13.1 Administration 2
13.2 Organization 13
13.3 Training and Education 17
13.4 Vehicles, Equipment and Drivers 21
13.5 Protective Clothing and Protective Equipment 26
13.6 Emergency Operations 36
13.7 Facility Safety 45
13.8 Medical and Physical 46
13.9 Member Assistance and Wellness Program 48
13.10 Critical Incident Stress Program 49
13.11 Referenced Publications 49
13 EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND RESPONSE
13.1 Administration
A. Scope
1. This guideline contains minimum requirements for Monroe County Emergency Services System related occupational safety and health program.
2. These requirements are applicable to public, governmental, and private organizations providing emergency medical services, rescue, fire suppression, fire investigation, hazardous materials mitigation, special operations, and other emergency services.
B. Purpose
1. The purpose of this guideline is to specify the minimum requirements for an occupational safety and health program for emergency service responders and to specify safety guidelines for those members involved in emergency medical services, rescue, fire suppression, fire investigations, hazardous materials operations, airport rescue and fire fighting, special operations, and related activities.
2. Many of the performance objectives of this guideline shall be permitted to be achieved in a variety of ways. The achievement of these objectives are intended to help prevent accidents, injuries, and exposures and to reduce the severity of those accidents, injuries, and exposures that do occur. Objectives also help to prevent exposure to hazardous materials and contagious diseases and to reduce the probability of occupational fatalities, illnesses, and disabilities affecting emergency response personnel.
3. Nothing herein shall be intended to restrict any jurisdiction from exceeding these minimum requirements.
C. Implementation
1. The authority having jurisdiction shall set a date or dates for achieving compliance with the requirements of this guideline and shall be permitted to establish a phase-in schedule for compliance with specific requirements of this guideline.
2. Emergency Services shall coordinate with Monroe County Risk Management and adopt a risk management plan as specified in this guideline. This risk management plan shall include a written plan for compliance with this guideline.
D. Equivalency
1. The authority having jurisdiction shall be permitted to approve an equivalent level of qualifications for the requirements specified in this guideline, provided that Emergency Services have technical documentation to demonstrate equivalency.
2. The approved equivalent levels shall provide as nearly equivalent training, education, competency, and safety as possible and shall require that training, education, and competency be commensurate with those functions that the members are expected to perform as specified in the organizational statement in accordance with this guideline. In no case shall the equivalency afford less competency of members or safety to members than that which, in the judgment of the authority having jurisdiction, would be provided by compliance with the provisions of the specified paragraphs.
E. Definitions
Advanced Life Support (ALS): Treatment of life-threatening medical emergencies through the use of techniques such as endotracheal intubation, the administration of drugs, or intravenous fluids, telemetry, cardiac monitoring, and cardiac defibrillation by a qualified person, pursuant to rules of the Florida Department of Health.
Aerial Device: An aerial ladder, elevating platform, aerial ladder platform, or water tower that is designed to position personnel, handle materials, provide egress, and discharge water.
Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF): The fire-fighting actions taken to rescue persons and to control or extinguish fire involving or adjacent to aircraft on the ground. Such rescue and fire-fighting actions are performed both inside and outside of the aircraft.
Approach Fire Fighting: Limited, specialized exterior fire-fighting operations at incidents involving fires producing very high levels of conductive, convective, and radiant heat, such as bulk flammable gas and bulk flammable liquid fires. Specialized thermal protection from exposure to high levels of radiant heat is necessary for the persons involved in such operations due to the limited scope of these operations and the greater distance from the fire at which these operations are conducted. Approach fire fighting is not entry, proximity, or structural fire fighting. See also Entry Fire Fighting, Proximity Fire Fighting, and Structural Fire Fighting.
Approved: Acceptable to the jurisdictional authority.
Authority Having Jurisdiction / Jurisdictional Authority: The agency, organization, office, or individual responsible for approving the operation and training, equipment, an installation, or a procedure.
Basic Life Support (BLS): Emergency medical treatment at a level as defined by the medical authority having jurisdiction.
Belt: A system component; material configured as a device that fastens only around the waist and is designated as a ladder belt, an escape belt, or a ladder/escape belt.
Escape Belt: A belt that is certified as compliant with the applicable requirements of this guideline and is intended for use only by the wearer as an emergency self-rescue device.
Ladder Belt.: A belt that is certified as compliant with the applicable requirements of this guideline and is intended for use as a positioning device for a person on a ladder.
Ladder/Escape Belt: A belt that is certified as compliant with the applicable requirements of this guideline for both a ladder belt and an escape belt and that is intended for use as a positioning device for a person on a ladder as well as for use only by the wearer as an emergency self-rescue device.
Candidate: A person who has submitted an application to become a member of emergency services.
Closed-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): A recirculation-type SCBA in which the exhaled gas is rebreathed by the wearer after the carbon dioxide has been removed from the exhalation gas and the oxygen content within the system has been restored from sources such as compressed breathing air, chemical oxygen, and liquid oxygen, or compressed gaseous oxygen.
Communicable Disease: A disease that can be transmitted from one person to another. Also known as contagious disease.
Company: A group of members having the following characteristics:
a. Under the direct supervision of an officer or leader.
b. Trained and equipped to perform assigned tasks.
c. Usually organized and identified as engine companies, ladder companies, rescue companies, or squad companies.
d. Usually operating with one piece of emergency services apparatus (e.g., quint, pumper, ladder truck, elevating platform, rescue, squad, or ambulance).
e. Arriving at the incident scene on emergency service apparatus or assembling at the scene prior to assignment.
Confined Space: An area large enough and so configured that a member can bodily enter and perform assigned work. An area with limited or restricted means for entry and exit. An area that is not designed for continuous human occupancy. Additionally, a confined space is further defined as having one or more of the following characteristics:
a. The area contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere, including an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.
b. The area contains a material with a potential to engulf a member.
c. The area has an internal configuration such that a member could be trapped by inwardly converging walls or a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a small cross section.
d. The area contains any other recognized serious hazard.
Contaminant: A harmful, irritating, or nuisance material foreign to the normal atmosphere.
Debilitating Illness or Injury: A condition that temporarily or permanently prevents a member of emergency services from engaging in normal duties and activities as a result of illness or injury.
Defensive Operations: Actions that are intended to control a fire by limiting its spread to a defined area, avoiding the commitment of personnel and equipment to dangerous areas. Defensive operations are generally performed from the exterior of structures and are based on a determination that the risk to personnel exceeds the potential benefits of offensive actions.
Department: See Emergency Services Department.
Drug: Any substance, chemical, over-the-counter medication, or prescribed medication that can affect the performance of an emergency responder.
Emergency Incident: A specific emergency operation.
Emergency Medical Services: The activities or services to prevent or treat a sudden critical illness or injury and to provide emergency medical care and pre-hospital emergency medical transportation to sick, injured, or otherwise incapacitated persons in this state. See Emergency Services.
Emergency Medical Services Director: The highest ranking individual with overall responsibility of emergency medical services.
Emergency Medical Services Member: See Member.
Emergency Operations; Activities of emergency services relating to emergency medical care, rescue, fire suppression, and special operations, including response to the scene of the incident and all functions performed at the scene.
Emergency Services: The organization established to provide emergency medical care, rescue, fire suppression, and related duties within a service area.
Emergency Services Apparatus: Any vehicle including those used for ambulance, rescue, fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials operations, wildland, or other functions-operated by department member.
Emergency Services Director: See Public Safety Division Director.
Emergency Services Facility: Any building or area owned, operated, occupied, or used by emergency services on a routine basis. This does not include locations where emergency services can be summoned to perform emergency operations or other duties, unless such premises are normally under the control of emergency services.
Entry Fire Fighting: Extraordinarily specialized fire-fighting operations that can include the activities of rescue, fire suppression, and property conservation at incidents involving fires producing very high levels of conductive, convective, and radiant heat, such as aircraft fires, bulk flammable gas fires, and bulk flammable liquid fires. Highly specialized thermal protection from exposure to extreme levels of conductive, convective, and radiant heat is necessary for persons involved in such extraordinarily specialized operations due to the scope of these operations and because direct entry into flames is made. Usually these operations are exterior operations. Entry fire fighting is not structural fire fighting. See also Approach Fire Fighting, Proximity Fire Fighting, and Structural Fire Fighting.
Facility : See Emergency Services Facility.
Fire Marshal: The highest ranking individual with overall responsibilities of fire prevention and investigation.
Fire Rescue Director: The highest ranking individual with overall responsibilities of fire rescue services.
Fire Rescue Member: See Member.
Fire Rescue Services: Commonly known as the organization providing fire suppression and prevention, and related services along with providing hazardous materials and special operations. See Emergency Services.
Fire Services: See Emergency Services.
Fire Shelter: A personal protection item carried by fire fighters that, when deployed, unfolds to form a shelter of heat-reflective materials.
Fire Suppression: The activities involved in controlling and extinguishing fires. Fire suppression shall include all activities performed at the scene of a fire incident or training exercise that expose fire rescue members to the dangers of heat, flame, smoke, and other products of combustion, explosion, or structural collapse.
Flame Resistance: The property of a material whereby the application of a flaming or non-flaming source of ignition and the subsequent removal of the ignition source results in the termination of combustion. Flame resistance can be an inherent property of the material, or it can be imparted by specific treatment.
Fully Enclosed Area: A cab or passenger compartment of fire apparatus providing total enclosure equipped with positive latching doors for entry and exit.
Gloves: An element of the protective ensemble designed to provide minimum protection to the fingers, thumb, hand, and wrist.
Guideline: A written indication or outline of department procedures that permits best judgement and adaptability in application.
Hazard: The potential for harm or damage to people, property, or the environment. Hazards include the characteristics of facilities, equipment systems, property, hardware, or other objects and the actions and inactions of people that create such hazards.
Hazardous Area: The area where members might be exposed to a hazardous atmosphere. A particular substance, device, event, circumstance, or condition that presents a danger to members of fire rescue.
Hazardous Atmosphere: Any atmosphere that is oxygen deficient or that contains a toxic or disease-producing contaminant. A hazardous atmosphere can be immediately dangerous to life and health.
Hazardous Material: A substance that presents an unusual danger to persons due to properties of toxicity, chemical reactivity or decomposition, corrosivity, explosion or detonation, etiological hazards, or similar properties.
Hazardous Materials Operations: All activities performed at the scene of a hazardous materials incident that expose fire rescue members to the dangers of hazardous materials.
Health and Fitness Coordinator: The person who, under the supervision of emergency services physician, has been designated by the department to coordinate and be responsible for the health and fitness programs of the department.
Health and Safety Officer: The member of emergency services assigned and authorized as the manager of the safety and health program and who performs the duties and responsibilities specified in this guideline. This individual can be the incident safety officer or that can also be a separate function.
Health Data Base: A compilation of records and data that relates to the health experience of a group of individuals and is maintained in a manner such that it is retrievable for study and analysis over a period of time.
Health Promotion: Preventive health activities that identify real and potential health risks in the work environment and that inform, motivate, and otherwise help people to adopt and maintain healthy practices and lifestyles.
Hot Zone: The area immediately surrounding a hazardous material incident that extends far enough to prevent adverse effects from the release of hazardous materials to personnel outside the zone. This zone is also referred to as the "exclusion zone" or "restricted zone" in other documents.
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH): Any atmosphere that poses an immediate hazard to life or produces immediate irreversible debilitating effects on health.
Incident Action Plan: The objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy, tactics, risk management, and member safety that are developed by the incident commander. Incident action plans are updated throughout the incident.
Incident Commander: The emergency service member in overall command of an emergency incident.
Incident Management System (IMS): An organized system of roles, responsibilities, and standard operating procedures used to manage emergency operations. Such systems are often referred to as incident command systems (ICS).
Incident Safety Officer: An individual appointed to respond or assigned at an incident scene by the incident commander to perform the duties and responsibilities specified in this guideline. This individual can be the incident safety officer or can be a separate individual, appointed by the incident commander, or a pre-designated individual.
Infection Control Program: Emergency services formal policy and implementation of procedures relating to the control of infectious and communicable disease hazards where employees, patients, or the general public could be exposed to blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials in the emergency services work environment.
Infectious Disease: An illness or disease resulting from invasion of a host by disease-producing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
Interface Area: An area of the body where the protective garments, helmet, gloves, footwear, or SCBA facepiece meet (i.e., the protective coat/helmet/SCBA facepiece area, the protective coat/protective trouser area, the protective coat/glove area, and the protective trouser/footwear area).
Interface Components: Elements of the protective ensemble that are designed to provide limited protection to interface areas.
Life Safety Harness System Components: The following are utilized for fall arrest and rappelling operations:
Class I Life Safety Harness. Harness that fastens around waist and around thighs or under buttocks and designed to be used for emergency escape with one-person loads (300 pounds).
Class II Life Safety Harness. Harness that fastens around waist and around thighs or under buttocks and designed for rescue where two-person loads can be encountered (600 pounds).
Class III Life Safety Harness. Harness that fastens around waist, around thighs or under buttocks, and over shoulders and designed for rescue where two-person loads can be encountered (600 pounds) and where inverting might occur. Class III life safety harnesses shall be permitted to consist of one or more parts.
Medical Evaluation: The analysis of information for the purpose of making a determination of medical certification. Medical evaluation can include a medical examination.
Member: A person involved in performing the duties and responsibilities of emergency services, under the auspices of the department and organization. A emergency service member can be a full-time or part-time employee or a paid or unpaid volunteer, can occupy any position or rank within the department, and can engage in emergency operations.
Member Assistance Program (MAP): A generic term used to describe the various methods used in emergency services for the control of alcohol and other substance abuse, stress, and personal problems that adversely affect member performance.
Member Organization: An organization formed to represent the collective and individual rights and interests of the members of emergency services, such as a labor union or fire fighters' association. This definition includes any organization authorized to represent the interests of its members in dealing with emergency services management.
Occasionally Assigned: The infrequent fire-fighting responsibility in a given jurisdiction, district, or area. Fire-fighting situations that are less likely to occur or that occur on an infrequent basis within the response area.
Occupational Illness: An illness or disease contracted through or aggravated by the performance of the duties, responsibilities, and functions of emergency service members.
Occupational Injury: An injury sustained during the performance of the duties, responsibilities, and functions of an emergency service member.
Offensive Operations: Actions that involve a direct attack on a fire to directly control and extinguish the fire, generally performed in the interior of involved structures.
Open-Circuit SCBA. An SCBA in which exhalation is vented to the atmosphere and not rebreathed. There are two types of open-circuit SCBA: negative-pressure or demand type and positive-pressure or pressure-demand type.
Oxygen-Deficient Atmosphere: Air atmospheres containing less than 19.5 percent oxygen by volume at one standard atmosphere pressure.
Personnel Accountability System: A system that readily identifies both the location and function of all members operating at an incident scene.
Positive-Pressure SCBA: A SCBA, in which the pressure inside the facepiece in relation to the pressure surrounding the outside of the facepiece, is positive during both inhalation and exhalation when tested by NIOSH in accordance with 42 CFR 84, Subpart H.
Pressure-Demand SCBA: See Positive-Pressure SCBA.
Primarily Assigned: The principal fire-fighting responsibility in a given jurisdiction, district, or area. Fire-fighting situations that are most likely to occur within the response area.
Procedure: An organizational directive issued by the authority having jurisdiction or by the department that establishes a specific policy that must be followed.
Property Conservation: Those activities directed at stopping or minimizing the dollar loss to buildings and property from the effects of fire and fire suppression activities or other emergency situations and the mitigation of those emergencies.
Protective Clothing Ensemble: Multiple elements of clothing and equipment designed to provide a degree of protection for fire fighters from adverse exposures to the inherent risks of structural fire-fighting operations and certain other emergency operations. The elements of the protective ensemble are coats, trousers, coveralls, helmets, gloves, footwear, and interface components.
Protective Uniform: A unit of textile apparel configured as a shirt, pant, or coverall and designed to be both the thermal barrier or a portion of the thermal barrier of a garment element of the protective ensemble and an apparel unit(s) of a station/work uniform.
Proximity Fire Fighting: Specialized fire-fighting operations that can include the activities of rescue, fire suppression, and property conservation at incidents involving fires producing very high levels of conductive, convective, and radiant heat such as aircraft fires, bulk flammable gas fires, and bulk flammable liquid fires. Specialized thermal protection from exposure to high levels of radiant heat, as well as thermal protection from conductive and convective heat, is necessary for persons involved in such operations due to the scope of these operations and the close distance to the fire at which these operations are conducted, although direct entry into flame is not made. These operations usually are exterior operations but might be combined with interior operations.
Proximity fire fighting is not structural fire fighting but might be combined with structural fire-fighting operations. Proximity fire fighting also is not entry fire fighting. See also Approach Fire Fighting, Entry Fire Fighting, and Structural Fire Fighting.
Public Safety Division Director: The highest ranking individual with overall responsibilities for the Public Safety Division.
Qualified Person: A person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with problems related to the subject matter, the work, or the project.
Related Activities: Any and all functions that emergency service members can be called upon to perform in the execution of their duties.
Rescue: Those activities directed at locating endangered persons at an emergency incident and removing those persons from danger.
Rescue Incident: An emergency incident that primarily involves the rescue of persons subject to physical danger and may include the provision of emergency medical services.
Rescue Services: See Emergency Services.
Risk: A measure of the probability and severity of adverse effects. These adverse effects result from an exposure to a hazard.
Risk Management: Identification and analysis of exposure to hazards, selection of appropriate risk management techniques to handle exposures, implementation of chosen techniques, and monitoring of results, with respect to the health and safety of members.
Rope: A compact but flexible, torsionally balanced, continuous structure of fibers produced from strands that are twisted, plaited, or braided together and that serve primarily to support a load or transmit a force from the point of origin to the point of application.
Life Safety Rope: Rope dedicated solely for the purpose of supporting people during rescue, fire fighting, other emergency operations, or during training evaluations. See also Personal Escape Rope.
One-Person Rope: Life safety rope designed to support a one-person load when in use; also can be used to support a two-person load when used in systems where two ropes are used as separate and equal members.
Two-Person Rope: Life safety rope designed to support a two-person load when in use.
Personal Escape Rope: A system component; a single-purpose, one-person, one-time use, emergency self-escape (self-rescue) rope; not classified as a life safety rope. See also Life Safety Rope.
SCBA: See Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus.
Seat Belt: A two-point lap belt, a three-point lap/shoulder belt, or a four-point lap/shoulder harness for vehicle occupants designed to limit their movement in the event of an accident, rapid acceleration, or rapid deceleration by securing individuals safely to a vehicle in a seated position. See also Vehicle Safety Harness.
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): A respirator worn by the user that supplies a respirable atmosphere that is either carried in or generated by the apparatus and is independent of the ambient environment.
Service Testing: The regular, periodic inspection and testing of apparatus and equipment, according to an established schedule and guideline, to ensure that they are in safe and functional operating condition.
Shall: Indicates a mandatory requirement.
Should: Indicates a recommendation or that which is advised but not required.
Special Operations: Those emergency incidents to which emergency services responds that require specific and advanced training and specialized tools and equipment. Special operations include water rescue, extrication, hazardous materials, confined space entry, high-angle rescue, aircraft rescue and fire fighting, and other operations requiring specialized training.
Standard Operating Guideline: An organizational directive that establishes and outlines a course of action that allows skilled judgement and adaptability in application.
Structural Fire Fighting: The activities of rescue, fire suppression, and property conservation in buildings, enclosed structures, aircraft interiors, vehicles, vessels, or like properties that are involved in a fire or emergency situation.
Tactical Level Management Unit: A management unit identified in the incident management system commonly known as "division," "group," or "sector."
Vehicle Safety Harness: A restraint device for vehicle occupants designed to limit their movement in the event of an accident, rapid acceleration, or rapid deceleration by securing individuals safely to a vehicle either in a seated position or tethered to the vehicle. See also Seat Belt.
Wildland Fire Fighting: The activities of fire suppression and property conservation in vegetation that is not within structures but is involved in a fire situation.
Working Structural Fire: Any fire that requires the use of a 1-1/2-inch (3.8-cm) or larger fire attack hose line and that also requires the use of self-contained breathing apparatus for members entering the hazardous area.
13.2 Organization
A. Emergency Services Organizational Statement
1. Emergency Services shall prepare and maintain a written statement or policy that establishes the existence of the department, the services the department is authorized and expected to perform, and the basic organizational structure.
2. Emergency Services shall prepare and maintain written policies and standard operating procedures that document the organization structure, membership, roles and responsibilities, expected functions, and training requirements, including the following:
a. The types of standard evolutions that are expected to be performed and the evolutions that must be performed simultaneously or in sequence for different types of situations
b. The minimum number of members who are required to perform each function or evolution and the manner in which the function is to be performed
c. The number and types of apparatus and the number of personnel that will be dispatched to different types of incidents
d. The procedures that will be employed to initiate and manage operations at the scene of an emergency incident
3. The organizational statement and procedures shall be available for inspection by members or their designated representative.
B. Risk Management Plan
1. Emergency Services in conjunction with the county’s Risk Management Section shall develop and adopt a comprehensive written risk management plan. The risk management plan shall consider all emergency service policies and procedures, and it shall include goals and objectives to ensure that the risks associated with the operations of the department are identified and effectively managed.
2. The risk management plan shall at least cover the risks associated with the following:
a. Administration
b. Facilities
c. Training
d. Vehicle operations, both emergency and non-emergency
e. Protective clothing and equipment
f. Operations at emergency incidents
g. Operations at non-emergency incidents
h. Other related activities
3. The risk management plan shall include at least the following components:
a. Risk Identification. Actual and potential hazards
b. Risk Evaluation. Likelihood of occurrence of a given hazard and severity of its consequences
c. Risk Control Techniques. Solutions for elimination or mitigation of potential hazards; implementation of best solution
d. Risk Management Monitoring. Evaluation of effectiveness of risk control techniques
C. Policy
1. The department shall adopt an official written departmental occupational safety and health policy that identifies specific goals and objectives for the prevention and elimination of accidents and occupational injuries, exposures to communicable disease, illnesses, and fatalities. It shall be the policy of emergency services to seek and to provide an occupational safety and health program that complies with this guideline for its members.
2. The department shall evaluate the effectiveness of the occupational safety and health program at least once every three years. An audit report of the findings shall be submitted to the EMS Director and Fire Rescue Director and to the members of the occupational safety and health committee.
D. Roles and Responsibilities
1. It shall be the responsibility of the department and the county’s Safety Manager to research, develop, implement, and enforce an occupational safety and health program that recognizes and reduces the inherent risks involved in the operations of the department.
a. The department and county’s Safety Manager shall be responsible for compliance with all applicable laws and legal requirements with respect to member safety and health.
b. The department shall establish and enforce rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures and/or guidelines to reach the objectives of this guideline.
2. The department and the county’s Safety Manager shall be responsible for developing and implementing an accident investigation procedure.
a. All accidents, injuries, fatalities, illnesses, and exposures involving members shall be investigated.
b. All accidents involving department vehicles, equipment, or emergency service facilities shall be investigated.
c. The department shall take whatever appropriate corrective action that is necessary to avoid repetitive occurrences of accidents and exposure to communicable diseases.
d. Records of such investigations shall be kept in accordance with the applicable provisions of this chapter.
3. Each individual member of the department shall cooperate, participate, and comply with the provisions of the occupational safety and health program.
It shall be the right of each member to be protected by an effective occupational safety and health program and to participate or be represented in the research, development, implementation, evaluation, and enforcement of the program.
E. Health and Safety Officer
1. The EMS Director and Fire Rescue Director shall appoint a designated department health and safety officer. This position shall comply with the requirements of NFPA 1521, Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer.
2. The department health and safety officer shall be responsible for the management of the occupational safety and health program and coordinate activities with the County Safety Office and applicable occupational policies.
3. The EMS Director and Fire Rescue Director shall assign or make available in accordance with Chapter 2 of NFPA 1521, Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer, such additional assistant safety officers and resources as required to fulfill the requirements of the occupational safety and health program.
F. Occupational Safety and Health Committee
1. The Monroe County Safety/Accident Review Board will serve as the occupational safety and health committee in an advisory capacity to the EMS Director and Fire Rescue Director.
The following representatives may sit on this board in an advisory capacity; the designated department health and safety officer, representatives of department management, and individual members or representatives of member organizations. The committee shall also be permitted to include other persons. If these representatives feel they would be more effective they can develop an occupational safety and health committee.
Representatives of member organizations shall be selected by their respective organizations, but the EMS Director and Fire Rescue Director shall appoint other committee members to the safety committee.
2. The purpose of this committee shall be to conduct research, develop recommendations, and study and review matters pertaining to occupational safety and health within the department.
3. The committee shall hold regularly scheduled meetings and shall be permitted to hold special meetings whenever necessary. Regular meetings shall be held at least once every six months. Written minutes of each meeting shall be retained and shall be made available to all members.
G. Records
1. The department in conjunction with the county’s Safety Manager shall establish a data collection system and maintain permanent records of all accidents, injuries, illnesses, exposures to infectious agents and communicable diseases, or deaths that are or might be job related.
2. The data collection system shall also maintain individual records of any occupational exposure to known or suspected toxic products or infectious or communicable diseases.
3. The department shall assure that a confidential health record for each member and a health data base is maintained as specified in Chapter 13.8 of this guideline.
4. The department shall maintain training records for each member indicating dates, subjects covered, satisfactory completion, and, if any, certifications achieved.
5. The department shall assure that inspection, maintenance, repair, and service records are maintained for all vehicles and equipment used for emergency operations and training.
13.3 Training and Education
A. General Requirements
1. The department shall establish and maintain a training and education program with a goal of preventing occupational accidents, deaths, injuries, and illnesses.
2. The training and education provided to members shall address all of the applicable provisions of this guideline.
Equivalent levels of training shall be permitted as specified in this guideline.
3. The department shall provide training and education for all department members commensurate with the duties and functions that they are expected to perform. Members shall be provided with training and education appropriate for their duties and responsibilities before being permitted to engage in emergency operations.
4. The department shall provide training and education for all members to assure that they are able to perform their assigned duties in a safe manner that does not pose a hazard to themselves or to other members.
5. All training and education shall be provided by qualified persons.
6. Department training officers, when applicable, shall at least meet the qualifications for Instructor I as specified in NFPA 1041, Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications.
7. The training program for all members engaged in emergency operations shall include procedures for the safe exit of members from the dangerous area in the event of equipment failure or sudden changes in conditions.
8. Training in emergency operations shall be based on standard operating procedures. These procedures shall be maintained in written form (in conjunction with the department risk management plan) and shall address anticipated emergency scene operations.
9. Training exercises shall be conducted in accordance with the established standard operating procedures and shall be supervised by qualified instructors.
10. All members who are likely to be involved in emergency operations shall be trained in the incident management system used by the department as specified in this guideline.
B. Training Requirements
1. All career members who engage in structural fire fighting shall meet the minimum requirements of Fire Fighter I as specified in NFPA 1001, Standard on Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. All volunteer firefighters shall at least meet the requirements as specified by the Fire Rescue Director.
2. Any training involving live fire-fighting exercises shall be conducted in compliance with NFPA 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions.
3. All fire apparatus drivers/operators shall meet the applicable requirements specified in NFPA 1002, Standard for Fire Department Vehicle Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications.
4. Any member who is primarily assigned to aircraft rescue and fire fighting shall meet the requirements specified in NFPA 1003, Standard for Airport Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications.
5. All career fire officers shall at least meet the requirements for Fire Officer I as specified in NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications. All volunteer fire officers shall at least meet the requirements as specified by fire rescue services.
6. All members who engage in wildland fire fighting shall meet the requirements for wildland fire fighters as specified in NFPA 1051, Standard for Wildland Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications.
7. All members who engage in emergency medical services shall meet the requirements F.S. 381.0034, FCA 64E-2008 and 64E-2.009.
8. All members shall meet the training requirements for infectious disease control as specified by the Emergency Services Department’s Physician, (Medical Director), and Infection Control Program.
9. All members who respond to incidents involving the release or potential release of hazardous substances shall meet at least the requirements for First Responder Operations Level as specified in NFPA 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents.
10. All members who respond to marine vessel fires from land-based companies shall be trained to meet the requirements of NFPA 1405, Guide for Land-Based Fire Fighters Who Respond to Marine Vessel Fires.
11. All members who engage in emergency operations shall be trained commensurate with their duties and responsibilities. Training shall be as frequent as necessary to ensure that members can perform their assigned duties in a safe and competent manner but shall not be less frequent than specified in this section.
The department shall assure that all members who engage in fire-fighting operations are aware of the flammability and thermal stability characteristics of various types of fabrics used in clothing.
12. Members who use respiratory protection equipment at emergency incidents or in hazardous or potentially hazardous atmospheres shall be qualified to use respiratory protection. Members shall be trained for each type and model of respiratory protection they are required to use.
13. The individual officers in charge of fire prevention, maintenance, communications, and other specialized bureaus shall be responsible for special training needed by the personnel assigned to their particular staff function. They shall coordinate this special training with other programs of the department and with the training officer.
14. Where the department is responsible for nonstructural fire-fighting operations, including but not limited to wildland or other exterior fires, the department shall provide training in such fire-fighting operations in compliance with NFPA 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions.
15. These training sessions shall be in addition to the training required in this chapter for members who are also assigned to structural fire-fighting duties.
16. Smoke-generating devices that produce a hazardous atmosphere shall not be used in training exercises.
C. Frequency
1. Training shall be provided for all members as often as necessary to meet the applicable requirements of this chapter, but not less than twice each year.
2. Whenever changes in standard operating procedures or technology are introduced, or new hazards are identified in the work environment, appropriate training and education shall be provided for all affected members.
3. Where the department is responsible for structural fire-fighting operations, the department shall provide structural fire-fighting training at least monthly.
4. Members who engage in structural fire fighting shall attend a minimum of 10 monthly structural fire-fighting training sessions. Members shall participate in at least 24 hours of structural fire-fighting training annually.
5. Members who are primarily assigned to nonstructural fire-fighting operations shall attend nonstructural fire-fighting training sessions consisting of at least 24 hours of training annually.
6. Members who occasionally are assigned to nonstructural fire-fighting operations shall attend nonstructural fire-fighting training sessions consisting of at least nine hours annually.
D. Special Operations
1. Specific and advanced training and education shall be provided to members who engage in special operations.
2. The department shall develop written standard operating procedures and/or guidelines that describe the actions to be taken in situations involving special operations and shall include these standard operating procedures and/or guidelines in the advanced training and education program.
3. All members who are likely to be involved in hazardous materials mitigation shall be trained to the appropriate level above First Responder Operations in accordance with NFPA 472, Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents.
13.4 Vehicles, Equipment and Drivers
A. Emergency Service Vehicles
1. The department shall consider safety and health as primary concerns in the specification, design, construction, acquisition, operation, maintenance, inspection, and repair of all emergency service department vehicles.
2. All new fire apparatus, including but not limited to pumpers, initial fire attack, mobile water supply, ladder and elevating platforms, and special service apparatus, shall be specified and ordered to meet the applicable requirements of NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. All licensed ambulances shall be spec and ordered to meet KKK-1822, FAC 64E-2.
3. All new wildland fire apparatus shall be specified and ordered to meet the requirements of NFPA 1906, Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus.
4. Where tools, equipment, or respiratory protection are carried within enclosed seating areas of emergency vehicles, such items shall be secured by either a positive mechanical means of holding the item in its stowed position or in a compartment with a positive latching door. The means of holding the item in place or the compartment shall be designed to minimize injury to persons in the enclosed area of the vehicle caused by loose equipment during travel and in the event of an accident, a rapid deceleration, or a rapid acceleration.
B. Drivers/Operators of Emergency Service Apparatus
1. Department vehicles shall be operated only by members who have successfully completed an approved driver training program or by student drivers who are under the supervision of a qualified driver. Driver/operators of fire apparatus shall meet the requirements specified in Chapter 13.3 of this guideline. Driver/operators of an ambulance shall meet F.S. 401, FAC 64E-2.012.
2. Drivers of department vehicles shall have valid driver's licenses. Vehicles shall be operated in compliance with all traffic laws, including sections pertaining to emergency vehicles, and any requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.
3. Drivers of department vehicles shall be directly responsible for the safe and prudent operation of the vehicles under all conditions. When the driver is under the direct supervision of an officer, that officer shall also assume responsibility for the actions of the driver.
4. Drivers shall not move department vehicles until all persons on the vehicle are seated and secured with seat belts in approved riding positions, other than as specifically allowed in this chapter.
5. During non-emergency travel, drivers of department vehicles shall obey all traffic control signals and signs and all laws and rules of the road of the jurisdiction for the operation of motor vehicles.
6. The department shall develop standard operating procedures for safely driving department vehicles during non-emergency travel and emergency response and shall include specific criteria for vehicle speed, crossing intersections, traversing railroad grade crossings, and the use of emergency warning devices. Such procedures for emergency response shall emphasize that the safe arrival of department vehicles at the emergency scene is the first priority.
7. During emergency response, drivers of department vehicles shall bring the vehicle to a complete stop under any of the following circumstances:
a. When directed by a law enforcement officer
b. Red traffic lights
c. Stop signs
d. Negative right-of-way intersections
e. Blind intersections
f. When the driver cannot account for all lanes of traffic in an intersection
g. When other intersection hazards are present
h. When encountering a stopped school bus with flashing warning lights
Drivers shall proceed through intersections only when the driver can account for all lanes of traffic in the intersection.
8. During emergency response or non-emergency travel, drivers of department vehicles shall come to a complete stop at all unguarded railroad grade crossings. Drivers shall assure that it is safe to proceed before crossing the railroad track(s). Drivers shall also use caution when approaching and crossing any guarded grade railroad crossing.
9. The department shall include in the driver training program information on the potential hazards of retarders, such as engine, transmission, and driveline retarders, and shall develop written procedures pertaining to the use of such retarders.
10. The department shall develop written procedures requiring drivers to discontinue the use of manual brake limiting valves, frequently labeled as a "wet road/dry road" switch, and requiring that the valve/switch remains in the "dry road" position.
C. Persons Riding in Apparatus
1. All persons riding in apparatus shall be seated and belted securely by seat belts in approved riding positions and at any time the vehicle is in motion other than as allowed in this section. Standing or riding on tail steps, sidesteps, running boards, or in any other exposed position shall be specifically prohibited. Seatbelts shall not be released or loosened for any purpose while the vehicle is in motion, including the donning of respiratory protection equipment or protective clothing.
a. Members actively performing necessary emergency medical care while the vehicle is in motion shall be secured to the vehicle by a seat belt, or by a safety harness designed for occupant restraint, to the extent consistent with the effective provision of such emergency medical care. All other persons in the vehicle shall be seated and belted in approved riding positions while the vehicle is in motion.
b. Written standard operating procedures and/or guidelines addressing all safety aspects shall be develop for hose loading operations while the vehicle is in motion.
2. Helmets and eye protection shall be provided for and used by persons riding in cabs or tiller seats that are not enclosed on at least three sides and the top.
3. On existing apparatus where there is an insufficient number of seats available for the number of members assigned to or expected to ride on that piece of apparatus, alternate means of transportation that provide seating positions shall be used. Such alternate means of transportation shall include, but not be limited to, other fire apparatus, automobiles, or vans.
4. All new apparatus shall be specified and ordered in accordance with the appropriate apparatus standard specified in this chapter with a sufficient number of seats in a fully enclosed personnel area for the maximum number of persons expected to ride on the vehicle at any time. The fully enclosed personnel area shall consist of a roof, a floor, and four sides, with positive latching doors that provide total enclosure.
D. Inspection, Maintenance and Repair of Apparatus
1. All department vehicles shall be inspected at least weekly, within 24 hours after any use or repair, and prior to being placed in service or used for emergency purposes to identify and correct unsafe conditions.
2. A preventive maintenance program shall be established, and records shall be maintained as specified in this guideline. Qualified persons in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions shall perform maintenance, inspections, and repairs. Manufacturer's instructions shall be considered as minimum criteria for the maintenance, inspection, and repair of equipment.
3. The department shall establish a list of major defects to be utilized to evaluate when a vehicle shall be declared unsafe. Any department vehicle found to be unsafe shall be placed out of service until repaired.
4. All repairs to department apparatus shall be made by qualified persons experienced with the type of vehicle or the type of work to be performed in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's instructions.
5. Fire pumps on apparatus shall be service tested in accordance with the applicable requirements of NFPA 1911, Standard for Service Tests of Pumps on Fire Department Apparatus.
6. All aerial devices shall be inspected and service tested in accordance with the applicable requirements of NFPA 1914, Standard for Testing Fire Department Aerial Devices.
7. All department apparatus shall be cleaned and disinfected after responding to an emergency medical incident where the potential for contamination from exposure to communicable diseases could have occurred. Cleaning and disinfecting shall be in accordance with NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program.
E. Tools and Equipment
1. The department shall consider safety and health as primary concerns in the specification, design, construction, acquisition, operation, maintenance, inspection, and repair of all tools and equipment.
The hearing conservation objectives of this guideline shall be taken into account in the acquisition of new power tools and power equipment.
2. All new department ground ladders shall be specified and ordered to meet the applicable requirements of NFPA 1931, Standard on Design of and Design Verification Tests for Fire Department Ground Ladders.
3. All new fire hose shall be specified and ordered to meet the applicable requirements of NFPA 1961, Standard on Fire Hose.
4. All new department spray nozzles shall be specified and ordered to meet the applicable requirements of NFPA 1964, Standard for Spray Nozzles (Shutoff and Tip).
5. All equipment carried on apparatus or designated for training shall be inspected at least weekly and within 24 hours after any use. Inventory records shall be maintained for the equipment carried on each vehicle. Records shall also be maintained for equipment designated for training.
6. All equipment carried on apparatus or designated for training shall be tested at least annually in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and applicable standards.
7. Medical or fire-fighting equipment found to be defective or in unserviceable condition shall be removed from service and repaired or replaced.
8. All department equipment and tools shall be cleaned and disinfected after responding to an emergency medical incident where the potential for contamination from exposure to communicable diseases might have occurred. Cleaning and disinfecting shall be in accordance the department’s Infection Control Program.
9. All ground ladders shall be inspected and s | 
