Chapter 5130 - Wildland Fire Suppression

id_5130-2007-2 Page 1 of 6

FOREST SERVICE MANUAL NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (WO) WASHINGTON, DC

FSM 5100 - FIRE MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 5130 - WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION

Interim Directive No.: 5130-2007-2

Effective Date: November 30, 2007

Duration: This interim directive expires on May 30, 2009.

Approved: ROBIN THOMPSON Date Approved: 07/12/2007 Associate Deputy Chief

Posting Instructions: Interim directives are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year. Post by document at the end of the chapter. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last interim directive was 5120-2007-1 to FSM 5120.

New Document id_5130-2007-2 6 Pages

Superseded Document(s) None (Interim Directive Number and Effective Date)

Digest:

This interim directive provides direction on forest supervisor, supervisor and employee responsibilities related to safety. In addition, policy is established in this interim directive for emergency lights and sirens.

5130.43 - Provides language responsive to USDA Office of Inspector General, Western Region, USDA/OIG-A/08601-28-SF, September 2004, Recommendation #8.

5135.04 - Sets out additional responsibilities for supervisors and employees related to safety.

Removes the minimum 8 hour training requirement for the annual safety refresher.

Issues direction for forest supervisor approval for the use of emergency lighting in each instance of use. WO INTERIM DIRECTIVE id_5130-2007-2 EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/30/2007 Page 2 of 6 DURATION: This interim directive expires on 05/30/2009.

FSM 5100 - FIRE MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 5130 - WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION

Digest--Continued:

5135.04e - 5135.04g - Establishes codes and captions and issues direction on responsibilities for forest fire program managers, duty officers, and dispatch center managers.

5135.05 - Removes the minimum 8 hour training requirement for the annual safety refresher and refers to FSH 5109.17 for course content.

5135.6 - Establishes new code and caption “Emergency Lights and Sirens” and issues emergency vehicle operations direction for vehicles equipped with lights and sirens.

5135.7 - Establishes new code and caption “Safety in Emergency Vehicle Operations” and issues emergency vehicle operation requirements for the safety of pedestrians, other vehicles, and operators. WO INTERIM DIRECTIVE id_5130-2007-2 EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/30/2007 Page 3 of 6 DURATION: This interim directive expires on 05/30/2009.

Table of Contents

5130.43 - Forest Supervisors and District Rangers...... 4 5135 - FIRE SUPPRESSION SAFETY...... 4 5135.04 - Responsibility...... 4 5135.04b - Forest Supervisors...... 4 5135.04c - Work Supervisors...... 4 5135.04d - All Employees...... 4 5135.04e - Forest Fire Program Manager...... 5 5135.04f - Duty Officers...... 5 5135.04g - Dispatch Center Managers, Initial Attack Lead Dispatcher/Assistant Dispatch Center Managers...... 5 5135.5 - Annual Refresher Training...... 5 5135.6 - Emergency Lights and Sirens...... 5 5135.7 - Safety in Emergency Vehicle Operations...... 6 WO INTERIM DIRECTIVE id_5130-2007-2 EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/30/2007 Page 4 of 6 DURATION: This interim directive expires on 05/30/2009.

5130.43 - Forest Supervisors and District Rangers

8. In the event evidence of firefighter misconduct or serious violation of safety standards is surface, forest supervisors shall convene a panel of fire operations experts to evaluate and document the decisions and performance of involved individuals against currently accepted policy and principles for fire operations. Forest supervisors shall implement measures (for example, qualification decertification, additional training, administrative action, and so forth as necessary to correct any identified performance issues.

5135 - FIRE SUPPRESSION SAFETY

5135.04 - Responsibility

5135.04b - Forest Supervisors

It is the responsibility of the Forest Supervisor to:

3. Provide annual fireline safety refresher training to personnel directly involved with fire management activities (FSH 5109.17, chap. 20 and 30).

4. Ensure only certified Emergency Vehicle Operators are authorized operate emergency lights and sirens while driving on public roads.

5. Require emergency vehicle operators to obtain approval for the use of emergency lighting in each instance of use. Where appropriate, delegate this authority to forest duty officers and dispatch center managers or initial attack lead dispatcher/assistant dispatch center managers.

5135.04c - Work Supervisors

Supervisors have the responsibility to prepare employees to function safely and effectively in the wildland fire environment. This preparation can be accomplished through training, education, experience and physical fitness training. It must be tailored to the specific fireline assignments for which employees are being prepared.

5135.04d - All Employees

All employees have the personal responsibility to prepare themselves to function safely and effectively in the wildland fire environment. This preparation can be accomplished through training, education, experience and physical fitness training. WO INTERIM DIRECTIVE id_5130-2007-2 EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/30/2007 Page 5 of 6 DURATION: This interim directive expires on 05/30/2009.

5135.04e - Forest Fire Program Manager

Review incidents where prior authorization for the use of emergency lighting on response vehicles has not been granted by the duty officer, dispatch center manager, or initial attack lead dispatcher/assistant dispatch center manager. There may be situations where prior authorization is not possible and considerations for human safety dictate the use of emergency lights and sirens outside of standard operating procedures. The intent of the review is to validate or correct the individual firefighter’s decision making skills.

5135.04f - Duty Officers

If delegated, grant verbal approval to emergency vehicle operators to use of emergency lighting based on predefined guidelines.

5135.04g - Dispatch Center Managers, Initial Attack Lead Dispatcher/Assistant Dispatch Center Managers

If delegated, grant verbal approval to emergency vehicle operators to use of emergency lighting based on predefined guidelines.

5135.5 - Annual Refresher Training

All personnel who may receive a wildfire fireline assignment shall complete fireline safety refresher training annually (5135.04b and 5109.17, ch. 20 and 30). FSH 5109.17, chapter 20 displays positions where the fireline safety refresher training is required.

The local unit shall determine the specific content of the annual fireline refresher training being delivered each year. The content must include, but is not limited to, the core subject areas found in FSH 5109.17, chapter 30.

5135.6 - Emergency Lights and Sirens

1. When out of area resources are arriving to an incident the requesting dispatch office should approve necessary use of red lights and sirens.

2. Units that routinely operate with red lights and sirens may institute a policy where approval is routinely granted but there remains the requirement to provide oversight of red light and siren use and to deny use of this equipment when the risks are not justified.

3. Approval to use emergency lights is not required when the vehicle is stationary. WO INTERIM DIRECTIVE id_5130-2007-2 EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/30/2007 Page 6 of 6 DURATION: This interim directive expires on 05/30/2009.

4. Individuals identified in section 5135.04 who have been delegated the authority to approve the use of emergency lights must be knowledgeable of local regulations pertaining to emergency vehicle travel and ensure operations are compliant with these rules. For example, some municipalities require courtesy notification of local law enforcement that vehicles are in use with emergency lights. In this case the person who approved the use of emergency lights is responsible to ensure local law enforcement is properly notified.

5135.7 - Safety in Emergency Vehicle Operations

Emergency vehicle operators are required to operate at all times with the safety of pedestrians, other vehicles and themselves as the primary objective of travel. Consistent safe driving is a condition of Emergency Vehicle Operator’s certification. Inform all emergency vehicle operators in writing of their personal and legal responsibilities to operate in accordance with their training, Forest Service policies and due caution for life and property.

In addition to operation consistent and compliant with the training operators receive, operators are also required to:

a. Come to a complete stop at all stop signs and red traffic control lights. “Nose-in” technique for increased visibility is appropriate commensurate with training.

b. Come to a complete stop at any intersection where all lanes of traffic cannot be seen by the driver.

c. Stop and do not pass any school bus with flashing warning lights.

d. Turn off sirens and lights when approaching and passing through an active school crossing zone.

e. Turn off sirens and lights when approaching a blocked intersection where non- emergency traffic cannot safely clear the travel way.

f. Adhere to posted speed limits.

g. Travel at or below safe speeds based on road conditions, weather conditions, visibility and vehicle configuration.

h. Obey all railroad crossing signals.

i. Adhere to local regulations governing emergency vehicle operation.