VEHICLE ACCIDENT and/or RESCUE

TURNING OUT

In addition to the standard turn out procedure the OIC of the first responding appliance should be aware of the C.F.S. Standard Operating Procedure, which requires that the initial Rescue Response shall be...

The nearest Fire Appliance and the nearest Rescue Resource.

NOTES

• The CFS has an established operational aim to have the first responding brigade to be mobile to a VAR Incident within 3 minutes of the alarm being raised.
• If the Brigade or Group becomes aware that a Brigade is not able to raise a crew to respond to an incident as above, then it must ensure the next nearest Brigade is responded. NB It is the Aldgate Brigade?s policy that - 3 persons is a minimum crew.

APPROACHING THE SCENE

When nearing the scene, turn off the siren. Blaring sirens generally have an agitating effect on conscious accident victims.

ON ARRIVAL

• Position the Appliance/s in such a way as to offer the maximum protection to the emergency crews from road traffic.
• Transmit a basic/brief SITREP and predicted resource requirements to the Brigade, Group, Region 1 HQ or State HQ.
• Size Up the incident. (While the crew provides fire cover and/or first aid for any injured victims), points to consider...
• How many vehicles are involved?
• How many victims are there? How many are injured and/or trapped?
• Is there any threat of fire?
• Are there any indications of Dangerous Substances being present?
• Are any vehicles involved fuelled by LPG.
• Are there any high-voltage wires down?

• Transmit a detailed SITREP, AND/or any request for further resources, if required (also further detailed SITREPs should be sent every 30 minutes thereafter).

NOTE

• A 2nd Rescue Response shall be considered by the OIC or the mobilising Communication Centre if....
• The 1st Response has been working for 15 minutes or more, and the person/s is still trapped.
• The incident involves a person trapped in a roll over.
• The incident involves a precariously positioned vehicle of greater than 5 tonnes.
• The incident involves two vehicles which both have a person/s trapped.
• The 1st Rescue Response has not provide adequate SITREPs.
• The available Rescue equipment and/or trained personnel do not appear to be adequate for the incident encountered.
• If it is clearly determined by the OIC at the scene that the rescue has been effected and that additional responding resources are not required then a STOP CALL can be issued. Such a stop call MUST include a detailed SITREP.

OPERATIONAL& SAFETY NOTES

• The OIC must ensure that his crew has turnout properly dressed for duty. All crew working directly on the roadway are to wear a reflecting fire vest. In addition to this and normal turnout gear the crew which will be involved with the actual extrication should at all times wear eye protection and surgical gloves beneath their normal work gloves.
• Co-ordinate with the Police in attendance to provide additional traffic control and to keep by-standers well away from the scene.
• The cardinal rule is not to move or extricate trapped victims until emergency first aid has been administered, unless the victim?s or rescuers? lives are endangered.
• Attempt to co-ordinate all activities with the ambulance officer so as to successfully extricating a trapped victim without adding to the injuries already sustained.
• Consider making a detailed search of the immediate area to locate any accident victims thrown from the vehicle or who have wandered off in a confused or disoriented state.
• To assist the Police Accident Investigation, consideration must be given to preserving any visual evidence that may be needed in a court of law.
• It is the responsibility of the Police to remove the vehicle/s from the scene but it is the Fire Service?s job to clear the road of any accident debris once the police have given the ?okay?.

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