This page shall serve as the official  Roadway Incident Policy for the San Andreas Fire Department:

Last Updated:  08/27/2023
By:   Kidd B.

15.1- Apparatus Positioning

• Once an incident location has been determined, vehicle operators should act as a slow-moving roadblock by reducing apparatus speed from a distance to slow traffic in anticipation of units stopping. Vehicle operators should also reduce apparatus speed when using the road shoulder with due regard for the safety of those who may inadvertently pull into their vehicle’s path. 

• The apparatus driver and the officer take joint responsibility for apparatus placement. Proper apparatus positioning at an incident scene ensures easy access for other responding resources, establishes a safe work area, and contributes to an effective overall operation. 

• The first-arriving engine should position prior to the incident. This can also be considered behind the incident based on the traffic flow. The engine must be close enough to the involved vehicles to provide a protective hose line, but far enough away to allow room for other units to operate. This engine should serve a shielding function for members operating on the incident scene. 

• The engine company driver should place the vehicle at an angle to the lanes with the front wheels rotated away from the incident and the pump panel facing toward the work area to protect the pump operator. This is known as a “fend-off” position. In the event a motorist strikes the engine, the engine will provide a barrier, and in the unlikely event the engine moves upon impact, it will travel away from the work area. 

• The rescue or extrication company should position in front of the first-arriving engine in the most advantageous tactical position for extrication functions. The rescue company should position within the area shielded by the first-arriving engine company. 

• EMS units should position past the incident but within the work area in a manner allowing for rescue company functions, patient loading, and rapid egress from the scene. EMS units should position within the shielded work area. 

• Command and staff vehicles should position past the incident but within the work area in a manner that facilitates command functions without interfering with rescue company functions and patient loading into EMS vehicles. Command and staff vehicles should position within the shielded work area. 

**REFER TO IMAGE 1 BELOW**

15.2- Safety Considerations

• When exiting their apparatus, personnel should perform the following tasks:

  1. Don appropriate protective clothing or traffic vests

  2. Ensure adjacent traffic has stopped or slowed

  3. Exit on the work-area side of the apparatus, if possible

  4. Ensure their travel path is clear of debris or other hazardous obstacles

• Unless a roadway is completely shut down, crews should avoid crossing lanes of traffic on foot, especially lanes with traffic moving in the opposite direction from the lanes where their apparatus is parked. Any action requiring members to operate in a nonshielded environment should be avoided when possible 

• All personnel must continuously maintain situational awareness. While operating on-scene, personnel should remain aware of incident factors that impact safe, quick clearance. Any changes that could negatively impact life safety, incident stabilization, and property or environmental conservation should be brought to the IC’s attention through the chain of command. As soon as possible, unsafe conditions should be mitigated and communicated to all those potentially impacted

15.3- Incident Actions

• As soon as a unit arrives on the scene, the officer should provide dispatch with an accurate location, using directional references such as north, east, south, or west and noting whether an incident is prior to or after a landmark such as an exit. Additionally, to clearly identify an incident’s roadway location, lanes should be identified (i.e., inside travel lane, middle travel lane(s), and outside travel lane)

• The OIC will provide a scene size-up, assume command, determine type of incident, number of vehicles involved, extent of damage to vehicles involved, extent of injuries, and if extrication is needed 

• The OIC will request additional resources as needed (EMS,PD,TOW) 

• The OIC will ensure the situation is mitigated, all patients are transported, and units on scene clear safely
  
  
  
  

15.4- Roleplay Considerations && SAFD Tools / Scripts

• The first thing we need to do is secure the scene and position the apparatus accordingly

• The OIC needs to give a scene size up and request additional resources (EMS, Police, Tow Company)

• Once the roadway is blocked, the OIC will establish command and direct firefighter to do the following:

• Secure and Stabilize the vehicles  (STRUTS, WHEEL CHOCKS, AIRBAGS/JACKS)

• Determine the number of patients and their injuries, communicate this to the OIC so they can relay info to EMS

• Inform the patients we will be working to "extricate" them from the vehicle

• ROLEPLAY ("/me"): covering the patient(s) with a blanket to ensure broken glass/metal shards do not get in their eyes or on their skin

• Extricate the patients by removing the vehicle doors with the CUTTERS and SPREADERS

• Utilize the backboard (BASKET) to stabilize and remove the patients and then move them to where EMS is staged

• Have one firefighter (newest) standing by with an extinguisher or hose line in case a fire ignites

• ROLEPLAY ("/me") mitigating hazards:

  • /me grabs broom and sweeps metal and glass into a pile

  • /me grabs absorbent and controls vehicle fluids on the ground

  • /me pops vehicle hood and cuts wires to battery

  • /me pops hood an ensures no heat signatures or fire

15.6- Operational Guides

HYDRAULIC SPREADERS:

These are a powerful piece of tech, allowing firefighters to rescue somebody stuck inside a vehicle in as little time as possible. They can force car doors open and even break them off, enhancing the entire roleplay experience on scene. This features custom sounds when breaking or forcing doors open, which syncs to all players in the area. 

USE:

• '/spreaders'

  • This will give you spreaders to use, run the command again to remove them. You can then walk up to a vehicle and an on-screen prompt will ask you to press Enter to force open the vehicle door, or press Spacebar to break off the vehicle door. 

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STABILIZATION STRUTS:

Rescuing someone from a vehicle can be a challenging experience, especially when the vehicle is sideways or upside down. These vehicle stabilizers can be easily setup, holding the vehicle in place and making a great addition to roleplay. 

USE:

• '/struts setup'

  • This will setup struts on the nearest vehicle. You should stand at a right angle to the vehicle, with the vehicle to your left. This allows for the vehicle to be fully supported so firefighters can move in and free the people stuck inside. 

• '/struts remove'

  • This will remove struts setup on the nearest vehicle. The resource is fully synced, meaning other firefighters can remove struts that they didn’t setup. 

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AIRBAGS (AKA JACK):

These are a powerful piece of tech, allowing firefighters to lift heavy vehicles up in order to remove trapped or pinned victims, enhancing the roleplay experience on scene.

USE:

• '/jack setup'

  • This sets up an inflatable airbag on the nearest vehicle. You are also able to use an airbag that is already set-up on another vehicle, if another player is not using it. 

• '/jack remove'

  • This removes an inflatable airbag on the nearest vehicle. You are unable to do this if another player is controlling the airbag. 

• UP ARROW

  • After setting up an airbag, use the arrow up button to lift up the vehicle 

• DOWN ARROW

  • After setting up an airbag, use the arrow up button to lower the vehicle 

• ENTER

  • Finish controlling the airbag, this allows another player to do /jack setup and use it 

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WHEEL CHOCKS:

These tools are essential on any vehicle accident. They are essentially metal wedges placed against the tread of vehicle tires preventing the vehicle from rolling. These are set up early into any vehicle incident to protect rescuers on scene from any unintended vehicle movement.

USE:

• '/check setup'

  • This sets up car chocks on the nearest vehicle. These stop the vehicle moving during rescue. 

• '/check remove'

  • This removes car chocks on the nearest vehicle.