I-9 - NFPA Standards - 2014

A.4.10.4 Although fire departments are called to respond to a variety of incidents and should have the ability to perform special operations to the extent that can be reasonably anticipated, the possibility of being called to a situation that was unanticipated or was impossible to predict is significant. In these situations, the fire department could or could not have the specific training, procedures, or resources to deal with the problem. In those types of incidents, the incident commander is responsible for evaluating the situation, the risks that are involved, and the capabilities of the resources that are available to take action before an action plan can be developed. The operational risk management guidelines should be used to determine the appropriate action in such circumstances. A.5.1.1 NFPA 1500 addresses all areas of fire service occupational safety and health and serves as an umbrella document for other specific NFPA fire department safety and health documents. In addition, it also meets the intent of 29 CFR 1910.134. A.5.2 Emergency incidents can involve operations that vary considerably in their complexity and scale. The control of these incidents depends on the planned, systematic implementation of an effective fireground organization to accomplish identified objectives. Every fire department, regardless of size, needs a proper system to regulate and direct emergency forces and equipment at both routine and major incidents. A.5.2.2 Incident management systems are designed to provide a standard approach and response to all types of incidents and have been developed and implemented by many fire departments. A basic concept of these systems uses an incremental approach in building a command structure, starting with the first officer arriving at the scene of an incident. The development of the command structure should coincide with the commitment of emergency forces assigned to the situation. The specific methods used by various fire departments differ, but the essential operational objectives remain consistent. The main distinguishing characteristics of the various incident management systems currently employed involve terminology and specific details of organization structures. Individuals with specific expertise, particularly in highly technical areas, perform some functions best. The fire department should endeavor to have more than one qualified individual to perform all essential functions within the incident management system. A.5.4 The provision and operation of a reliable communications system is essential to the delivery of public fire services. The nature and extent of the system provided varies with the size and nature of the jurisdiction served, the services provided, and other local conditions and preferences. A fire communications system could serve an individual jurisdiction or multiple jurisdictions. In many cases, a regional system, operating under a valid intergovernmental agreement, provides operational advantages and reduced overall costs as compared with a number of smaller systems serving individual jurisdictions. The benefits could be reflected in a more functional mutual aid system, as well as in operational advantages within the communications system itself. A.5.4.1 NFPA 1221 covers the time frame from when an alarm is received at a public safety answering point (PSAP) until notification of emergency response units begins. The communications system cannot control the time from the initiation of the event (start of fire, identification of medical problem, etc.) until the emergency is detected and a call is placed to the PSAP or a signal is transmitted from a detection device. Likewise, the fire department cannot initiate a response until the alarm is processed and the appropriate fire department resources are notified. NFPA 1221 requires that 95 percent of alarms received on emergency lines be answered within 15 seconds, and 99 percent of alarms be answered within 40 seconds. It also requires that emergency alarm processing be completed within 60 seconds 80 percent of the time and emergency alarm processing be completed within 106 seconds 95 percent of the time. See Figure A.5.4.1(a). Where alarms are transferred from the primary PSAP to a secondary answering point or communications center, the transfer procedure must not exceed 30 seconds for 95 percent of all alarms processed. See Figure A.5.4.1(b). A.5.5.1 Fire departments, when conducting prefire planning, should use NFPA 1620 for fires and other related emergencies. <table> <tr> <th>Emergency event</th> <th>Alarm initiated</th> <th>Alarm sounds at CC</th> <th>Starts alarm processing</th> <th>Dispatch starts</th> <th>ERUs respond</th> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="6">Detection — Transmission — Answered — Alarm Processing</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="6">Time varies — Not specified — 95% ≤ 15 sec — 80% ≤ 60 sec — IAW — SOP/SOG</td> </tr> </table> Notes: (1) Alarm sounds are audible or visual annunciation, or both. (2) CC: Communications center. (3) TC: Telecommunicator. (4) IAW: In accordance with. (5) Alarm processing begins when the alarm is answered by the telecommunicator, includes interrogation of the caller, and ends at the beginning of ERF/ERU notification. FIGURE A.5.4.1(a) Alarm Time Line Where Primary PSAP Is Communications Center. [1221:Figure A.7.4.1(a)]