BRUNSWICK CALL DEPARTMENT JOB DESCRIPTION

The role of call firefighters’ in the Town of Brunswick is to support and aid the full time crew in the suppression and overhaul of any fires. This is to be done in a safe manner with as much consideration of the homeowner’s property as possible. They also aid in motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous material incidents, brush and grass fires, or any other event that the duty officer may request for aid.

Following each call you are expected to return all equipment to a service ready condition. It is very important to attend all training sessions to be ready to assist in any and all areas in which you may, as a firefighter, find yourself involved with.

Call firefighters’ must be at least 18 years of age, and are expected to be high school graduates or equivalent (still attending school is acceptable). You shall have a valid driver’s license, and have a reasonably clean driving record. You should also be able to pass a basic physical examination.

TRAINING:

The first Monday of each month is the Brunswick Call Department meeting, followed by a short training session. This meeting starts at 1830 hours, and is normally over by approximately 2100 hours. This meeting is the only formal means with which we pass on information from the chief, deputy chief, and full time personnel to the call members. This is also where business is conducted for the call department, as well as the annual election of officers. In the event of a holiday, which falls on the first Monday of the month, this meeting may be moved to the second Monday of the month.

On some occasions there will be training such as building burns, disaster drills, etc., that will run other than on regular training nights. When at all possible your attendance is expected. Announcements will be made at the call meetings, and on the daily monitor test which is conducted at 1730 hours.

Weekend fire schools are available throughout the year. These are usually one or two day courses. If you are interested in attending, advanced registration is required. Most courses will have a course fee which is required prior to, or at the time of, registration. The department will reimburse for pre-approved courses, upon receipt of a certification of completion.

CALL DRIVERS:

Call drivers are call firefighters’ chosen by the chief, along with the deputy chief, and with a recommendation from the training officer and the call officers’. These people are trained to drive and operate the engines and tankers to assist the full time department as needed. They train on the fourth Monday of the month at 1830 hours. Call drivers are proposed for a position. They will take part in a six month training program, and must pass a proficiency exam with the training officer. At this time they must make two supervised runs with the full time department, and be evaluated for a full service position.

ATTENDANCE:

In order to be a useful, well trained, member of the call department you must attend training sessions and answer emergency calls. The following guidelines have been set for call department employees. You shall be expected to attend 75% of all training sessions and meetings, and 10% of all calls. Either of the bimonthly training classes may be made up within thirty days, with approved training session taken with a full time crew. Make up training must be approved in advance by the training officer, the deputy chief, or the chief. If you know you are going to be away during scheduled training, advance make up sessions are also acceptable, following the same procedure. Failure to meet the guidelines will result in a referral to the call officers’ to work out a resolution.

COMPENSATION:

Although the call department members are not full time employees with weekly paychecks and benefits, they do receive some financial compensation to reimburse for expenses, and as an incentive to participate. This is included in the department yearly budget. The total amount of money budgeted is divided into quarters, and is paid out to employees’ on the basis of their participation. Each part of the job has been assigned a point value. Each person participating in a particular task is assigned those points. At the end of each pay period the total points are divided into the money allocated for that period. A monetary value is arrived at based on the points awarded to the employee. Points are assigned as follows:

Bi-monthly training 50 points

Make up training 40 points

Call Driver training 15 points

Extra training (burns etc.) 10 points

Weekend school (10 point max) 5 points (per day)

Box/general alarms 15 points

Company call 5 points

Call driver/call in 15 points

Call department pay checks are mailed by the Brunswick Finance Office to your residence on a quarterly basis. Therefore, it is very important that you notify the fire department of any address change.

USE OF RED LIGHTS:

State law allows volunteer firefighters’ to use red lights in their vehicle when responding to the scene of an emergency. However, the use of a red light does not give you any special privileges. You must respond at the posted speed limit, and obey all traffic laws. A red light REQUESTS the right of way. It does NOT GIVE you the right of way.

The department further restricts the use of red lights to the following:

A. Box/General alarms

B. Company calls for reported structure fires and fire alarms

C. Company call for brush fires

Remember, a one or two minute faster response time will not help if you cause an accident, or injure someone in the process. Good driving can and will save lives, which is our business…

WHEN TO RESPOND:

Call firefighters’ will respond to a company call for their company, and box/general alarms. Company calls are indicated by dispatch. A call company will be assigned anytime two or more trucks respond to an automatic alarm i.e., (10-72), or a reported structure fire. Call companies will be assigned when the call is initially dispatched. However, if the call company is not assigned when the call is first dispatched, you may respond if a response falls within the guidelines. Please remember that you are not expected to leave your full time employment, or jeopardize your primary source of income, by responding to a company call. Work with your employer to find an acceptable response procedure.

Call companies may also be called for brush fires, some vehicle accidents, or hazardous material incidents, or any other time the duty officer feels call company support is necessary. Any time a company call is canceled when you are already enroute, be sure to either continue and get checked off by the duty officer, or call the fire department and leave your name. You will get credit for responding to the call. For reporting purposes the department needs an accurate head count for all personnel responding to a call.

Anytime a call comes in during a meeting, training, or organized function at the station, the on duty call company is the only one to respond, unless specifically directed by the duty officer or the fire chief. Call companies also accompany any fire attack apparatus on mutual aid calls to other towns. (See Code 21, next section regarding mutual aid calls).

CODE 21:

“Code 21” is a radio code used by the fire service to notify off duty personnel of the need to respond to the station to cover when the duty crew is on a call. The person who issues the Code 21 will also indicate the number of personnel needed. Example: “This is the Brunswick Fire Department on the air with a Code 21 for two. Repeating, this is the Brunswick Fire Department on the air with a Code 21 for two”.

Full time employees available to respond will call the fire department, or the police department if indicated, to answer the request for employees.

In general a Code 21 is used to call full time personnel to the station for coverage. It will only refer to call company members when specifically stated in the message. This is done when fire department apparatus is sent to another town for mutual aid. Three call firefighters’ will respond from the fire station in a department vehicle to meet with the responding apparatus. Call firefighters’ do not generally respond on mutual aid calls involving a tanker, though there are exceptions.

Call firefighters’ from the “on duty company” are to answer the Code 21 request. When coming into the fire station for assignment, they are to respond Code One. In the event that the Code 21 is issued to call in to the police department, you will contact the police dispatcher. To answer a Code 21 to the fire station you should call 725-5541. To answer a Code 21 to the police department you should call 725-6621. Do not use emergency numbers listed in the telephone book. Also remember to identify yourself as a call company firefighter to the police dispatcher. Only firefighters’ who are certified in the use of air packs are to call in to answer a Code 21 request. If a Code 21 is issued a second time for the same call, it is then open to all companies. If you are not one of the people to call in, you should NOT be responding to the host town in your private vehicle. Code One is the appropriate response when leaving central station to cover at an out of town station. In certain situations when responding directly to the incident a Code Three response may be appropriate. You should check with the duty officer on the responding truck, or ask the dispatcher.

CODE 21 CALL DRIVERS:

On occasion the full time department is unable to meet its vehicle operator requirements with full time firefighters’. At those times a Code 21 for call drivers’ will be issued. The dispatcher will indicate how many call drivers’ will be needed. Only trained and tested call drivers’ may call in to respond. As before, a Code One response to the station is expected.

EQUIPMENT:

Each firefighter will be issued protective clothing to be worn when working at calls, and during training. Equipment will be as follows:

A. Bunker coat w/lining (non-removable)

B. Bunker pants w/lining and suspenders

C. Short boots to be worn with pants

D. Nomex hood

E. Gloves

F. Helmet with eye shield and ear flaps

G. Removable nametag

H. Gear bag

I. Pager & charger

J. SCBA facemasks and bags

This equipment is to be worn at all fires, fully closed up as you have been trained. It is for your own protection as well as to save on insurance rates. Protective clothing shall be cleaned and dried whenever it is needed. When it becomes worn out or damaged, it should be brought to the call officer or the fire chief. Care should be taken to prevent unnecessary damage or loss, as this equipment is very expensive to replace.

FIRE/EMERGENCY INCIDENTS:

A. RESPONSE:

When responding to a call you should follow the procedures outlined in earlier sections. Remember red lights only ask for the right of way. They DO NOT give you any special privileges.

B. PARKING:

When arriving on the scene you should, whenever possible, park on the opposite side of the road from the fire, and approximately 200 feet back. In all cases you should take care to leave plenty of room for apparatus to maneuver. Also be sure not to block hydrants and private driveways. Remember, more than one hydrant may be needed.

C. DUTIES:

The first priority at most fires for call firefighters’ is to help provide an adequate water supply. In most cases, this means standing by the hydrant to assist in laying a supply line, and opening the hydrant. In a country setting this will include setting up dump tanks and such to perform a rural hitch. When working a hydrant, two short blasts on the air horn signifies to open the hydrant. You are now to proceed to the lead engine, or a call officer, for further assignment. After each assignment report back to the lead engine or call officer.

Whenever an interior or roof top assignment is given, your name tag is to be removed and placed on the status board. When the assignment is complete, and you are outside, reclaim your tag so we know you have made it out of the building safely.

Anytime you see someone who needs a helping hand, step in and help. Remember, we are a team. As the incident proceeds personnel will be released to return to the station to start clean-up. The call is not complete until all truck are back in service, and all gear is cleaned and stored properly. If for some reason you need to be released early check with your call officer, or the duty officer before leaving.

EVACUATION ALARM:

Anytime during an incident you hear TWO blasts of thirty seconds each on the vehicle air horns, and/or a toned evacuation order on the radio, you will leave the building as quickly as possible and report to your call officer at the lead engine. AN EVACUATION REQUEST MEANS EVERYONE WITH NO EXPECTATIONS!!!

ON THE JOB INJURIES:

Anytime you sustain an injury on scene, or during training, you must make your call officer aware of the injury before leaving the scene. This goes for all injuries, large or small. Because you are working as an employee of the Town of Brunswick, there are certain procedures which must be followed when reporting an injury.

A. NOTICE- Identify and document the name and title of the first person notified and the date and time notified.

B. DETERMINE EXACT CAUSE OF INJURY- Ask who, what, where, and when.

C. IDENTIFY THE INJURIES- Ask the person injured to specify ALL injuries.

D. SPEAK TO SUPERVISORS & WITNESSES- Obtain written, dated, and signed statements if appropriate.

E. PROTECT SUBROGATION- Obtain photographs and preserve evidence. Keep all defective equipment involved in the injury.

F. FIRST REPORT OF INJURY- An employer’s First Report of Occupational Injury to MMA must be completed and sent on the same day of notice of injury.

PAPERWORK FOR FIRST REPORT OF WORK RELATED INJURIES ARE LOCATED IN THE RADIO ROOM, IN THE TOP DRAWER OF THE FILE CABINET IN A FOLDER LABELED: “EMPLOYEES’ STATEMENT WORK RELATED INJURY OR VEHICLE ACCIDENT”.

NOTE: “TOWN OF BRUNSWICK INCIDENT REPORT” must be filed for all accidents/incidents involving Town property, equipment and/or personnel resulting in bodily injury or property damage to another and/or incident resulting in damage to Town-owned property, equipment, vehicles or personal vehicles used for Town business.

Should an employee need medical attention that does not require “Emergency Room” attention, you should contact Parkview Memorial Hospital Out Patient Services.

BRUSH FIRES:

For the most part brush fires will be handled as any other fire with the exception that when the fire is under control, you may remove your bunker pants and coat if you wish. Boots, gloves, and helmets must be worn throughout the call.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES/MOTOR VEHICLE INCIDENTS:

Unless a company is called, call firefighters’ who do not have a valid EMS license should not respond to motor vehicle accidents (10-55’s), or any other medical incident. Your presence implies knowledge and training that you may not have. You may find yourself being asked to help when you do not know what to do, or how to do it. You can be held legally responsible for mistakes made in these situations.

Full gear is not required, nor always practical, during these situations. Latex gloves, which are between the front seats of the rescues, should be work throughout the incident. During extrication procedures, protective clothing and eye shields are to be worn. It is recommended that latex gloves be worn inside your fire gloves.

Anytime during any incident, or training, you are unsure of what you are doing, speak up. Depending on the situation, we will either have someone show you, and explain it to you, or assign the task to someone else depending upon the emergency and available personnel. We do not want your lack of knowledge to endanger you, or anyone else, at any time.

Again, we are a team that works and learns together. We can all lend a hand in making it a good experience for everyone.