Removal Date:          RETAIN                                                                                  Memo #: 08-009R

To:                  All Career & Volunteer Suppression Personnel

From:              Harry H. Tinsley, Assistant Chief of Operations 

Date:               30 June 2008

Re:                  Fire Companies going out of service

Rescinds:       Retain Memo #02-0028R

The Columbia Fire Department's mission is to protect lives, property and the environment in Columbia and Richland County. This is achieved by extinguishing and investigating hostile fires, enforcing fire codes, presenting life-safety education programs, rescuing persons in danger, controlling hazardous materials incidents, mitigating the effects of natural disasters, and providing first responder service to people experiencing potentially life-threatening medical emergencies.

This memo is to prevent unnecessary delays in units responding because of “out of service” status.

“Out of service” means that the CAD (computer aided dispatch) does not recognize you as a resource capable of responding to an emergency.  Any company moving from one area to the next can respond to any given call.  A company shall not pass by an incident or ignore a call because they are “out of service” by the CAD, but capable of responding.  The term “Available” will be used to indicate a unit being placed back in-service.

Fire Companies will not advise Central that they are “out of service except for structure fires only”, as this creates confusion.  Units will confer with their Battalion and either remain available or go out of service for any detail requiring such status.  Please note that if a company goes out of service for a detail they should still monitor the radio, and if a structure fire comes in for their area while out of service they should let the call go as dispatched if unable to respond /or if they are close and can respond they should ready their unit and clear the detail.  Once ready, they can advise Central and the Battalion that they are responding.  The Battalion will adjust the response and/or continue with the additional unit.  This will eliminate delays in dispatching and reduce confusion regarding available status.  All fire companies must respond to any structure fire and/or emergency if they are available to do so even if there will be a delay.

Please note that if a volunteer unit goes out of service and is unable to respond, volunteer personnel are still available.  If a volunteer unit goes out of service Central will respond the next closest unit and still tone the volunteer personnel for the out of service unit if the call is within their response area.  Volunteer Station personnel must be toned to advise them of any unit in their Station being taken out of service and/or when they are placed back in-service.

To reduce the number of units out of service assigned to calls, companies will not self-dispatch or assign themselves to calls.  Units will not call a Battalion over the radio and ask if they want them to respond.  If there is however, an incorrect or questionable dispatch to a call and a company knows that it is their call or another companies call they will correct the dispatch with Central and/or ask if this is a “cover call”, request the correct unit and respond to the call if it is a bordering territory.  We will not pass dispatched calls back to Central this creates significant delays.  Companies will need to manage the responses and clear the call if the other unit is going to be first due; however they will respond until confirmation over the radio unit-to-unit is made. 

“out of service”

Anytime a career or volunteer company recognizes that their company will not be able to respond due to a mechanical problem, lack of personnel or shift change issues, they should notify Columbia Central immediately of their status. 

The company shall then immediately notify their Division or Battalion Chief of their status by one of the following:

1.      Station phone

2.      Cell phone

3.      Radio

Do not go “out of service” and then ask Columbia Central to contact the Division or Battalion Chief.  It is the responsibility of the career or volunteer company to make contact with his/her Division or Battalion Chief.

Companies shall not wait to get toned to an emergency and then go “out of service”.   If a company is toned they will not have Central tone another unit and then go out of service, they must respond to the call.

REQUEST FOR “OUT OF SERVICE” STATUS

A company shall request to go “out of service” from their Division or Battalion Chief for any non-emergency situations.  The company shall contact their Battalion by one of the above mentioned methods and have permission prior to going “out of service”.  This will allow the Battalion to make necessary move up or notifications to other companies to maintain adequate response coverage.

It is the Division and/or Battalion Chief‘s responsibility to manage their companies along with the other Battalions.  Example; Engine 12 (Battalion 5) and Engine 13 (Battalion 2) “out of service” at the same time due to non-emergency reasons.  Battalion 5 & 2 must confer with each other and adjust coverage as needed.

It will be the discretion of the Battalion Chief when a company is out of their Battalion, whether the company is “out of service’. 

Units will not go out of service or leave their assigned area to go to Logistics unless approved by the Division or Battalion Chief.  Please see retain memorandum 08-010R “Fuel efficiency Initiatives. 

MOVING WITHIN THE BATTALION

When a company is moving within their battalion, they do not need to notify Columbia Central of their movement.  The company simply needs to monitor the dispatch channel for any possible calls.  This reduces unnecessary radio traffic with Columbia Central.  If the company is going to be at a given location because of preplans, training, meeting, etc., the Battalion Chief will need to be notified by the company.  If a fire company happens to see or ride up on a situation while out of their Station, and they are stopping to assist, that company must notify Central of their location and actions over the radio prior to stopping and exiting the vehicle.  Command must be established and a fire incident number must be generated and a report must be completed.

When a company is out of their first due area in their Battalion and receives a call, that company shall respond.  Companies will not pass a station to respond to a call or from across Battalion lines unless directed to do so by a Division and/or Battalion Chief.  It will be the discretion of that company to have Central tone the next closer company to respond and to communicate with the other unit so that a unit can reach the emergency in a timely manner.  Example; Engine 32 is at Station 24 for fuel.  Engine 32 receives a call for a vehicle fire in the 8700 block of Two Notch.  Engine 32 announces that they are responding, but also ask for Engine 14 to respond with them due to the delay of fueling the engine.  Engine 32 does not go “out of service”.  They are to respond and also communicate with Engine 14 their status.