backing up apparatus

[Guest]

in our dept. someone has made a new rule that all personal must exit the truck pryor to the truck backing up. They are all suposed to "guide the truck so it does not hit anything" I have been a driver for 10 years and am a profesional truck driver for my paid job now put "joe driver" behind the wheel with only a car licence then 5 personal who have no clue how to back up a truck. What you have now is a problem, I would like some feedback on other dept. policies or how to make this a safe procedure.

[Guest x2371]

Date: May 24, 2005 Order Number: 05-09

Subject: Apparatus Safety

Number of Pages: 1 Expiration Date: Until Rescinded

Distribution: All Companies, Commissioners, Radio Room

Apparatus Safety

When a piece of apparatus is backing up there shall be a person guiding him/her back whenever possible. There shall be ONLY one person backing up the driver and giving him directions. If there is more then one person helping the driver, the person on the driver side of the vehicle will be the ONLY one guiding him back. If there is enough people a member will also watch the front of the rig as it backs up.

Thats how we do it in Pleasantville

[xfirefighter484x 234]

My district's policy is to have 1 "qualified person" watching the apparatus as they back up. It has never been clearly defined what "qualified" to back up is, but I suppose someone who demonstrates enough competency where they can rely on them to be smart enough, and safe enough to watch an apparatus backing up. On scenes, usually the fire police are relied on, as long as there is one available, but many times, it ends up one of the members on the apparatus jumps out, and is supposed to stand on the driver's side of the rig. Obvious situations, like objects on the opposite side of the rig are reasons to go to said side, but most of this is common sense. Then again, we have to define what common sense is, is it common these days?

[Ladder44 73]

in our department we have everyone exit the truck, stop trafic and a ONE guy baking up the driver and having his foot on the rear tire marmer.

[Guest]

I my department it has been the rule for about 8 years now that the officer will backup the apparatus. I don't have the exact wording from the SOG with me. If the apparatus returns to the fire house and there is someone standing in the bay to backup the apparatus then everybody stays on board until the vehicle is completly backed in. We also have a policy that when attaching the plymovent system the apparatus will come to a complete stop then continue backing in.Also there must be a second person assisting the backup man to perform this. If there isn't someone to do the plymovent then it is connected after the apparatus is parked. This was done because one person was trying to back in the apparatus and do the plymovent and the drivers didn't like losing sight of the backup man.

[Guest]

Apparently someone in your department has already made it a safe procedure. I'm appalled at the fact that just because you have 10 years experience driving a truck that you think a small child can't walk behind the apparatus while you're backing into quarters or anywhere for that matter. It's not about hitting an object. Who cares if the rig gets dented or something gets hit, it's about someONE getting run over. Get over it.

[Jared1979 19]

Not all depatments do that but I think it is good idea for when the truck is backing up to have all the guys that on the truck get off and stop traffic to make sure that the truck is backed in safely so no one gets hit