46 S.O.G. 

SECTION: Company Operations

SUBJECT: Accountability System

REVISED: 05/2002

PURPOSE:

A.                To establish a coordinated system of monitoring and tracking personnel on fire grounds, and entry points.

B.                 To enable the incident commander or his/her designee to identify, locate and account for all his/her personnel operating at a scene of an incident.

POLICY:

            All members of the Town of Watertown Fire Department shall operate under these guidelines at all emergency incidents.

RESPONSIBILITY:

            It is the responsibility of all members of the fire department to understand and follow the guidelines outlined in this section.

PROCEDURE:

A.                General.

1)      Each member shall be issued two personnel identification tags, both being attached to the firefighters turnout gear.

2)      When responding to an alarm in a fire department apparatus all personnel onboard will place on accountability tag (the tag wearing personal clothing) on the large ring located in the apparatus.

B.                 Operations.

1)      When arriving on the scene with a piece of apparatus, the officer or the operator is required to turn the large ring into the incident commander or his/her designee, and to be given an assignment.

2)      When arriving on scene in private vehicles, the firefighter must report to the incident commander with his/her accountability tag, and be given an assignment. (If they are tagged-in to a piece of apparatus they must notify the officer of that apparatus that they are tagged on to them)

3)      Additional mutual aid companies must report to the command post to tag in and receive assignments.

4)      The second accountability tag will be used as a point of entry tag, entering firefighters will be required to give that tag to the officer in charge of the entry point.

5)      Companies will remain intact and all personnel shall operate in the same area.  If the company is split up the sector officer will be responsible for the company.

6)      All personnel leaving the scene shall depart through the command post for verification and to pick up their accountability tag.