Free Essay

Safe Backing

In:

Submitted By firefighter813x
Words 1511
Pages 7
Safe Vehicle Operations

Firefighters and emergency personnel lay their lives on the line to save others at any moments notice. Firefighting is a job that is highly respected among others and requires bravery, integrity and the ability to quickly think, react and overcome problems. Firefighters respond to many calls to include fire alarms, fires, and incidents involving hazardous materials, car accidents and many emergency medical calls. Safely responding to these said emergencies is the number one priority of the fire department. According Fahy, LeBlanc, & Molis, 2013, 30% of fire and emergency apparatus have wrecked, injured and or killed personnel in 2012 (p. 18). How can emergency services provide care if they can’t even make it safely on-scene? Department management needs to review their certification systems for driver/operators, standard operating procedures (if any), for safe vehicle operations to ensure personnel are properly trained as vehicle operators.
What are common safety violations that can cause injury and death? Backing fire apparatus are the most common reason for accidents and are the easiest to correct (Tutterow, 2009, p. 1). According to Tutterow, 2009, an 82-year-old man was killed when a rescue apparatus backed into him on scene… a firefighter was killed and another injured when a department was taking pictures of a newly received apparatus backing into a station. Within 11 days of this incident, the Los Angeles Fire Department had allowed firefighters to remain on the tailboard while backing. Unfortunately, this practice killed the very first female firefighter as she fell off of the tailboard and was crushed. Sadly enough, the LAFD defended their SOP’s and although unwilling, they revised their SOP to help prevent such incidents (Tutterow, 2009, p. 1). How can fire departments avoid backing accidents? Lets go back to the basics… the NFPA has many standards that cover safety pertaining to fire apparatus. Everything starts with NFPA 1002, Standard on Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications, which identifies the minimum job performance requirements for firefighters who drive and operate fire apparatus, in both emergency and nonemergency situations (NFPA). Does your department have qualified drivers operating fire apparatus? Driver/operators need to be trained on the specific fire apparatus that they are operating and that is where NFPA 1451 comes into play. NFPA 1451, Standard for a Fire Service Vehicle Operations Training Program, provides for the development of a written vehicle operations training program, including the organizational procedures for training, vehicle maintenance, and identifying equipment deficiencies (Fahy, LeBlanc, & Molis, 2013, p. 9-10). In South Carolina, firefighters must obtain a class “E” permit or drivers license endorsement before operating emergency vehicles. At the James Island Fire Department, Fire Department vehicles shall be operated only by personnel who have successfully completed an approved driver-training program or by student drivers who are under the direct supervision of a qualified driver. Approved driver training programs shall include the following… “South Carolina Class E drivers license permit, South Carolina Fire Academy (SCFA) Course 1210 Emergency Vehicle Driver Training (EVDT), SCFA Course 1220 Pumper Operations or Course 1250 Basic Aerial Operations and on the job training (OJT) as provided by qualified personnel within the Fire Department…drivers of Fire Department vehicles shall have a valid South Carolina Drivers License…vehicles shall be operated in compliance with all traffic laws of the State of South Carolina, including sections pertaining to emergency vehicles” (Seabolt, 2012, p. 1-5).
Firefighters are promoted to engineer once they have received sufficient training, certification and testing on engine, ladder truck and tender operations. Upon completion of these items, firefighters will demonstrate their capabilities via practical examination. The practical examination requires the firefighter to demonstrate the pre and post trip inspection procedures, test specific vehicle statistics, pump theory and knowledge and vehicle maintenance in accordance with NFPA 1911, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, Maintenance and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus, details a program to ensure that fire apparatus are serviced and maintained to keep them in safe operating condition. Chief Alan Brunacini of the Phoenix Fire Department said in regarding to fire apparatus accidents, they occur “every 30,000 miles going forward and about every 80 feet backing up” (Robertson, 2008, p.1). Chief Brunacini hit the nail on the head with that quote. Go take a look at most fire apparatus and one can see the blemishes, scrapes and dents on the front and rear bumpers from accidents.
Backing is one of our most dangerous apparatus operations. My old fire captain once told me to only back up if I absolutely have to and to plan my route and positioning to prevent backing. According to firefighter nation, “If your department doesn’t have a standard operating procedure (SOP) that covers backing of fire apparatus, you need one.” This is a very important SOP that can save lives. Period.
The bread and butter of backing consist of ground guides, which are also known as spotters. Spotters are personnel that are outside of the vehicle that assist the driver with positioning the apparatus. Spotters must search for obstructions fore and aft of the apparatus before allowing the operator to back. Overhead obstructions must also be taken into consideration when spotting a vehicle. According to Robertson, 2008, “any backing SOP must also address the use of ground guides and hand signals” (p.1). Departments need to make sure that all personnel are aware of the hand signals and their meaning while backing apparatus. According to the Charleston AFB Fire Department SOP, “All vehicles will be backed into parking spaces and driveways unless such is prohibited… Spotters will direct the backing of vehicles…Vehicles shall have a spotter at the left rear and the right front” (Heitman, 2009, p. 21). Depending on personnel manning, a SOP that requires two spotters may be the best option for lower manned trucks. At a minimum, it is encouraged to have at least two spotters. The James Island Fire Department requires all personnel except the driver to exit the apparatus and aid with backing. This is the best option due to the fact that all apparatus have a minimum of four personnel. All backing personnel will be wearing an approved reflective traffic safety vest. For areas that are not well lit, spotters must also use an illuminated traffic wand or a flashlight to help the spotter to be more visible to the driver. The first person should be located on the driver’s side rear of the vehicle in direct visual sight of the driver (in the mirror) and shall survey the area for hazards such as traffic, pedestrians, parked vehicles, or other obstructions. The back-up person shall direct the driver in backing the vehicle using visual signals or audible communications via radio, when appropriate. The second person shall be located on the officer’s side front of the vehicle and in direct sight of the driver and shall survey the area for hazards such as traffic, pedestrians, parked vehicles, or other obstructions. All personnel should maintain awareness of hazards, such as traffic, that may endanger the back-up person” (Seabolt, 2012, p. 1-5)
Guides should be positioned at the rear, far enough away from the backing apparatus that they’re not endangered. They should always stay where they can see the mirrors of the apparatus and in turn be seen by the operator. If the operator loses sight of the guide at any time, they should come to an immediate stop. Use the scene lighting on the rear of the apparatus to illuminate the area and provide better visibility for both the guides and apparatus operator has parked something else in the same bay that you can’t see when backing out of bright sunlight into a dark station. Last but not least, go slow! Too many operators drive with their ego and overcompensate with their abilities. The engineer is responsible for everyone on the apparatus and should not move until all passengers are wearing their seatbelt. Never let peer-pressure or the lack of cool points of safety gear compromise your decision making when using personnel protective equipment. I encourage all ranks firefighter through chief to review their current SOP’s and make sure all members have a clear understanding of safe vehicle operations. * *

References
Fahy, R., LeBlanc, P., & Molis, J. (2013, June). National Fire Protection Association. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/osfff.pdf
Heitman, D. (2009). Standard Operating Procedure 22. Vehicle Operations.
Peterson, K. (n.d.). Best Practices for Commercial Auto #203. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from http://www.keithdpeterson.com/docs/proper-backing-techniques.pdf
Robertson, H. (2008, May 31). Proper Backing Procudures for Fire Apparatus | Firefighter Nation. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from http://www.firefighternation.com/article/training-0/proper-backing-procudures-fire-apparatus
Seabolt, C. (2012). JAMES ISLAND PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE. Vehicle Operation.
Tutterow, R. (2009, August 1). How To Prevent Backing Accidents - Fire Apparatus. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from http://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/articles/print/volume-14/issue-8/departments/keeping-it_safe/how-to-prevent-backing-accidents.html

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Acct 504 Case Studey

...Indelible Ink Machine, and Internal Control changes that I recommend you make. There are 5 main areas of control that LJB Company needs to address in order to stay in good standings with internal controls. The first internal control is the Establishment of Responsibility; “Control is most effective when only one person is responsible for a given task.”(Kimmel 339) A company should limit one employee to each area to limit the chance of illegal activities. Segregation of duties ties into establishing responsibility by assigning related activities to different employees. Documentation procedures deal with making sure that all transactions and events are documented and monitored. Physical, mechanical, and electronic controls are based on keeping safes, computers and time clocks monitored and restricted. Independent internal verification is used to audit employees and data reconciliation. The last category is called other. This deals with bonding employees who handle cash, and rotating employee duties. Based on the information you gave my colleague and my review of your company, I do not recommend you purchasing an Indelible Ink Machine at this time based on the information which gave to my colleague and my review of your company. This expensive purchase is unnecessary and can easily be avoided if you apply better internal control practices. The implementation of using numbered invoices is a good practice and should continue to be used moving forward. This practice will allow...

Words: 618 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Wan Security

...important feature of the organization and has to play an important role in its working. Huge amount of information is transferred everyday and is crucial for the organization. A network crash due to any reason may cause a huge loss to the organization. Also any intrusion in the network may allow somebody to get hold of private and confidential information about the company. Hence, the security of the network is very crucial to the organization and its business. The goals of this security plan are to ensure the complete security of the network. This would include physical security, network security and access control systems. Physical security is about keeping the network equipments safe from being physically damaged, tampered with or from being stolen. Network security is about keeping the information safe over the network while transmission. Access control systems refer to the control systems that would allow a user to access the information, that could be crucial to the organization, or the private information of the organization. These are discussed in detail in the following sections. While discussing the security of the network, we make some assumptions. The security employees or the security guards are trustworthy. The employees of the company are trustworthy and they won’t their passwords or other secret keys with anyone. In case an employee is found malicious, he/she would be departed from access to the network immediately. For network security there is a trusted third party...

Words: 328 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Jimmy Valentine Quotes

...Valentine was a safe-cracking thief. After getting out of jail, Jimmy fell in love and changed his name to Ralph Spencer. Ralph is a nice, morally good man who is the opposite of his true self. Jimmy Valentine was trying to live a moral life because of Jimmy’s sacrifice, honesty and determination. Jimmy Valentine was trying to live a moral life because of his sacrifices. First, Jimmy sacrifices his true identity by opening a safe in front of people that know him as Ralph. “In a minute Jimmy’s pet drill was biting smoothly into the steel door. In ten minutes-breaking his own burglarious record-he threw back the bolts and opened the door.” Second, Ralph sacrificed being noticed as Jimmy Valentine by meeting people and making friendships. The quote from the article proves this point, “Socially he was a success, and made many friends.”...

Words: 726 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Practice

...given time. While handling such private information like Social Security Numbers, Individuals Names, Addresses, Credit Card information… etc., needs to be properly kept safe from everyone. Things like that can be used to steal someone’s identity and cause serious harm to you and others. This is the type of information that needs to be kept under a lock and key in the safest safe known to man. While handling such information you should constantly monitor your system for any issues for any outside activity that should not be there. To prevent things like this from happening, you need to constantly have that extra watch dog out for around the clock monitoring. The internet is one complete network and everyone is connected in some way, shape or form. If there is a connection, there is always someone watching in that backdoor that you might not be thinking about. There is usually a port or open door somewhere that someone is waiting at for that right time. Yes, there is software, hardware and other ways to monitor your data and/or information, along with your closed network. You can never be too careful and confident to let it all go on by itself. Every day, there is updates and new technology that arrives and needs to constantly be put in place. You can never be too careful to keep such information safe. The impact could result in your company to go down and never come back if this ever happens. Not only that, it can cost you your whole life savings and many other...

Words: 324 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

The Is My Essay

...Week 3 1) Security’s not how it was like back in the days, where all they did was lock away mainframes in the server room. Times have changed, technology has advanced and now comes in many forms. Security is very crucial to any organization, and physical security is no exception. Organizations are not just prone to cyber attacks, but as well breaking and entering, trespassing, natural disaster, fire, flood and much more. Physical security protects people, data, equipment’s, systems and facilities etc. Facility management is very important to any organization. It protects company assets. CPTED “is a discipline that outlines how the proper design of a physical environment can reduce crime by directly affecting human behavior”. It helps to provide support in loss and crime through proper facility construction and procedures. CPTED provides three main approaches to provide overall security. Which include natural access control, natural surveillance, and natural territorial reinforcement. It’s the best approach to build a facility through the CPTED approach. It’s also best to follow proper maintenance and procedures pertaining to physical security. For examples facility keys should only be assigned by the facility management and should be documented. Procedures should be written out clearly stating, how the keys should be distributed, inventoried or even destroyed given the circumstances. On any facility, it’s imperative to enforce access control, to prevent unauthorized personnel...

Words: 667 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Grenn

...access and 45,000 servers. All employees communicate using smartphones and email. Many employees work from home and travel extensively. They will need access to Discretionary, mandatory, role-based, rule-based, content-dependent, and nondiscretionary access controls, they are a large company and will need someone to be in charge of each control because not everyone have the same access. 4. Backordered parts are a defense contractor that builds communications parts for the military. All employees communicate using smartphones and email. They would need Discretionary, content-dependent and rule-based access control, they have a group of people who contain sensitive data that need to be controlled. They communication parts need to be safe. 5. Confidential Services Inc is a military-support branch consisting of 14,000,000 computers with internet access and 250,000 servers. All employees must have security clearances, and they communicate mainly using BlackBerry devices and email. They would need Mandatory, Discretionary, role-based, rule-based, content-dependent, nondiscretionary. They have many individuals all who need different access, so they need someone...

Words: 299 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

A Japanese Song

...A japanes song By: Aomori When summer comes,  The paddy pools grow warm  The mud lark and the singing frog  Are happy, are happy  Thinking they're in bath.  When winter comes,  The paddy pools are filmed with ice,  The mud lark and the singing frog  Must think their heaven has stretched  Has stretched and grown above.  When spring comes  There's water in the paddy pools  The mud lark and the singing frog  Are happy, are happy  Thinking they're in the sea.  When autumn comes,  The hills and dales turn red  The mud lark and the singing frog  Craning their necks above,  Must think of the hills are on fire. The Tame Bird and the Free Bird by: Rabindranath Tagore THE tame bird was in a cage, the free bird was in the forest. They met when the time came, it was a decree of fate. The free bird cries, 'O my love, let us fly to the wood.' The cage bird whispers, 'Come hither, let us both live in the cage.' Says the free bird, 'Among bars, where is there room to spread one's wings?' 'Alas,' cries the caged bird, 'I should not know where to sit perched in the sky.' The free bird cries, 'My darling, sing the songs of the woodlands.' The cage bird sings, 'Sit by my side, I'll teach you the speech of the learned.' The forest bird cries, 'No, ah no! songs can never be taught.' The cage bird says, 'Alas for me, I know not the songs of the woodlands.' There love is intense with longing, but they never can fly wing to wing. Through the bars of the...

Words: 331 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Hiv/Aids and Culture

...HIV/AIDS is a devastating disease that has killed thousands of people all over the world. It is one of the most widespread and devastating epidemics we are currently dealing with. Many factors about this virus contribute to making it spread faster, become deadlier, and leaves no one unaffected. HIV/AIDS reaches the young and the old, the rich and the poor, and those in developed and undeveloped countries. Education about the virus and how it is approached to different people also affects how it is spread, several cultural factors come into play as to how effective it is in preventing future contraction of the virus. The cultural perceptions of the virus also affect how the virus is researched and how medicines are developed for it. Religion also plays a role in how the virus is spread and can have an impact on how those who are researching the disease research it. The spread of HIV/AIDS is affected by several factors the main ones being the approach of education taken, cultural perceptions of the disease, and religion. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized as a disease in 1981 (Kshatriya, 2005, pg. 69). Before 1981 it was found in the Caribbean and in African countries but it wasn’t until those first cases in the United States were diagnosed that the disease was officially recognized. HIV/AIDS exploded in America in the early 80’s, and initially they thought that AIDS was a “gay disease” and called it GRID standing for “gay related immune disease” (Lovell...

Words: 5319 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Sex-Ed Research

...sexually active. The local media stations report sex scandals daily. If you go to school, you will find students talking about sex! Even in the middle and grade schools, is also dealing with the same issues. In summary, sex is currently the center of conversations in the society. Controlling this habit of sex has become a challenge not only in the society but also in the entire world. Children, on the other hand, are exposed to sex because of the lifestyle we are experiencing. Sex is a basic instinct in all-living beings; sex education should be encouraged in school with the aim of abstinence. However, it is also essential to advocate safe sex because the most teenagers are sexually active, making it impossible to campaign for abstinence (Erkut and Grossman, 2013). As a teen, watching videos that are sexy can make one not to think about safe sex, especially at the age. Girls might be in safer possible because they might get more interested than boys. This is because boys would want to experiment with anything they see. The 1980’s sex education must be discouraged because there are no longer effective as it used to be. According to researched, it is evidence that an average of one million women gets pregnant under the age of 20. This means that about 2,800 get pregnant on a daily basis. Some of the reasons why...

Words: 941 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Hiv Positive Women in the Prison Environment

...Women are underrepresented in our correctional system even though they comprise a very small percentage in our correctional system. In the last decade we have seen a higher number of women being sentenced to prison. Women commit crime and are incarcerated under different circumstances and reasons than men. Their criminal behavior can be attributed to drug abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse and poverty. Women who are admitted into prison facilities are disadvantaged from the very beginning; prisons are calculated and planned for our male counterparts because in history men have made up the proportion of our high prison populace. It is hard to meet the needs of women prisoners when the facilities are not custom-made for them. Prisons for women should be geared with programming to help these women deal with obstacles they are facing in their daily lives. But because there are fewer women in prison, the health services that are given to them are typically nominal as compared to males. One of the biggest problems for women in prison is that they are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus commonly known as HIV. There is a tangible need to address the problem with HIV positive incarcerated women. (Reyes, 2001) Female prisoners make up about five percent of our overall prison population but as time has passed their numbers have increased at a rapid pace. In countries where substance abuse is high and drug laws have become harsher, we can see a correlation between...

Words: 2647 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Role of Technology in Service Counter

...ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE SERVICE COUNTER There are FIVE (5) modes that technology’s contribution to the service encounter that is because of advances in communication and information technology are having a profound effect on ways customers interface with service provide. The modes are as below: a) Technology-free service encounter b) Technology-assisted service encounter c) Technology-facilitated service encounter d) Technology-mediated service encounter e) Technology-generated service encounter (self-service) In relating this model to the hospitality service industry, we choose Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa. This hotel located just 25-minutes from the heart of Kuala Lumpur has 1234 guestrooms, suites, villas and serviced residences. The flagship 5-star Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa offers newly renovated Club and Premier rooms and suites, while The Villas presents 17 luxurious Asian-styled accommodations. Besides the variety of accommodation under one, this amazing “resort-within-a-city” landmark also features the Balinese-inspired Mandara Spa, a fitness centre, a theme park with the largest manmade surf beach, extreme sports and wildlife interactive zoo, an upscale mega shopping and entertainment mall with over 700 specialty stores, a medical centre, educational facilities and a multitude of distinctive business and leisure facilities. Below are the examples on roles of technology in the service encounter based on the example of Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa, Kuala Lumpur: ...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Branch Security

...CHAPTER 4 BRANCH SECURITY GENERAL 62. With the changing security scenario, establishment of Bank branches will require detailed consideration. No building should be selected or constructed unless it adheres to the basic security prerequisites. Security planning should start from the time we think of setting up a branch in an area. Generally, banking business and administrative considerations should and would take precedence while selecting a site but security should not be given a back seat. It must be understood that banking activity is prone to security risks and makes an area crime prone and vulnerable. The local police must be consulted regarding the proposed site of the branch. It is important that it goes on their beat map and patrols pay special attention. 63. In view of the changing security threats, it has become imperative to lay down certain guidelines for identifying the location and layout of our branches. While such guidelines could be easily implemented at new premises, it may not be feasible in our existing branches unless complete renovation is contemplated. Nevertheless, interim measures/ modifications could still be incorporated in our existing branches towards meeting the various security requirements to the best possible extent. 64. OPENING OF A NEW BRANCH (a) While selecting premises for a new branch, the ground floor space is preferable, as it is convenient, both from the public as well as from the branch staff’s point of view. In...

Words: 4152 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Ethical Issue

...Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Rodd Tooke Grand Canyon University: NRSv437 September 2, 2013 Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Reading the “Bioethics of NBC’s ER” this writer feels the ethical implication of breaching the confidentiality of not only Andrea but everyone in the school who participated in the sex group. Ethical Implication Of A Breach Of Confidentiality A breach of confidentiality is a disclosure to a third party, without patient consent or court order, of private patient information ("Patient confidentiality," 2010). Before Nurse Hathaway can disclose any information about Andrea health to anyone including her parents, Andrea must sign a release of information which can be verbal or written. This writer feels that when a minor informs an adult or someone they feel they can trust in a situation that can be harmful to the minor child it’s important to explain to the child how important the situation can be to his or her health and inform the child at that time of a consent being need to obtain the necessary medical attention that may be needed. During the disclosure of information the adult must inform the child that under certain situation the parent may or may not be notified depending of the severity of the problem. If Nurse Hathaway breaches the confidence of Andrea she may no longer trust someone she beliefs and could confine in to keeping a secret. She may also be afraid to seek help in the future for thinking a breach of confidentiality...

Words: 1145 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Patents and Aids, a Deadly Combination

...Patents and AIDS, a Deadly Combination AIDS in this age is an unfortunately ignored topic. The number of HIV and AIDS patients in the United States is steadily increasing each year. The age of those infected is becoming younger as well and little media attention is being directed at those affected by this disease. The increase of HIV infection is becoming parallel to the lack of proper sex education in schools across the country. With a lack of education in the country about safe sex, HIV infection undoubtedly will increase. Due to lack of government intervention on the topic, the people must begin to increase their own level of intervention. The patent was designed for the protection of financial investment. When it comes to pharmaceuticals, there is no more perfect example to the destructive power of patents. Amazingly, there are drugs which suppress the HIV virus and allow its victims to live a life as long as any other person. In the United States however, patents exist which allow for pharmaceutical companies to increase the price for their manufactured drugs to an irresponsible amount. For each year, an HIV/AIDS victim must pay between $2,100 to $11,815 dollar each year. The most common population of HIV/AIDS victims earn near minimum wage, which is about $14,000 per year if working 40 hours each week. The cost involved in being a victim of a virus such as HIV/AIDS is incredibly high in the United States. Due to the relation of HIV/AIDS infection in the United States...

Words: 380 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Aids

...1. Problem Statement of the Case The case is about to design an effective national AIDS awareness campaign for the people of Mexico which will create social awareness regarding AIDS prevention and treatment and also make social norms that will induce them to adopt AIDS preventive measures(Objective) so that they can save from Aids (Success Measures) even that they are infecting by Aids on a regular basis (Constraints). 2. Central Issue of the Case: The central issues of the case are given in the following matrix: Importance High Low Urgency High • Identify the potential target audience. • Determine the appropriate communication program which will break the barriers to HIV/ AIDS social marketing in Mexico and will create awareness to them irrespective of their sex, literacy, and geographic location. • Design an effective AIDS awareness message which is simple, believable, appealing and forceful to the target adults and will instigate public dialogue • Determine whether to use only advertising tool or integrated marketing communications tools to reach most adults. • Establish social norms through the AIDS awareness program so that adults do not view AIDS as stigma, feel free to have open sex-discussion and get encouraged to become aware of AIDS and preventive measures as a part of their lives Low • Identify the possible barriers in properly getting the message to the right people. • Create awareness regarding intravenous drug users. 3. Case Problems • Language...

Words: 1546 - Pages: 7