Safety Tags Need some questions answered

[irishfire2491 24]

I am Looking for some answer on Safety Tags at a Scene of any Fire Call

1. WHo get tags?

2. Does Westchester County have a Set Protocol call on Color, style, uses?

3. What colors are ment for play interior and what color ment for exterior and any other colors mean?

4. What Dept Run tag

5. Do they work meaning FF bring them to the scene

6. How to keep track of tag and FF

7. Langth of sevice before getting tags ASAP or 6 months or so on?

Thank you for your time

Stay Safe and Play Safe

Irishfire2491

[exmrvfc 0]

Chief,

I am assuming you mean Accountability tags for tracking members on scene. If so, there is no "standard" in the County that I know of. Some departments use green for interior, red for exterior (green means go). Some use a two tag system; one for on location and one for inside the structure. This is done in case of a collapse and a FF on the outsie is buried, there is a seperate tag for him being on the scene. Each FF should carry there own tags with their PPE. Who gets tags is based on interior/exterior qualifcations of your department but everyone should get one.

My Advice would be to speak with your mutual aid departments and make sure you are all on the same page as far as colors & system. That is more important than what other parts of the County may do.

[Guest]

i know that in some departments, their tags are electronic. they literally put their tag to a scanner and the IC knows whose in and whose not. i've never seen them around here in westchester but up in maine where my friend is a volunteer, they have that system.

[Guest]

In my Dept. (not in Westchester) ALL members are issued two tags that include dept. name, member's full name, photo, rank, blood type, and any medical alerts. One is to be worn outside of the gear (on a clasp or radio/flashlight hook) and is placed on a ring inside the unit they respond in. The other tag is to be worn on the inside (inside coat pocket, suspender loop, etc.) in the case the member is injured and needs medical attention, it's a quick way of getting their information rather than running back to the truck, looking for the tag, etc.

[irishfire2491 24]

In my Dept. (not in Westchester) ALL members are issued two tags that include dept. name, member's full name, photo, rank, blood type, and any medical alerts. One is to be worn outside of the gear (on a clasp or radio/flashlight hook) and is placed on a ring inside the unit they respond in. The other tag is to be worn on the inside (inside coat pocket, suspender loop, etc.) in the case the member is injured and needs medical attention, it's a quick way of getting their information rather than running back to the truck, looking for the tag, etc.

←

That is a good idea one inside gear and one outside gear but how do you tell how is in the building or who is not. did that person you told you were going home forget and now you have all your FF running around in cirlcle becuase someone screw up and forgot to tell IC On tag out side one tag inside gear and On at the door or at IC comand post. Because i knowest at big structure fires it is a mad house who is there and who are the quilifated to do what with out color tags you really dont know who they are if they are even ff from the M/A dept or some BUFF interior or exterior and want to play???

[Monty 35]

Some departments haven't issued any tags. In my limited observations at incidents, accountability is sorely missing.

From prior experience, we were issued a tag went on the trucks riding board. If it turned in to a 'real' / prolonged incident, these would be gathered and placed at the command post. If it was moderately large, or larger, an accountability officer would be assigned under the IC. Our dept also had a metal tag attached to the turnouts -- supposedly to aid in identification if it ever came to that

I believe Westchester is coming up with, or has come up with a standard tag, might be worth checking with your Battalion car, or someone at DES. Maybe with the move to NIMS, we will see a lot more focus on ICS and accountability, maybe even more county standardization!

[antiquefirelt 994]

While not in your area, we too runa two tag system. One goes on an "Onscene" board on each apparatus and the second goes on a traffic cone placed outside the point of entry. Getting the cone palced initiallly is the real problem for us. We now also carry oversized tags with a small metal loop and a drwstring to attach to door knobs or other things at the point of entry in case the cone was not brought up. Upon arrival of the Safety Officer he begins tracking all tags and has the option of collecting them (single or 2 nearby points of entry) or leaving them and monitoring personnel to ensure compliance. The hardest part is making everyone tag up on every call: training, AFA's, car fires, etc. We must tag in everytime to make sure we'll do it when it counts. As for M/A Co.s we require that they maintain their own accountability and that only Qualified interior firefighters respond (minus the driver/operator).

[Guest]

I'll clear that up a little bit. As someone else mentioned, each ring from each truck with the tags of everyone on that truck is given to the IC. From there, any time an evacuation order is given or a crew comes out, the IC can tell if everyone is there. Regarding inside and outside, we do that by helmet colors. Black is interior, and yellow is exterior. This is also mentioned on the tags, so if someone's tag says exterior, there's no chance they're in the building. As for members of a m/a department, well they would also have a ring with their tags given to our IC. And as for buffs, there's no reason why some buff would be operating that way at our scene, and our ICs are sure not to let that happen.

[JM15 386]

I thought that having an accountability system was mandated by either NFPA or ICS protocols. I may be wrong though

[Remember585 815]

In our FD, we have two tags. One goes on your rig and the other goes to either the "door control person" or Accountability Officer.

Green Tags - Interior

Red Tags - Exterior

Blue Tags - Explorer

White Tag - EMS

We got the idea from Montrose about a year or so ago. From what I understand our Chiefs and thiers wanted to try and get tags that were similar so at a Mutual Aid incident there would be less confusion. Prior to these we had the tags that were paper and laminated. Same general idea, but so many of us (me included) lost them or they fell apart over time. The new ones also have photos on them so they can make it easier to ID the members.

As soon as you get gear and are able to respond on incidents you should be issued tags.

[firecapt32 282]

Irish if you are the chief up there heres the scoop. You are responsible for all members of your department when they resppond to an alarm. So if you dont have a system-- get one in place asap.

If you recieve mutual aid--- You are responsible for ALL that respond to your alarm. have some kind of accountability for incoming apparatus. Heres another tip--- mutual aid firefighters must be interior qualified if they are going to preform those duties.

Ask the incoming Officer those questions--- dont let your self and your department hanging out to dry if something happens.

[EJS1810 7]

Putnam County BOES has been issuing standardized accountability tags for several years. The original were laminated paper tags and now they issue printed (like county ID) tags. I believe the County issues them to anyone who completes FF1 & FF Survival. It is a yellow tag. If you are an EMT it has a green stripe.

Individual Departments issue tags to non-interior members

[irishfire2491 24]

Irish if you are the chief up there heres the scoop. You are responsible for all members of your department when they resppond to an alarm. So if you dont have a system-- get one in place asap.

←

No i am not the Chief just a Regular FF/EMT but i am trying to get this to the Chief to help get this up and running as soon as possible. And i get the same answer all the time "We are waiting to see what the county is doing with the county wide protocal" Which has been goingon for EVER . My thery Why wait untill someone gets Killed!!! I just dont want to see it get that far.

[firecapt32 282]

just have your chief ask for some help from the county I'm sure they can provide at least the right direction to head in to make sure your department is as safe as possible.