Safety Officer Vs. Accountabilty Officer

[x635 4,066]

I've noticed the main role of a safety officer at any incident or event is accountabilty, which seems to be a very time consuming task.

I've always thought it is the primary role of the safety officer to ensure the safety of firefighters, by overseeing the proper donning of turnout gear and PPE, and ensuring proper safety procedures are being followed and to be another eye for the chief in regards to hazardous conditions, and to rectify/remidiate hazardous conditions.

How come there is not an (single-role) accountability officer? This would make more sense to me, as it would give a dedicated person to track the position of each firefighter, freeing up the safety officer to focus on safety.

Also, I'm suprised no department in Westchester has invested in a better, more high tech and efficient accountabilty system. There are some awesome new products out there on the market today, and more coming in the future that intergrate with SCBA's.

[Guest]

One of these integrated systems is the SCOTT SEMS:

http://www.scotthealthsafety.com/sems.htm

Has anyone requested this under the Fire Grant program?

[LCFD994 8]

Most times the incident is small enough that one person can handle both jobs. But I agree there should be two seperate people handling these jobs no matter what the size of the incident.

[Truck4 48]

Newark, NJ will designate a company for accountability as one would assign a FAST unit.

[Guest]

We have set up an accountabilty team that answers to the safety officer. That way The IC just had to ask the safety officer if he had a question for either safety or accountabilty. The accountabilty team only set up at large incidents (lg. brush fires - structure fire - haz-mat) otherwise it is handled by someone designated by the IC at the scene(ie. officer of third due apparatus)

[Remember585 815]

Accountability is a great role for a Deputy Chief to play, if you have them.

Our Department has 7 Deputies, and too often there isn't enough work for all of them to do something. Appointing one or two of them to handle accountability and maybe an additional one or two to handle staging is something worth trying.

If you don't have any Deputies, this may not be a bad job for non-structural types too. This makes them an important part of the fireground even though they can't be a part of the suppression effort.

Good topic!

[firemn23 8]

how about if possible to take one member of a FAST and make them the accountability officer. This allows the team to be aware of what members are outstanding.

[TRUCK6018 50]

how about if possible to take one member of a FAST and make them the accountability officer.  This allows the team to be aware of what members are outstanding.

The problem with this is if the FAS team has to goto work, there goes your accountability officer. Since the FAS team should always be at the ready, you may not always have to time to transfer accountability to someone else.

To do an effective job as accountability officer, you should not be assigned any other tasks.

[mstrang1 213]

I think firemn23 meant that to dedicate that one person from the FAST to become the account officer. This would leave one less person on the FAST, but if planned properly, the response would be one person more.

Hey Remember- Croton has 7 Deputies? I am not familiar with the workings of CFD, but is it really necessary to have this many deputies? I am not trying to question CFD if it is reasonable, but from the outside looking in, this seems excessive.

In Ardsley, there are two designated Safety Officers. I had pressed for a change to make all drivers Safety Officers(and now thinking Accountability officers....) for the reason that the third due driver could become the Safety Officer for the scene. It is a rare occasion where all three drivers would have to be pumping, but in this rare case, the IC should designate another member(another driver who is not driving that call) to become Safety. Ardsley currently uses a tag system, that like all other tag systems, is inefficient, not "firefighter-proof", and hardly used right. This is not to say that it cannot work. Currently, the only times that tags get "handed in"(sometimes meaning thrown on the pump panel step or the drivers footwell), is when there is a structure fire. If the Dept makes it policy that one EVERY ALARM AND DRILL all tags be clipped onto a designated area in the cab(if every seat has a clip, 1 designated for each apparatus, etc), the system would work much more smoothly.

This past year, we watched a video from the"american heat" series(for better or worse....), and they spotlighted a dept in scotland. After figuring out the accent, we saw as they had an "entry officer", that noted entry times, exit times, bottle pressures, etc for every person entering the idlh atmosphere. They also had tags that were integrated into the SCBA(im not sure if that is europe only). If anyone has more on any of these topics, please fill me in, and/or start a new thread if the need fits.

[Remember585 815]

Hey Remember- Croton has 7 Deputies?  I am not familiar with the workings of CFD, but is it really necessary to have this many deputies?  I am not trying to question CFD if it is reasonable, but from the outside looking in, this seems excessive.

Yup. 7. I am sure we will have 8 at the end of this year when 2081 ends his term (again).

I won't get into my personal opinions, but having these guys around to cover the command role when the elected Chiefs aren't around is nice, plus many of the D.C.s still respond to the firehouses and man the apparatus. Most of our Deputies also have specific responsibilities;

2084 - In charge of the FAST

2085 - Code Enforcement

2089 - Records / #1 daytime guy

20811 - All-around apparatus driver.

I know other Departments in W.C. that make EVERY past Chief a Deputy. Ours are all appointed annually by the Chief. I guess it is a matter of opinion in each Department.

[firecapt32 282]

okok heres my 2 cents Incident afety officer is not a accountability officer. period end of sentence. Incident safety officer is part of the command staff and is responsible for makeing sure the firefighters get there and do their best safely and

get home to the love ones safely.

[Guest]

I have taken the class for Incident Safety Officer through NYS and National, but there is also other classes you have to take to be considered the ISO. The ISO should know what to look for, as in building construction, collapse, etc. This is a very vital job on a emergency scene. Notice I didnt say "fire scene" because ISO should be at all incidents to ensure safety. The ISO should be in full gear, with the exception of Air-pak, shouldnt be interior. In my present dept. we have members designated as ISO's and I'm sorry to say but they need to know what there job is. The Chief should know prior as well, before he appoints the member. I just think this position is not being used properly, and it could kick us in the butt!! We have to realize the fire service is changing, and we need knowledgable people to hold this positions, not favorites. Get the knowledge then take the job!! It's your turn, is gotta go out the door.