I. Standard Operating Procedures for Vehicle Operation

A. All vehicle occupants shall be seated with their seat belts properly fastened when any department vehicle is in motion except when loading hose and while providing patient care in a medic unit.

B. Drivers shall operate vehicles in such a manner that complete control is maintained at all times.

C. Use all warning lights and sirens as required by the California Vehicle Code during Code 3 operations.

D. During Code 3 operations, be prepared to stop at all red lights, stop signs, yield signs, and uncontrolled intersections. Enter these intersections only after you have determined that it is safe to do so.

E. Avoid passing on the right unless it is absolutely necessary. When it is necessary to pass on the right, use extreme caution.

F. Avoid following other vehicles closer than 4 seconds during Code 3 operations.

G. Park upwind, uphill and upstream at emergencies if possible. Don't park too close to the incident. Avoid blocking the street unless safety or operational factors dictate that you do so.

H. Allow your vehicle to give you some protection from oncoming traffic at emergency scenes where wind is not a factor. Use warning lights appropriate to the situation.

I. A person shall be stationed at the rear of the apparatus while backing. This person shall place himself in a position to warn the driver well in advance of a collision, and he or she shall maintain eye contact with the driver. Exceptions to this policy are:

1. Emergencies that require the prompt backing of the apparatus due to an imminent threat to life, property, or the apparatus, and no one is in a reasonable position to serve as a back up person.

2. The driver is alone, and there is no one available to back him up.

3. Placing an individual in a position to serve as a back up person would place that person at unreasonable risk from traffic or other hazards.

4. Medic units need not provide a back up person when the only person available would be another member of the crew who is occupied with patient care.

J. The apparatus operator will see that the overhead door is fully retracted and stopped before entering or leaving the building with the apparatus.

K. Apparatus shall not be parked in an open doorway.

L. Look, listen, and think before hitting the "down" button on the overhead doors. Don't surprise an apparatus operator.

M. When parked, the appropriate brakes shall be set, and the front wheels turned in the appropriate direction against the curb. A wheel chock will be placed if the apparatus is on a grade.

N. The apparatus operator will walk around his vehicle before driving it away except for emergency. When making this trip he will establish that nothing is under the apparatus. He will see that the compartment doors are secure, and that no items are loosely placed outside the compartments.

O. No person shall place himself between the truck boom and the boom bed unless the boom is at least a 45 degree angle. If less than 45 degrees, the boom shall be mechanically blocked.

P. During aerial operations, the person who operates the boom is responsible for the safety of that operation. He shall personally check the apparatus position, ground conditions, pads, ground jacks, and overhead dangers before lifting the boom from its bed. He shall also be the safety "ground man". The ground man shall remain near the apparatus boom controls and diligently watch for hidden dangers and be prepared to control of the boom if necessary.

II. ACCIDENT PROCEDURES

A. Notify the dispatcher of your collision, and request appropriate assistance (ambulance, Duty Chief, C.H.P. etc).

B. If running Code 3, advise the dispatcher whether or not you are continuing your response. If an emergency vehicle continues its run after a non-injury collision, the person in charge of the involved vehicle is responsible to insure that a fire district representative is immediately dispatched to the accident scene. Note: You must stop and ascertain if there are any inuries. If there is personal injury involved the apparatus shall stay at the scene.

C. Completely fill out the Driver's Accident Report Kit form that is located in the log book of each apparatus prior to leaving the scene unless you have to continue an emergency response.

D. Do not give statements or admit liability or guilt to anyone at the scene but a representative of the district or a law enforcement officer invesigating the accident unless you are advised to do so by a chief officer or legal counsel.

E. An incident report form shall be completed for any vehicle accident involving a district vehicle or district employee responding in a personal vehicle prior to the end of the shift in which the accident occurred (0800 hours).

F. The district will conduct an investigation of any accident that involves any personal injury or damage to property not owned and controlled by the district.

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