Safety Stand Down 2024: Fire Training: Back to Basics

Activities

Leadership:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network programs, "Traffic Incident Management: Model Practices and Procedures," "Recommended Practices for TIM SOPs," and "Traffic Incident Management Requirements in NFPA 1500."
• Review your department's SOPs for roadway response, including high visibility garments and PPE, incident command, scene size-up, setting up a traffic incident management area (TIMA), blocking procedures and safe parking/positioning, emergency lighting deployment, manual traffic control protocols, scene control, move it or work it decision-making, response in Privately Owned Vehicles (POVs), termination, operation in special situations (vehicle fires, HAZMAT, crash investigations, medical helicopter landings), backing up apparatus, and after action reviews.
• Revise any SOPs that are outdated or inconsistent. Model SOPs to help you craft your department's SOPs on some of these topics are available here. and here.
• Review your department's training schedule and incorporate training on revised SOPs or reinforcement of existing SOPs.
• Review NFPA 1500's chapter on Traffic Incident Management to ensure your department is following these best practices even if the standard is not required in your jurisdiction.

Fire Officers:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module, "Roadway Incident Safety Training Guidance for Fire Officers" Encourage your crews to do the same.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network program, "Traffic Incident Management: Training & Resources."
• Teach a lesson from the ResponderSafety.com Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Packages, which provide an overview of all the major components of integrating roadway safety and traffic control into department operations. The lesson plan is available here.
• Discuss a case study from the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program reports where traffic incident management was a contributing factor. Check the contributing factors list for traffic control factors.

Safety Officers:

• Review the Roadway Safety Short "How to Safely Pass an Emergency Scene" during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce how important traffic control is to signaling motorists what to do when approaching a roadway incident scene.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Traffic Incident Management: Strategies for Public Outreach"

Frontline Responders:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Recommended Practices for TIM SOPs"

Activities

Leadership:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network modules “Personal Protective Equipment for Roadway Incident Response” to learn about PPE requirements and how to select and correctly and consistently wear PPE, “Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incident Responses” for factors to consider in selecting a helmet, and "High Visibility Innovations" to see how to make your fire apparatus and emergency vehicles more visible to oncoming traffic.
• Consider ways in which your fire apparatus can be retrofitted to be more visible and resolve to work on these modifications this year.
• Review your department's high visibility apparel SOP with all officers and direct them to review it with their crews.
• Review the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices section pertaining to high visibility apparel to ensure you are in compliance, as well as any state MUTCD or state supplement in your state.
• Check your stock of high visibility apparel and order any needed items.
• Verify that all personnel have been issued high visibility apparel and it remains in usable condition
• Order any necessary high visibility apparel

Fire Officers:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network modules “Personal Protective Equipment for Roadway Incident Response” to learn about PPE requirements and how to select and correctly and consistently wear PPE and “Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incident Responses” for factors to consider in selecting a helmet.
• Review the department's SOP for wearing high visibility apparel with your crews.
• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network videos, "Accepting the Challenge to Be Visible", "Be Right, Be Bright", and "Marked and Seen". Encourage your crews to do the same.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network modules “Personal Protective Equipment for Roadway Incident Response” to learn about PPE requirements and how to select and correctly and consistently wear PPE and “Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incident Responses” for factors to consider in selecting a helmet.
• Teach the lesson from the ResponderSafety.com Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "PPE and Emergency Lighting," which provides an overview of high visibility apparel and the use of emergency lighting. The lesson plan is available here.

Safety Officers:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network modules “Personal Protective Equipment for Roadway Incident Response” to learn about PPE requirements and how to select and correctly and consistently wear PPE and “Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incident Responses” for factors to consider in selecting a helmet.
• Play the Roadway Safety Short "How to Select and Maintain High Visibility Apparel" during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce how important traffic control is to signaling motorists what to do when approaching a roadway incident scene.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Visit and download video and media relations materials to incorporate into your media relations or public education campaign during Safety Stand Down.

Frontline Responders:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network modules “Personal Protective Equipment for Roadway Incident Response” to learn about PPE requirements and how to select and correctly and consistently wear PPE and “Helmets and Head Protection for Roadway Incident Responses” for factors to consider in selecting a helmet.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network program, "High Visibility Innovations."
• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network videos, "Accepting the Challenge to Be Visible", "Be Right, Be Bright", and "Marked and Seen".

Activities

Leadership:

• Review your department's SOPs for setting up a TIMA with all officers and direct them to review it with their crews.
• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network program "TIM for the Next Generation" to reinforce the importance of teaching basic traffic control procedures to all new department members.
• Read NFPA 1091 to understand how your personnel must be prepared for traffic control duties.

Fire Officers:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Intro to Fire Service Traffic Control Professional" to understand the importance and challenge of performing traffic control duties at the roadway incident scene and how to select personnel suitable for this task. Encourage your crews to do the same.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "The First 15 Minutes at Roadway Incidents" to understand the role of traffic control in initial response. Encourage your crews to do the same.
• Review the Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Setting Up a Traffic Incident Management Area," which provides an overview of the process, then discuss your department's corresponding SOPs with your crews. The lesson plan is available here.
• Speak to leadership if your crews are not yet adequately prepared to set up traffic control at every incident and discuss how to remedy the situation.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Teach the lesson from the ResponderSafety.com Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Setting Up a Traffic Incident Management Area," which provides an overview of the process. The lesson plan is available here.

Safety Officers:

• Play the TIM in a Minute video, "Setting Up a Traffic Incident Management Area" during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce the how to properly set up temporary traffic control at a roadway incident scene.
• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network program, "LODDs on the Roadway: Safety Lessons Learned" to explore the importance of traffic control in maintaining safety at the roadway incident scene. Share at least one of the case studies from this module with your department.
• Make a list of action items for your department to address any findings from these case studies that correspond to deficiencies in your department's policies, procedures, and training.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Put out the Slow Down Move over video PSA, Move Over Slow Down Social Media PSA, and Roadway Safety Short "How to Safely Pass an Emergency Scene" to your contacts and on your social media channels.

Frontline Responders:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Intro to Fire Service Traffic Control Professional" to understand what you need to properly discharge traffic control duties.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "The First 15 Minutes at Roadway Incidents" to understand the role of traffic control in initial response.
• For EMS providers, take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Roadway Incident Operational Safety for EMS Providers" to learn more about how to handle the special challenges faced by EMS when responding to roadway incidents.

Activities

Leadership:

• Review your department's SOPs for advance warning and blocking procedures/safe parking/positioning.
• Compare your SOPs to the procedures recommended in the Responder Safety Learning Network programs "Advance Warning" and "Blocking Procedures at Roadway Incidents." Consider adjusting your SOPs if you identify any gaps.
• Review your department's SOPs for advance warning and blocking procedures/safe parking/positioning with your officers and direct them to review the SOPs with their crews.

Fire Officers:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network modules, "Advance Warning" and "Blocking Procedures at Roadway Incidents." and encourage your crews to do the same.
• Review your department's advance warning and blocking/safe positioning/safe parking SOPs with your crews.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Teach the following lessons from ResponderSafety.com:
  • Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Advance Warning," which provides an overview of how to deploy advance warning at roadway incident scenes.
  • Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Blocking," which provides an overview of how to position emergency vehicles in blocking positions at roadway incident scenes.
• The lesson plans are available here.

Safety Officers:

• Play the following Roadway Safety Shorts during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce the practices they teach::
  • "How to Deploy a Portable Advance Warning Sign"
  • "How to Set a Block"
  • "How to Set a Cone Taper"
  • If your department includes EMS, play the "Safe Positioning an Ambulance at Roadway Incidents" Safety Short for your EMS crews.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Download and distribute the ResponderSafety.com push card to help the public understand how to react to advance warning and blocking vehicles when they encounter them on the roadway. If you need printed copies, order them from [email protected] and list the following: Name, Address and Phone Number of Your agency as well as a contact person. Please advise how and where you intend to use the cards and the number requested.

Frontline Responders:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Advance Warning"
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Blocking Procedures at Roadway Incidents."

Activities

Leadership:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Review your department's SOPs for conducting manual traffic control.
• Compare your SOPs to the procedures recommended in the Responder Safety Learning Network program "Safe Fire Service Traffic Control Practices". Consider adjusting your SOPs if you identify any gaps.
• Review your department's SOPs for conducting manual traffic control with your officers and direct them to review the SOPs with their crews.
• Review your department's training schedule to ensure that you are adequately training department members in manual traffic control who may be assigned this duty.

Fire Officers:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module, "Safe Fire Service Traffic Control Practices" and encourage your crews to do the same.
• Review your department's manual traffic control SOP with your crews.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Teach the lesson from the ResponderSafety.com Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Manual Traffic Control," which provides recommended practical instruction for manual traffic control. The lesson plan is available here.

Safety Officers:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Play the TIM in a Minute video "Manual Traffic Control" during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce how to properly conduct manual traffic control.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Contact your local or state transportation agency or authority to share the Visitors Center Loop Video from ResponderSafety.com and ask them to consider playing it in rest areas, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, and other public locations.

Frontline Responders:

• Watch the Responder Safety Learning Network module “Manual Traffic Control” to cover the foundations of successful manual traffic control and recommended procedures.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module, "Safe Fire Service Traffic Control Practices" to learn more about how to conduct manual traffic control.

Activities

Leadership:

• Watch the ResponderSafety.com video "Best Practices for Backing Fire Apparatus & Ambulances."
• Review your department's SOPs for backing up emergency vehicles and fire apparatus. Revise if necessary to conform to current recommended practices.
• If you do not have a Backing Up SOP, develop one using the Best Practices for Backing Fire Apparatus and Ambulances document and the featured video
• Direct the department's officers to review the backing up SOP with their crews.
• Review your department's training schedule and ensure that all personnel receive training in backing up, including training specifically for spotters.

Fire Officers:

• Watch the ResponderSafety.com video "Best Practices for Backing Fire Apparatus & Ambulances."
• Review the departments backing up SOP with your crews.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Conduct a practical training session in backing up procedures as laid out in the department's SOP. The ResponderSafety.com video "Best Practices for Backing Fire Apparatus & Ambulances" can serve as a resources to open the training session.
• Teach a case study on a line-of-duty death that occurred in Pennsylvania during backing up. Use this NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program Report to assist you.

Safety Officers:

• Play the Roadway Safety Short "How to Safely Back Up an Emergency Vehicle" during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce the recommended backing up procedure that must be done every time.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Send out a media advisory on a roadway safety topic using resources from ResponderSafety.com's PIO & Public Educator Engagement page.

Frontline Responders:

• Watch the ResponderSafety.com video "Best Practices for Backing Fire Apparatus & Ambulances."

Activities

Leadership:

• Review your department's SOPs for termination of response at a roadway incident.
• Compare your SOPs to the procedures recommended in the Responder Safety Learning Network program "Termination." Consider adjusting your SOPs if you identify any gaps.
• Review your department's SOPs for termination with your officers and direct them to review the SOPs with their crews.
• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module "Fire Service Collaboration with Towing & Recovery Operations." In light of the module, review how your department can improve its relationships with towers in your area, particularly in terms of safety and providing protection.

Fire Officers:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module, "Termination" and encourage your crews to do the same.
• Review your department's termination SOP with your crews.

Training Officers and Instructors:

• Teach the lesson from the ResponderSafety.com Roadway Safety Teaching Topic Package "Termination," which provides recommended practical instruction for manual traffic control. The lesson plan is available here.

Safety Officers:

• Play the Roadway Safety Short video How to Demobilize a TIMA during a safety break, roll call, or shift change to reinforce how to properly conduct manual traffic control.

PIOs and Public Educators:

• Share at least one of the PSAs from ResponderSafety.Com's Resources for PIOs and Public Educators page on your department's social media channels.

Frontline Responders:

• Take the Responder Safety Learning Network module, "Termination" to learn more about how to properly demobilize a TIMA when response to an roadway incident has concluded.