Thurston County Technical Rescue Response Mobilization Plan and Operating Guidelines Thurston County Fire Chief s Association JANUARY 2013
A. INTRODUCTION The Thurston County Special Operations Rescue Team Guidelines and Mobilization Plan was developed by the participating fire agencies. This Committee s intent is to bring together the expertise of skilled individuals and resources of fire agencies with technical rescue capabilities in a cooperative and coordinated effort. This document is designed to work in conjunction with the Washington State Fire Mobilization Plan. B. PURPOSE The purpose of the Thurston County Special Operations Rescue Team Guidelines and Mobilization Plan is to provide rapid access and coordinated deployment of technical and specialized resources for use in incidents of significant proportion or complexity that require assistance beyond local jurisdiction capability. C. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES 1. Agencies By mutual agreement departments may be a part of the Special Operations Rescue Team. Participating agencies shall provide trained technical rescue responders with PPE. All Special Operations Rescue Team personnel will participate in technical rescue training and response activities. Participating agencies include the Cities of Olympia & Tumwater and the following fire districts: McLane-Black Lake, Lacey #3, West Thurston, FD #6. Non-Participating agencies may draw upon these resources through existing mutual aid agreements. 2. Administrative Rescue Board Members of the Administrative Rescue Board shall be the Fire Chief or designee of each Full participating department. The Board shall determine matters of administrative procedure, policy, grants administration, coordination of equipment purchases and overall program direction. Each participating agency shall have one vote on the Board. The Board will normally meet on an as needed basis; special meetings may be held. Notice of meetings will be made to all participating agencies by the Administrative Rescue Board Chairperson.
3. Chairperson The Chairperson of the Board shall be elected by the Board and serve a two year term. The chairperson shall be from a Full participating agency and shall facilitate meetings and provide for, and distribute meeting minutes. The Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that changes in plans, operating procedures and training requirements are included in annual S.O.R.T. training. As of January 2013 Chief Steve North is the Chairperson. 4. S.O.R.T. Liaison The S.O.R.T. Liaison is an administrative position appointed by the Chairperson. The Liaison shall be a Rescue Technician and a member of a participating agency. He/she will insure that communications between the S.O.R.T. members and the Administrative Board are maintained and that the needs of the participating departments are being met. They will work with the S.O.R.T. Coordinator to coordinate the development and ongoing review of the teams S.O.G.s and Training. As of January 2013 BC Andy Speier is the S.O.R.T. Liaison. 5. S.O.R.T Coordinator The S.O.R.T. Coordinator is an administrative position that coordinates team activities. The Coordinator shall be a Rescue Technician selected from among the participating agencies department coordinators/leads. Each participating agency shall select a coordinator or lead from their respective Rescue Team members. The Coordinator or S.O.R.T. Liaison shall serve as chairperson at S.O.R.T. Operations meetings. The Coordinator(s) may assign tasks and areas of responsibility to S.O.R.T. members as necessary and will coordinate follow-up and completion of assigned tasks. The Coordinator shall be responsible for the development of the annual budget as it relates to technical rescue supplies and equipment, and maintenance of technical rescue vehicles. The Coordinator shall be responsible for maintaining a current inventory of materials and equipment carried on the technical rescue vehicles along with an adequate stock of disposable supplies. As of January 2013 Captain Casey Sobol is the Coordinator.
6. S.O.R.T. Member Qualifications S.O.R.T. Members shall meet training requirements in accordance with NFPA 1006 Standards for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications,1670 Operations and Training for technical rescue incidents and WAC 296-824-30005 Hazardous Materials Operations. Certification of S.O.R.T. members as Technical Rescue Technicians and Specialists shall be the responsibility of each S.O.R.T. members department or agency. Each agency shall maintain records of Technician and Specialist certification and refresher training. The S.O.R.T. Training Coordinator will maintain a master training log of all members training attendance. Rescue Techs attendance records will be reviewed annually. 7. Training All personnel participating shall meet training standards and demonstrate competency for their respective area(s) in accordance with NFPA 1006 and NFPA 1670. The training hours listed for each training requirement are approximate. Each participating department shall certify that all training standards and annual refresher training requirements have been met by participating S.O.R.T. Members. It shall be the responsibility of the Chief (or their designee) of each participating agency to ensure that all technical rescue personnel receive training on the contents and operational concepts of this plan. Periodic training, exercises and drills will be held in order to evaluate the effectiveness of procedures and to determine future training needs. S.O.R.T. Rescue Technician Training Requirements: Confined Space Rescue Technician Level: 32-40 hours. Provides training for making entries in horizontal and vertical spaces. Rope/High Angle Rescue Technician Level: 50-60 hours. Provides training in selfrescue, anchors, anchor systems, ascending/descending, rigging lowering, raising and rescue load belay systems. Trench Rescue Technician Level: 40-50 hours. Provides training in shoring, panel and extrication with wood, pneumatic and hydraulic shoring equipment. Structural Collapse Operations: 40-50 hours. Provides training in the recognition of hazards associated with different types of structural collapses. Skills include lifting heavy objects, shoring windows, walls and doors and breaching in wood and unreinforced masonry structures. Constructing simple lowering/raising systems with ropes and ladders.
*Shore Based Water Rescue Operations: 4 hours. Provides training in the recognition of hazards associated with surface water, moving water and ice conditions and working knowledge of water rescue tools. The SKA to perform shore based water rescue. *Training to be made available to team members in 2013 Haz-Mat Operations: 40 hour. Provides training in the recognition of the hazards associated with hazardous materials response, how to use reference materials and mitigation techniques. Rope Rescue Skills Evaluation: Participate and pass an annual rope rescue skills evaluation. Additional Recognized Technician and Specialist Training Structural Collapse Rescue Technician: 80 hours. Training includes advanced skills relating to shoring and breaching in structures with reinforced masonry construction. Water Rescue Technician: 30 hours initial and 30 hours advanced. Training includes all Rope Rescue Technician requirements and making in-water contact rescues after shore based options are ruled out. Ice Rescue Technician: 8-16 hours. Training includes entry into frozen bodies of water with proper personal protective equipment to make in water/on ice rescue attempts. Tree Rescue Technician: 24 hours. Training includes tree climbing skills, access, treatment and movement of injured persons in trees. D. S.O.R.T. MEMBERSHIP 1. PREREQUISITES TECHNICIAN LEVEL a. S.O.R.T. members shall be trained to NFPA 1006 and 1670 standards in the Core Technician requirements including Confined Space Rescue, Rope/High Angle Rescue and Trench Rescue. Operations Structural Collapse and Shore Based Water Rescue Operations. 2. SPECIALIST LEVEL With their agencies approval team members may participate in additional training in specific areas. The training may be at the Technician level or higher in disciplines above the initial core training. Members that complete and maintain their skills in the areas below will be referred to as Specialists in those areas. For Examples: Surface Water Rescue Swift Water Rescue Ice Rescue Rope/High Angle Rescue Structural Collapse
Tree Rescue 3. RESPONSE POSITIONS Rescue Group Supervisor (RGS) The Rescue Group Supervisor (R.G.S.) should have a minimum of 3 years experience as a Rescue Technician on the S.O.R.T., have an Incident Safety Officer certificate (I.S.O.), be recommended by their department lead/coordinator and be approved by the Team Coordinator. Completion of a RGS Task book and a RGS workshop will be required by the end of 2013. The RGS will be responsible for filling out a Technical Rescue Incident After Action Report and forwarding it to the Team Coordinator. Technical Rescue Safety Officer (TR Safety) The Technical Rescue Safety Officer (TR Safety) should have a minimum of 3 years experience as a Rescue Technician on the S.O.R.T. and have an Incident Safety Officer certificate (I.S.O.). The TR Safety will be responsible for inputting information into the Technical Rescue After Action Report. It is recognized that initially until additional Rescue Technicians arrive on scene The Rescue Group Supervisor may have to function as the Technical Rescue Safety Officer. This is acceptable as long as the Rescue Group Supervisor remains in a supervisory role. As soon as possible a qualified Technical Rescue Safety should be assigned. 4. ANNUAL CONTINUING TRAINING REQUIREMENTS a. Technicians shall attend a minimum of one drill for each rescue discipline annually. b. Technicians shall complete a rope rescue practical skills assessment annually. *Starting Spring of 2013. c. All rescue training drills are offered twice a year for two consecutive days with a makeup day later in the year. d. If a technician is unable to attend scheduled training then with prior approval of the Team Coordinator outside regional training may be substituted. Outside training shall be evaluated by the S.O.R.T. Training Coordinator and Team Coordinator for training credit. This may apply in a situation where a team member is unable to attend training due to a disability or family emergency.
If approved to attend substituted training the technician will be required to schedule a familiarization make up scheduled through the Team Coordinator. This will involve going through specific equipment carried on TR-91 so that the technician remains familiar with the equipment and its location on the vehicle. 5. FAILURE TO MEET TRAINING REQUIREMENTS E. DEFINITIONS Personnel who fail to meet the annual training requirements without a valid reason, approved by the team coordinator shall be removed from the teams active roster. Assembly Areas - Pre-arranged meeting areas/locations throughout the county where all designated responders, strike teams, and task forces assemble before responding as a group. Specialized Resources - Individual resources that may be called to respond without a S.O.R.T. call out. Staging Area - An area near the incident that is either pre-determined or designated by the Incident Commander for locating resources to be used at the incident scene. Technical Rescue Task Force - A group or combination of unlike resources that have common communications and a Task Force Leader. Technical Rescue Task Force Leader This person will be a command officer with experience in the supervision and command of multiple companies. The Rescue Task Force Leader is In charge of the movement of the team for an out of county deployment from the deployment to conclusion of the mission. This position will usually be filled by a Chief Officer. First Alarm S.O.R.T. Response - Response of all on duty Rescue Technicians from the participating fire agencies within the county. Second Alarm S.O.R.T. Response Response of off duty Rescue Technicians. Third Alarm S.O.R.T. Response Mutual Aid Rescue for Rescue Technicians F. PRE-INCIDENT RESPONSE Due to the complexity of Technical Rescue Incidents and the required specialty trained personnel it is recognized that the initial response needs to start with a minimum number of responders. Six is a recognized minimum number of responders to make up a team. In order to insure that that number is met all on duty Rescue Technicians are required to contact the Station 91 Shift Captain by 0830 each day so that the Rescue Technician status board can be updated and placed on TR-91 for the shift. Prior to a response this will enable the Shift Officer
to know what to expect for a response and whether or not off duty members will need to be called in. G. MOBILIZATION WITHIN THURSTON COUNTY The Incident Commander shall have the authority to request a S.O.R.T. response for incidents occurring within Thurston County. The responding officer on TR-91 may upgrade to a second alarm S.O.R.T. call out as they deem appropriate based on the number of on-duty technicians and incident the type of incident. A second alarm SORT dispatch will bring in off duty team members. Once a RGS arrives on scene and determines that the upgraded response is not needed they should cancel the request ASAP. S.O.R.T. call outs for off duty team members are placed through TCOM. Requests for a full S.O.R.T. mobilization (off duty team members) may also occur after local agency resources have been exhausted or it has been determined by the Rescue Group Supervisor that the incident is, or will reach a large scale or be of a long in duration. Staffing levels and shift relief shall be taken into consideration when requesting mobilization of technical rescue resources. MOBILIZATION OUT OF COUNTY 1. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS Requests from agencies outside of Thurston County for a S.O.R.T. response should be directed to TCOM. TCOM will get the following information: Type if incident Rescue vs. Recovery Request Incident Location (address or GPS coordinates) Name, Rank and Contact phone # of reporting agency Incident radio frequency Staging Location (for wilderness/backcountry responses) TCOM will contact the Station 91 Shift Officer via landline, or page them if they are out of quarters, to give them a heads up for a possible out of county response as soon as they receive an inquiry from an outside agency dispatch center. This will give the Shift Officer at Station 91 the ability to prepare TR-91 for a response. TCOM will dispatch the SORT and TR-91 to the incident via a tone out and the use of the AMERI-LERT system. This will give off duty team members a notification that there is a S.O.R.T. response dispatched out of the county. If the initial dispatch does not contain the information as shown above then the shift officer at station 91 will contact the TCOM dispatch center to obtain it.
If there is a question about an out of county SORT response the Station 91 Shift Officer will contact one of the following: Captain Casey Sobol: 360-239-3043 Fire Chief Steve North: 360-239-2069 Battalion Chief Andy Speier: 206-799-4139 Fire Chief Steve Brooks: 360-239-8593 The Thurston County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) may receive these requests directly from another County DEM. TCOM shall notify DEM when there is a request for mobilization outside of the county. Any Thurston County Technical Rescue participating agency receiving direct requests for resources from agencies outside the county for technical rescue assistance and/or beyond routine operations shall refer the requesting agency to TCOM. No jurisdiction shall be required to respond to mobilization requests or forego their own jurisdictions public safety needs. 2. INITIAL DEPLOYMENT Initial deployment shall be as a Technical Rescue Task Force with a Task Force Leader. The Dispatch Center or Emergency Management shall be the focal point for the request and initial allocation of resources beyond those available through mutual aid. A command officer from one of the participating agencies will respond as the Task Force Officer on all out of county responses. If a command officer does not go enroute over the air within 2 minutes of the alarm the Captain at station 91 will contact TCOM and request a SORT Agency command officer be dispatched to respond to the assembly area. Technical Rescue Task Forces, once deployed, shall, as much as practical, remain within their Task Force under the direct control of their Rescue Group Supervisor. Pre-determined assembly areas will be used. See Page 10 - Assembly Areas When requested, personnel will proceed to the designated assembly point and deploy as directed by the Task Force Leader. Upon arrival at the incident staging area the Task Force Leader shall meet with the Rescue Group Leader who shall provide a list of responding personnel and their assignments. Upon arrival at the incident scene the Task Force Leader and Rescue Group Leader shall report to the Incident Commander for strategic briefing and tactical assignments. Depending on the type of incident in order to fill the minimum number of position assignments on an out of county Task Force Response the Shift Officer or Chief Officer at
Station 91 will ask TCOM to dispatch a second alarm (off duty team members) and ask S.O.R.T. Rescue Techs available to respond contact station 91. 3. STAGING AREAS The Out of County Incident Commander shall be responsible for the designation of a local staging area. The staging area will be used to assemble incoming resources and for the distribution of equipment and supplies. This may be at the incident scene or at another appropriate location nearby. The following should be considered on long term incidents when designating staging area: adequate space for staff and resources; rest areas; feeding space/capability, and sanitation/shower facilities. 4. ASSEMBLY AREAS In order to have an organized response and arrival the Rescue Task Force shall respond to an assembly area. The Task Force Leader will insure that all responding personnel are travelling in emergency response vehicles and will insure that all personnel are listed on the vehicle passports, and maintain an IMS board with a list of all responders. The exception may be the response of a Chief Officer or Team Coordinator to meet with the on scene I.C. prior to the arrival of the Task Force. Three assembly areas are designated for personnel and resource deployment to jurisdictions outside of Thurston County. South: North: West: Exit 88 Park & Ride (east of I-5) Grand Mound WA Exit 111 Hawks Prairie Inn (Marvin Road) Lacey WA Station 91 (rear parking lot) 125 Delphi Rd NW Olympia WA
H. MANAGEMENT CONTROL On-scene management of emergencies will follow Incident Command System (ICS) as defined by the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The functions of the Incident Command System include but are not limited to: Incident Commander - Directs on-scene operations. Safety Officer - Oversees safety of operation at the scene. Liaison Officer - Coordinates information with support function groups and the Emergency Operations Center. Public Information Officer - Coordinates media relations and emergency public information. Operations Section - Implements strategic and tactical actions at the incident scene. Logistics Section Is responsible for communications, transportation, supplies and special equipment. Planning Section - Responsible for situation and resource status reports, documentation, incident planning, technical advisors, intelligence, demobilization. Finance Administration - Responsible for contracts, time keeping, cost analysis, compensation and claims. Technical Rescue operations are complex in nature and may require adjustments to equipment and staffing. It is the responsibility of the Rescue Group Leader to work with the Incident Commander to adjust the response in accordance with the situation when specific command guidance and policy directives are inadequate or unavailable. The Incident Commander of the requesting agency shall be in charge of all operational and tactical activities unless command is officially delegated to another agency. Task Force Leaders and Rescue Group Leaders shall communicate their tactical plan to the IC and keep them informed as far as progress and problems encountered. The Thurston County Personnel Accountability System (Passport System) will be used at all technical rescue incidents. All Task Forces Responses shall have a Task Force Leader assigned who responds with the Task Force. The Task Force Leader shall be responsible for his/her Task Force from the time of deployment from the assembly point through demobilization in accordance with established procedures.
The Rescue Group Leader is responsible for directing tactical assignments. The Task Force Leader maintains reports and records for the Task Force and reports work progress, resource status, and other pertinent information to the appropriate command officer. All out of county Task Force deployments require a Task Force Leader in addition to the Rescue Group Leader. The Task Force Leader may be a S.O.R.T. member or may be a Chief Officer from a Thurston County agency. I. COMMUNICATIONS Prior to responding out of county a common radio channel will be selected to be used by SORT members on an incident. The Rescue Group Leader will maintain radio communications with the local Incident Commander using that jurisdictions radio channel and radio if necessary. J. TRANSPORTATION Each department providing personnel and resources for a mobilization shall be responsible for transportation to and from the assembly or staging area as appropriate.