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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSOG 301.01 REVISED 6-2014_Vehicle Placement in or near TrafficS.O.G. 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Traffic Effective: 8/1/1999 Revised: 6/5/2014 Ai-f,e- N,-ff, Fmv- e1-4 Replaces: U.O.G. 301.01 B III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III I III III III III III III III 111 1111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 111 I. Guiding PhilosophX Working in roadways and around other vehicular traffic is a very dangerous aspect of emergency response. We strive to position response vehicles so that tactical advantages are maximized while keeping responders protected from vehicular and other hazards. II. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for response vehicle placement when responders are operating in or near vehicular traffic. III. Goals The goals of this policy are to: A. Provide general safety and operational considerations to be followed by all personnel whenever working in roadways or near moving vehicular traffic. B. Provide specific guidelines for response vehicle placement at intersections. C. Provide specific guidelines for response vehicle placement on freeways or freeway service roads. IV. Definitions A. Block — Positioning a fire department vehicle at an angle to the lanes of traffic creating a physical barrier between moving traffic and the work area. B. Curb Side — The side of the apparatus directly next to a curb and away from the path of moving traffic. C. Downstream — The roadway past the incident scene where traffic is heading. D. Upstream — The roadway before the incident scene where traffic is coming from. V. Safetv and General Guidelines A. Be alert and maintain situational awareness when working in or around moving vehicular traffic. Unlike some events, the danger does not let up with the passing of time. Each approaching motorist poses an ongoing potential threat to scene safety. 1. Always look before you step! Always keep an eve on the traffic! SOG 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Vehicular Traffic Page 1 of 5 a. Exit the emergency apparatus on the curb side if possible. If you must exit close to moving traffic, do so only after visually checking that it is safe and clear to proceed. b. Train yourself to always look carefully at the flow of all traffic before exiting the vehicle and remind others to do the same. Do not develop tunnel vision or let the conditions of the emergency scene distract you from the immediate dangers present from other vehicles. c. Avoid walking between the parked fire apparatus and traffic flowing adjacent to it. If absolutely necessary to do so, walk as close to the fire apparatus as possible and maintain constant eye contact with the moving traffic. d. Do not open compartment doors or unload equipment too close to traffic flowing past the fire apparatus. 2. Never assume that approaching motorists see you! a. r F1 All members on scene performing support duties or involved in activities other than those listed in S.O.G. 303.03 MYA.)1-3 are required to don ANSI -compliant vests or bunker gear with good reflective markings if working in or near vehicular traffic. Other motorists are often very distracted by the emergency response vehicles and the visual elements surrounding the scene. Always assume that these drivers will not see you and that they may respond unpredictably to your actions to gain their attention. During daytime operations, leave all emergency lights on to provide warning to other drivers. During nighttime operations, TURN OFF fire apparatus headlights. This will help reduce the blinding effect to approaching traffic. Other emergency lighting should be reduced to yellow lights and emergency flashers where possible. B. Always position a response vehicle(s) in such a way that it creates a shield against other nearby traffic and establishes a relatively safe working area. 1. Where possible, this safe working area should protect both emergency workers and the treatment area for possible victims. ! 2. Where possible, angle the apparatus away from curbside (Figure 1). This will direct motorists around the scene. When doing this, be sure to: a. Allow for adequate parking space for other fire apparatus (if responding). dQ b. Leave enough distance between the emergency vehicle and the protected work vae� P0$010, anglo a or w area that other vehicles cannot run into the a degree anqlt Rom the crow fire apparatus and force it into the Figure 1 protected work space. SOG 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Vehicular Traffic Page 2 of 5 C. The initial Company Officer (or unit assuming the initial on -scene Command) should consider the parking needs of late -arriving emergency apparatus and specifically direct the parkin,- and placement of these vehicles as they arrive to provide protective blocking of the scene. 1. When deciding how best to block the work area consider the need: a. For patients to be extricated, treated, and moved about the scene safely. b. To safely access tools and equipment from apparatus compartments. 2. Once enough fire apparatus are in place to "block" the scene, park or stage unneeded vehicles off the street and slightly away from traffic whenever possible. D. Whenever practical, place traffic cones or traffic LEDs at the scene to direct traffic safely around the parked apparatus and work area. 1. This should be initiated by the first company arriving on the scene and expanded, as necessary, as other companies arrive on the scene. 2. Always face on -coming traffic when placing or retrieving cones or equipment! E. If a charged hose line is needed, the pump operator is best protected from other traffic by positioning the engine so that the pump panel is on the curbside or on the opposite side of on -coming traffic. F. Med Units should be directed to a safe area downstream of other blocking apparatus or placed in such a way that patients are loaded into the unit while not being exposed to on -coming or adjacent traffic. G. Call for a law enforcement response or other agencies as needed to help protect the scene. 1. Be specific when asking for cooperation from other agencies on controlling scene safety, but remember that other agencies function with different operating procedures than the fire department. The best incident results occur when all responding agencies cooperate to assist one another. 2. Any dispute on scene with other responding agencies or conflicting department protocols should be handled in a calm and professional manner. Fire -EMS Communications should be notified any time there is a significant conflict between agencies so that a supervisor from both organizations can respond to the scene. VI. Responses with Vehicle Placement at Intersections A. Follow the safety and general guidelines above. B. If the incident occurs at an intersection or in the middle of a large street, then two or more sides of the scene may need to be protected. 1. Whenever possible, it is safest to block all exposed sides. This can be accomplished by: a. Positioning fire units already on -scene or by asking on -scene law enforcement members if they can block certain areas with their units SOG 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Vehicular Traffic Page 3 of 5 (assistance from law enforcement on this issue would be based on their own department protocols and discretion). b. Calling for additional units as needed to help secure the scene. 2. If there are not enough responding units to block all the exposed sides, prioritize the blocking starting with the highest possible risk down to the least critical risk (see Figures 2, 3, & 4). figure $ F' ggrp 1 iugerra 44 Oftentimes two or more sides may, need to be protected, pn rdtzs plsesmln# of the apparatus by blocking frim thre most crilioot to the best crrlioot side. VII. Resoonses with Vehicle Placement on Freeways or Freewav Service Roads A. Freeway emergencies pose an elevated risk to emergency personnel largely due to the speed of other motorists and higher volume of traffic. At freeway speeds, civilian motorists have little opportunity or space to slow, stop or change lanes to avoid an accident. To help minimize these risks: 1. Follow the safety, general guidelines and blocking techniques provided in this policy. 2. Place traffic cones and traffic LEDs farther behind the emergency scene to give on -coming drivers more notice to slow down. a. Traffic cones and traffic LEDs should be placed upstream from the blocking apparatus. b. Cones should be spaced at 20' intervals behind the scene into the upstream travel at an angle diverting them around the blocking apparatus to allow adequate warning to drivers and to show the intended lanes of travel. c. Always face on-comim- traffic when placim- or retrievin'- cones or equipment! 3. Pay particular attention to upstream travel if visibility is obstructed by bad weather, a curve in the roadway, or if the accident is on the downward side of a hill or overpass. To help on -coming motorists in these situations, it may be necessary to: a. Call for additional units, and/or SOG 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Vehicular Traffic Page 4 of 5 b. Ask other responding agencies to move farther behind the initial safe work area, and c. Start to block affected lanes ahead of the limited visibility. B. Blocking in freeway situations is generally only used for the direction of travel that the wreck occurs and should close only the lanes necessary to work safely. 1. While the fire department's top priority is always the safety of our responders, members must also understand that shutting down the entire freeway creates the potential for more accidents. a. The Department of Transportation prefers that at least one lane of travel remain open whenever possible to minimize the potential for the current wreck to create additional problems as traffic backs up upstream. b. Shutting down the entire freeway is an option if it is a must for scene safety, but it is a decision that should not be made without due cause. 2. Command should establish a liaison with the law enforcement agency responsible for traffic control as soon as possible to jointly provide a safe parking and work area and to quickly resolve the incident. C. Be careful crossing from one side of the freeway to another for access. 1. This may be necessary for response and a timely arrival, but it can create the need for additional blocking apparatus to secure both sides of the work area. 2. Also remember that overpass lanes in opposite directions of travel can be separated by a physical gap between lanes with a sheer drop to the ground below. D. The termination of the incident must be managed with the same focused attention as initial response. Crews, apparatus, and equipment must be removed from the freeway promptly, to reduce exposure to moving traffic and to lessen the potential for additional accidents. SOG 301.01 — Vehicle Placement Operating In or Near Vehicular Traffic Page 5 of 5