What shall define criteria for the response of a pre-designated incident safety officer?
Standard operating procedures
The design of the ISO program should address what key questions?
Who responds and fills the ISO role?
What type of incidents necessitate the use of an ISO?
What tools and training are necessary to maximize ISO effectiveness?
How will an incident commander truly going to make a difference at an incident scene?
The delegation of the safety function being PROACTIVE.
How can a fire department be proactive in the delegation and placement of an ISO?
They need to preplan the ISO response.
When is the ISO most effective in the incident?
When they arrive early in the incident.
A few incident commanders believe that any fire officer should be able to fill the ISO position, at anytime, under any circumstances, at the will and want of the IC - therefore, the agency really doesn’t need to create an ISO system.
This thinking is flawed, it is dangerous.
The majority of deaths and injuries on the fireground occur where?
At residential structure fires.
What should be appointed early at an incident or responds automatically to pre-designated fires?
A separate ISO, independent from the IC
What does “environmental change” as applied to residential structure fire mean?
Fire propagation, building degradation, and smoke volatility.
What can smoke explosion, backdrafts, partial collapse, the presence of accelerant fuels, and other phenomena cause in the firefighting environment?
Ultrarapid change
Within what time frame may the IC be orchestrating seven to ten simultaneous assignments?
Within 20 minutes
The rapidly changing environment early in a fire is grounds for the early appointment of a __________ ________.
Safety Officer
What is a key to preventing injuries?
Enabling the IC to monitor the numerous simultaneous activities during the first 20 minutes.
What does the good IC want appointed early on in the incident?
An ISO
Who should perform some kind of risk/benefit analysis at a working fire?
The first-arriving firefighters.
Why is the initial risk analysis come with a certain amount of risk?
Because the firefighters may not know the full extent of the dangers at hand upon arrival.
When do firefighters actually begin taking risks?
Upon arrival - or at “zero time”
When can firefighter risk taking become extreme or high?
Early stages of a fire incident.
Risks are usually greater early on in an incident; therefore?
That is when a safety officer is needed.
What do fire and rescue departments that wish to make a difference in the reduction of firefighter injuries and death develop?
A system to get the ISO on scene or appointed early on in an incident.
When does an incident warrant close monitoring of firefighters and firefighting operations?
The first 20 minutes.
When is the most dangerous time at an incident?
The critical point when they are making aggressive efforts to rescue victims and stop a rapidly growing fire.
What is essential for firefighter safety?
The early assignment of an ISO.
How should an ISO response be planned when an ISO should be present on all working residential fires and for highly technical or complex incidents?
The response should be preplanned (proactive).
What does firefighter statistics show that we need?
To have a dedicated ISO more often than sooner.
What is the goal to have to respond to certain incidents with a high risk to firefighters?
A predesignated, trained ISO
What presents a profusion of hazards that require immediate understanding - again requiring an early ISO response?
Commercial buildings
What should trigger an ISO response?
The report of an actual hostile fire
What do first-arriving company officers have to evaluate in the wildland or wildland/urban interface incident?
Evaluate fuels, weather, topography, fire conditions, access, and the defensibility of threatened structures.
What should fires in the wildland, or in the I-Zone trigger?
An automatic ISO response
What are chemical and industrial plants, historical buildings, stadiums, underground structures, difficult- or limited-access occupancies, and the like examples of?
Target hazards
The potential for high loss of life, mass fire, and the release of hazardous materials is prevalent in ________ _______.
aircraft incidents
What rises if firefighters are unaccustomed to working in a give weather extreme?
Injury risk rises
Acclimation is key in _______ extremes.
weather
What can a working incident be defines as?
One in which the first-due, on-scene resources are 100 percent committed and more are needed.
Most incident management systems recognize an ideal span of control of how many for emergency operations?
Five or less
Once the delegation point is reached, the IC should?
Include an ISO
If the IMS is handling an incident using groups and divisions, the addition of the fourth group or division should be the signal to delegate?
An ISO
Working fires require the rapid delegation of safety responsibilities.
Working fires require the rapid delegation of safety responsibilities.
What type of incidents give rise to an array of safety concerns?
Mutual aid incidents
What is the whole point of a fire and rescue department’s ISO plan to ensure?
That the ISO is utilized at significant incidents.
What type of authority does NFPA 1521 give the ISO?
To stop, alter, or terminate activities if an imminent threat exists.
The knowledge and skills required of an ISO exceed that of who?
The typical fire officer I level.
Many departments assume that the training/safety officer or any company officer should know what it takes to fill the ISO role.
This assumption is dangerously flawed.
What can serve as a training resource for the ISO that offers network forums, products, and information on training opportunities?
The Fire Department Safety Officers Assoociation (FDSOA) web site.
What is the effective ISO constantly doing?
Roving and watching.
What does the essential incident safety officer tools include?
At least proper identification, radio, phone, documentation equipment, and flashlight.
What specific unique identification pays dividends on the incident scene?
A fluorescent vest marked “Safety Officer” or green helmet.
What is key unique identifier is important to note?
A vest of different color than other command positions
What does an ISO need to do in order to ensure effectiveness?
Be on-scene early.
What part of the incident warrant close monitoring of
firefighters and firefighting operations?
First 20 minutes
Which is considered a disadvantage of using the health and safety committee members for on-duty ISO’s?
Overtime expenses may be incurred
What action by the incident commander is an indicator that an ISO is needed?
Calling for additional resources
What can serve as a training resource for the ISO?
FDSOA
What is a personal code that most responding fire officers live by?
Plan for the worst
What is essential for the ISO to maintain contact with the
IC and monitor the working crews?
radio
Which type of fire do statistics support predesignating an
ISO response despite fireground thinking?
residential
Which option for getting an ISO on scene seems to be the most popular?
Having training officer on call
What is the key to operations in different types of
weather?
acclimation
Which is NOT considered to be a minimum piece of equipment the ISO should possess at the incident?
Barrier tape
What is a perfect example of extreme risk taking?
Search and rescue
What would need to happen before sending an ISO to each residential fire would begin to be unnecessary?
Reduce number of injuries
Which is considered an automatic ISO response situation?
Special-team incidents
What should the ISO request if he must cross into the “hot zone” at the incident?
a partner
Which system is considered most desirable especially to
the larger fire department with many injuries?
Dedicated ISO
Which is a good color choice for increasing the ISO’s
visibility at the incident scene?
green
Which is NOT prevalent in aircraft incidents?
Topography variations
Within what timeframe will many tasks be being performed at the residential fire incident scene?
15 to 20 minutes
As applied to residential fires which means fire
propagation, building degradation and smoke volatility?
Environmental change
Which is seen as a disadvantage to using all eligible
officers as potential ISO’s?
All members must be trained
What is key to making the ISO visible on the incident
scene?
Safety vest
What percentage of the on scene resources are committed when an incident is considered to be a working incident?
100%
If an incident commander is truly going to make a
difference at an incident scene, the delegation of the
safety function needs to be proactive.
If an incident commander is truly going to make a
difference at an incident scene, the delegation of the
safety function needs to be proactive.
When what group number is added should an ISO be delegated by the IC?
Fourth
Which option for getting an ISO on scene seems to be the most popular?
having training officer on call
Which is NOT considered to be a minimum piece of equipment the ISO should possess at the incident?
barrier tape
Which is considered an automatic ISO response situation?
special-team incidents
What part of the incident warrant close monitoring of firefighters and firefighting operations?
first 20 minutes
Which type of fire do statistics support predesignating an ISO response despite fireground thinking?
residential
With what timeframe where many tasks are being performed at the residential fire incident scene?
15-20 minutes
As applied to residential fires, which means fire propagation, building degradation and smoke volatility?
environmental change
What is key to making the ISO visible on the incident scene?
safety vest
What is key to operations in different types of weather?
acclimation
What would need to happen before sending an ISO to each residential fire would begin to be unnecessary?
reduce number of injuries
If an incident commander is truly going to make a difference at an incident scene,
the delegation of the safety function needs to be proactive.
Which is seen as a disadvantage to using all eligible officers as potential ISOs?
all members must be trained
What can serve as a training resource for the ISO?
FDSOA
What should the ISO request if he must cross into the “hot zone” at the incident?
a partner
What percentage of the on scene resources are committed when an incident is considered to be a working incident?
100%
Which is a good color choice for increasing the ISOs visibility at the incident scene?
green
Which is NOT prevalent in aircraft incident?
topography variations
What action by the incident commander is an indicator that an ISO is needed?
calling for additional resources
Which system is considered most desirable especially to the larger fire department with many injuries?
dedicated ISO
Which is considered a disadvantage of using the health and safety committee members for on-duty ISOs?
overtime expenses may be incurred
What is a perfect example of extreme risk taking?
search and rescue
What is a personal code that most responding fire officers live by?
plan for the worst
What is essential for the ISO to maintain contact with the IC and monitor the working crews?
radio