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1.0
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POLICY:
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1.1
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It shall be
the policy of MABAS to account for the location and safety of
all personnel within an EMERGENCY INCIDENT PERIMETER at an
emergency incident. Participation by members of any Fire
Department in emergency incident mitigation without entering the
PASSPORT SYSTEM is unauthorized.
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2.0
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REFERENCES:
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2.1
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N.F.P.A.
1500 6-1.6
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2.2
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N.F.P.A.
1561
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3.0
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DEFINITIONS:
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3.1
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FIREFIGHTER ACCOUNTABILITY:
The system a department uses to ensure that fire ground
commanders know the location of each team and each team leader
knows the location of other team members on the fire ground.
(It is recommended by NFPA 1500).
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3.2
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HELMET
SHIELD:
(OPTIONAL) A Velcro backed plastic shield that indicates the
number or symbol of a team of Firefighters. Placing helmet
shields on the helmet assures fire ground commanders that
Firefighters at the incident are properly checked in, are teamed
up, and can be accounted for in the event of a disaster.
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Using helmet
shields: Each company and unit that responds should be assigned
helmet shields for each on-duty position or each position that
can be activated by response from home. The purpose of the
helmet shield is to identify a team, thus, no two teams should
have the same helmet shield number.
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3.3
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NAME TAG:
A 3/8” x 2” White, Velcro-backed plastic tag with a member’s
first initial (OPTIONAL), rank (Optional), last name, four
letter MABAS Fire Department name designator (Buffalo Grove =
BFGR; Arlington Heights = AHTS; Lake Zurich = LKZU)
   
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3.4
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PASSPORT:
2” X 4” boards made of Velcro and plastic used to identify and
account for members and teams. Members affix Name
Tags to Passports.
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A.
Primary
Passports: WHITE, flexible Passport preprinted with company
I.D. numbers kept on a portable radio, radio holster, or other
specified location. It is used to document the movement of a
team within an emergency incident perimeter.
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B.
Back-up
Passport: RED, flexible Passport preprinted with company
I.D. numbers, kept on the door or dashboard of the apparatus, or
other specified location, Officer’s side. It is left as
an emergency back-up or automatic replacement if the
primary passport is lost. It can also be used as a second
method of identifying a crew if a crew is lost before they
have transferred their passport to a fire ground commander.
This is an essential back-up for the accountability system in
service.
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C.
Reserve
Passport: GREEN, flexible Passport preprinted with
company I. D. numbers, kept in the station for multiple alarm
shift changes and temporary replacement for lost primary
and back-up passports
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D.
Blank
Passport: A GREEN, flexible Passport that is blank on the
top.
It is
maintained in the make-up kits. Commanders can use a marker
or a
grease pen to customize a Blank Passport for the creation of
a
new
company. It can also be used as a temporary replacement for a
reprinted passport that has been lost or damaged.
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Using the
passport: Each company or team should be assigned one primary
passport. The Officer or Team Leader holds onto the passport
until it is passed off to a Commander. The Passport can be
stored on the portable radio, radio holster, or other specified
location where it will be available to the Officer or Team
Leader for hand off.
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3.5
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PASSPORT
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM:
A procedure that utilizes Helmet Shields, Passports, Name Tags,
and Status Boards to track the assignment of Commanders,
Companies, Teams, and Individuals at an emergency incident.
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3.6
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MAKE UP
KIT:
These kits contain materials and supplies for integrating any
non-participating department into the Passport Accountability
System and for replacing lost or damaged hardware. Each kit
contains an inventory of required materials, including extra
status boards. The Make-up kits are carried in the Command
Vehicle, or other department specific vehicle(s).
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3.7
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ROLL
CALL:
A poll of
all Teams at an emergency incident to account for all personnel
at that incident.
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3.8
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STATUS
BOARD:
A 9” x 14” hard plastic board with Velcro strips upon which
Incident Commanders and/or Sector Officers hold passports of
assigned teams and take notes. Each apparatus shall have one
status board. Additional status boards are contained in the
make-up kit.
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3.9
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TEAM:
A group of two (2) or more Firefighters who work together and
are responsible for each other’s safety. No freelancing by
individuals is allowed. Each Team must be equipped with
a portable radio.
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3.10
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TEAM
LEADER:
Usually a Company Officer or member assigned or selected as the
Team Leader.
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3.11
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VELCRO
PAD:
A permanently attached Velcro pad on a portable radio, radio
holster or other specified location to which passports are
attached.
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4.0
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PROCEDURE:
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4.1
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Fire
Departments shall use the Passport Accountability System as
adopted by the MABAS Executive Board, in conjunction with the
Incident Command System, to identify individual members of a
team and their assignment, and account for the
assignment of teams and units at an emergency incident.
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4.2
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The Passport
System shall be expanded to accommodate multiple-alarm
companies, mutual aid companies, and/or volunteer response
companies and individuals.
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4.3
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RESPONSIBILITY:
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4.3.1
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Commanders
at an emergency incident shall use the Passport System to
account for those Commanders, Companies, and Teams within their
direct span of control, as outlined in this procedure.
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4.3.2
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Commanders,
Team Leaders, and Firefighters shall maintain an awareness of
each other’s physical condition and shall use the command
structure to request help, relief, and reassignment of fatigued
or injured crews or members.
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4.3.3
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Company
Officers, Team Leaders, and individual Firefighters are
accountable for the safety of themselves and other members of
their team. Team members shall maintain a constant awareness of
the position and function of all members working with them.
A.
Team members
must always be in contact with each other through
one of the
following methods:
1.
VOICE (not
by radio)
2.
VISUAL
3.
TOUCH
Exception: Radio or phone contact is permissible for
apparatus
operators, chief officers and
commanders, lobby control teams, etc.
where the
location of such personnel is
constant
and is known by the remainder of
the team
or response.
B.
If a team
member is in trouble, the other member (s) of the team
shall take
appropriate steps to:
1.
PROVIDE
DIRECT HELP
2.
CALL FOR
HELP
3.
GO GET HELP
C.
Members will
stay together as Teams when in the emergency
incident
perimeter, and as otherwise directed by the Incident
Commander, until the incident
termination.
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4.3.4
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Maintenance
of Shields and Passports:
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A.
Company
Officers and /or Team Leaders
shall be responsible to supervise the
maintenance and proper placement of Helmet Shields and Passports
during the entire shift duty and at emergency
incidents.
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B.
At the
beginning of each shift or work day, for all
personnel changes during a shift, or when reporting
directly to the station or incident, ALL MEMBERS ARE
RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN:
1.
The correct
Helmet Shield on their helmet.
2.
Their
Name Tags on the correct Primary and Backup
Passports.
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C.
Where
staffing allows for two Teams, Company Officers could pre-assign
the members of the Teams and the Team Leader of “Team B”. Each
Team must be equipped with a portable radio.
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D.
Company
Officers are responsible for members under their direct
control. When a Team is split away from the Company Officer to
a different Commander, that Commander and Team Leader are
accountable for that Team.
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E.
Individuals
assigned to administrative functions such as Training, Fire
Prevention, etc., must have a Helmet Shield for that division.
Materials
and supplies for the ongoing support of the Passport System
(spare tags, Velcro, etc.) shall be maintained by (specify
who in your Department is responsible).
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4.4
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PASSPORT
SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION:
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4.4.1
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Materials:
A. The
Passport System utilizes removable Helmet Shields, Primary
and
Backup Passports, Name Tags, and Portable Status Boards.
B.
Helmet
Shields (OPTIONAL)
1. Each company or apparatus shall have a
reflective Helmet Shield
or reasonable facsimile (such as
tape) for each assigned team
member on duty and for each member
likely to respond on that
company or
apparatus, plus one additional Officer and Firefighter
shield. The purpose of the helmet shield is to clearly identify
companies, and the unit or team to which the member is
assigned.
2.
Helmet
Shields are to be kept on the designated (specify location) of
the apparatus when not actually on a helmet.
3.
Helmet
Shields shall be in place on the member’s helmet BEFORE
participating as an in-service team member.
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4. Helmet Shields shall be color-coded as
follows:
a.
Officers-WHITE background with
ORANGE reflective letters.
b.
Firefighters-ORANGE background with
WHITE
reflective letters.
c.
Amb./MICU-LIME
GREEN background
with BLUE
reflective letters.
d.
Non-fire
fighting personnel (Inspectors,
Aids,
Administrative Assistants, etc.)
BLUE
background with WHITE letters.
5.
Hook side
of Velcro is fastened to the shield, loop side of
Velcro is fastened to the
helmet.
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C.
PASSPORTS
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1.
The purpose
of a passport is to provide accountability of team members after
entering an emergency incident perimeter.
2.
Passports
are a three part board that contains the following information:
a.
Top portions
contains
1. Company
designator (Eng., Truck, Amb.)
2. Apparatus number
3. Jurisdiction (using the MABAS four
letter designator
for your jurisdiction)
4. Team Designator (if applicable) “TEAM A”
or
“TEAM B”
EXAMPLE: E-25 BFGR
TEAM A
b.
Middle
portion is Velcro that holds team member’s name tags.
c.
Bottom
portion is for recording notes such as “time of arrival” or
“assignment”.
3.
Passport
color codes:
a.
WHITE –
Primary, normally used by everyone at the
incident.
b.
RED –
Back-up, kept in the apparatus, Officer’s side
(specify location)
c.
GREEN –
Reserve, kept in the station.
4.
There shall
be two (2) Passports (one primary (WHITE) and one back-up (RED)
provided for each on duty Chief, Company, Unit and Team.
a.
The Primary
Passport (WHITE) shall be attached to the Officer’s portable
radio, radio holster, or other specified location until used as
a Passport for entrance into an emergency incident perimeter.
b.
The Back-up
Passport (RED) is a duplicate of the Primary
Passport and is used as follows:
1.
For
identification of Team Members when the
Primary Passport and is unavailable.
2.
Back-up
Passports
are kept on the door, dashboard, or other easily
visualized location (specify) of the apparatus,
Officer’s side.
c.
Reserve
Passports (GREEN)
1.
Engraved,
company-designated GREEN flexible Passports are kept at the
station the apparatus is assigned, and used for:
1.
Replacing a
lost Primary or Back-up
Passport.
2.
Members who
need to report for shift
change
at the emergency incident.
2.
Blank GREEN
flexible Passports are carried in the make-up kit and are used
for:
a.
Temporary
replacement of engraved, company-designated green flexible
Passports that have been placed in service.
b.
Additional
make-up companies and mutual aid companies that respond to the
incident scene without passports.
5.
Hook side of
Velcro is fastened to the Passport.
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D.
NAME TAGS
1.
Each
uniformed member of the Fire Department shall
Maintain a
minimum of six Velcro Name Tags.
a.
(If assigned
to a company) Two name tags are kept on the apparatus, station
wall, or other location (specify location), to which the member
is normally assigned (base company). These name tags are the
ones that are attached to the primary and back-up passports when
reporting for duty. At the beginning of each shift, or any time
a personnel change occurs, the Firefighter must place his/her
name tag on the passport. IMPORTANT ….Name tags must be
attached to the passports BEFORE SIGNING ON DUTY AND BEFORE OR
WHILE RESPONDING WITH THE APPARATUS.
It is
recommended that on-coming personnel exchange the name tags and
the helmet shield of the Firefighter he/she is relieving. This
will eliminate the possibility of name tags of the relieved
person being left on the Passports or helmet shields or not
being exchanged.
b.
Exceptions
(1) When
assigned to an apparatus such as the FPB
car, Paramedic unit, or other apparatus that can
respond
without the base company, the Firefighters
attach their
first two name tags to the primary and back-up passport of that
FPB car, Paramedic unit or other apparatus. When responding
with the base company, they should take their tactical
direction from the base Company Officer until re-assigned.
Until re-assigned, they should piggy-back their passport
to the base company as soon as possible, (or specify per
department policy).
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(2)
When
assigned to more than one apparatus at the same
time, such as three members who respond on either
an engine or ladder truck, (depending upon the
call or dispatch), the members shall use two
additional name tags from their helmets to maintain
passports on BOTH apparatus during the shift.
c.
Hook side of
the Velcro is attached to the Name Tags.
2.
Four (4)
name tags are attached with Velcro to the underside of the rear
brim of the member’s helmet and are used for the following
purposes: (Loop side of Velcro is attached to the helmet.)
1.
Details
out….When sent to another apparatus at a different station
temporarily, the member removes the name tags from the primary
and back-up passports of the base apparatus and places them on
the storage area. When reporting to the new apparatus, the
member uses two name tags from under the helmet to attach to the
primary and back-up passports of the new apparatus.
2.
Multiple
alarm temporary created teams…
3.
Immediate
replacement of lost tags.
3.
Company
Officer and Team Leader Name Tags are the first Name Tag on the
Passports.
a.
When a
detailed, off-shift or volunteer member reports directly to an
emergency incident the member reports to staging (or Command if
staging has not been established) for assignment.
4.
Engineers
remaining with their apparatus shall be designated by turning
their name tags upside down, on the bottom of the Primary and
Back-up Passports.
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4.5
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EMERGENCY
INCIDENTS
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4.5.1
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Reporting to
the incident
A. When
a Company or Team reports to an Incident, Staging, or Sector,
they
transfer their Primary Passport (s) to that Commander except as
defined below.
1.
Primary
Passport (s) will remain with the Officer or Team
Leader
when:
a.
They are the
only unit at the incident.
b.
They are a
committed first arriving unit (s) at an incident before the
establishment of a Command Post or have passed command.
c.
They are on
or directed to a remote side of an emergency incident before the
establishment of a Sector Command.
2.
Firefighters
who report to an incident from home should report to Staging.
If Staging has not been established, report to the Incident
Commander. The Staging Officer or the Incident Commander may
assign the reporting Firefighter to an operational Company or to
make up a Company.
a.
If assigning
to an operational Company, the name tags (taken from their
helmet) need to be attached to the primary and back-up passports
and a helmet shield issued.
b.
When
assigning to a make-up Company, Firefighters will give Staging
or the Incident Commander two name tags from their helmet for
recording. The name tags will be attached to a primary and
back-up passport for the make-up Company.
The Staging
Officer or Incident Commander assigns Firefighters
to make-up Companies, then gives them helmet
shields. The Primary Passport is given to the
assigned Team Leader upon assignment and the Back-up
Passport remains with the Staging Officer or the Incident
Commander.
3.
Occasionally, mutual aid companies or individuals will be used
at the incident who are not part of the MABAS Passport System.
Those individuals can be included in the Passport Accountability
System by using the equipment in the make-up kit. Individuals
needing accountability materials should report to the staging
area where name tags can be written, blank green passports
customized, and helmet identification created using medical
tape. After this process, everyone should be provided a brief
overview of the Passport Accountability System and their
duties.
4.
When first
arriving Companies/Teams, that have not transferred their
Passports to a Command Function, leave a hazardous area, they
will report their Company/Team status to the Incident Commander
by radio or personal contact. The Commander will:
a.
Direct the
unit or Team to a command function or new assignment where they
will transfer their Passport (s).
5.
Crews
exiting in a Sector other then that in which they are assigned,
should alert their original Sector so that the Sector Officer is
aware of the crew’s new location and status so they can be
accounted for, given a new assignment, or ordered to report back
for their Passport.
When an
appropriate amount of time has passed and the Company Officer
has not returned to or notified the Sector Officer that they
have exited the building, it will be the Sector Officers
responsibility to initiate a search for the missing Company or
Team.
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4.5.2
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During
emergency incidents:
A.
Commanders
will require the transfer and use of Passports at every incident
with an established Staging area, Sector, or a multiple alarm
fire. On small incidents, the actual use of the Passport System
is not required, but recommended.
B. Staging
Area Commanders will record the time that Teams
report to Staging. Staging and – Rehab Sector
Commanders
will
utilize Status Boards to track Teams. Rehab
Sector
Commanders will enter times on the Passports to assure proper
rotation of crews occurs.
C. When a Commander (Incident or Sector) relieves a Team,
the
Commander will:
1.
Confirm with
the Team Leader that all Team members are accounted for.
2.
Inquire as
to the progress or completion of their assignment.
3. Return
the Team’s Passport (s) to the Team Leader.
4. Direct
the Team Leader to Rehab or another Command
Function, and
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