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300-001 Firefighter Accountability System Effective Date: 2/23/00 References: September 21st, 2011 – modified due to new color scheme and tag system October 23rd, 2013 – revised to recognize helmet sticker addition Next Review: Modified Date: 04/25/2023 CLASSIFICATION: STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE Issued By: Michael Biviano, County Chiefs President Scott Roman, Fire Coordinator Purpose: In order to improve fire ground safety for all members of the Cortland County Fire Service, it is necessary to be able to account for all personnel assigned to or working at the scene of a fire or rescue emergency. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.134(b)(8)(OSHA) requires that appropriate surveillance of employee work area conditions and degree of employee exposures or stress to be maintained when SCBA is in use. Definitions: 1. TAG COLOR CODES a. White - Support b. Orange - Recruit c. Red - Exterior d. Green - Interior e. Blue - RIT 2. Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) – a team of interior firefighters who are designated for the single purpose of conducting search and rescue of downed, trapped or lost firefighters. Assigned by the Incident Commander, these firefighters must be fully equipped and prepared to react immediately upon orders from the IC. The IC does have the authority to reassign the firefighters as they see necessary for operational tactics and objectives. IC is assuming all responsibility for not having a RIT Team in place. 3. Hazardous Environment – a hazardous environment is any environment that poses, or has the potential of posing an unreasonable risk to human health and life. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4. Accountability Officer – the Accountability Officer will control the entry point by collecting the Task Accountability Tag from Firefighters prior to entering the structure. The Accountability Officer must retrieve the tags left at the door. 5. Accountability Board – is a special board for maintaining firefighter accountability for firefighters entering a hazardous environment. The board is arranged with rings. Tags should be attached to the board by company and assignment with the company leader’s tag clipped to the leader’s tag. 6. Accountability Tags – ID tags used to account for firefighters presence on Emergency Incidents. Two tags are issued to each member with one being a scene tag and the second being a task tag. a. The City of Cortland utilizes a Passport ID Accountability System that has been authorized. However, it should be noted that all members of the Cortland Fire Department possess Accountability Tag that will be used when operating at any incident outside the City of Cortland. Policy: 1. Every firefighter will be issued two accountability tags which are to be attached to the outside of their turnout coat 2. The accountability tags will have member name, department name, picture and certification level. 3. Any firefighter receiving an interior or RIT accountability tag must be clean shaven for their accountability tag photo. 5. When arriving on a fire truck, one of the firefighter’s accountability tags will remain with the apparatus. 6. Firefighters arriving at the scene of an incident by any other means than a fire truck shall keep both accountability tags on their person. 7. Just prior to entering a Hazardous Environment or beginning interior structural firefighting, the firefighter’s task tag will be given to the Incident Commander or Accountability Officer if one has been assigned. ---PAGE BREAK--- 8. If the Incident Commander is not available or an Accountability Officer has not been assigned, the firefighters will hook their tags to the team leaders tag and attach it to the accountability board if available. If no accountability board is available, the firefighters will hook their tags together. The accountability board or firefighter accountability tags will be left at the hinged side of the door before entering the structure. 9. Once an Accountability Officer is assigned, the tags will be collected. 10. Firefighters that will be operating on the roof, tip of their aerial, or in the bucket of their aerial shall tag in with the apparatus operator of the aerial, Accountability Officer if one in the area, or by placing their tag at the base of the ground ladder they are climbing to access the roof. 11. When you are given an assignment, you will proceed to do the assigned task. After completing said assignment or upon exiting the structure or hazardous environment, you will retrieve your accountability tag and await further assignment. Responsibilities: 1. Incident Commander a. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to account for all personnel involved in mitigating a fire, hazardous materials or rescue emergency. b. It is highly recommended to request a RIT Team for all working structure fires. It is acknowledged that most departments no longer support RIT teams within their individual departments. 2. Firefighters a. Upon exiting the structure or other hazardous environments, firefighters must retrieve their Accountability Task Tag. b. In the interest of firefighter safety, the Accountability System is intended to be the means for accounting of firefighters. It is the responsibility of all firefighters to participate in the program fully. ISSUED BY COUNTY CHIEFS PRESIDENT ISSUED BY FIRE COORDINATOR Michael Biviano Scott Roman