SECTION ADMINISTRATION EFFECTIVE REVISED 11-6-14 SOG 1-03 CAMDEN COUNTY MUTUAL AID PLAN I. Purpose A. To establish a countywide action plan for interaction of several fire departments and/or agencies to handle large scale or unusual incidents beyond the capabilities of a local jurisdiction. B. To provide a plan for the movement of apparatus, equipment and human resources to aid the fire service in management and control of emergencies within their jurisdiction. C. To provide a system for response of management specialists to large-scale incidents to fill staff positions required by the incident. II. Policy A. It shall be the policy of the Camden County Fire Coordinator to oversee the development and implementation of the county mutual aid plan. The Coordinator, Deputies and the Incident Support and Assistance Committee of the Camden County Fire Chiefs and Fire Officers Association, will take an active roll in organizing selected Chief Officers and other qualified members of the emergency services into a group of specialists that can be drawn upon when needed. B. It shall be the policy of the Coordinator to comply with established laws and regulations as they relate to implementing the county mutual aid plan. C. Each municipal fire department and/or fire district or company shall participate in the plan and develop plans for their communities with oversight from the Coordinator. 1
III. Definitions A. Incident Support and Assistance Team (ISAT) 1. A group of highly trained specialists brought into an incident to assist with oversight and staffing of key positions in the incident management function. This group shall be selected by the Camden County Fire Chiefs and Fire Officers Association and ISAT committee, based on criteria set by said committee. 2. Members of the Incident Support and Assistance Team (ISAT) shall be selected based on their area of expertise in specific functions, such as planning, water supply, etc. B. Incident Scribe 1. A person whose sole purpose on scene is to document events and times on paper or computer as they unfold. C. Incident Videographer 1. A person whose sole purpose on scene is to document the incident as it unfolds by use of a video camera. D. Incident Photographer 1. A person whose sole purpose on scene is to document the incident as it unfolds by using a still camera. E. Communications Operators 1. A person or persons assigned to operate various communications equipment at a command post. F. Structural Firefighters 1. Firefighters qualified to wear an SCBA in a structure under active fire conditions. IV. Procedure A. Local Municipality 1. The Chief or Municipal Fire Coordinator shall provide and update on an annual basis a complete inventory of apparatus and equipment to the County Fire Coordinator. 2
2. The Chief or Municipal Fire Coordinator is responsible for establishing and updating on an annual basis a written Mutual Aid Plan for their municipality. 3. The local plan shall include a hierarchy for at least three (3) alarms in each grid of their jurisdiction, to include Rapid Intervention Crews (R.I.C.) and cover companies. 4. The plan as required by law shall be submitted to the County Fire Coordinator for approval. 5. The plan will also be submitted to Camden County Communications by the County Fire Coordinator for entry into the computer system. B. County Fire Coordinator 1. Shall maintain an inventory of county fire service resources and submit it to the State Fire Coordinator on an annual basis. 2. Review all plans submitted by the municipalities and make recommendations as needed on an annual basis. 3. Develop and operate the County Mutual Aid Plan to assist the local Fire Chief. 4. Select and supply mutual aid equipment to other counties upon a formal request from other County Fire Coordinators, the State Fire Coordinator or The Deputy State Fire Coordinators. 5. Develop and review the Fire and Rescue Annex of the County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and review the Fire and Rescue Annex for each of the municipalities within the county. 6. Camden County Communications shall notify the County Fire Coordinator when an incident requires a Second Alarm dispatch. a. This notification will be to put the Coordinator on notice of an escalating incident. The Coordinator or a deputy may elect to respond. b. The Coordinator, deputy or both shall respond on any incident that reaches a 3 rd alarm dispatch. 7. Upon arrival the Coordinator shall meet with the Incident Commander and determine what if any additional resources may be needed. 3
a. The Coordinator shall work in concert with the incident commander to insure that enough resources are staged to handle potential needs of the incident. b. The Coordinator shall work in concert with the incident commander to insure there are adequate cover companies in placed to handle additional responses in that region. c. On major incidents using significant resources in a given region of the county, the Fire Coordinator will cause the movement of specialized equipment throughout the county to insure adequate fire protection. This may include movement of taskforces and strike teams per established guidelines for movement in or out of the county: (1) Large Diameter Hose Strike Team; Pipelines (2) Regional Taskforces (3) Marine Taskforces and Strike Teams (4) Foam Taskforces and Strike Teams (5) Water Tender Strike Teams (6) Fire Police Strike Teams d. Incidents involving multiple agencies (not just fire service) may require the implementation of an Incident and Assistance Support Team. (1) The Fire Coordinator or Deputy Fire Coordinator may make the necessary notifications to implement the ISAT. (2) The County Mobile Communications Vehicle shall be dispatched to the scene. 8. The County Fire Coordinator shall, as required, notify the state regional fire coordinator of all large-scale incidents involving apparatus from outside of Camden County. C. Response to a Request for Mutual Aid 1. Units responding that have not been given specific orders shall report to the staging area. 2. If staging area has not been established, responding units will stop short and clear about a block away from the scene until directed otherwise. 3. A staging officer will be established on all large-scale incidents to track both personnel and apparatus. D. Compensation 4
V. Closing Camden County Guidelines 1. Fire Departments responding to a request for mutual aid shall not be compensated for manpower, apparatus or any other material goods other than as is provided in the Camden County Fire Service Mutual Aid Agreement. A. All fire departments in Camden County shall receive a copy of this plan. All Chief Officers shall become familiar with this plan. B. Any plan previously published that is in conflict with this plan is hereby rescinded. 5