Hey Everyone,

OK my department are having meeting on how to improve our accoutability system on the fire grounds. We use a county wide system so when we are on a mutual aid we are somewhat on the same page. Was just wondering what everybodies departments do for accoutability? Looking for answers in the area of first due engine, how do you keep accoutabilty right of the get go on personel going into a IDLH and do you assign an accoutability officer on every fire? We have unit tags and IDLH personnel tags that are on our left sleeve of our turnout coats. When unit arrive on scene the captains make a face to face with the IC usually first in captain until a BC arrives and hand them there unit tags (3 or 4 - 1/2 plactic tags with unit and personnel names on it.) After that they get assignment, as personnel go into a IDLH there tags on there turnout (cloth type) get pulled and places on a accountability board all units have one on there unit. We mark lowest air reading and time, when they come out of the IDLH they get there tags and place them back on there turnouts. If they are in a area where the accountability officer is not around lets say a truck company is going to the roof they radio Accountabilty that T3 is going to the roof with 3, then they mark it down and when they get off the roof they say off roof with 3. Wondering what other departments do? Who do you set as accoutability officer? The idea is the unit tags are for the IC to track where each unit is assigned to on a fire and can see if more rescources are needed, the accoutability officer is used for us, just incase something goes wrong and RIC is to be used then the IC can radio Accoutabilty and see who is missing or down. Whats everyones thoughts?

Thanks,
Christian Adams
Engineer
City of Riverside Fire Department
"First step to failure is lack of commmunication"