I. Summary
This policy establishes a safety procedure enabling the Incident Commander to account for each company and/or individual operating at the scene of an emergency incident.
II. Definitions
A. Accountability Status Clipboard: A clipboard with Velcro attached to the back which is used to accommodate passports showing company identifiers, number and names of personnel, and their location and/or assignment.
B. Company: Personnel assigned to a specific apparatus who are working together as a unit.
C. Company Officer: The individual responsible for the supervision and direction of a company.
D. Company Passport: A 4"x2" rigid, plastic card with a company identifier on the front at the top and Velcro (loop side) under the company identifier. The Velcro on the front of the passport is to enable individual identification markers of company members to be attached. The back of the passport has Velcro (hook side) attached. Each apparatus shall have two passports. The primary passport will be green, and a backup passport will be yellow.
E. Emergency Distress Signal: The Emergency Distress Signal is defined and outlined in Standard Operating Procedure #303. In concise terms, it is the activation of a yelp siren, a hi-lo siren or a Personal Alarm Device over the radio with a following emergency message.
F. FATS Officer: A person assigned to monitor the entry, status and safety of all personnel in the emergency operational area. The FATS officer may serve in only that function, or may have an additional function under ICS.
G. Identification Marker: Removable Velcro shoulder patches that display a company identifier. The shoulder patches are 6"x3" PBI patches with 2" high reflective tape letters. Each company member shall have two patches on his or her turnout coat when on duty or assigned to an incident.
H. Level I Accountability: Personnel accountability system used at incidents normally handled by a single alarm assignment.
I. Level II Accountability: Personnel accountability system used at complex incidents or incidents, which pose an unusual hazard. Examples of more complex incidents include a greater alarm structure fire or a large collapsed building involving multiple rescue teams.
J. Nametag: A 3/8"x2" white plastic nametag assigned to specific individual with that person's name printed on the tag. All nametags shall have Velcro (hook side) attached to the back.
K. Personnel Accountability Report: A company officer's report to the incident commander (or designee) verifying the status of all personnel in the company.
L. Temporary Nametags: Spare blank nametags will be available on all apparatus. They will be used to identify assigned personnel who have lost their original tags, or to identify people such a ride-alongs who are accompanying the company.
III. Procedure
A. Level I Accountability
1. Level I accountability will be maintained at all times, including while units are in quarters.
2. Passports are located on the driver's door of each district-owned emergency vehicle. The primary passport is green, and shall be used at all times unless it is accidentally destroyed or lost. The yellow tag shall then be substituted. A chief officer shall be notified that the primary passport is missing.
3. All members of a company will be held accountable at all times to assure that their nametags are on the passport of any emergency vehicle or company to which they are assigned. The driver's nametag shall be attached upside down. The nametag shall be removed and placed on the underside of the individual's helmet any time when the individual is not assigned to a company or vehicle.
4. All members of a company will be held accountable at all times to assure that they attach an Identification Marker Patch from the company or vehicle to which they are assigned to each shoulder of their turnout coat. Identification Marker Patches shall be returned to the vehicle when the individual is released from assignment to that company or vehicle.
5. All personnel who do not possess nametags, including ride-alongs, shall be issued a temporary nametag, with their first and last name written on it, for the duration of the assignment. The temporary tag will be placed on the vehicle's passport.
6. Personnel who respond directly to the incident shall report to the Incident Commander for assignment. Upon assignment, such personnel shall immediately comply with items II.A.2 and III.A.3 above.
B. Level II Accountability
1. The Incident Commander shall declare level II Accountability. The FATS Officer function shall be fulfilled.
2. At the declaration of Level II Accountability, the person serving as the FATS Officer shall retrieve the company passports of all companies operating at the incident, and cause them to be placed on the Accountability Status Clipboard. Clipboards are maintained in each staff vehicle.
3. The Incident Commander shall request a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) from all units. The Incident Commander shall then advise the dispatch center of the Level II Accountability situation and ask to be reminded every twenty minutes to request a PAR. PARs shall be conducted every twenty minutes thereafter until the Incident Commander determines such reports are no longer necessary.
4. Companies reporting to a staging area at an incident where Level II Accountability is established shall give their passports to the Staging Area Manager. The Staging Area Manager will retain the passports until the companies are assigned. When the companies are assigned, the Staging Area Manager shall then cause the passport to be delivered to the Incident Commander.
5. At high-rise incidents, passports shall be turned in at Base, if one has been established.
IV. Fireground Emergencies
A. At any incident where a fireground emergency has been declared as outlined in SOP #303, a PAR will be immediately conducted.
B. A Rapid Intervention Crew shall be dispatched to the last known location of any company not responding to a PAR.
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