BETSY LAYNE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
JUNE 9, 2014

SOP #1 The highest ranking officer present at the fireground will be the officer in charge unless he appoints another on-scene incident commander as conditions necessitate.
SOP #2 Unit # 3 should be taken on each structure fire within the fire protection district.
SOP #3 The pump apparatus driver is to be the PUMP ENGINEER at the fireground and is responsible for the pump operation unless he is relieved by the officer in charge or another qualified engineer.
SOP #4 The Water Resource Officer is responsible for maintaining records and knowledge of locations of all water supply sources.
SOP #5 The duties of each firefighter are as follows:
OFFICER IN CHARGE – responsible for the entire firefighting operation.
PUMP ENGINEER – responsible for operating the pump and overseeing all hose lays.
UTILITY MAN* – relay the commands of officers and supply other firefighters with tools and equipment.
VENTILATION MAN # 1* – responsible for placement of ladder(s) and getting the building ventilated when so ordered.
VENTILATION MAN # 2* – responsible for assisting VENTILATION MAN # 1 throughout the entire ventilation process.
AIRTANK MAN # 1* – designated nozzle controller and is responsible for safely getting an interior attack team into and out of the building when so ordered.
AIRTANK MAN # 2* – responsible for search and rescue along with assisting AIRTANK MAN # 1.
HOSE PERSON* – responsible for laying and preparing the hose designated by the officer in charge.  He then is to operate it as directed throughout the firefighting operation.
 
SOP #6 These duties* are to be designated at the scene by the highest ranking officer.
SOP #7 At least two men must be used in an operation involving air tanks.
SOP #8 All equipment is to be made operable and ready to be used on the next alarm when it is returned to the fire station.
SOP #9 No personnel shall be sitting or standing on the back or side of any apparatus at any time while it is in motion.
SOP #10 Fire department apparatus shall not exceed 5 MPH over the speed limit at any time.  Any person caught disobeying will be fined ten dollars ($10).
SOP #11 Personal vehicles shall not exceed 10 MPH over the speed limit at any time while on a call or on fire department business.  Any person caught disobeying will be first offense warned, second offense fined ten dollars ($10), and upon third offense, further disciplinary action will be taken by membership.  All action or actions must be by majority vote.
SOP #12 All apparatus and personal vehicles shall obey all traffic signs and lights unless otherwise noted*
*Train crossings may be disregarded at the driver’s judgment.  Traffic signs and lights may also be avoided at reduced speeds if safe to do so.
SOP #13 Personnel must wear seatbelts at all times while a fire apparatus is in motion.
SOP #14 Designated drivers of this department will be the presently CERTIFIED firefighters with a valid Kentucky’s operator’s license.
Subsection A. Newly certified firefighters shall be given a test on driving, pump operation, and equipment.  This test is to be given by the Fire Chief and he will pass or fail at his discretion.
SOP #15 A senior firefighter shall be in charge if there is not an officer present on the scene or until he is relieved by the highest ranking officer.
SOP #16 In order to use any type of red light or siren, a firefighter shall have written permission from the Fire Chief.
SOP #17 The federal alarm shall be activated on each structure fire.
SOP #18 Every member should complete sixteen (16) training hours annually outside of this department.
SOP #19 Upon taking an emergency phone call on a fire phone, personnel must ask the required information.
SOP #20 While communicating over the radio, personnel should use proper communication per training.
SOP #21 The highest ranking officer shall be responsible for all reports to be filled out as completely as soon as possible before leaving the scene. 
SOP #22 A firefighter should be on stand-by wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus and ready to enter the building in the event that the attack team is in need of any assistance.
SOP #23 Two firefighters should be on stand-by equipped with a self-contained breathing apparatus as a back-up crew for the second phase of interior attack when so possible.
SOP #24 The department shall have a SAFETY OFFICER and his duties shall be as follows:
*Unhook or disconnect power and/or gas from the structure
*Find a second escape route for the interior attack team
*Keep a check on the entire scene for safety measures
SOP #25 One line officer should stay at the fire station when a truck is out of the district.
Subsection A. The officer to stay at the station shall be appointed by the highest ranking officer present when so possible.
SOP #26 When a firefighter arrives at an incident, they are to notify a line officer.
SOP #27 Only the line officers, truck drivers, and board members shall have assigned keys to the fire station.  Any and all other station keys will only be assigned at the discretion of the fire chief.  Anyone in violation may be disciplined.  Each station key shall be stamped with a number and those issued must sign for them.  No other copies shall be made unless it is first approved by the fire chief.
SOP #28 The department shall have a PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER and his duties shall be as follows:
* Act as a media contact on the scene of emergency incidents and fire department functions.
*Be a liaison between the line officers and general public when so necessary
*Coordinate department functions or public events.

OFFICER IN CHARGE
SOP #301.1 The officer in charge shall be responsible for the following:
Fire Prevention
Preplanning
Fire Protection
Training
Station Activities
Chain of Command
Incident Command
Rescue & Evacuation
Ventilation
Fire Suppression
Reports of Incidents and Personnel
Standard Operating Procedure Enforcement
By-Law Enforcement
Code Enforcement
Investigation
Water Supply
Communications
Accountability
Safety Measures
Management
Equipment &
Security Measures

INTERIOR FIRE ATTACK
SOP #302.1 Personnel shall wear full protective equipment (helmet, turnout coat, turnout pants, boots, gloves, and PBI hood) including a self-contained breathing apparatus during this operation.
SOP #302.2 Protective equipment shall meet or exceed NFPA 1971 (Standard for Structural Firefighting).
SOP #302.3 Personnel shall have knowledge of water flow and hose operations.
SOP #302.4 Direct hydrant streams shall not be employed unless the hydrant has a residual pressure of 100 p.s.i. or greater.
SOP #302.5 Depending on the diameter of the hose line used, the proper number of personnel shall be assigned to ensure safety of personnel involved.
SOP #302.6 The flow from two initial attack lines should be a minimum of 200 gallons per minute.
SOP #302.7 When a booster tank is used to supply the first attack line, a second line should not be charged until a permanent water supply has been established.
SOP #302.8 Attack lines used in structural firefighting shall be a minimum of 1 ½” diameter.
SOP #302.9 The total flow of the required master stream shall be a minimum of 500 gallons per minute.
SOP #302.10 It should be Betsy Layne Fire Dept. policy that initial attack pressure shall be 135 psi.  After or before, the officer in charge shall have the right to alternate the pressure to supply the needs of the situation at hand.         
SOP #302.11 Interior attack personnel shall work in teams of a minimum of two.
SOP #302.12 Personnel shall have training and experience of self-contained breathing apparatus (minimum of twenty hours).
SOP #302.13 Personnel shall have knowledge of hose flows and nozzle applications.
SOP #302.14 Personnel shall have knowledge of the back-off alarm (high-low signal).
SOP #302.15 Personnel shall wear a P.A.S.S. device.
SOP #302.16 Personnel shall never enter a structure without proper protective equipment (safety equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus, charged hose line, lights, and tools).
SOP #302.17 Personnel shall have training and experience in entry and interior fire suppression methods.
SOP #302.18 Personnel shall not enter a structure until the order is given by a line officer.
SOP #302.19 Personnel involved in interior fire suppression operations should be in good physical condition.
SOP #302.20 Personnel should not expire no more than two air cylinders in a consecutive manner without ample time for rehabilitation.
SOP #302.21 Personnel should check with a line officer after an assignment has been completed and/or after expiring two air cylinders.
Subsection A. After this, personnel shall report to the command post for rehab, to discuss fireground operations, or tend to injured personnel.
SOP #302.22 At any time when personnel is on the scene and they have not been employed, they should meet at the COMMAND POST in order to await employment.  This shall be done in order to give the line officers a reserve to choose from and enable them to avoid any confusion.

BACK-UP FIRE ATTACK
SOP #303.1 The second attack team shall follow the standards set forth in Standard Operating Procedure # 302.
SOP #303.2 The second attack team should be employed as a back-up team unless ordered to do otherwise by the officer in charge.

SEARCH AND RESCUE
SOP #304.1 Personnel shall wear full protective equipment.
SOP #304.2 Protective equipment shall meet or exceed NFPA 1971.
SOP #304.3 Personnel should wear a P.A.S.S. device during this entire operation.
SOP #304.4 Personnel shall have knowledge of the back-off alarm.        
SOP #304.5 Personnel shall have knowledge of fire behavior.
SOP #304.6 Personnel shall have knowledge of hose flows and nozzle applications.
SOP #304.7 Personnel shall have knowledge of interior fire attack (S.O.P. #302).
SOP #304.8 Personnel should have knowledge of preplans and their application on the scene.
SOP #304.9 Personnel shall have knowledge of primary and secondary search procedures.
SOP #304.10 Personnel shall have knowledge to mark rooms checked in primary and secondary searches.
SOP #304.11 Personnel shall work together maintaining communication with each other and keeping in contact with a charged hose line at all times during this procedure.
SOP #304.12 Personnel shall work in teams a minimum of two.              
SOP #304.13 Personnel should keep to one side of the structure after entry into poor visibility.
SOP #304.14 Personnel shall have knowledge of ladder rescue.             
SOP #304.15 Personnel shall have knowledge of basic ladder carries.   
SOP #304.16 Personnel involved in search and rescue operations should be in good physical condition.
SOP #304.17 Personnel shall not enter a structure until order is given by a line officer.
SOP #304.18 Personnel should not expire no more than two air cylinders in a consecutive manner without ample time for rehabilitation.
SOP #304.19 Personnel should check with a line officer after an assignment has been completed and/or after expiring two air cylinders.

VENTILATION TEAM
SOP #305.1 Personnel shall wear full protective equipment.
SOP #305.2 Protective equipment shall meet or exceed NFPA 1971.
SOP #305.3 Personnel shall have knowledge of ground ladder use (minimum of six hours).
SOP #305.4 Personnel shall have knowledge of vertical, horizontal, mechanical, and natural ventilation (minimum of six hours).
SOP #305.5 Personnel shall have knowledge of the tools available for ventilation.
SOP #305.6 Personnel shall have knowledge of using proper ventilation tools and the safety involved.
SOP #305.7 Personnel shall have knowledge of hose operations.           
SOP #305.8 Personnel shall wear a P.A.S.S. device throughout the entire operation.
SOP #305.9 Personnel shall have knowledge of the back-off alarm.       
SOP #305.10 Personnel shall employ a charged hose line (minimum of 1 ½” diameter).
SOP #305.11 Personnel shall work in teams a minimum of two.
SOP #305.12 Personnel involved in ventilation procedures should be in good physical condition.
SOP #305.13 Personnel shall not enter or ascend a structure until an order is given by a line officer.
SOP #305.14 Personnel should not expire no more than two air cylinders in a consecutive manner without ample time for rehabilitation.
SOP #305.15 Personnel should check with a line officer after an assignment has been completed and/or after expiring two air cylinders.

PUMP OPERATOR
SOP #306.1 Personnel should wear full protective equipment while on an incident.
SOP #306.2 Protective equipment shall meet or exceed NFPA 1971.      
SOP #306.3 Personnel shall have knowledge of apparatus maintenance.
SOP #306.4 Personnel shall have knowledge of local water supply sources.
SOP #306.5 Personnel should have knowledge of standpipes and sprinkler systems.
SOP #306.6 Personnel shall have obtained a minimum of twelve (12) hours of pump and hydraulics training.
SOP #306.7 Personnel should understand flows through different hose diameters (gpm), friction loss, nozzles, and their applications.
SOP #306.8 Personnel should have knowledge of Betsy Layne Fire Dept. communications.
SOP #306.9 Deleted
SOP #306.10 Personnel shall have knowledge of and the ability to employ the back-off alarm.
SOP #306.11 Personnel should never leave the pump for any reason unless relieved by an officer.
SOP #306.12 Personnel should have knowledge of fire ground evolution.  
SOP #306.13 Personnel should have knowledge of preplans and their applications on the scene.
SOP #306.14 Personnel shall have knowledge of pressure guidelines mentioned in S.O.P. #302.10.
SOP #306.15 Personnel shall have at least eight (8) hours of training annually.

BACK-OFF ALARM
SOP #307.1 Anytime a dangerous situation arises, a line officer shall employ the back-off alarm.
SOP #307.2 The Back-off alarm shall be used in case of evacuation of the fire scene.
SOP #307.3 The Back-off alarm shall consist of activating the HI-LO siren and consecutive short air-horn blasts on one of the engines for at least one (1) minute.
SOP #307.4 All personnel on the scene, including those either inside or on the structure, shall immediately report to the first pumper in operation.          
SOP #307.5 Upon arriving at an incident, personnel are to place identification tags on the appropriate site on the first pumper in operation.
SOP #307.6 Personnel should then check with a line officer for his assignment.
SOP #307.7 In the event of a back-off alarm, all personnel shall meet at the first pumper in operation and a roll call shall be employed.
SOP #307.8 In the event of a missing firefighter, a search shall immediately be launched by a line officer.

RESPONSE TO BOMB THREATS
SOP #308.1 In the event of a bomb threat, responding firefighters shall respond in the “silent mode” meaning lights and sirens shall not be employed during this call.  Firefighters are also not to have any radio communications while on the scene or in the vicinity of the call.  Their only job will be to ensure that the building has been evacuated and not to conduct a search leaving that to the appropriate authorities.

INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (I.C.S.)
SOP #309.1 Should be employed at each incident.
SOP #309.2 Personnel should be trained in large-scale operations.  

SALVAGE AND OVERHAUL
SOP #310.1 Personnel involved should wear full protective equipment and a self-contained breathing apparatus when necessary.
SOP #310.2 Personnel may move structural components if necessary but save evidence of the fire origin.
SOP #310.3 Salvage covers may be used as indicated on preplans or as instructed by a line officer.
SOP #310.4 Personnel should follow guidelines for interior attack.              

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
SOP #311.1 The department should operate under the “First Responder Awareness Level” as described in OSHA 1910.120 Section 1.
SOP #311.2 Personnel should have knowledge of what hazardous materials are and the risk associated with them in an incident.
SOP #311.3 Personnel should have knowledge of the potential outcome associated with an emergency created when hazardous materials are present.
SOP #311.4 Personnel should have the ability to recognize the presence of hazardous materials in an emergency.
SOP #311.5 Personnel should have the ability to identify the hazardous materials if possible.
SOP #311.6 Personnel shall have an understanding of the role of the first responder awareness individual in the employers emergency response plan (including the site, security, and control) in the U.S. Dept. of Transportation emergency response guidebook.
SOP #311.7 Personnel should have the ability to realize the need for additional resources and to make the appropriate notifications to the communication center.
 SOP #311.8 Personnel shall have training in responding to a hazardous materials scene and of the evacuation to be applied.
SOP #311.9 Personnel shall wear full protective turnout equipment (and a self-contained breathing apparatus) when necessary.
SOP #311.10 Personnel shall not enter a release site for ANY reason if a substance is leaking.

UNIT # 3
SOP #312.1 Shall obey all by-laws and standard operating procedures set forth by the department with the exception of leaving the fire protection district.               
SOP #312.2 All personnel that respond with this unit either inside or outside of the fire protection district shall have knowledge of extrication and wear full protective turnout equipment for safety measures.
SOP #312.3 When Unit-3 is operating on the scene within the Betsy Layne Fire Protection District, it shall be used as a service support vehicle per discretion of a line officer.      
SOP #312.4 When this unit is called upon inside the boundaries of the fire protection district, an engine should respond with it.
SOP #312.5 When this unit is called upon outside of the fire protection district, it shall operate with a crew of no more than four (4) and no less than two (2) when so possible.
SOP #312.6 All members responding outside of the fire protection district should meet at the fire station and respond with this unit.
Subsection A. If personnel has to respond in a personal vehicle, they shall follow the unit and park away from the scene and off the highway when so possible.
SOP #312.7 When this unit is operating outside of the boundaries of the fire protection district, its only purpose is to be extrication.  Once that is complete, the unit shall return to the fire station.
SOP #312.8 Unit-3 may be called upon to respond to a structure fire or other department activities within the fire protection district if it is needed for its entry tools, limited first aid, or lighting.
SOP #312.9 It should be understood that a Betsy Layne Fire Dept. emergency medical technician shall act as the safety officer on the scene when the appointed one is not present.  Therefore instructing, rearranging, and yielding the extrication operation for due regard of the safety of the victims or any fire personnel.
SOP #312.10 In order to operate this unit, personnel shall have a valid Kentucky’s operator’s license, be a member in good standing, and shall have accumulated at least twelve (12) hours of driver’s training.  Personnel shall pass both a written and driving test at the discretion of the Fire Chief.  

AERIAL # 7
SOP #313.1 Personnel should wear full protective turnout equipment when operating this apparatus.
SOP #313.2 Personnel shall be trained in pumping hydraulics, aerial operations, and truck positioning before operating this unit.
SOP #313.3 Personnel should be certified on all pumpers and the aerial before driving this apparatus.
SOP #313.4 Personnel shall have knowledge of hazards involving overhead power lines.
SOP #313.5 Personnel operating the pump while ladder is out of the ladder bed shall use the platform as the location for pump engineer.
SOP #313.6 Personnel shall have knowledge of proper placement of outriggers.
SOP #313.7 Personnel shall have knowledge of operating aerial device when outriggers are short-jacked.
SOP #313.8 Outriggers are to be employed upon solid ground always using the foot plates.
SOP #313.9 At least three (3) firefighters are needed to operate Aerial 7 (a pump operator, a turntable operator, and a ladder tip operator).
SOP #313.10 One firefighter should remain at the turntable controls at all times while the ladder is in the air.
SOP #313.11 Utility and ladder lights should be used at night or in any low visibility situation.
SOP #313.12 At least three (3) firefighters should be assigned to this unit on a mutual aid call.
SOP #313.13 Personnel shall have knowledge of collapse zones to position this unit.
SOP #313.14 Personnel entering or exiting the turntable shall ask for permission from the turntable operator unless in emergency rescue efforts.              
SOP #313.15 Personnel shall have knowledge of proper ladder placement against a building or rescuing from a window.

DEFINITIONS
CERTIFIED  indicates having at least the required 150 hours to meet the KY Fire Commission standards.
COMMAND POST indicates the first engine on scene and/or in operation
P.A.S.S. DEVICE indicates a Personal Alert Safety System
SCBA indicates a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
SHALL indicates a mandatory requirement
SHOULD indicates a recommendation, although it isn’t mandated.