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City of Charlottesville, VA Fire
Department
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| Chapter: | I - Alarms and Response Procedures |
| Subject: | Alarm Response Procedures |
| Code: | 3-I-1 |
| Revised: | 3-31-94 |
A. To provide uniform response guidelines to various
emergencies and non-emergencies.
B. To provide a minimum response time to alarms in the city
and urban ring around the city.
C. To identify inherent safety hazards in emergency responses.
A. The Charlottesville Fire Department apparatus responses to
emergencies, non-emergencies, and operations shall
endeavor to conform to those policies and procedures
contained herein.
B. It shall be the policy of this department to answer all
emergency alarms within the city limits within five (5)
minutes of receiving an alarm ninety (90) percent of the
time.
C. It shall be the policy of this department to answer all
emergency alarms within the county urban ring within ten
(10) minutes of receiving an alarm seventy (70) percent of
the time.
D. In non-emergency situations the department shall endeavor
to handle these situations as quickly as time, equipment,
and resources allow.
A. Box Alarms (multiple apparatus)
1. Any fire reported within a structure including chimney
fires.
2. Any fire reported adjacent to a structure.
3. Any alarm device sounding for structure.
4. Any hazardous materials incident.
5. Building collapse.
6. Any gas leak.
7. Any odor of smoke inside a structure.
8. Anytime the Officer In Charge or Battalion Chief feels
the alarm should be a full response.
9. Flooded basement where there is a hazard to life.
10. Lockout with food on the stove.
B. Still Alarms (single apparatus)
1. Vehicle fires with no exposures.
2. Automobile accident.
3. Investigations
4. Emergency medical calls.
5. Details (washdowns, water problems, ect.)
6. Brush or grass fires with no exposures.
7. Tree fire.
8. Utility shut off.
9. Lockout with children inside or the engine is running.
10. Person trapped on an elevator.
C. Special Alarm (non-emergency)
1. Service calls (broken water pipes, flooded basements)
with no hazards.
2. Transfer detail.
3. Animal trapped or stuck in a tree.
A. Alarm Responses
1. It shall be the policy of this department that sounded
alarms within the city shall be answered with two (2)
engine companies and one (1) truck company.
a. In those areas where there is a potential for
large loss of life or property the response shall
be with three (3) engine companies and one (1)
truck company.
2. All responses within the city that are still alarms
shall be answered with one (1) engine company or (1)
truck company as appropriate.
3. All county box alarms within the urban ring shall be
answered with one (1) career engine from the city and
the appropriate county station/s.
4. All county still alarms shall be answered by either
one (1) career engine from the city and/or the
appropriate county station as indicated on the
response card.
5. When both county engines are tied up, the second due
city engine will be dispatched to the area that is
indicated by the "yellow" zone on the county response
map in the Fire Alarm Office.
6. A chief officer shall be dispatched on all sounded
alarms within the city limits.
7. A chief officer shall be dispatched into the county on
those alarms within the urban ring, around the city,
that is indicated on the response card. A chief
officer may respond anytime the career engine is
dispatched into the county for a working incident.
B. Responses to the Downtown mall
1. The Mall shall be divided into two areas:
a. The first area shall be from 1st street to the
west end of the Mall.
b. This area shall be approached from the west by way
of Preston Avenue behind the Omni Hotel.
c. The second area shall be from 1st Street, East to
the East End of the Mall at City Hall.
d. This area shall be approached by way of 7th Street
N.E. by City Hall.
2. Apparatus assignment when entering the mall:
a. First due engine shall proceed first, then the
truck company followed by the second due engine.
b. First due should pull past the building where the
emergency is located to allow room for the truck
company and the second due engine company.
c. The truck company and second due engine should
stage in the block preceding the block where the
emergency is located until proper evaluation of
the situation is conducted.
d. Due to the congestion of the Mall area hose lines
should not be laid automatically unless ordered to
do so by the Incident Commander or there is an
obvious fire situation in progress. Where
permitted the engine should be placed on the
hydrant to minimize the possible blocking of the
Mall area for other fire apparatus.
e. Due to the various locations of standpipe and
sprinkler connections on the mall buildings, it
shall be the responsibility of the first in
command to assign an engine to these connections.
f. These assignments are for a standard response to
the Mall, if the situation deems necessary, the
assignments may be changed by the Incident
Commander.
C. Safety
1. All apparatus shall proceed to emergency alarms with
all available emergency warning devices operating
(sirens, lights, horns).
a. All apparatus shall stop at all traffic lights and
signs.
b. Responses to the downtown mall, warning devices
should be used only as necessary and extreme care
used when maneuvering through pedestrian traffic.
2. All apparatus drivers shall operate emergency vehicles
in a safe manner taking into account traffic
conditions and weather conditions.
3. Under no conditions shall apparatus exceed the maximum
of ten (10) miles per hour over the posted speed
limit. (see 2-II-5)
a. As determined by the traffic and weather
conditions.
4. All personnel shall wear seat belts while apparatus is
in motion.
5. Multiple responding apparatus shall communicate when
approaching common intersections.
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