COMCOR 21.02.04 Safety While on Apparatus

Apparatus. All fire and rescue vehicles.

Corporation. A fire or rescue corporation established in the County, authorized to provide fire, rescue, or emergency medical services.

Department. Department of Fire and Rescue Services.

Partially protected position. A seated riding position equipped with a seat belt in partially enclosed or open cab apparatus, including open tiller position, bucket, and jump seat.

Personnel. All on-duty fire, rescue and emergency medical service personnel, including career. volunteer, and County Merit System employees.

Protected position. A fully enclosed seated riding position equipped with a seatbelt in a fire or rescue vehicle.

Protective clothing. Turnout gear, consisting of, at a minimum, helmet, turnout coat, turnout pants, and boots.

Safety device. A bar, chain, gate, or seat belt which is part of or attached to the apparatus and can be used to secure personnel while they are riding or driving the vehicles.

Unprotected position. A riding position which is not a protected position or partially protected position, including the sideboard and backstep of apparatus.

It is the policy of the Fire and Rescue Commission to ensure the safety of all personnel while riding, driving, or operating fire and rescue apparatus. In order to implement this policy, the Commission is establishing safety procedures and requiring that they be complied with consistently.

Riding Backstep Prohibited. Riding on backsteps or in any other exposed position and standing while riding are prohibited. However, in controlled circumstances during parades and funeral processions and for tiller driver training, or in extreme circumstances in which there is no alternative, the Director of the Department or the Corporation Chief may permit personnel to ride on the back step of a vehicle, or in an exposed position, or while standing. When personnel ride on the back step or in an exposed position or while standing, protective clothing must be worn, except during parades and funeral processions. In all riding situations, all available safety devices must be used.

When proceeding to any emergency incident:

When proceeding to a routine incident or other activity not requiring emergency response, personnel may not ride apparatus while standing or while in an unprotected position and all personnel riding in protected or partially protected positions must be seated and secure all available safety devices.

During parades and funeral processions, each intersection along the ceremonial route must be secured against cross traffic by prior arrangement with appropriate police departments or with Corporation or Department personnel during the time that apparatus is in the intersection. As an additional safeguard, the procession coordinator is responsible for arranging and verifying that the route has been secured before the procession begins. If the route cannot be secured, personnel must not stand or ride in unprotected positions.

During tiller driver training, the ladder truck must be equipped with a seat for the trainer ("trainer seat").

If patient care prevents the attendant(s) in an ambulance or Mobile Intensive Care Unit from using seatbelts, the attendant(s) may remove them. The driver must be notified and must use extreme caution while en route to the hospital.

Seat belts must be installed and maintained in good working order in all apparatus riding positions.

When apparatus design precludes the seating of the required minimum staffing levels in protected or partially protected positions, personnel responding in other apparatus may be counted towards that unit's minimum staffing. Each Corporation must develop alternatives to

Drivers must not move apparatus until all personnel on the vehicle are seated and secured with safety devices in approved riding positions, except as noted in Section 5(c).*

If the Corporation's safety policy is more stringent than the provisions specified in this policy, the Corporation's policy will apply.