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) Firefighters 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 firefighting
operations, the incident commander must evaluate the situation
and risks to operating teams.
(a) Except as provided in WAC 296-305-05001(11),
firefighters must not engage in interior structural
firefighting in the absence of at least two standby
firefighters.
(b) All standby firefighters must be fully equipped with
the appropriate protective clothing, protective equipment and
SCBA.
(c) Standby members must remain aware of the status of
firefighters 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 firefighters, at least one
additional firefighter must be assigned to stand by outside
the hazardous area where the team is operating.
(a) The standby firefighter must remain aware of the
status of firefighters in the hazardous area.
(b) The standby firefighter must remain in positive
communication with the entry team, in full protective clothing
with SCBA donned in the standby mode.
(c) The standby firefighter 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. Firefighters 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
firefighters at incidents where drowning is a possibility. This is not intended to include pools and hot tubs.
(19) Firefighters 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.