Greenville-Overbrook
Volunteer Fire Department
Standard Operating Guidelines
Written Policies and Procedures for GOVFD
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Membership
1.2. Firefighters,
Officers, and Board of Directors
1.2.1.
Firefighters
1.2.2.
Officers
1.2.3.
Board
of Directors
1.3. Meetings
1.3.1.
Regular
Meetings
1.3.2.
Board
Meetings
1.4. Voting and
Elections
1.7. General
2. Standard
Operating Procedures
2.1.1. General
Procedures
2.2. Structural
Fire in Response Area
2.2.1. Residential
Fire
2.2.2. Commercial
Fire
2.3. Structure
Fires outside Response Area
2.4. Wildland
Fires
2.5. Vehicle Fires
2.5.1. Two Person
Company Operating a Vehicle Fire
2.5.2. Three
Person Company Operating a Vehicle Fire
2.6. Electrical
Shutoff Policy
2.7. Hazardous
Materials
2.7.1. Incident
Management
2.7.2. CHEMTREC
2.8. Mutual Aid
Calls
2.8.1. Incoming
2.8.2. Outgoing
3.1. Driving
Practices
3.2. Protective
Clothing
3.3. Self
Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
4.1. General
Communication Procedures
4.2.
Primary
Communications Methods
4.2.1.
Radio
Identification
4.2.2.
Company
Call Signs
4.2.3.
Company
Operations
4.2.4.
Normal
Response Operations
4.2.5.
Codes
and Signals
4.2.6. Radio
Procedures for Commands
4.3. General Radio
Information
Pending
6. Roadside Safety
and Operations
6.1. Purpose
6.2. General
6.3. Terminology
6.4. Guidelines
Authority:
Definition: Title 18 Corporate Fire Departments
Fire
departments can be established in unincorporated place through Title 18. A group of persons associated together can become
incorporated as a charitable organization for the purpose of providing a
volunteer or a full-time fire department.
Such a corporate fire department then has the authority to provide fire
protection services to its members and non-members, both inside and outside of
the unincorporated area where it is located.
The fire department has the authority to establish a schedule of fees
which will be charged for extinguishing fires for its members; another fee
schedule may be established for non-members.
A fire department established under Title 18 is considered an agency of
the state when providing fire protection and thus, is not liable for civil
wrongs committed by its firefighters.
Amended
by laws 1983. C. 100 ~ 18, emerg.
Effective May 9, 1983; Laws 1989, C. 172 ~ emerg. Effective May 8, 1989.
1.1.1Pending
1.2.
Firefighters, Officers, and Board of Directors
1.2.1.1. Definition;
Volunteer
firefighter: One who is enrolled as a
member of a department and who serves in said capacity without receiving a
regular salary.
1.2.1.2. Requirements:
a. All volunteer firefighters are required, when
notified, to respond to alarms of fire and other emergencies.
b. A volunteer firefighter is required to be present at
all regular meetings, call meetings and schools presented for the benefit of
the firefighter.
c. Any volunteer firefighter having two unexcused
absences in successions or three unexcused absences in a period of three (3)
months will be dropped from the fire department rolls.
d. Volunteer firefighters leaving the municipality for
an extended period of time will be required to notify the chief.
e. Any volunteer firefighter refusing to attend
training classes provided for him will be expelled from the rolls.
f. Any volunteer member of the fire department shall be
expelled from the rolls for the following reasons:
1. Conduct unbecoming a firefighter.
2. Any act of insubordination.
3. Neglect duty.
4. Any violation of rules and regulations governing the
fire department.
5. Conviction of a felony.
1.2.1.3. New Members:
1.2.1.4. Benefits:
The
same as other members, plus:
Presentation of a certificate of service (to be used for public display,
inclusion in job resumes, character reference, etc.) for each year of service.
1.2.2.
Officers (Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Training
Officer, Secretary/Treasure, and three (3) members for the Board of Directors)
1.2.2.1. Chief
1.2.2.1.1. Qualifications:
Highly
trained, experienced in incident control, be a leader, level headed and not
easily excited or emotional.
1.2.2.1.2.
Duties
a. The Chief shall be the head of the department,
subject to the laws of the State of
b. The Chief shall be held responsible for the general
condition and efficient operation of the department, the training of the
members, and the performance of all other duties imposed upon him/her by law or
the municipality.
c. The Chief may inspect or cause to be inspected by
members of the department, the fire hydrants, cisterns, and other water supply
at least twice a year.
d. The Chief shall maintain a library of rile of publications
on fire prevention and fire protection and shall make use of it to the best
advantage of all members.
e. The Chief shall make every effort to attend all
fires and direct the officers and members in the performance of their duties.
f. The Chief shall see that the citizens are kept
informed on the fire hazards in the community and on the activities of the
department.
g. The Chief shall see that each fire is carefully
investigated to determine its cause, and in case of suspicion of incendiarism
shall notify proper authorities. The
chief shall secure and preserve all possible evidence for future use in case of
suspicious incendiarism.
h. The Chief shall file the appropriate fire loss
reporting forms with the State Fire Marshall in
1.2.2.2. Deputy Chief
1.2.2.2.1. Duties
In
the absence of the Chief, the Deputy Chief shall command the department and be
held responsible therefore in all respects with the full powers and
responsibilities of the Chief.
1.2.2.3. Assistant Chief/Training Officer
1.2.2.3.1. Qualifications
a. Experience as a teacher or instructor.
b. Have a great deal of training in fire suppression
and incident control.
1.2.2.3.2 Duties
a. To act by the authority of the Chief to assure that
firefighters are well trained and informed.
b. To continually reinforce and upgrade his/her
personal training.
c. To give in-house training as often as possible.
d. To keep up with available training in the area and
make sure firefighters know about it.
e. To maintain and control a library of training
manuals, films, instructor's guides, etc.
f. Take command of incidents when the Chief and Deputy
Chief are absent.
1.2.2.4. Secretary/Treasurer
1.2.2.4.1. Duties
a. Keep a roll of all meetings.
b. Take the minutes of all meetings.
c. Collect and deposit all funds brought into the
department.
d. Keep a ledger of all financial transactions of the department.
e. Maintain and control minutes and ledgers (past and
present) and make them available upon reasonable request.
f. Bring to each meeting a copy of the By-laws,
parliamentary procedures governing the department.
g. Sign all checks along with one board member.
h. Keep the dispatcher advised of any changes in
membership.
1.2.3.1. Powers and Duties
a. To manage and conduct the business affairs of such
district.
b. To make and execute all necessary contracts.
c. To purchase or lease-purchase and maintain all
necessary equipment of the department.
d. To appoint fire company officers and employees
sufficient to maintain and operate the equipment owned by the district.
e. To take by grant, purchase, condemnation, gift,
devise, or lease, and to dispose of, real or personal property of every kind
necessary for the operation of the department.
f. To construct or otherwise acquire suitable fire
houses and other buildings or structures suitable for the housing of equipment
and supplies of the district, or for carrying on its own business and affairs.
g. To employ such officers and employees as may be
required, fix their compensation and prescribe their duties.
h. To establish rules and regulations for the district
and for the prevention within the district and for the protection of property
at and during fires.
i.
To do any and
all other things necessary and proper in the management and operation of the
district for the purpose of protecting property within its boundaries from
fire. In addition, the board may submit
an application to include the firefighters of the district in the Oklahoma
Firefighters Pension and Retirement System.
The application for affiliation shall be submitted in accordance with
subsection A of Section 49-405.2 of Title 11 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
j. To prepare an annual budget and follow existing laws
pertaining to the budget process such as public hearings, protest periods and
filing requirements in the same manner as they apply to other forms of
government in
a. The department will meet once a month, at a time and
place set by them, to conduct business and receive information about progress
being made or upcoming events.
b. Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors,
the Chiefs, or Deputy Chief.
c. Regular meetings are open to general public.
a. Special Board meetings may be called by the
Chairman.
b. Board meetings are open to the public. Participation by anyone other than Board
Members and elected officers must be approved and added to the agenda in
advance.
Pending
Roberts
Rule of Order will be the parliamentary authority for the Greenville-Overbrook
Volunteer Fire Department
Pending
2. Standard
Operating Procedures
The
following is a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of fire ground
operations for the Greenville-Overbrook Volunteer Fire Department. Nothing herein is intended to take away from
the officer in charge to call for or cancel specific units, not to alter these
procedures where conditions warrant.
These procedures are a guideline for the responding units and
personnel. Until otherwise ordered,
first-in units should follow these procedures.
September
2, 1997; Revised August 1, 2003.
There
shall be an officer in charge at all times.
The first firefighter on scene shall assume command of the scene and
shall remain in command until relieved.
Officers should evaluate the need for a command post and staging
area. Upon arrival, the Chief or his
assistant shall contact the officer in charge, obtain a briefing of the
incident, and assume command.
a. Start planning on the way to the fire. Discuss weather conditions, possibility of
needing mutual aid assistance and go over firefighting procedures to get them
fresh in your mind.
b. Make a good survey before any other decisions are
made. If possible, find out from people
on the scene the location of the fire and best route to it. Check for hazards (downed power lines, back
draft conditions, hazardous materials, etc.).
Evaluate the need for a command post and staging area.
c. All responding firefighters should report to the
Chief or an officer and stand by until given specific instructions. DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS ON YOUR OWN.
d. Position all trucks in most accessible location with
an escape route in mind.
e. Do not ventilate until ready to fight fire. Do not vent unnecessarily. Do not spray water into ventilation
holes. Always use a roof ladder.
f. One officer should stay with the inside team to
coordinate the Interior attack and ensure safety procedures. This officer should make sure team is
completely bunkered, they have a charged line, they go in low, they have
someone feeding them hose, and that the pump is manned. He should then stand by at the closest, safe
place to the team in case they need help.
He should also keep people without bunker gear out until the fire is out
and the structure is well ventilated.
g. One officer should be assigned to coordinate the
incoming departments and control the crowd.
He can also serve as an observer to report dangerous or changing
conditions to the Chief/Officer in Charge.
He should have a hand held radio and be positioned at the entry point of
the fire scene. He doesn’t have to be
from our department, but should have a good knowledge of firefighting
practices. He can also relay messages
from firefighters to the Chief/Officer in Charge.
h. Minimize property damage. Do not spray water where there is no
fire. Try before you pry.
i.
After salvage
procedure start, you can utilize non-fire department personnel that want to
help. Until then, try to keep them back
and out of the way.
j. Before leaving the fire scene, all hoses shall be
reloaded and ready for a fire call.
k. On all structure fires in which cause can not be
determined, or is questionable, the Oklahoma State Fire Marshall’s office is to
be notified and an investigator summoned to the scene.
2.2.
Structure Fire In Response Area
On
all reported residential fires, all vehicles respond. Upon arrival, hosemen shall lay 1 ½ “ attack lines, minimum. The driver shall connect the lines to the
Engine and pump at correct pressure. Tanker
apparatus shall be used as initial water supply.