City of Des Plaines, Illinois, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Section: XI Title: Equipment Operations Number: 11.4 Subject: Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) Device

Date Issued: 09-14-06 Effective Date: 09-14-06 Revised: 09-14-06

Purpose

To ensure the safety of members engaged in emergency operations by describing when to use the Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) device, a brief description of how to use the Pass device, and what to do with a malfunctioning PASS device.

Policy

Each member involved in rescue, or other hazardous duties shall use a PASS device.

Responsibility

It shall be the responsibility of all Fire Department personnel to understand and comply with this policy.

It shall be the responsibility for all Officers to ensure that personnel under their command fully understand and comply with this policy.

Definitions

Each PASS device shall be tested prior to use , and as part of the daily SCBA check.

The PASS device has three operational modes:

OFF Device deactivated and will not operate automatically ON Device activated (manually or automatically) and will sound continous alarm ARMED Device is armed. If the user/unit becomes motionless for approximately 30 seconds, device will sound a continuous full alarm. Approximately 10 seconds prior to full alarm, the device will emit a pre-alert low level alarm.

Page 1 of 2 Procedures

1. Prior to use, the PASS device shall be tested. Test in “armed” and “on” position.

2. Prior to entering a potentially hazardous situation, place the PASS device in the “armed” position. Intergrated PASS devices become armed automatically when a charged SCBA is turned on.

3. With the device in the “armed” position, a timing and pre-alert sequence will begin if the user is motionless for any reason.

4. At any time prior to full alarm, the timing sequence will reset by motion or by a tap on the unit. If in full alarm, the unit can be reset to the “armed” position.

5. There may be some structural or body movement even when the wearer is incapacitated. It is not desirable to detect such motion. Therefore, a motion threshold is built into the unit. As a result, some types of gentle motion may not be detected and the pre-alert signal will sound. The unit can be reset as described above.

6. Personnel who find themselves in an emergency situation where immediate help is needed shall activate the PASS device manually.

7. Prior to storing the PASS device, place it in the “Off” position. Integrated PASS devices on SCBA can be placed in the “OFF” position only when there is no air pressure on the system.

Malfunctioning PASS Device

PASS devices found to be functioning improperly shall be immediately taken out of service, and reported to the Company Officer. The PASS device shall be replaced immediately, tagged, and sent to SCBA Officer for repair. If the device is integrated to an SCBA, the complete SCBA should be sent. Included on the repair tag should be a brief and complete description of the problem, and the name of the person taking the PASS device out of service.

John W. Heavey

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