Civil Disturbance

Section 2 - Emergency Operations

230.13 Civil Disturbance

TITLE

Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) and Civil Unrest Policy

PURPOSE

To provide a guide for fire department emergency response activities during periods of civil unrest or violent activity. These events could include, but are not limited to, active shooter, public riots, acts of civil disturbances, and hostile or otherwise violent encounters with individuals or groups. This guide is intended to assist responders in developing a prompt and coordinated response, ultimately establishing a unified command presence between fire and law enforcement (LE), in accordance with all local Emergency Operations Plans.

DISCUSSION

The foundation of this guideline is a comprehensive plan. A comprehensive ASHER plan provides a framework for developing and implementing specific procedures including training and exercising your capability, equipping your response elements, proactive engagement of your stakeholders, and evaluating your capabilities. A collaborative planning process involving representatives of all responsible agencies and jurisdictions sets the stage for an effective response.

This policy includes the major components detailed below:

• Incident Command
• Medical
• Equipment List
• Notification Procedures
• Response Procedures

In order for this policy to provide for its intended purpose, coordination between agencies utilizing an Incident Command System and a Unified Command is essential to ensure scene safety, scene control, and timely patient treatment and transport.

AFFECTED

All Fire Department Personnel

DEFINITIONS

Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (ASHER): An incident involving one or more individuals actively engaging in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and/or populated area. Assailant(s) may use firearms, explosives, toxic substances, vehicles, edged weapons, fire, or a combination thereof. In a hostile event, the suspect is still attempting to harm victims while responders are arriving.

Ballistic Protective Equipment (BPE): Ballistic Vests, Ballistic Helmets and ANSIZ87.1 eyewear designed to help absorb the impact and reduce or prohibit penetration from projectile and blunt force objects.

Casualty Collection Point: The area, where SAVE Teams will bring patients for transportation to triage and treatment areas. The Casualty Collection Point will typically contain a Law Enforcement Officer for security.

Civil Disturbance: A civil disturbance is any breach of the peace by a significant number of people assembled in one area or the gathering of an unruly mob. This may include any situation in which, in the opinion of the onsite law enforcement commander, could develop into a riot.

Civil Unrest / Riot: A riot is civil unrest/disorder wherein crowds display a propensity for violence by setting fires, vandalizing, looting, attacking civilians, firefighters or law enforcement, or engaging in other violent acts. Frequently, such actions will not stop without the intervention of law enforcement personnel.

Demonstration / Protest: A demonstration or protest is a legal public assembly of persons exhibiting sympathy with, or opposition to, a political, legal, economic, or social condition or movement. A demonstration/protest may become illegal and dangerous when it includes active resistance and civil disobedience as a deliberate violation of a law.

Direct Threat Care (DTC): Medical Treatment in the Hot Zone

Emergency Operations Center(s): The Orange County emergency operations center is located in the OCFRD Headquarters and is the point where representatives of all the public safety departments and other designated city and county department representatives may meet to coordinate responses/actions related to jurisdiction-wide emergencies. Jurisdictions with their own established emergency operations centers may coordinate the event at their location, forwarding required, pertinent information to the County EOC as necessary. If an event is located with a municipality operating their own EOC, a liaison will be sent to the County EOC to coordinate information and requests for resources.

Forward Control Point (FCP): A controlled single point of entry and exit located between the cold and warm zones of an Active Shooter/ Hostile Event. The purpose of the FCP is to control access, maintain personnel accountability and improve overall situational awareness.

Incident Command System: A specific component of an incident management system (IMS) designed to enable effective and efficient on-scene incident management by integrating organizational functions, tactical operations, incident planning, incident logistics, and administrative tasks within a common organizational structure.

Incident Command (IC): The individual, regardless of rank, responsible for all incident activities, including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and the release of resources.

Indirect Threat Care (ITC): Medical Care in the Warm Zone

Improvised Explosive Device (IED): A device placed or fabricated in an improvised manner designed to destroy, incapacitate, or distract such as incendiary or explosive materials.

M.A.R.C.H.: Acronym used to describe the type of life threatening injuries addressed in ITC.
M – Major Hemorrhage
A – Airway
R – Breathing/Respirations
C – Circulation
H – Head & Hypothermia

Move to Contact (MTC) Team: A Law Enforcement term used to designate a Law Enforcement Officer or group of officers who enter a hostile event for the purpose of neutralizing or containing the threat. MTC teams operate in the Hot Zone and shall not contain Fire Rescue personnel.

Potentially Violent Situation (PVS): Any incident in which Communications or responding crew members have determined that there is a potential threat of violence against Fire Rescue personnel. A response to a PVS should include a Command Officer (Battalion Chief), a Suppression Unit, and a Rescue or Medic Unit.

Rescue Task Force (RTF): Alternative name for SAVE Team, utilized by Homeland Security and Florida Fire Chiefs Association.

Swift Assisted Victim Extraction (SAVE): The process of rapidly accessing patients in a violent situation, providing rapid life-saving medical care, and quickly extracting them from the warm zone

Swift Assisted Victim Extraction (SAVE) Team: A group that consists of a minimum of 3 Fire Rescue Personnel and a minimum of 4 Law Enforcement Officers in which Law Enforcement Officers provide supervision and security to the team while conducting SAVE. Each SAVE team should be equipped with a minimum of one (1) SKED and at least one (1) Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Kit.

Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC): Treatment guidelines for trauma care in a high threat hostile environment. Orange County Protocols

Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Kit: Small kit designed to be worn by SAVE team members that include tourniquets, needles for chest decompression, basic wound care, and basic airway equipment to treat life-threatening injuries.

Task Force: A task force is a unified group of apparatus and personnel assembled in response to a civil unrest/riot condition. A Task Force will consist of 1 Engine, 1 Tower/Engine, 1 Battalion Chief w/ aid (if possible) and 1 ALS unit, and two law enforcement vehicles each with a minimum of four officers. A task force responds as a single unit, operates as a unified team, and shall not be separated when deployed during a civil unrest event.

Team Leaders:

• Medical Team Leader (MTL): The lead Fire Rescue member of a SAVE Team.
• Rescue Task Force Team Leader (RTL): The lead Law Enforcement Officer in a SAVE team who is in charge of both the Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue members of the team. Fire Rescue members of a RTF/SAVE Team shall follow the instructions of the RTL.

T.H.R.E.A.T.: Acronym that can be used to assist in determining tactical objectives to increase survivability at hostile events.
T - Threat Suppression

H - Hemorrhage Control

R and E - Rapid Extrication to safety

A - Assessment by medical providers

T - Transport to definitive care

Unified Command: An authority structure in which the role of incident commander is shared by individuals from all responding organizations responsible for the incident, operating together to develop a single incident action plan. During an ASHER incident, Unified Command generally consists of law enforcement, fire, and EMS representatives at a minimum.

Unified Command Post: The field location at which the primary tactical level, on-scene unified incident command functions are performed.

Zones: (As they relate to an Active Shooter / Hostile Event)

• Hot Zone: Unstable, potentially unsafe given observed protest/riot conditions & actions. A Hot Zone (or exclusion zone) is the area of civil unrest or riot as designated by the on-scene law enforcement commander, in which civilian vehicle access is denied and fire department vehicles will not enter unless accompanied by law enforcement escorts. When possible, the hot zone will be designated by perimeter streets.

• Warm Zone: An area, in the current state, that is relatively safe for emergency responder operations, with observable indicators that suggest that instability could possibly ensue.

• Cold Zone: Safe Area with little likelihood of unrest or no threat due to geographic distance from the threat or the area has been secured by law enforcement.

INCIDENT COMMAND

PURPOSE

ICS is most critical in the initial response to an ASHER. Without a sound structure of ICS at the beginning of an incident, the rest of the response has the potential to unravel as additional agencies and resources arrive. Ideally, initial ICS should be in place as soon as possible understanding that the first officer to respond may establish command. As additional resources arrive a more formal ICS will be put in place.

DISCUSSION

It’s important that ICS is built from the bottom-up as opposed to the top-down, as ICS oftentimes starts with the smallest unit on the scene until further response assets can arrive. Establishing ICS as soon as possible is critical because it fortifies coordination and leadership between various responders and agencies. In most ASHER incidents, the responding law enforcement agency will the lead response with overall command of the incident. Understand that a command should never hinder boots on the ground operations. Everyone at the incident scene should be aware that command will transfer once higher level representation arrives and begins establishing traditional Unified Command. Once a Unified Command has been established, it should be in place during the entire ASHER. As the incident evolves, higher-level structure of Unified Command will be established as response partners arrive. However, both the fire service and emergency medical service play an important role by bringing necessary skills. It is also important to note that during the lifecycle of an ASHER, an agency’s utility will vary at different points. Such as, when an incident begins and the threat is being suppressed, then law enforcement has the greatest utility, whereas, fire and medical may have the greatest utility when it becomes important to search for and treat victims, respond to potential explosive threats, and rescue and triage victims by establishing collection points. The responsibility to maintain a Unified Command once again becomes a task for all disciplines involved with responding to the incident. Also noteworthy is the point that certain threats may in fact see the fire service as the lead agency, such as in a fire as a weapon or hazardous material (hazmat) emergency.

MEDICAL

PURPOSE

The intent of this component is to increase survivability across the chain of survival in high threat events. Each agency should determine the appropriate scope of TECC care to be administered at or near the point of wounding by agency personnel during an ASHER.

DISCUSSION

The medical piece of an ASHER program is critical. Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), which has been developed from its military counterpart, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), is the evidence and best-practice based medical management guidelines of casualties under hostile conditions. These guidelines account for limited equipment, limited patient assessment, and limited treatment. TECC can and should be implemented in a systematic, appropriate fashion across all levels and scope of providers (citizen first care providers, non-medical law enforcement, fire/EMS, medical first receivers), and continues through all phases of an incident in the threat zone (hot, warm, cold).

EQUIPMENT LIST

PURPOSE

In the ASHER environment, there are three things an agency must consider when selecting medical equipment:

• The agency’s scope of practice
• Care provided in the hot, warm or cold zones
• TECC guidelines.

In the ASHER environment, PPE should be geared toward the protection of those responders deployed in an active violence emergency.

DISCUSSION

Medical Equipment:

Medical treatment in the hot zone is referred to as Direct Threat Care (DTC), in which the main focus is on moving the wounded to cover and managing massive hemorrhage utilizing tourniquets. Medical care in the warm zone is referred to as Indirect Threat Care (ITC) and can be initiated once the casualty is in an area of relative safety, such as one with proper cover or one that has been cleared but not secured by law enforcement. Compared to DTC, during ITC operations the possibility of the rescuers or patients suffering additional injuries is less likely. The acronym M.A.R.C.H. is used to describe the type of life threatening injuries addressed in ITC.

M – Major Hemorrhage A – Airway R – Breathing/Respirations C – Circulation H – Head & Hypothermia

In the Cold zone, or “Evacuation Care,” an effort is made to move the casualty toward a definitive treatment facility. Most additional interventions during this phase of care are similar to those performed during normal EMS operations. However, major emphasis is placed on reassessment of interventions and hypothermia management. Regardless of the scope of practice or the zone in which care is being provided, the medical equipment should be geared toward addressing only life-threatening injuries.

Such equipment would include but is not limited to:

Hemorrhage Control:

• Tourniquets
• Pressure dressings
• Wound packing and hemostatic agents

Airway:

• Unconscious casualty without airway obstruction
  • Chin lift or jaw thrust maneuver
  • Nasopharyngeal airway
  • Place casualty in the recovery position

• Casualty with airway obstruction or impending airway obstruction
  • Chin lift or jaw thrust maneuver
  • Nasopharyngeal airway
  • Allow casualty to assume position that best protects the airway, including sitting up
  • Place unconscious casualty in the recovery position

• If previous measures are unsuccessful
  • Nasopharyngeal airway
  • Supraglottic devices (e.g. King LT, CombiTube, or LMA) per protocol
  • Surgical cricothyroidotomy (with lidocaine if conscious)
  • Oro/nasotracheal intubation

Breathing:

• Occlusive seal dressing
• Needle decompression device

Additional Equipment:

• Small, purpose built medical bag
• Emergency blanket (heat control)
• Patient removal (litter, drag straps, etc.)
• Regional triage system to sift and sort

Ballistic Protective Equipment

Ballistic PE:

• Law enforcement BPE is a consideration for any officer that may be deployed in a contact team or Rescue Task Force. At a minimum, the contact team or RTF should have some sort of soft armor with a ballistic helmet, if available. If not, lack of a ballistic helmet should not delay contact, containment, and mitigation of the incident.

• Fire service or EMS BPE is a consideration for any member that may be deployed in a RTF. The lack of ballistic protection equipment should not preclude fire and EMS personnel from forming into RTFs with law enforcement force protection to treat and extract the injured.

• BPPE for non-law enforcement responders is a contentious topic, and must be a local decision. The decision to wear BPPE (and what level), should be based on an accurate risk assessment, with consideration of the response model being adopted.

Required Medical PPE:

• Medical gloves
• Eye protection

CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT

Additional PPE:

• Hearing protection
• Respiratory protection
• Medical gowns

Additional Equipment:

• Breaching tools
• Thermal imager
• Flashlight
• Fire line tape
• Fluorescent sticks
• Four-gas combustible gas indicator (CGI)
• Patient tracking systems

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES

NOTIFICATIONS

Field Units

Commanding Officers/Acting Officers confronted with a demonstration in their first due area will immediately notify their Emergency Communications Center so that other units may avoid the area of the demonstration. Notification should include the exact location, crowd size, and general conditions observed. All other ECC operations within Orange County shall notify the County EOC of any known demonstrations as information is available.

Communications Center Supervisor

When the affected Communications Center is notified by their field units of demonstration conditions the communications supervisor will contact the respective law enforcement dispatcher in order to confirm the incident and apprise him/her of the demonstration. If confirmed or notified first by the law enforcement dispatcher, the communications supervisor will notify:

• The Division Chief/Fire Marshal/Deputy Chief/Fire Chief
• The Battalion Chief in the affected area
• First due companies in the affected area

RESPONSIBILTY

Companies responding to assignments in the area of a demonstration are to avoid the affected area as much as possible.

Companies responding to assignments at the location of a demonstration are to:

• Request that law enforcement be notified to respond
• Shut off emergency lights and sirens, as safe operations allow, a minimum of 3 blocks from the scene.
• Use agency specified safety precautions – tactical gear
• Meet with the law enforcement supervisor in charge on the scene to establish a unified strategy
• Assess the need for additional resources
• Leave the area promptly after service is rendered

CIVIL DISTURBANCES

NOTIFICATIONS

Field Units

When confronted with a civil disturbance that they believe could escalate into a civil unrest/riot situation, the fire department Incident Commander will immediately notify their respective emergency communications centers. Information should include the exact location, crowd size, and general conditions observed.

Communications Center Supervisor

When the communications center is notified by field units of the civil disturbance, the communications center supervisor will contact the respective law enforcement communications supervisor in order to confirm the incident and make them aware of the possible civil disturbance situation. If confirmed, or notified first by the law enforcement dispatcher, the communications supervisor will notify the following of the situation.

• The Division Chief/Fire Marshal/Deputy Chief/Fire Chief and all on-duty Chief Officers, beginning with those in the affected area.
• All companies will be informed of any known situations of civil unrest through the use of a general announcement on their primary radio talk group(s), and through the delivery of an electronic message sent on the agency’s computer aided dispatch terminal. The following announcement should be made. “All companies should avoid the area of (address) due to a possible civil disturbance. Companies working in the identified area should use extreme caution”
• If a 911 call is received from the disturbance area communications center call takers are to ascertain the need for fire rescue equipment and if needed to request information on the best response route.

RESPONSIBILTY

Division/Deputy Chiefs

Upon receipt of confirmation of a civil disturbance from the emergency communications center, the Division/Deputy Chiefs will:

• Continuously monitor the situation by obtaining updated reports on conditions from the emergency communications center. The first due Battalion Chief shall meet with the law enforcement Incident Commander and assess incident conditions. If the Battalion Chief’s assessment warrants, the Division/Deputy Chief shall make every effort to establish a Unified Command with Law Enforcement. If a formal Unified Command structure is not established, a Chief Officer should maintain a presence in the area of the law enforcement Incident Commander to serve as a liaison.

Battalion Chiefs Upon receipt of confirmation of a civil disturbance from the emergency communications center, the Battalion Chief will:

• Be responsible to see that all orders relative to this procedure are carried out in their respective Battalions.
• Ensure that companies on radio and not engaged in emergency activities return to their respective stations.
• Notify the officers of all companies under their command of the location of the civil disturbance or event, as well as the nature and conditions present at the scene. Periodic updates should be provided as they become available.
• If assigned by the Division/Deputy Chief, respond to the law enforcement Command Post and conduct an assessment of conditions, including the following;
  • Ascertain the location of the law enforcement Command Post from the emergency communications center and proceed, out of service, to the location.
  • Meet with the on-scene law enforcement Incident Commander and determine the following;
    • The evaluation of the situation, including the current level of response by law enforcement.
    • The assistance required from Fire Rescue, including the need to assign a medical unit to the Command Post.
    • The effect the incident may have on response patterns for other Fire Rescue companies operating in the affected area.
• After assessing the nature and conditions of the civil disturbance, the on-scene Chief Officer shall inform the Division/Deputy Chief of any affect the disturbance may have on Fire Rescue operations. This information should also be given to emergency communications center. The use of cellular phone communication, if available, is recommended.

Company Officers

Upon notification of a civil disturbance by any official departmental authority, the company officer will ensure compliance with the following directives.

• If in the area of the disturbance, all fire station doors will be closed and all personnel will remain inside until further information clearing the situation is received. The station should be secured to prevent any unauthorized entry.
• When riding on any apparatus, or operating on an assignment within the affected area, all personnel will wear all protective BPPE clothing.
• All members are to ride in the cab, or crew cab, with all windows closed.
• Keep the emergency communications center informed of any witnessed changes in conditions related to disturbance.
• A CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE MADE FOR WARNING LIGHTS, SIRENS, AND AIR HORNS NOT TO BE USED WITHIN A 3 BLOCK RADIUS OF THE AFFECTED AREA.
• Efforts should be made to position apparatus to affect a rapid exit. Use of intersections for parking apparatus is recommended. Do not block other units in to the scene,
• Use caution and common sense to avoid increasing tensions. Avoid hostile verbal exchanges, gestures, or physical contact. Complete the assignment, if possible, and leave the scene.
• If in the company officer’s opinion, conditions present an unreasonable risk to the safety of members, or to safe operations, all personnel should leave the area immediately by the most expedient route, notifying the emergency communications center of the same.

Emergency Medical Supervisors

• Whenever a civil disturbance is identified, the closest assigned Emergency Medical Services Supervisor shall be notified by emergency communications center of the situation.

•*When requested, the closest assigned Emergency Medical Services Supervisor will respond to the incident Command Post and meet with the Fire Incident Commander to determine the nature and conditions of the disturbance and any effect the situation may have on response patterns for any medical transport units.

• The EMS Supervisor will ensure that all Fire Rescue medical transport units in the area of the disturbance are aware of the conditions, including the boundaries of the affected area.

Considerations

The severity of a civil disturbance, as well as the area affected may vary greatly. Personnel must be flexible in their response to the conditions presented by such events.

Considerations shall include: *Have law enforcement investigate and verify the need for Fire and EMS responses in the affected area BEFORE the commitment of any Fire Rescue units.

• Assignment of law enforcement escorts and stay with all Fire Rescue units for all responses in the affected area.
• Relocation of personnel and apparatus from a fire station in the immediate area of the civil disturbance to another location if necessary.
• The use of a Task Force response in the affected area instead of utilizing regular deployment models.
• Assembling a Task Force at the incident Command Post, or other staging area, for use in the affected area. A Task Force will consist of 1 Engine, 1 Tower/Engine, 1 Battalion Chief w/command tech and 1 transport unit(s), and two law enforcement vehicles each with a minimum of four officers.
• Continual updates should be announced from the affected emergency communications center on the conditions and boundaries of the affected areas.

RESPONSIBILITY

It will be the responsibility of each member to exercise the appropriate control dictated by his/her rank in the implementation of this guideline. Personnel should anticipate the need for implementing this procedure, and should be prepared to activate them, prior to any actual need. ASHER incidents and incidents of civil unrest are considered law enforcement events and the fire department shall coordinate with the law enforcement incident commander throughout the incident via the unified command structure.

RESPONSE PROCEDURES

Strategic Decision Making for Potentially Violent Situations (PVS) and Hostile Events

• It is imperative that strategic decision making be ongoing with continuous re­ evaluations throughout an incident.

• Violent incidents can be unpredictable and dangerous to firefighters. Each incident will have its own unique challenges and will require each member to maintain situational awareness when operating at Hostile Events.

• The unpredictability of incidents may place personnel on the scene of an incident that suddenly becomes violent. All personnel should maintain situational awareness and the lead crew member should call for Law Enforcement to any incident that they believe could escalate into a violent situation.

• Personnel that find themselves at an incident that suddenly becomes violent must take the appropriate action to mitigate harm to themselves, their crew and any patients.
  • For scenes that become violent after arrival, the IC may direct personnel to return to Fire Rescue vehicles to retrieve Ballistic PPE or to stage for Law Enforcement.

• Active Shooter incidents are unique events that present significant challenges to responders.
  • Active Shooter incidents may involve deploying Fire Rescue personnel to areas of reduced threat (Warm Zones) while areas of the incident are still under active threat from perpetrators (Hot Zones).

• Active Shooter events may involve hazards beyond ballistic threats.

• Perpetrators could be disguised as casualties, consider having law enforcement screen victims prior to transport.

Units Responding to a Potentially Violent Situation (PVS):

• The minimum response to a PVS should be a Command Officer, a Suppression Unit, and a Rescue or Medic Unit.

• Prior to arrival, units responding to any situation in which there is a suspected threat of violence should complete a risk assessment based on size up information to facilitate decision making to enter the scene or stage in a safe location.

• Prior to arrival, units responding to any situation in which there is a suspected threat of violence shall:
  • Obtain any available information that will assist in determining the potential threat facing responding crew members to facilitate a decision to enter the scene or stage in a safe location.
    • Crew members may use cell phones to speak directly with the caller or people in the area to determine conditions at the scene.
    • Attempt to determine the elapsed time since victims were injured, if the suspect is still on scene, if any weapons are suspected to be involved, the condition of any patients, and other pertinent information that will assist in the assessment of the potential risk to responding personnel.
  • Any response to a PVS requires, at a minimum, the response of a unit with a Company Officer.
    • If the response does not include a Company Officer, responding units shall request the response of the closest suppression unit.
    • The highest ranking responding Fire Rescue Officer shall evaluate all available information to determine if units will be committed to the scene or if, due to a suspected imminent threat to crew safety, units will stage in a safe location.
• If units are committed to enter the scene of a PVS, Communications shall begin a timer and conduct a Personnel Accountability Report every 5 minutes until the Command advises the dispatcher to stop the clock. Use caution when approaching hostile / violent scenes and DO NOT over commit units as violent scenes can pose a significant danger to Fire Department personnel.
• The decision to stage or make entry into a PVS scene should be made by the first arriving Company Officer using all information available and utilizing strategic decision-making.
• Hostile Events may develop rapidly; Law Enforcement operations may require clandestine operations without prior notification to Fire Rescue personnel. All personnel should be aware of areas for refuge and escape routes at all times.
• Crews should make every effort to place themselves and their vehicles in a location that facilitates rapid relocation or retreat at all times.

Staging

• When the decision to stage is made the location shall be relayed to dispatch.
  • The staging location should not place, or have the potential to place, fire department personnel in the warm zone of any violent incident. Staging should be out of sight of the scene, in a direction that allows for retreat from the area. The Company Officer may direct units to turn off emergency lights so as to not attract attention.
  • Staging should be located in areas that are not directly accessible to victims.
    • If units are directed to stage by the ranking officer, Communications shall begin a timer from the time the first unit arrives in Staging. After 30 minutes from the first unit arriving in Staging, Communication will notify the Shift Commander.
    • The first unit to arrive in Staging shall communicate via radio the staging location. Units staging for a PVS shall select a location that provides a clear view around the units and an escape route should a threat to crew safety develop. All crew members in Staging shall maintain awareness of their surroundings to detect any threats that may appear.
    • While staging, units should maintain communications with Law Enforcement for information updates. This may need to be done through Communications.
    • While staging, Command should continue to evaluate all available information with the goal of accessing patients as soon as possible.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
  • The decision to don PPE shall be determined by the first arriving Company Officer or Incident Command, if established. The decision should be based on the risk analysis performed as a result of the dispatch information or additional information relayed to the responding units.
  • Based on the situation the most appropriate PPE may include Ballistic PPE, bunker gear or chemical protective equipment.
  • Hostile Events may involve hazards beyond ballistic threats such as secondary explosive devices and IED's.
  • Whenever possible Command shall have crews don the appropriate PPE prior to leaving staging.
  • Any member is authorized to don Ballistic PPE at any time.

• If units are committed to enter the scene of a PVS, Communications shall begin a timer and conduct a Personnel Accountability Report every 5 minutes until the Incident Commander advises the dispatcher to stop the clock.

Incident Command:

• Command shall be established by the first arriving officer to staging or the scene.
  • Based upon the size and scope of the incident, the Incident Commander (IC) shall consider requesting additional Command Officers (Captains and Chief Officers) to staff Command Positions.
  • A strong Command Presence is critical to crew safety and the effective response to any PVS situation.
  • The Fire Rescue Incident Commander shall establish Unified Command with Law Enforcement's Incident Commander. The two ICs shall be located in a single Unified Command Post to facilitate face-to-face communications.

• In cases where the Fire Rescue IC cannot interact directly with the Law Enforcement IC, Fire Rescue Command shall establish a Liaison Officer in the Law Enforcement Command Post who can interact face­ to-face with the Law Enforcement Command Staff.
• In any PVS incident for which Law Enforcement has established Command, Fire Rescue should act as a support agency under a Unified Command structure.
  • In most incidents Law Enforcement will be the Lead Agency.
  • The Fire Rescue IC shall work directly with the Law Enforcement IC in the development of an incident action plan.

• Based upon the situation, Command shall establish the appropriate elements of a MCI Incident, such as an EMS Branch and Triage, Treatment, and Transport Groups.
  • All Fire Rescue assets such as the Command post, Staging, Triage, Treatment, and Transport shall be located in the Cold Zone. Only Save Teams and Casualty Collection Points shall be deployed to the Warm Zone.
  • Based on the incident, requirements for mass decontamination of victims should be considered.
• Roles of the Incident Commander may include, but are not limited to the following, depending on the nature and severity of the violent incident:
  • Determine the number of patients
  • Determine if there are patients that should be rescued by a Rescue Task Force (RTF)/SAVE Team.
  • Work with Law Enforcement IC to clearly identify operational zones that will define where crews can operate safely
  • Establish the appropriate Branches/Divisions/Groups per JCS and assign the needed resources to each
  • Develop an Incident Action Plan and Risk Assessment in coordination with Law Enforcement
  • Develop the tactical strategy for implementation and deployment of RTF/SAVE teams and Casualty Collection Points

MCI Operations:

• Violent incidents that involve multiple patients will present additional challenges to first responders and require special considerations. The chaotic nature of violent scenes involving an Active Shooter, explosive detonation or other terrorist event warrants a more methodical approach to the incident. Considerations when responding to and operating at violent incidents involving multiple patients include but are not limited to:
  • Victims in an MCI may flee toward rescuers in an uncontrolled fashion.
  • Consideration should be given to corral walking wounded to a casualty collection point outside the warm zone for triage, treatment and transport.
  • Functional areas should be placed so that patients will naturally flow from the scene through Casualty Collection Points, then to Triage, Treatment, and Transport locations.
  • Transport units should not commit to transporting patients without the direction of the Transport Section.

• Command should consider the deployment of suppression units to supplement the staffing of transport units, staff triage and treatment areas, and to form RTF/SAVE teams. The Florida Field Operations Guide (FOG) recommends 1 suppression unit for every 2 transport units during an MCI.

• Based on the incident, requirements for mass decontamination of victims should be considered, consider calling the Decontamination Unit early in the incident.

• Call for resources, and consider alternative resources for large MCI events.

Rescue Task Force (RTF)/SAVE Team Operations

• Unified Command between Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement shall be established prior to RTF/SAVE teams being committed to the Warm Zone.
• A Forward Control Point Officer may be established when multiple RTF/SAVE teams are needed and shall be the point of communication between Medical Team Leaders and Incident Command
• Patient extraction should be initiated in a timely manner in conjunction with Law Enforcement when there are known viable patients within the Warm Zone.
• A RTF/SAVE Team shall consist of 4 Law Enforcement Officers and 3 Fire Rescue Personnel.
  • Law Enforcement shall designate a Rescue Task Force Leader (RTL) for each RTF Team. Each RTF Team is under the direct supervision of the RTL. Fire Rescue personnel shall follow the instructions of the RTL, including orders for deployment, movement, transportation of victims, sheltering in place, or retreat.
  • Fire Rescue shall designate a Medical Team Leader (MTL). Whenever possible the MTL shall be a Fire Rescue Officer. The MTL is responsible for prioritizing the emergency treatment and movement of patients. The MTL shall coordinate all actions with the RTL. The MTL shall follow all directions of the RTL.
• The Fire Rescue IC or Forward Control Point Officer shall determine which areas are considered Hot Zones and Warm Zones prior to the deployment of RTF Teams. RTF Teams shall not be deployed to Hot Zones.

• The Fire Rescue IC may establish a RTF Team Liaison in the Command Post to communicate with Medical Team Leaders or Forward Control Point Officer if established.

• The Fire Rescue IC shall ensure that a dedicated radio channel is established for communication between Forward Control Point Officer, Medical Team Leaders and the RFT Team Liaison.

• Each RTF Team shall muster in the Cold Zone. The RTL and MTL shall meet to determine their assignment and exchange information.

• All Fire Rescue personnel assigned to a RTF Team shall be equipped with Ballistic PPE to include a Ballistic Vest and Ballistic Helmet prior to leaving the Cold Zone.

• Each RTF/SAVE Team will be identified with a unique numerical designator.
  • Example: RTF Team 1, RTF Team 2, RTF Team 3
  • The RTF Liaison or the Forward Control Point Officer, if established, shall utilize a Command Board to track the personnel, assignment, and location of each RTF Team.

• A RTF Team shall be equipped with a minimum of one (1) SKED and one (1) Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) Kit. To facilitate rapid movement, RTF/SAVE Teams should avoid carrying extra equipment into a Warm Zone.
  • The rapid extraction of patients from the Warm Zone is the priority of the RTF/SAVE Team. Medical care should not delay this priority.
  • Medical care performed by RTF Teams shall be directed at correcting immediately life-threatening conditions such as hemorrhage control. More definitive care shall be performed once patients arrive at treatment locations in the Cold Zone.
• Prior to entering the Warm Zone, the RTF Team shall assume formation, with Law Enforcement Officers forming a protective perimeter around the Medical Team.
  • Once formed up, the RTF team shall move as a unit under the direction of the RTL.
  • The MTL shall communicate all movements and actions to the RTF Liaison.

• Upon the approval of the RTL, the Medical Team may begin treatment of patients and preparations for patient movement.
  • The MTL shall maintain accountability and visual contact with all members of the Medical Team. All Medical Team Members shall remain in the line of sight and close proximity of the RTL and Law Enforcement Officers in the RTF Team.

• The MTL shall coordinate patient movement with the RTL. Upon approval of the RTL, the RTL Team shall resume formation and move patients to the appropriate Casualty Collection Point.

Operations at Orange County Public Schools

• In any Hostile Event involving Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), Command should attempt to have OCPS leadership involved in Unified Command with Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement.
• OCPS utilizes a Figure Out, Get Out, Hide Out, Take Out methodology for Active Assailant situations.
  • Figure Out:An assessment of the situation to determine further actions.
  • Get Out/ Get Away: If the situation assessment determines personnel and students will have time to escape to a safe location they will do so.
  • Hide Out: If the situation assessment determines the Assailant is near personnel and students are directed to hide, lock the door, shut down all lights, close blinds, barricade entrances, silence cell phones (keep them on) and spread out.
  • Take Out: If the assailant is an immediate threat to personnel they are to make a plan, act as a team, commit to the action and take out / distract the Assailant.

REFERENCES

Florida Field Operation Guide (FOG)

Orange County Public Schools Emergency Procedures

NFPA 3000 Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program

InterAgency Board Active Shooter / Hostile Event (ASHE) Guide July 2016