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Golden Circle or Walking 360˚ Around Your Fire Apparatus SOG Instructor Lesson Plan
05-2011 CBz FFN Instructor Lesson Plan No. 001
Golden Circle (or) Walking 360˚ Around Your Fire Apparatus SOG
Use of a Backup Person: Ok... so we get it... always have someone back you up. We do this to prevent the above from happening on our watch.
Golden Circle: So my question is when you are out of the station, do you make it a practice through the following of departmental SOG's, before turning a wheel, to physically walk 360˚ around the engine? Typically, it's the apparatus operator who is the one responsible for the vehicle, therefore doing the "Golden Circle" before entering the cab.
FFN Post Intent: To both reinforce and in some cases educate firefighters about the importance of using both a backup person anytime a piece of fire apparatus is driven in reverse or, before moving any piece of fire apparatus, a 360˚ walk-around or Golden Circle is done by the driver.
Training Category: Didactic and Manipulative
Instructor Notes: Using this post at the beginning of shift safety briefing or when addressing fire apparatus safety and driving. These lessons can be used in either a didactic (classroom) setting or manipulative (hands-on) where you may reinforce the drill by having different people participate in both driving and being the person backing up the apparatus. Additionally, you can keep the class together inside and away from view of the drill site, which includes an engine that is supposedly ready to be moved from point A to point B for the purpose of doing the mystery drill. Here's the drill, you are going to plant a hazard or something that could fall off the engine that should have been caught prior to moving the apparatus. Is it staged? Absolutely. Is it real? Unfortunately, someone not shaking ladders, ensuring anything attached the the outside of the engine isn't going anywhere, all compartment doors are closed and secured, etc. The challenge here is for you to come up with your own list of things to check for. And when I say you, I refer to you teaching this class, and having your students or your crew come up with their own check list if one does not exist already.
Handouts:
Familiarity with these basic Hand Signals will ensure standardized communications.
STANDARDIZED FIREFIGHTER HAND SIGNALS PART I - DIRECTING FIRE APPARATUS
STOP
Hold hand to the side, shoulder high, exposing palm to the driver. At night, hold hands in the same manner, with the addition of a flashlight in one hand shining at the driver. This will indicate and immediate STOP.
RIGHT OR LEFT
Point in the desired direction with one hand and motion in a circular “come-on” gesture with the other at the chest level. At night, direct a flashlight beam at the hand pointing in the desired direction.
DIMINISHING CLEARANCE
Hold the hands to one side of the body indicating the approximate amount of distance the apparatus is from the obstacle. Close hands accordingly as the driver slowly maneuvers the apparatus to point where the signal indicates immediate STOP. Always allow enough for drivers reaction time. At night, indicate in the same manner with the flashlight in the upper hand and beam directed at the palm of the other. On STOP, cover the flashlight beam with the hands.
AHEAD OR BACK UP
Hold hand directly in front, chest high, fingers on hands directed toward one another, and motion in a circular “come-on” gesture. At night hold a flashlight in one hand and
direct the beam toward the other.
Aloha, CBz
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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One would assume that this would be common practice in your department. Rumor has it that the chief isn't too happy when safety rules aren't followed. I wouldn't want to be that person.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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When I saw the words "Golden Circle" I initially thought that this might be some of that California wierdness.
Then I remembered that Santa Barbara isn't really all that close to San Fransisco.
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What you consider weird, others consider artsy craftsy... I acknowledge that more than average populations consisting of not just weird but WEIRD people exist not just in San Francisco but all along the Western coast.
To each their own. Personally, we love visiting San Francisco and the Bay area in general. Lots to see and do, and of course, one does not get bored there. Too many weird things and people to see.
CBz
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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Almost seen a big mistake last night by the crew of our ambulance. They were dispatched on a call got ready to pull out when a new vol member pointed out to me about a ground line attached to the ambulance. I said it will pop off when the unit starts but on close looking I seen it was a electrical cord running into the side door of the patient compartment. I ordered the crew not move the unit. I walked up to the unit pulled the cord apart and looked inside and seen it was attached to the EMS laptop for reports sitting on the attendents chair. I threw the cord inside and slamed the door. I could see it when the ambulance went out the door and the laptop hitting the pavement because the crew didn't look around the unit before jumping in the front seat.
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Permalink Reply by capcityff on
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We don't really need anyone to back us in since every house has a line or some kind of painted box to follow. Also because everyone is already out of the rig stopping traffic and pedestrians when we pull up. When a driver has backed in 10-20 times per tour for years, they usually know how to do their job okay.
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A good example of why we do what we do. Good catch on your part.
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