State Comptroller as well as Asst. Town Attorney Richard Boehm that there is coverage. This may be different for the Village of Hamburg, Village of Blasdell, and the Lake View Fire District. It is recommended that each company / department contact their individual Insurance Agency for their opinion regarding coverage of fire police officers during power outages and other events requiring traffic and crowd control. A copy of the State Comptroller’s and Asst. Town Attorney’s opinion can be found in the back of this Handbook. 25.0 Forms and Worksheets There are several forms and worksheets that are commonly used at incidents to help document and coordinate the incident. A copy of these forms can be found in the back of this handbook. You are welcome to make copies of these forms to assist you at incidents. 26.0 Town Wide Policy on Mutual Aid

Assistance When Not Dispatched There are times when a company or department is dispatched to a call and a properly staffed mutual aid company or department is in the area and could respond to more promptly protect life or property at that incident. In September of 2004, the Chiefs in our town drafted and adopted an agreement that is intended for the home company to accept assistance from the mutual aid unit and to ensure coverage for the mutual aid company in the event that no response is obtained from the home company / department. A copy of the agreement can be found in the back of this handbook titled:

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Town of Hamburg Fire Companies / Departments Agreement for Mutual Aid Response When Not Officially Requested.

27.0 Mutual Aid Response from Chiefs /

Assistance Chiefs It has been a long standing agreement between companies in our town that when mutual aid is requested, only 1 chief or assistant chief from the mutual aid company should respond.

We encourage the other chiefs to respond to their hall to help man the requested piece of apparatus.

On mutual aid calls where a chief is going to his/her hall, it is not necessary to call Hamburg Fire Control to report you are responding to the hall.

Calls with multiple companies dispatched require strict radio discipline to reduce unneeded radio traffic. Once there is 1 or 2 chiefs already on location or in route to a call, additional chiefs need not call responding unless there is a specific need for such a radio transmission to be heard. Common sense and radio discipline can reduce the use of air time and keep the air open for more important transmissions. 28.0 Town Fire Coordinators D-2 and D2-1 Erie County’s Department of Emergency Services designates “D-Units” to serve as radio coordinators to oversee fire radio issues in Towns throughout the County. The Town of Hamburg’s designation is D-“2”. Some of our neighboring Towns are: Town of Evans – D-3, Town of Boston – D-4. The Radio Coordinators for the Town of Hamburg are elected by the 9 Fire Chiefs of the districts comprising the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association. The election is held annually at the January Town Chief’s meeting.

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In addition to their role as radio coordinators, the Town of Hamburg designates these radio coordinators to also serve as Fire Coordinators for the Town of Hamburg. As Fire Coordinators, they respond to mutual aid incidents and report to the Incident Commander to assist as directed. Some of the typical roles they assist with are, but not limited to:

• Handling Radio Transmissions so as to free up the IC to do other functions

• Record information pertaining to the incident • Provide input and suggestions to the IC as requested • Serve as part of the Command Staff in appointed roles • Track the movement of fire crews by closely monitoring radio

transmissions • Provide resource information as needed • Approve Town wide radio messages to assure consistency with E.C.

Radio Procedures and Message Policy. The Fire Coordinators also serve in many administrative roles as directed by the Chief’s Association President as well as coordinating town wide trainings and committees. It is important to note that the Town Fire Coordinators do not take over command of any incidents nor do they have power over any firefighters unless the IC has appointed them to hold a command staff position where they supervise crews. 29.0 Procedure for Requesting State or County

Courses If a company plans to host a state or county course, it is requested that the company convey their intent to the Assistant Fire Coordinator (D2-1) to prevent multiple requests for the same course in our town. The chief (or designee) of the host company will make the arrangements with the county. See section number 38.0 for further detail on training with-in our Town.

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25.0 Town Wide Geographic Designations at

Incidents The Companies in the Town of Hamburg have adopted a policy that

standardizes the terminology for designating the sides and floors of a building.

These designations are consistent with those taught in Office of Fire

Prevention and Control (OFPC) and National Fire Academy (NFA) courses.

The sides of a building will be referred to as follows: A – Alpha for the street or address side of the building

Going clockwise around the building the next sides are: B - Bravo C - Charlie (back) D - Delta (opposite side from B –Bravo) Floors will be referred to as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The basement will be referred to as BASEMENT and the roof will be

referred to as ROOF. Roof

C - Charlie

B – Bravo D - Delta A – Alpha 1st Floor

Bb Basement

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A more detailed description of these designations can be found with-in the I.C.S. S.O.P.’s found in the rear of this handbook. 31.0 Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Assoc.

Clothing Shirts, hats, jackets, and coats that display the insignia of the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association are periodically ordered. Members of the Chief’s Association in need of any of this clothing should notify a town fire coordinator so an order can be generated. 32.0 Town Wide Procedure for Chief’s Review

of Purposed Buildings The Chiefs in our town in conjunction with the Town Building Department have established a procedure that will provide review of building plans by the home fire company prior to a building permit being issued. The home fire company will be afforded the opportunity to give input regarding fire service related concerns. The form was drafted and its intent is to have the Building Department give it to the developer, construction firm, or occupant of any commercial buildings, multiple occupancy dwellings, or sub-divisions so it can be completed and returned to the Building Department. The home company will receive this completed form along with the building plans so they will have a better understanding of what fire service concerns there might be. The form will also serve as a source of information from which the fire company can develop a pre-plan for the building(s). A copy of the form can be found in the back of this handbook titled: Town of Hamburg Fire Service Building and Pre-Plan Information Form.

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33.0 Safety / Accountability Officers in the Town

Incidents in the Town of Hamburg often involve more than 1 fire company / department. It is important to have all firefighters operating at an incident abiding by the same set of procedures, guidelines, and philosophy. This is especially true when it comes to matters concerning firefighter safety and accountability. All 9 companies in our town recognized this need and have opted to standardize our accountability procedures and share the same philosophy regarding keeping our firefighters safe. In an effort to promote these common practices, town wide trainings are periodically held for Safety and Accountability Officers. The intent of these trainings is to have these officers trained the same so a mutual aid safety or accountability officer can function effectively at any incident in any district with-in our town. Trainings are typically arranged and facilitated by a Town Fire Coordinator. 34.0 Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignment The Fire Chiefs in 2000 established what a Standardized 3rd Alarm Assignment would consist of. If a 3rd Alarm is requested, you will get:

• One mutual aid Engine • One mutual aid Ladder Truck • One mutual aid Rescue Truck

Some companies have opted to define specific companies to be on a 3rd alarm. Those that did not specify will receive these mutual aid apparatus from companies chosen by the Public Safety Dispatcher based on their knowledge of availability, location of the incident, if certain apparatus is not in service, etc.

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35.0 Protocol When Called To an Incident that

is in a Neighboring Company’s District There are times when a call is dispatched for an incident that ends up being in a neighboring company’s district. This commonly happens for motor vehicle accidents that occur on roadways that define district boundaries. Should you be dispatched to such an incident and find that the incident is in the district of a neighboring company, Hamburg Fire Control should be notified of the exact location and that it is in another company’s district. Hamburg Fire Control will contact a chief of the district that the incident is in to notify him / her of the incident. The home company chief will advise Hamburg Fire Control if he / she wants his / her company dispatched or if it is more appropriate to allow the originally dispatched company (that may have already responded) to handle the incident. In many cases it is difficult to avoid dispatching the wrong company. When it does occur, the assistance is appreciated but it is important that the proper home company chief or assistant chief knows that there is an incident in his / her district. 31.0 Staging (Level 1 and 2) Staging apparatus is an effective way to manage resources that are dispatched to an incident until the Incident Commander (IC) can develop a plan and assign units where they are needed. There are 2 types of staging used in our town; Level 1 and Level 2 Staging. Units that are sent to Level 1 staging should stop about 2 or 3 blocks before the incident scene. They should call on location and notify the IC that they

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are at level 1 staging and state their location. The crew should stay together on the apparatus in readiness to be deployed. If the incident is on a long road without typical block cross streets, the unit should stage about a ½ mile before the scene. There may be times when an IC will direct a unit to stage at a specific location. For example, in a parking lot, at a specific hydrant, or at a sprinkler or standpipe connection. When a unit is sent to any type of staging – they are to downgrade to a COLD response. Level 2 Staging is usually used at major, on-going incidents where additional or relief units may be needed. A specific location will be defined for where level 2 staging is. You should report to that location on a COLD response and report to the Staging Officer (assigned by the IC). Once at level 2 staging, it is important to stay together in readiness for quick deployment. In the back of this handbook, additional information about staging can be found in the ICS SOP’s along with a quick reference sheet that can be posted. 33.0 Emergency Enclosures Following fires in buildings, the building often will have windows that are broken, ventilation holes cut in the roof, and / or doors that have been damaged and can not be easily secured. Whenever possible it is beneficial to have these openings covered so as not to allow the weather to enter the building and possibly cause further damage or to prevent non-authorized people from entering. The security of the building after the fire company / department leaves could be the responsibility of the police, fire investigator, the owner, or the resident. Strictly in an attempt to assist residents that are in need of help, a representative of the fire company / department may ask the owner if they

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are in need of someone to provide the emergency enclosure services. If the owner requests that we help them by contacting a company that provides these services, Hamburg Fire Control can be contacted and requested to contact an enclosure company. This request should only be made if the owner of the property requests us to contact a company for them. Keep in mind that the owner has every right to secure the building themselves or contact any company that they wish to provide the service. If requesting a company, it is helpful to advise fire control of the approximate number of vent holes, doors, and windows that need to be secured so the enclosure company can bring the appropriate supplies. The fire company / department has no stake in contacting any specific enclosure company and should not profit from nor be responsible for any fees from such services. Emergency enclosure personnel arriving at a scene should be directed to the owner so those parties can establish an agreement for services and payment. The enclosure personnel should not commence work on the building until permission is granted by the Office-in-Charge and /or the Fire Investigator. 33.0 Fire Chaplain ES-11 / ES-12 When a fire or tragic incident occurs, we often are presented with victims that are in need of aid, both physically and emotionally. Many times our resources are committed to mitigating the cause of the tragedy and we may not have ample personnel to deal with the victim’s emotional needs. In addition, exposure to the tragedy can also be very traumatic for the emergency personnel as well. Because we recognize the need to support the emotional needs of both victims and emergency service personnel, an Emergency Services Chaplain can be used to provide these critical services for us. The Chiefs in the Town of Hamburg unanimously voted to have Erie County’s Emergency Services Chaplain Father Joseph Bayne (ES-11)

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automatically respond to any second or greater alarm assignment and upon request, for incidents involving multiple companies or where severe injuries or deaths have occurred. If ES-11 is not available to assist, his assistant ES-12 can be contacted by Hamburg Fire Control or MERS Control to serve in that capacity. An Emergency Services Chaplain can be a valuable asset to victims of tragedy as well as making notifications to family members or assisting injured emergency service personnel and their families. He may also assist with post-incident needs such as stress debriefing and / or confidential counseling. 34.0 Responding to Incidents on the New York

State Thruway BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• The New York State Thruway is divided and assigned to contracted Fire Companies by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) at the discretion of the Erie County Fire Coordinator. Currently, Scranton and Newton Abbott are assigned to respond to the Thruway within the Town of Hamburg.

• Scranton covers: Westbound from Sowles Rd. overpass to the 18-Mile Creek and eastbound from the 18-Mile Creek to the South Park overpass.

• Newton Abbott covers: Westbound from the Lackawanna Toll to the Sowles Rd overpass and eastbound from the South Park overpass to the Lackawanna Toll.

• Seneca Hose covers east of the Lackawanna Toll and Evans Center covers west of the 18-Mile Creek.

• Each Company has their own SOP for response on the Thruway. • Scranton and Newton Abbott currently have an automatic mutual aid response

agreement between themselves. The current agreement consists of the following: 3. Auto Accidents – Automatic mutual aid rescue and ambulance

responds directly to the scene. 4. Vehicle Fires- Automatic mutual aid engine directly to the scene.

MUTUAL AID

• The NYSTA prohibits personal vehicle usage (other than Chiefs’) on the NYS Thruway.

• If Mutual aid is requested it should be limited to the Unit requested (Engine, Rescue, or Ambulance) and one (1) Chief from the requested company.

• Other Chiefs’ should follow the Town Protocol for mutual aid and respond to man the unit requested.

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RESPONSE

• The NYSTA requests that you DO NOT go through a lane with the RED “X”. • If there is a clear, manned tollbooth, the responding vehicle is to stop at the booth

and state your intention before proceeding. Example: “We are responding to the accident at mile marker 440.5.” Usually the toll taker will be waving you through upon your approach.

• It is requested that you temporarily curtail the use of your siren while passing through the Toll area.

• If the manned lanes are clogged it is advisable to use the EZ Pass lane. • Once you have entered the Thruway you should call Operations well in advance

of your approach so that he/she may direct you as to which lane or shoulder is going to be the most accessible.

ON SCENE

• All efforts will be made to keep at least one (1) lane of traffic open to relieve congestion.

• When you have arrived at the scene all personnel must exit on the curbside to avoid struck by traffic while exiting your apparatus. If this is not possible you must exercise extreme caution while exiting the apparatus.

• If at all possible, it is advisable to place apparatus such that operating personnel are protected from traffic by the apparatus.

• If circumstances warrant and/or the safety of those operating at the scene is jeopardized, the Thruway may be totally shut down. This will be at the discretion of the Incident Commander. This decision must also be relayed to the State Trooper in Charge at the scene or the Thruway Representative present prior to the Thruway being shut down.

EXITING THE THRUWAY

• If transporting a patient, contact Hamburg Fire Control (HFC) and tell them which Toll Barrier you are going to exit through and request that they contact that Toll with your intentions or destination. Usually, the Toll Barrier will tell HFC which lane will be clear for you to go through. (This will usually be the EZ Pass lane).

• If you are returning to service, and must utilize a “U” turn area, you should slow your approach well in advance of the turn around area, signal and make your turn. Wait and make sure all lanes of traffic are clear before entering. While waiting in the turn around area, make sure the front and rear of your apparatus is clear of approaching traffic. Once all lanes are clear, make your turn and proceed to the far right shoulder. Utilize the shoulder of the road until you have reached appropriate speed. Once you have reached the appropriate speed then you can enter a driving lane when it is clear to do so. (Emergency Flashers are recommended under speeds of 40 mph). A list of “U” turn locations is included as Table 1.

• It is recommended, but not necessary, to exit the same Toll Barrier that you entered. Upon entering the Toll Barrier use a manned Toll Lane and explain to the

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Toll Taker that you are returning from an incident. Usually, the Toll Taker will just wave you through, but they may have you sign a toll ticket prior to leaving.

MUTUAL AID STANDBY

• If you are requested to stand by at a Toll Barrier, this will be considered a “staging area”.

• You are to respond to this area with no lights or sirens, same as the policy adapted by the Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs’ for mutual aid.

• Stage before the Toll Barrier and out of the way of traffic entering this area.

TABLE 1 - N.Y.S. THRUWAY MILEPOST MARKERS and TURN-AROUNDS

MP 430.5 Lackawana Toll Booth turn-around at 430.8 MP 431.6 Willet Rd. turn-around at 431.9 MP 432.5 Lake Ave.

MP 433 Exit 56 Milestrip Rd. turn-around at 432.8/9 MP 434 Big Tree Rd.

MP 434.5 Route 20

MP 434.9

NEW

TON

AB

BO

TT

South Park Ave.

MP 435 South Park Ave. turn-around at 435.8 MP 436 Exit 57 Camp Rd. turn-around at 436.8

MP 438 Pleasant Ave. turn-around at 439.8/9 MP 441 Lakeview Rd. turn-around at 440.4 MP 442 North Creek Rd. turn-around at 441.9 MP 442.5

SCR

AN

TON

18 Mile Creek turn-around at 443.9

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Green accountability tags in the Town of Hamburg also serve to identify firefighters as being qualified interior firefighters. Because firefighters respond to mutual aid incidents and will be assigned tasks based on that qualification, it is important that all town companies use the same criteria to qualify an interior firefighter. In November of 1999, the fire chiefs adopted a standard to define the criteria to be an Interior Firefighter in the Town of Hamburg. A copy of this standard can be found in the rear of this handbook.


The second and third alarm assignments in the Town of Hamburg have specific types of apparatus being requested. When an IC knows there is an engine, truck, rescue, FAST, or ambulance responding to an incident, it is with the expectation that there is a minimum number of firefighters on board who are capable of performing tasks that may be assigned. In 1999, the Town of Hamburg Fire Chief’s Association adopted a minimum staffing guideline for all mutual aid responses to ensure that crews are capable of carrying out assigned tasks. A copy of this Minimum Staffing Standard can be found in the rear of this handbook.

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There are times when an entire fire company or department may be out of service or unavailable and may depend on mutual aid response to provide coverage for their district. Some of these times include during installation dinners, member funerals, company picnics, etc. If a company needs to be out of service, the chief should contact Hamburg Fire Control to advise them of the times they will be unavailable, which companies will be covering for them, as well as any specific response needs they will have. As a courtesy to the mutual aid companies that are covering the district, the home chief should contact the covering chiefs to advise them that his / her company will be out of service and to see if there will be any coverage issues. If there are any alarms that are handled by mutual aid companies, the home company should also fill out a NIFR for that call as well as the mutual aid company filling one out to document their activity at the incident. While it has been difficult to find a written decision on this subject, it has been stated by many that if you are the Chief of a district, you are ultimately responsible for the activities at an incident. Even if another company handles the incident, the home Chief remains in charge and / or responsible. In the past, some companies have kept a crew for a piece of apparatus or a Chief or Asst. Chief available to respond to an incident. This may be a year by year, case by case basis however some benefits may be realized during fire incidents because the home personnel may have preplan knowledge of a building in their district that can be very helpful for a safe and efficient outcome.

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38.0 Town Wide Training / Facilities/ Standardization

Fire Service courses are often funded by New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control or by Erie County Emergency Services. The Funding is not guaranteed each year and is subject to annual budget approval. This process leaves the potential for budget cuts and/or an inability to fund training courses or State or County Instructors. As a result, the Chiefs Association voted to form a Training Committee in 2005. The Committee was charged with investigating options that will allow us to get our firefighters trained regardless of State and County funding that may or may not be available. The committee has focused on four (4) primary aspects of training. These are:

• Coordinated efforts to request and receive State and County Courses in our town

• Local facilities and props that can be used by Town of Hamburg Companies and Departments for the purpose of conducting training

• Standardizing philosophies and procedures among Companies and Departments in the Town of Hamburg so we function together in a safer and more efficient manner

• Take advantage of the synergy that can come from sharing ideas and resources with other agencies such as the police departments, hazardous materials teams, water rescue units, and surrounding fire service agencies.

These efforts have been embraced and encouraged by our Town Board and an ongoing dialog has been established between the fire service and the Town Board to seek funding opportunities and assure properly trained firefighters to serve our community. At the time of this writing, the committee is in the early stages of this process and will be formulating plans to present to the membership of the Chief’s Association for approval.

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This Handbook was conceived, drafted, and adopted by the Fire Chiefs of the Town of Hamburg during 2004 and 2005 along with input from Association members. It was reviewed for accuracy by the various department heads from the town to assure there is a mutual understanding between the department they oversee and the fire service. The Town Board Liaison and the Town Legal Department also reviewed the content. Armor Chief Robert Mischel 2004 Chief Paul Zemla 2005 Big Tree Chief Robert Stoberl 04, 05 Blasdell Chief Robert Michalski 2004 Chief John Welch 2005 Hamburg Chief Timothy Moses 2004 Chief George Utz 2005 Lake Shore Chief Christopher Farris 04, 05 Lake View Chief Roger Black 04, 05 Newton Abbott Chief Paul Uzar 04, 05 Scranton Chief Michael Quinn 04, 05 Woodlawn Chief Donald Baxter 04, 05 Fire Coordinator D-2 John Carlin 04, 05 Deputy Coordinator D2-1 Stephen Ruesch 04, 05 Association President Michael Chiacchia 04, 05

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39.0 2005 Association Officers, Committee Chairs, and Appointees

President Michael Chiacchia Vice President Thomas Moses Treasurer Christopher Wilson Secretary Jennifer Schafer Sergeant – At – Arms Fred Bence Fire Coordinator D-2 John Carlin Deputy Coordinator D2-1 Stephen Ruesch Fire Advisory Board John Witka Michael Gates EMS Advisory Board Joseph Casper Hamburg Town Board Liaison Councilwoman Joan Kesner Town Police Liaison Lt. James Koch Fire Police Chairman Thomas Eaton Town Air Bank Joseph Casper

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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

for the

HAMBURG INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

Rev. F, March, 1999

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs' Association has coordinated a standard Incident Command System (ICS) for the following reasons:

PROPER USE OF ICS IMPROVES:

safety accountability

coordinated efforts and improved communications

Effective incident management also minimizes "freelancing" and can reduce the jurisdictional

liability, as well as the financial impact of emergencies on the community.

PURPOSE: This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is established to:

1. Provide for the safety of personnel operating at emergencies through improved command and control (or management of emergencies).

2. Improve the use of resources and tactical effectiveness.

3. Meet OSHA/NFPA regulations requiring the use of an. Incident Command System at

emergency situations. To meet these goals: The Town of Hamburg Fire Chiefs' Association shall sustain a committee to maintain the Hamburg Incident Command System Standard Operating Procedures (SOP' s) to be used as the standard for incident management by all nine Vol. Fire Companies and Departments at incidents that possess management responsibility.

1.0 COMMUNICATIONS: All communications shall be clear text, and follow the Incident Command Radio Procedure (ICRP), the standard procedure established by Erie County Fire Advisory Board for Incident Command Systems:

Fl 46.20 MHz Dispatch Functions F2 46.38 MHz Command-Operations F3 46.32 MHz Fire Police F4 46.22 MHz Tactical' Operations MERS 155.325 MHz EMS Resource and Patient Hospital Distribution Coordination MERS 155.340 MHz EMS Resource and Patient Hospital Distribution Coordination B&G 58.025 MHz Hamburg Town Local Government

Radio communications shall be; intended receiver from sender and use the Command language and terminology used in the SOP, using the following model: 1.1 Request to initiate communications and determine that the intended receiver is listening. 1.2 Transmit the message or order concisely in clear text. 1.3 Receive feedback from the receiver to ensure that the message was received and understood. 1.4 Confirm that the message or order was understood; if not, correct and clarify the message. Example: Lake Shore 9 "Hamburg Control Lake Shore 9"

Hamburg Control “Go ahead Lake Shore 9, Hamburg Control on”

Lake Shore 9 Lake Shore 2 will be the command post located at the southeast corner of

Camp and St. Francis Drive, and I will be the Incident Commander” (now termed as “Lake Shore Command”).

Hamburg Control “That’s clear, Lake Shore 1 will be the command post located at the southeast corner of Camp and St. Francis Drive and Lake Shore 9 will be the Incident Commander.” “Hamburg Control clear.”

Lake Shore 9 “Hamburg Control Lake Shore 9, correction; Lake Shore 2 will be the command post.”

Hamburg Control “That’s clear Lake Shore 9, Lake Shore 2 will be the command post.

2.0 ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND: Command shall be established at all incidents by the ranking member of the first arriving company. When multiple resources will be committed to the incident, command shall be formally established by transmitting a brief initial report containing the following information to Hamburg Control: BRIEF INITIAL REPORT 2.1 Identity of the Company and unit transmitting the Report. 2.2 Actual location of the incident. 2.2 Brief description of the incident and report of Conditions. 2.3 Designation of the individual assuming command and Incident name. i.e. "Hamburg Control Lake Shore 9" …

i.e. "Lake Shore 9 (2.1) is on location at the corner of Camp Rd. and St. Francis (2.2), we have a tanker truck rolled over and fully involved in flame, possibly two or three people injured, we have exposure problems and possible Hazardous Material concerns (2.3). I will establish command as Lake Shore Command for this incident (2.4).

Incidents are given a specific name to reduce confusion when multiple incidents share the same radio frequency and/or dispatcher. If multiple large scale incidents occur simultaneously, the title of the first incident will be the "Home Company Command", the next incident(s) will be titled by the specific location or type of incident, i.e. "Lake Shore Command" for incident #1, and "Bus Accident Command" for incident #2, etc...

3.0 TRANSFER OF COMMAND: Command may be transferred from the initial IC (often a company commander) to a later arriving or senior command officer. Transfer of command shall take place on a face-to-face basis whenever possible to facilitate effective communication and feedback. If face-to-face communication is not possible, transfer of command by radio may be conducted. If command has been established by a firefighter, command shall be transferred to the first arriving office of the home company. Command shall be transferred to the first arriving home company command officer at that officer's discretion (the command officer may choose to allow the company commander to continue as IC). Transfer of command to higher ranking command officers is also discretionary. When a command officer allows a lower ranking officer to retain command, this does not remove the responsibility for the incident from the higher-ranking individual. Transfer of command shall include communication of the following information: 3.1 The status of the current situation. 3.2 Resources committed to the incident and responding, as well as the present incident organizational structure. 3.3 Relate action plan to new Commander. 3.4 Assessment of the current effect of tactical operations. Following transfer of command, the IC may return the previous IC to his or her company (if a company commander) or specify assignment to a subordinate management position within the ICS organizational structure.

4.0 SELECTION OF COMMAND MODE: The IC must determine if initial command activity will be conducted from a fixed position, or if it will be conducted simultaneously with the tactical operations of the first arriving company. Command from a fixed position is preferred, particularly when an incident is complex or rapidly escalating. This may not be possible if the first arriving officer must make a rescue. The initial IC must answer the following three questions:

1. Is compliance with the 2-in/2-out rule possible? 2. Will the initial tactical operations of the first arriving company have a significant impact

on the eventual outcome of the incident? 3. Will the Personal efforts of the Company Commander in the performance of tactical

activity have a significant impact on the ability of the Company to achieve their assigned tactical objective(s)?

If there is a need for immediate tactical activity (i.e. a rescue is imperative!), and company staffing necessitates that the company commander be an integral part of the operations, command in the offensive mode should only be performed until command can be transferred.

5.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE IC: The Incident Commander at any incident shall be responsible for the following: 5.1 Assessment of Incident Priorities: Incident priorities provide a framework for command decision-making. Tactical activity may address more than one incident priority simultaneously.

Life Safety (first priority)

a) Firefighter Safety b) Civilian Safety

Incident Stabilization (second priority) Property Conservation (third priority)

5.2 Perform Size-Up The IC-must perform an initial assessment of the situation, incident potential, and-resource status. This assessment must address the following three questions:

1. What have I got? (situation - size up) 2. Where is it going? (potential - foresight) 3. What do I need to control it? (resources - MA?)

Size-Up is not static and must be continued throughout the duration of the incident. Regular reports should be given to dispatch to assure proper unit responses and to keep monitoring units updated. 5.3 Select the Strategic-Mode A critical decision having impact on the safety of personnel and the effectiveness of tactical operations is the selection of strategic mode. Operations may be conducted in either offensive or defensive mode. This decision is based on the answers to the following three questions:

1. Is it safe to conduct offensive operations? 2. Is resource capability (present and projected) adequate for offensive operations to control

the incident? 3. Is manpower adequate to comply with 2-in/2-out rule?

5.4 Define Strategic Goals Strategic goals define the overall plan that will be used to control the incident. Strategic goals are broad in nature and are achieved by the completion of tactical objectives. Strategic goals are generally focused in the following areas:

1. Protection or removal of exposed persons. 2. Confinement and extinguishment of the fire or control of the hazard. 3. Minimize loss to involved or exposed property.

5.5 Establish tactical objectives Tactical objectives are the specific operations that must be accomplished to achieve strategic goals. Tactical objectives must be both specific and measurable, defining:

1. Assignment of resources 2. Nature of the tactical activity 3. Location in which the tactical activity must be performed

If the tactical action must be performed in sequence or coordinated with any other tactical action. 5.6 Implement the Action Plan Implementation of the incident action plan requires that the IC establish an appropriate organizational structure to manage the required resources and communicate the tactical objectives. The incident action plan may be communicated by Standard Operating Procedure, assigning tactical objectives, or by assigning task activity. Tactical Standard Operating Procedures may define common components of the incident action plan such as water supply, standard apparatus placement, and the methods used for basic tactical evolutions. Orders from the IC may specify tactical objectives assigned to subordinate positions with the ICS structure or to a specific Resource. Example: Lake Shore Command:

“Lake Shore 1, Lake Shore Command"

Lake Shore 1: “Go ahead Lake Shore Command, Lake Shore 1 on"

Lake Shore Command: "Have your crew protect exposures in B-Bravo sector as soon as you are fed water supply from Hamburg #3..."

Lake Shore 1: "Have our crew protect exposures in sector B-Bravo as soon as we are fed a water supply from Hamburg #3, that's clear..."

Lake Shore Command: "Affirmative"

6.0 STANDARD GEOGRAPHIC DESIGNATION SYSTEM Each exterior side of a structure shall be given an International Phonetic Alphabet designation. The side of the structure facing the street (address side) shall be designated A-Alpha. The remaining side shall be designated B-Bravo, C-Charlie, and D-Delta, in a clockwise manner. Exposure shall be designated in a like manner as shown below:

The interior of a structure shall be designated, by floor (lst, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).

The basement, attic, and roof shall be designated by name.

7.0 ICS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR INITIAL OPERATIONS The ICS shall be used to maintain an effective span of control and workload for all supervisory personnel allowing three to five personnel reporting to each supervisor maximum. The following pages are examples of ICS Configurations for small incidents, larger incidents, and multiple-company incidents.

COMMAND SECTION Incident Commander (IC): Jurisdictional Fire Company/Department ranking or Senior Officer responsible for the management of all incident operations and activities, including the development of strategic decisions. Authority of the IC is governed by the individuals governing body, policy and guidelines. Safety Officer: Reports to the IC. A member of the Command Staff and responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards or unsafe situations. Is charged with developing measures for assuring personnel safety. Although the Safety Officer may exercise emergency authority to stop or prevent unsafe acts when immediate action is required, the officer will generally correct unsafe acts or conditions through the regular line of authority. The IC may delegate assistant Safety Officers as necessary. Information Officer: Reports to the IC. A member of the Command Staff and is responsible for the formation and release of information about the incident to the media and other appropriate agencies with consent of the IC. Liaison Officer: Reports to the IC. A member of the Command Staff who is the point of contact for the assisting and cooperating agency representatives. Agency Representatives: Reports to the Liaison Officer. An individual assigned to an incident from an assisting or cooperating agency who has full authority to make decisions on all matters affecting that agency's participation at the incident. Sometimes referred as the Facility Emergency Coord. Operations Chief: Reports to the IC. A member of the General Staff. Responsible for the management of all operations directly applicable to the primary mission. The Operations Chief activates and supervises organization elements in accordance with the Incident Action Plan and directs its execution. The Operations Chief also directs the preparation of operational plans, requests or releases resources, makes expedient changes to the Incident Action Plan as necessary and reports such to the IC. This position is usually filled by an additional Chief Officer or experienced commanding officer. The Operations Chief is the eyes and ears of the IC, and therefore must give continuing updates on progress (or lack of progress) of the primary mission. The Operations Chief will communicate with the IC on F2 (46.38 MHz), and with Sector Officers on F4 (46.22 MHz) in accordance with the Incident Command Radio Procedure (ICRP).

SUB SECTIONS Logistics and Planning Officer(s): Reports to the IC. This position is usually filled by the Fire Coordinators (D2/D2-1) or by an experienced, "resourceful" Chief, or, when appropriate, the Hamburg Emergency Management Team. Responsible for providing facilities, services, and materials for the incident, and for the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information about developments of the incident and status of resources. When conditions warrant, this position may also include tracking all costs and financial considerations of the incident. Branch Director(s): Reports to the Operations Chief. The Branch director, when activated, is under the direction of the Operations Chief, and is responsible for the implementation of the portion of the Incident Action Plan appropriate to the branch. (i.e. at an MCl/fire incident, an EMS Branch will be established in addition to a fire suppression branch; at a Haz-Mat/fire incident, a Haz-Mat branch is established in addition to a fire suppression branch, etc.) Sector Officer(s): Reports to the Operations Chief, or if a branch has been established to that Branch Director. The Sector Officer is assigned to a geographical area and is responsible for the implementation of the Incident Action Plan appropriate to that sector and progress reporting of control operations and status of resources within that sector. Accountability Entry Officer: Assigned to the entry point(s) of a structure or hazardous area. Is responsible for collecting and returning the Green tags of firefighters operating in the hazardous area. (See Appendix D) On-Scene Accountability Officer: Appointed by the IC and responsible for the collection of all Red tags of all Firefighters at an incident. Records and logs all on-scene Firefighters by use of the Master On-Scene Accountability Board. (See Appendix D) Crew(s): Firefighter "team(s)" of five (maximum) lead by a Crew Leader whom reports to the Sector . Responsible for completing tactical assignments as directed by the Group or Sector Officer. (ie. "Search Crew" to perform search and rescue in sector A.-Alpha). Staging Officer(s): Reports to the Operations Chief or the IC direct (situation dependent). Responsible for managing all activity within a staging area where incident personnel and/or equipment are assigned on an immediately available status. Reports status changes as required and maintains a unit log.

8.0 SECTORS AND GROUPS: 8.1 When multiple resources are assigned to the same function incident-wide (such as ventilation or search & rescue), a Group shall be established to provide coordination and control of tactical operations. 8.2 When multiple resources are assigned to perform tactical functions in a specified geographical area (such as on a specified floor or side of a structure) , a Sector shall be established to provide coordination and control of tactical operations.

9.0 DESIGNATION OF SECTOR AND GROUPS: 9.1 When Sector boundaries are established on the exterior of a structure or in non-structural incidents (such as wildland fire), an International Phonetic Alphabet designation (A- Alpha,B-Bravo,C-Charlie,D-Delta, etc.) shall be used. In addition to establishing the Sector designation, specific boundaries must be defined, This is particularly important in non- structural incidents or irregular shaped incident locations (i.e. McKinley Mall). 9.2 When Sector boundaries are defined by level in a structural incident, a number or descriptive designation shall be used (1,2,3, basement). If a Sector is given responsibility for the entire structure, it shall be designated as the Interior Sector. 9.3 In radio communications with a Sector, the letter or number designation shall follow "Sector" (i.e. Sector A-Alpha; Sector 3,...) if a descriptive designation is given it shall precede "Sector" in radio communications (i.e. Interior Sector, Roof Sector,...). 9.4 Groups shall be designated by function (Ventilation, Water Supply, etc...). In radio communications with a Group, the function shall serve as the designation.

10.0 STAGING: 10.1 When the IC has not defined an assignment for on scene or responding resources, Staging shall be established. 10.2 When an incident is escalating or has not yet been stabilized, sufficient resources to meet potential incident development should be available in Staging until the incident has been stabilized. 10.3 The IC or Operations Chief shall establish Staging by defining its location and communicating this information to the Dispatch Center. The Dispatcher shall inform all responding resources of the location of Staging and the frequency to monitor. 10.4 If responsibility is not specifically assigned, the commander of the first company to arrive in Staging shall assume the function of Staging Officer. 10.5 Resources in Staging shall retain integrity (remain with their company) and be available for immediate assignment and deployment. 10.6 The Staging Officer shall keep the IC or Operations Chief advised of resource availability in Staging whenever resource status changes. 10.7 The IC or Operations Chief shall request on-scene resources through the Staging Officer and shall specify where and to whom these resources (personnel) shall report. 10.8 In radio communications with Staging, the incident name shall precede the designation "Staging". i.e. "Lake Shore Staging. 10.9 An on scene Personnel Staging Officer may be appointed to stage personnel and back up crews.

11.0 ICS ORGANIZATION FOR LARGER INCIDENTS 11.1 ICS organizational structure should be based on the needs of the incident and should be developed on a pro-active basis. Incident resource and management needs must be projected adequately ahead to allow for the reflex time of responding resources. 11.2 The IC and other supervisory personnel should anticipate span-of-control problems. Subordinate management positions should be staffed to maintain an acceptable span of control and workload of three or five maximum. This may necessitate requesting additional command officers to fill these overhead positions. 11.3 Whenever Planning, Logistical, or Finance functional responsibilities become significant workload for the IC, the appropriate Sections should be staffed. This will prevent over- extension of the IC's span of control. This is typical for incidents involving more than a one Company Response. This position may be staffed by a Planning/ Logistics Officer (Coordinators - D2/D2-1 or appointee), or the Hamburg Emergency Management Team.

GLOSSARY OF HAMBURG ICS ABBREVIATIONS

CP Command Post D2 Erie County (Hamburg elected) Fire D2-1 - Deputy Erie County (Hamburg elected) Fire and Radio Coordinator FEC Facility Emergency Coordinator IC - Incident Commander ICS Incident Command System ICRP Incident Command Radio Procedure MCI - Mass Casualty Incident OC Operations Chief or Op-Chief PIO Public Information Officer

COLOR ASSIGNMENTS

WHITE Incident Commander WHITE Operations Chief ORANGE Safety Officer(s) YELLOW Sector Officer(s) BLUE - EMS GREEN PIO RED Logistics/Liaison/Staging Officer(s) RED TAG Town of Hamburg Firefighter GREEN TAG Designated Interior Firefighter

GLOSSARY OF HAMBURG ICS TERMS

Accountability Standard - An adopted standard using plastic identification tags to account for all personnel that may be assigned to, or working at the scene of an emergency. This standard provides for personnel accountability in the event of a change in strategies such as changing from an offensive to a defensive mode, building collapse, wildland search, or other circumstance which may require an inventory of personnel that were at one time present at the scene. The standard also identifies personnel that are interior attack trained personnel. (see Appendix "D") Agency Representative - Individual assigned to an incident from an assisting or cooperating agency who has been delegated full authority to make decisions on all matters affecting that agency's participation at the incident. Agency representatives report to the Incident Liaison Officer. Assigned Resources - (committed resources)) Resources checked in and assigned work tasks on an incident. Available Resources - Resources assigned to an incident and available for an assignment (usually in located in staging) Branch - That organizational level having functional/geographical responsibility for major segments of incident operations. The Branch level is organized between Section and Groups. Chief - ICS title for individuals responsible for command of the functional Sections: i.e. Operations

Command Officer - An Officer who is not a part of the staffing of a single resource. i.e. Water Commander, Air Supply Commander, Haz-Mat Commander. Command Post (CP) - That location at which primary command functions are executed; usually co-located with the incident base. Location is designated by the IC. i.e. Chiefs' vehicle., Scranton 1, Hamburg Disaster Command Vehicle. Command Staff - The Command Staff consists of the Safety Officer, Liaison Officer, and Information Officer, who report directly to the IC. Command - The act of directing, ordering, and/or controlling resources by virtue of explicit legal, agency or delegated authority. Company Commander - The individual responsible for command of a-Company. This designation is not specific to any particular fire department rank (may be a Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain or a Chief Officer, if responsible for command for a single Company). Coordination - The process of systematically analyzing a situation, developing relevant information, and informing appropriate command authority (for its decision) of viable alternatives for selection of the most effective combination of available resources to meet specific objectives. The coordination process (which can be either intra or inter-agency) does not, in itself, involve command dispatch actions. However, personnel responsible for coordination may perform command or dispatch functions within limits as established by specific agency delegations, procedures, legal authority, etc. Coordinator (s) , Fire and Radio - (D2 & D2-1) Elected town-wide officers (by the nine Hamburg Fire Departments) through the Hamburg Town Fire Chiefs' Assoc., responsible for assisting the IC or IC officers in coordination activities, assigned tasks or relevant duties. Recognized by the County of Erie also as the Radio Coordinator(s). Responsible for enforcing proper use of the Erie County Fire Radio Procedure including the Incident Command Radio Procedure (ICRP). Crew - A specific number of personnel assembled for an assignment such as search, ventilation, or hose line deployment and operations. The number of personnel in a crew should not exceed recommended span-of-control limits of 3-5 max. A Crew operates under the direct supervision of a Crew Leader. Dispatch Center - Jurisdictional Fire frequency dispatch center, Hamburg Control. Engine - A ground vehicle providing specified levels of pumping, water and hose capacity. Entry Officer - A Firefighter assigned to stand by at the entry point of a building, structure or area designated as an entrance point to whom any entering personnel must forward an appropriate GREEN tag, for purposes of Accountability (see Appendix D). Facility Emergency Coordinator - A facility representative who is assigned the responsibility of developing the Facility Response Plan and acts as the Facility representative during an incident at the facility. This representative may provide specific information and support - relevant to their grounds or facility, but is not designated the responsible authority to protect Life, property and welfare as assigned to the IC according to General Municipal Law.

Finance Officer - A person delegated by the IC to be responsible for all costs and financial considerations of the incident. Group - That Organizational level having responsibility for a specified functional assignment at an incident (ventilation, salvage, water supply, air supply, etc...) Incident Action Plan - The strategic goals, tactical objectives, and support requirements for the incident. All incidents require an action plan. For simple incidents, the action plan is not in written form. Large or complex incidents will require that the action plan be documented and in writing by the IC or OC (Operations Chief). Incident Command Radio Procedure - (ICRP) Frequency - Standard Procedure established by Erie County for Incident Command Systems. Fl 46.20 MHz - Dispatch Functions F2 46.38 MHz - Command Operations F4 46.22 MHz - Tactical Operations MERS 155.325 MHz - EMS Resource and Patient/Hospital Distribution Coordination MERS 155.340 MHz - EMS Resource and Patient/Hospital Distribution Coordination Additional channels are available in Command Vehicles. Individual Resources - A specific apparatus with a complement of personnel. Incident Command System (ICS) - The combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure with responsibility for the management of assigned resources to effectively accomplish stated objectives pertaining to an incident. Incident Commander (IC) - The individual responsible for the management of all incident operations. THE BUCK STOPS HERE! Information Officer -. Responsible for interface with the media or other appropriate agencies requiring information direct from the incident scene. Is responsible for filling out the Press Release (when appropriate), and with approval from the IC, will release the Press Release form (Appendix E). Member of the Command Staff. Leader - ICS title for individual(s) responsible for command of a Crew. Liaison Officer - The point of contact for assisting or coordinating agencies. Usually the IC assumes this role, or a delegate will be appointed. Member of the Command Staff. Logistics Section - Responsible for providing facilities, services and materials for the incident. Within the Service Branch, includes the Communications, Medical and Food Units. Within the Support Branch, includes the Supply, Facilities, and Ground Support Units.

Medical Unit - Functional Unit within the Service Branch. Responsible for providing emergency medical treatment and rehabilitation for emergency personnel. This Unit does not typically provide care or treatment for civilians. i.e. an ambulance should be on location at the incident at all times and assigned to the scene. Officer - ICS title for the Command Staff positions of Safety, Liaison, and Information. Also used when a single individual performs a Unit function within Planning, Logistics or Finance. Safety Officer - Responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards or unsafe situations developing measures for ensuring personnel safety. Member of the Command Staff. Sector - That organization level having responsibility for operations within a defined geographical area. The Sector level is organizational between the Single Resource or Task Force and the Branch. Span of Control - The ratio of reporting individuals to a Commander, Supervisor, Officer, Chief, or Leader. Should be from three to five (maximum) individuals at any one time. Staging Area/Officer - That location and Officer (appointed by the IC) where incident personnel and equipment are assigned on an immediately available status. Different Staging Areas and Officers may be set up for EMS, Haz Mat, Personnel, etc... Strategic Goals - The overall plan that will be used to control the incident. Strategic goals are broad in nature and are achieved by the completion of tactical objectives. Squad "10" - Functional Unit within the Service Branch of the Logistics Section. Responsible for providing meals and refreshments for personnel involved with the incident. Tactical Objectives - The specific operations that must be accomplished to achieve strategic goals. Tactical objectives must be both specific ant measurable. Truck(Ladder) Company - A ground vehicle providing an aerial ladder, snorkel, or bucket device and specified portable ladders and equipment capability and personnel.

APPENDIX A

HAMBURG EMS - MASS CASUALTY INCIDENTS (MCI)

GENERAL: Any incident which presents a number of casualties of disaster proportions will usually tax the resources of the local EMS agency. These situations require additional equipment and personnel, a management system for the site of the incident, and a different philosophy regarding patient care. A realization of these factors and an implied flexibility on the part of each EMS officer involved are essential if each patient is to receive the emergency medical care needed rapidly and efficiently. This appendix links the EMS branch to the Hamburg Incident Command System. The Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) protocol, as published by the New York State Department of Health, will be the basis of the EMS branch within the Hamburg Incident Command System. The protocol provides detailed and pre-planned extensions of the day-to-day response to emergencies, with emphasis on leadership, resource management, and communications responsibilities. It is recognized that this plan is an outline that must be flexible and adapt to each incident or location, and as appropriate, concur with each incident utilizing the Hamburg Incident Command System. OBJECTIVES:

1. To use the State of New York Department of Health - MCI protocol as applicable, operating under the EMS Branch of the local Hamburg Incident Command System SOP's.

2. To establish standard specific operating plans to ensure a timely and appropriate response to any MCI.

3. To provide a methodology by which emergency medical care and public health services can be provided to the casualties of a natural or man-made incident.

4. To provide a method to identify those patients most in need of emergency medical care in an MCI.

5. To coordinate manpower, supplies, equipment and facilities in an MCI. 6. To simplify communications with standard terminology and proper radio frequency usage

in accordance with the Incident Command Radio Procedure(ICRP) such that necessary information is readily available at all times to appropriate system agencies or components (i.e. Hospital facilities, the IC, the Press, Dispatch, etc.) .

APPENDIX B

HAMBURG EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM GENERAL: The Hamburg Emergency Management Team consists of designated Town of Hamburg Employees appointed to provide resource management during events of disaster magnitude, and to assist the IC in the implementation of "emergency management" at the local, State and/or Federal level as needed. The Team is funded by the Town and specializes in communication and information resources. Capabilities extend far beyond minimal requirements of Federal SARA III mandates for municipalities. Certain Team members receive specialized training for different hazards, and some are also involved in the County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The Team maintains a mobile command trailer and pull vehicle that can provide radio communication on virtually any radio frequency, with ties to area Police, Local Governments, Coast Guard, Hospitals and Fire agencies, along with basic and cellular phone systems. Volumes of emergency response guides, Haz-Mat information, reference texts, and the Town Disaster Plan are among the library of written materials on the vehicle. Site management maps, an evacuation grid of local areas along with water, sanitary and storm sewer maps complement the teams capability. Command vests are provided for personnel identification. The Team combines member experience and expertise in Civil Engineering, Code Enforcement, Finance, Planning, Firefighting, and EMS backgrounds. The Team is activated at the request of an IC through Fire Dispatch. The Dispatcher notifies the Chief of Police (or next in command), and then the Disaster Coordinator (or Deputy Coordinator). Notification usually includes the Town Supervisor or his delegate. Based on the type of hazard (Haz-Mat, earthquake, flood, severe winter storm, etc.) and the information provided to Dispatch, the Team Coordinator will decide what level of activation is necessary. Events of such magnitude that warrant a "Declaration of a Disaster", (Executive Law, Article 2B) can only be declared by the top jurisdictional governing body head. In a village, the top person is the Mayor (or Deputy Mayor). In the Town, the top person is the Supervisor (or Deputy Supervisor). The hierarchy of local governing authority to declare such a state of disaster extends up from a Village Mayor, to the Town Supervisor, next through the County Executive, and then through the Governor of New York State. The Hamburg Emergency Management Team is activated by request from an IC. The Public Safety Dispatcher then notifies the Emergency Management Team Coordinator or Deputy coordinator, along with the Chief of Police (or designee) and they will then determine the level of response necessary. This may be limited to the coordinator responding with the resources carried in the Town vehicle, or may warrant response of the entire team, trailer and vehicles. When the Hamburg Emergency Management Team Trailer is activated, a rescue unit or vehicle with a generator must also be dedicated to supply the vehicle with power.

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town of hamburg armor

town wide policy

town wide accountability

town wide procedure

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