WAC 296-305-05001
Emergency fireground operations -- Structural. (1) The fire
department shall establish an incident command system (ICS) with written guidelines applying
to all members involved in emergency operations. All members involved in emergency
operations shall be familiar with the ICS system. Personnel shall be trained and qualified by
their department in the incident command system prior to taking a supervisory role at an
emergency scene.
(2) At an emergency incident, the incident commander shall be responsible for the
overall safety of all members and all activities occurring at the scene.
(3) All emergency incidents shall be managed by an ICS; the incident commander shall
establish an organization with sufficient supervisory personnel to control the position and
function of all members operating at the scene and to ensure that safety requirements are
satisfied.
(4) At an emergency incident, the incident commander shall have the responsibility to:
(a) Assume and confirm command and take an effective command position.
(b) Perform situation evaluation that includes risk assessment.
(c) Initiate, maintain, and control incident communication.
(d) Develop an overall strategy and attack plan and assign units to operations.
(e) Develop an effective incident organization by managing resources, maintaining an
effective span of control, and maintaining direct supervision over the entire incident by creating
geographical and/or functional areas as appropriate for the scope and size of the incident.
(f) Review, evaluate, and revise the operational plan as required.
(g) Continue, transfer, and terminate command.
(5) The fire department shall develop a risk management policy that can be implemented
into the function of incident command and the development of incident strategies.
The risk management policy should include direction and guidance to the incident
commander in formulating incident planning relating to the level of risk that may be undertaken
in any given incident to save lives and to save property in as safe a manner as dictated by the
situation.
(6) The fire department shall establish written procedures and guidelines for tracking all
members operating at an emergency incident.
(7) The incident command system shall provide for control of access to hazardous areas
of the incident scene by department members.
(8) Fire fighters operating in hazardous areas at emergency structural fire incidents shall
operate in teams of two or more.
Team members operating in hazardous areas shall be in communication with each other
through visual, audible, physical, safety guide rope, or electronic means, or by other means in
order to coordinate their activities. Team members shall be in close proximity to each other to
provide assistance in case of emergency.
(9) The fire department shall provide personnel for the rescue of members operating at
emergency incidents as the need arises.
(10) Before beginning interior structural fire fighting operations, the incident commander
must evaluate the situation and risks to operating teams.
(a) Except as provided in WAC 296-305-05001(11), fire fighters must not engage in
interior structural fire fighting in the absence of at least two standby fire fighters.
(b) All standby fire fighters must be fully equipped with the appropriate protective
clothing, protective equipment and SCBA.
(c) Standby members must remain aware of the status of fire fighters in the hazardous
area.
(d) Standby members must remain in positive communication with the entry team(s), in
full protective clothing the SCBA donned in the standby mode.
(e) Standby members may be permitted to perform other duties outside the hazardous
area, provided constant communication is maintained between a standby member and the entry
team(s), and provided that those duties will not interfere with the standby members' ability to
participate in a rescue as appropriate.
(f) Early consideration should be given to providing one or more rapid intervention
teams commensurate with the needs of the situation.
(11) In the "initial stage" of a structure fire-incident where only one team is operating in
the hazardous area, where additional resources can reasonably be expected, and where
exceptional circumstances indicate that immediate action may be necessary to prevent or
mitigate the loss of life or serious injury to citizenry or fire fighters, at least one additional fire
fighter must be assigned to stand by outside the hazardous area where the team is operating.
(a) The standby fire fighter must remain aware of the status of fire fighters in the
hazardous area.
(b) The standby fire fighter must remain in positive communication with the entry team,
in full protective clothing with SCBA donned in the standby mode.
(c) The standby fire fighter may be permitted to perform other duties outside the
hazardous area, provided constant communications is maintained with the team in the hazardous
area, and provided that those duties will not interfere with his or her ability to initiate a rescue as
appropriate.
(d) Once additional resources have arrived on the scene, the incident must no longer be
considered in its initial stage and all the requirements of WAC 296-305-05001(10) must be met.
Note:
Nothing in this section shall prevent activities which may reasonably be taken by members first on the scene to determine the
nature and extent of fire involvement.
(12) The fire department shall develop and maintain written guidelines for the safety of
members at incidents that involve violence, unrest, or civil disturbance. Such situations may
include but not be limited to riots, fights, violent crimes, drug related situations, family
disturbances, deranged individuals, and people interfering with fire department operations.
(13) Officers at emergency scenes shall maintain an awareness of the physical condition
of members operating within their span of control and ensure that adequate steps are taken to
provide for their safety and health. The command structure shall be utilized to request relief and
reassignment of fatigued crews.
(14) Wildfire suppression personal protective clothing/equipment shall not be utilized for
interior attacks on structures.
(15) Teams in the hazardous area shall have positive communication capabilities with the
incident command structure. Incident radio communication capabilities within the incident
command structure shall include monitoring of incident-assigned frequencies (including mutual
aid radio frequencies).
(16) Prior to overhaul, buildings shall be surveyed for possible safety and health hazards.
Fire fighters shall be informed of hazards observed during the survey.
(17) During the overhaul phase officers shall identify materials likely to contain asbestos,
limiting the breaching of structural materials to that which is necessary to prevent rekindle.
(18) Floatation devices shall be made available to fire fighters at incidents where
drowning is a possibility. This is not intended to include pools and hot tubs.
(19) Fire fighters shall not cut the electrical drip loop providing power to the structure
nor pull the electrical meter.
(20) Traffic cones or other traffic control devices shall be utilized when vehicular traffic
hazards exist at an emergency operation.