PURPOSE
This annex provides for the coordination of fire
protection activities to ensure the safety of life and
property within the county during emergency situations.
II.
SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
A.
Situation
1.
Fire prevention and control operations are daily
problems faced by Fire Service personnel. Several
hazards become more significant during emergency
situations including civil disturbances and hazardous
materials accidents.
B.
Assumptions
1.
Existing fire personnel and equipment will be able to
cope with most emergency situations through the use of
existing mutual aid agreements. When additional support
is required, assistance can be obtained from state and
federal agencies.
2.
Within the National Response Framework, fire fighting is
an Emergency Support Function (ESF-4)
and incorporates the coordination of federal
firefighting activities including support to wildland,
rural, and urban firefighting operations.
III.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
A.
During emergencies, the Fire Service is prepared to
support operations utilizing available expertise,
equipment and manpower.
B.
In an emergency that requires a number of emergency
services (e.g. fire, rescue, law enforcement, etc.) to
respond, all units regardless of service will be
coordinated by an Incident Commander.
C.
If fire or threat of fire is involved, the Fire Marshal or
designee of the district in which the fire or threat has
occurred is the Incident Commander and they will
coordinate their activities with the Emergency
Operations Center when activated. The exception to this
is when a
wildland fire is occurring and the N.C. Forest
Service maintains Incident Command. Unified Command will
take place as wildland fires threaten structures or
urban interface.
D.
If no fire or threat of fire exists, the Incident
Commander will be determined by prior mutual consent of
the chiefs of emergency services on the scene and will
be dependant upon the agency with the most involvement.
E.
Under the North Carolina Hazardous Material Right to
Know Law, the Fire Marshal should survey facilities within
his jurisdiction to identify types and volumes of
hazardous materials located within the area. They should
consider this information when developing response plans
and procedures for hazardous materials accidents within
the district. Coordination of facility emergency
response plans with the County Emergency Operations Plan
will be included in Fire Service planning. The Gaston
County Local Emergency Planning Committee has the
responsibility for the development of the county
response plan in addition to development of
site-specific plans for industries that pose a
significant hazard to the community because of the
hazardous materials on site.
F.
When responding to a situation involving hazardous
materials, the fire departments will observe standard
operating procedures set up by their individual
department and dependent on their level of training. Gastonia Fire Department is contracted to respond
county-wide with an equipped hazardous materials response
team. This team is supplemented with mutual aid from
Charlotte’s HazMat team and North Carolina’s Regional
Response Teams.
G.
Determining that a release of hazardous materials has
occurred will depend on the information received by the
Emergency Communications Center from a facility or
transportation incident. Upon arrival of the emergency
responders further determination will be made as to the
extent of spread and amount of release as well as
confirmation of the name of the product.
H.
Debris blocking emergency routes may become a great
impedance to the ability of emergency response agencies'
ability to provide rapid services. The Fire Service will
be utilized to assist with debris clearance when the
ability of the N.C. Department of Transportation has
been overwhelmed causing a possible delay in response.
I.
North Carolina Law also states that the Fire
Service
may be used to assist with traffic control.
IV.
DIRECTION AND CONTROL
A.
Fire departments exercise control over its personnel
through a board of directors who uses an officer system
for management or in the case of municipal Fire Services,
councils and managers provide direction and
control.
B.
Coordination of Fire Service in an emergency is
accomplished by the County Fire Marshal along with the
president or liaison of the Gaston County Firemen's
Association, utilizing mutual aid agreements developed
with local units, and statewide, through the State
Emergency Response Team.
C.
When the EOC is activated, the County Fire Marshal will
normally be located in the Emergency Operations Center
to support the coordination of fire fighting forces. The
president of the Firemen's Association or their designee
will also report to the EOC to act as liaison for the
Fire Service.
V.
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
The line of succession for fire is:
A.
Gaston County Fire Marshal
B.
Gaston County Deputy Fire Marshal
C.
President, Gaston County Fire Association
Attachment 1 Fire Protection Preparedness/Response Checklist
Receive a
situational briefing. Ask questions and address
concerns.
Advise the EOC of
the availability of fire fighting and Fire
Service response resources, including the number
of personnel and apparatus that may be
available.
Advise the EOC of
any special apparatus or personnel needs that
are immediately known.
Review mutual aid
agreements to ensure such agreements are
formalized.
Implement mutual
aid as necessary, requested or required.
Be familiar with
the process to request RRTs (Regional Response
Teams) and make such requests as needed.
Ensure Incident
Command is implemented at each incident. If
appropriate, Fire Service Incident Commanders
should report their situations and special
requests for assistance to the Fire Marshal who
is also the County Fire Service liaison in the
Emergency Operations Center. "Normal" requests
for assistance (i.e. additional personnel,
additional equipment, etc.) will be made through
the Communications Center.
Establish and
maintain communications with Fire Service
Incident Commanders.
Incident Commander
Receive a
situational briefing from the Fire Marshal or
Fire Service Emergency Operations Center liaison
. Ask questions and address concerns.
Advise the Fire
Marshal of the availability of department
response resources, including the number of
personnel and apparatus that may be available.
Advise the Fire
Marshal of any special apparatus or personnel
needs that are immediately known.
Hold a situational
briefing with all response personnel and include
in the briefing:
Ensure the primary functions of
the department are carried out (i.e.
fire suppression, protection of
lives and property, etc.).
Overall situation (i.e.
impending hurricane, severe weather,
damages, power lines down, roads
blocked, etc.).
Specific personnel assignments
(who will serve as Incident
Commander, communications, safety,
liaison, etc.).
Location of staging areas, check
points, fuel supplies, food, etc.
Advise personnel to log mileage
of all vehicles used and the amount
of time (in hours) that all
equipment was used, including but
not limited to all apparatus,
chainsaws, fuel, hose, pumps,
lighting equipment, etc.
If department is a "paid"
department, advise personnel to
track and record all overtime and
report this to their supervisor in
writing at the end of each shift.
Be prepared to
conduct damage assessment of the area and report
findings to the Emergency Operations Center.
Request, as
necessary, assistance through the EOC.
If first on the
scene and Incident Command has not been
established, establish Incident Command and
utilize the appropriate
Incident Command forms
to assist you. Assume the role of Incident
Commander until relieved.
Establish and
maintain communications with:
Personnel on the scene
Communications Center
Emergency Operations Center
Staging area
See
Hazard Specific
Checklists that are attachments to the
County Emergency Operations Plan, for assistance
in determining potential/necessary actions for
your department.
File reports with
the Fire Marshal and/or designated EOC
representative when requested or required
