This page shall serve as the official SOP for the San Andreas Fire Department's Ride Along Program:

Last Updated:  12/03/2023
By:   Kidd B.

- Purpose

Ride-along's are the backbone of our training process. During ride-along's, allow the member to take the lead. Doing this allows the member to act as if they would with nobody supporting them. Allowing them to make decisions on their own (so long as it does not endanger the public or other SAFD personnel) gives them the chance to work through their decision making process. Correct them as needed, and be prepared to explain why some policies or procedures are used.

- FTO Guidelines

• Be sure to communicate with the member you ride with. As an FTO, you are expected to talk with your mentee, and guide them verbally through situations as needed

• You may create verbal scenarios (problem-based learning) and have your mentee go through them with you

• Ensure you correct mentees before their actions evolve into major policy breaks. Be firm and fair, but do not allow a member to abuse power, use improper force, etc. Keep in-game limitations in mind

• If necessary, contact Command Staff should any situation become too much for you to handle

• FTOs only act in an official capacity over new members in the FTO program, in order to guide them and prevent policy breaks

• FTOs are expected to know about departmental policies, procedure, rules, and general information. You are not expected to have all the answers. You are, however, expected to know where to find them, or who to get them from

• FTOs should know about their mentees’ performance, and be able to provide details when asked by Command Staff

- Ride Along Procedures

• Members who wish to receive training or conduct a ride along should submit a formal request through the "Training or Evaluation Request Form" channel, which has the link to the form they need to fill out

• Once a member completes the required form. A request will pop up in the "Incoming Requests" channel listed under the FTO section in our discord

• Once a request is present in the "Incoming Requests" channel, a thread will be created for coordination amongst FTO Staff

• When FTO Staff have conversed and coordinated, someone will take lead and then reach out to the individual in the general staff chat or through in-city communication and set up a time to conduct the training

- Ride Along Form

• All FTOs who conduct a ride along shall complete the required form either during or after the session is completed

  • • Ride Along Form      OR     Direct Link

• This allows for Command Staff and other FTOs to review what training was conducted and the progress of the individual

- Ride Along Checkpoints

• Pulling out apparatus and setting up extras

• Moving apparatus from the spot where they spawn in

• Calling out the initial "dispatch" on the radio and "marking en-route"

• Driving in "emergency response mode" and ensuring intersections are clear

• Arriving on scene and apparatus positioning

• Giving an initial on-scene report

• Setting up the hydrant if applicable

• Exiting and locking vehicle

• Performing a 360

  • Identify type of structure

  • # of floors

  • Fire type and location

  • Initial actions

  • # of crew

  • Command statement

• Attacking fires 

• Clearing the scene

• Returning to the station

• Parking / Backing

*Bonus Points*

• Conducting themselves in a professional manner

• Handling civilians/crowds in the area