City of Fitchburg Fire Department Tab 2 – Department Policies (Insert Picture) Section 2600 – Operational Policies Severe Weather Operations Policy Number 2616 Guidelines Version 2.0 Version: Prepared By: Reviewed By: Approved By: Approval Date Effective Date

2.0 DC Grossen Officer Corp Officer Corp 05-02-2011 05-04-2011

Subject: Department Severe Weather Operations

Scope: All Fire Department members

Objective: To provide a systematic means for managing severe weather situations, including, but not limited to, additional staffing of personnel at one or both stations.

General

Information regarding severe weather will be obtained either by direct observation or notification from expert sources, such as the ’s alerts, or notification from the Dane County 9-1-1 Communications Center via department issued pager.

* Reminder: Per version 8 of the Dane County Fire/EMS Services Radio Communications Protocol:

Section 2R-2: In anticipation of potentially high call volume, the following guidelines shall be used by circumstances will cause the Comm Center to automatically initiate the HEAVY TRAFFIC protocol, regardless of the current level of call volume:

 Issuance of a WARNING for any portion of Dane County.  At the COMM CENTER Supervisor’s discretion, issuance of a Severe WARNING that appears to have the potential to impact a large portion of Dane County, and generate a large volume of calls based on factors such as high winds or large scale damage in other counties already impacted by the storm.  Any other circumstances as determined by the communicator and the COMM CENTER supervisor that appear to have the potential to immediately impact a large portion of Dane County, and generate a large volume of calls based on factors such as large scale damage in other counties already impacted by the storm. This includes conditions where Dane County Emergency Management has instructed the COMM CENTER to provide notification via the ALL-COUNTY ALERT TONE.

Section 2R-3: The Dane County Emergency Management (DCEM) Warning System Procedure Manual provides the following guidance to the Public Safety Communications (PSC) Supervisor regarding required notifications:

* The PSC Supervisor will assign a Fire Dispatcher to make an announcement using the ALL-COUNTY ALERT TONE for the following conditions:

 FLASH WARNING  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH

FFD SOG 2616 V2-0 – Severe Weather Ops. Guideline Page 1  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 

** This will only be done after the PSC Supervisor consults with the National Weather Service (NWS) and Dane County Emergency Management (DCEM).**

 Severe Thunderstorm WARNING for any portion of Dane County.  Tornado WARNING for any portion of Dane County.  Any other circumstance as determined by the communicator and Comm Center supervisor, which may include, but not limited to:

- WARNING for any portion of Dane County - High Wind WARNING for any portion of Dane County - WARNING for any portion of Dane County - WARNING for any portion of Dane County

* Note: At any time during a “weather condition” the OIC feels the need for additional staff, an “all-call” page can be sent out for battalions one, two and/or three to report to their respective stations (if safe to do so).

Notifying Members of Hazard – Weather Warning

The fire house #1 company officer (if in quarters) or OIC shall complete the following:

1. Monitor weather conditions (local TV and/or Radio stations, Comm. Center)

2. Assign one of the off-duty Interns (if available) to fire house #1 dispatch.

3. Notify the following schools:

 Notify Stoner Prairie School (during school hours) Ph.: 273-8887

 Notify Savannah Oaks School (during school hours) Ph.: 278-0755

 Notify Eagle School (during school hours) Ph.: 273-0309

Additional steps may be taken at the discretion of the OIC if the warning has the potential to impact Fitchburg;

1. Available apparatus may be staffed and sent to one of the following designated “weather spotter” locations.

 Fitch-Rona Rd. and Whalen Rd.  Fitch-Rona Rd. and McKee Rd.  CTH MM and Loniello Ct. (property north and west)

Each unit assigned to the “weather spotter” locations will remain on location until returned by the OIC.

2. City Hall/Community Center, Savannah Oaks School, Stoner Prairie School and Eagle School shall have at least one fire department member assigned to each location (as determined by the OIC). Each member will report to their assigned location via fire department vehicle. Each member will be required to maintain a fire department portable radio at all times during the assignment, set to the assigned local channel. The member will confirm that their assigned location is aware of the Tornado

FFD SOG 2616 V2-0 – Severe Weather Ops. Guideline Page 2 Warning and will assist with ensuring that all occupants of the building are in a designated tornado shelter. The member will remain on location until returned by the OIC.

3. All fire department units will remain on the assigned local channel during the Comm. Center’s “heavy traffic” condition until terminated by the Comm. Center.

FFD SOG 2616 V2-0 – Severe Weather Ops. Guideline Page 3