46 S.O.G. 

SECTION: Alarms and Response Procedures

SUBJECT: Alarm Response

REVISED: 05/2002

PURPOSE:
To provide uniform response guidelines to various emergencies and non-emergencies. To identify inherent safety hazards in
emergency responses.

POLICY:
A. The Town of Watertown Fire Department apparatus responses to emergencies, and operations shall endeavor to conform
to those guidelines contained herein.
B. The Town of Watertown Fire Department will operate under a two priority response system. Priority one being lights and
siren and priority two being non-emergency responses, responding with out lights or siren.

CLASSIFICATION OF ALARMS:
A. The following alarms will be classified as Priority one responses.
1) Any reported fire within a structure including chimney fires.
2) Any fire reported adjacent to a structure.
3) Any fire alarm reported.
4) Building collapse.
5) Natural gas leak.
6) Any odor of smoke within a structure.
7) Vehicle fires.
8) Auto accidents.
9) Brush or grass fires.
10) Rescues.
B. The following alarms will be classified as Priority two responses.
1) Odor investigations.
2) Details (wash downs, water problems).
3) Tree fires.
4) Pole fires
5) Utility shut off.

6) Lockouts.

7) Basement pump details.

8) Mutual aid station standby.

9) Hazardous material calls (non motor vehicle accident related).

PROCEDURES:

A. Alarm responses.

1) Structure fires all TWFD apparatus will respond.  Any fire alarms on the west side of town 46-8-1, pumpers, rescue, tanker, ambulance will respond in that order.  For fire alarms else where pumpers, tanker, rescue, ladder, ambulance will respond in that order.

2) Brush or grass fires, brush truck, tanker, closest engine, ambulance will respond in that order.

3) Standby mutual aid calls for pumper, closest pumper will respond.

4) Mutual aid for ladder truck, rescue truck, will also respond.

B. Mutual Aid to The City of Watertown

1)      Only equipment called for will respond with full crews.  No private vehicles will respond to the city station for standby calls.

2)      All other manpower will standby at TWFD station 1.

C.  Safety.

1)      All apparatus shall proceed to emergency alarms with all available emergency warning devices operating.

2)      All apparatus including chief vehicles will stop at all traffic lights and stop signs.

3)      All members responding in private vehicles will stop at all traffic lights and stop signs.  Will obey all traffic laws.

4)      Blue lights may be utilized but are only a courtesy light and no special privileges are extended.

5)      All apparatus drivers shall operate emergency vehicles in a safe manner taking into account traffic conditions and weather conditions.

6)      Under no conditions shall apparatus exceed the posted speed limit.

7)      All personnel shall wear seat belts while apparatus is in motion.

8)      Multiple responding apparatus shall communicate when approaching common intersections.