Section 603.01

I. Scope:

This standard was created to ensure the safety of members involved in motor vehicle responses.

II. General Guidelines:

A. The number and variety of motorized vehicles increases each day. It is impossible to completely identify all of the problems that might be encountered operating at a motor vehicle incident. Nevertheless, some commonalities do exist and the general guidelines of this standard should be followed when operating at a motorized vehicle incident.

B. The Incident Commander should always remain cautious and assume the worst until he can be certain that conditions are safe.

C. If a vehicle fire appears to be the result of a collision, the incident commander should consider the mechanism of the collision in developing his strategy for managing the incident.

D. The first priority is the safety of all emergency responders and spectators. If spectators are present, remove them to a safe distance. Do not place firefighters and rescue workers in harm’s way unnecessarily.

E. The second priority at a motor vehicle incident is rescue. The incident commander must assume that someone is trapped in the vehicle until having ascertained that all of the occupants of the vehicle have been removed or gotten out themselves.

F. It is important to control the flow of traffic. The need to minimize the disruption of traffic in heavily congested areas must be balanced by the need to provide for the safety of the firefighters and rescue personnel. Whenever possible, direct traffic away from the incident.

G. The Incident Commander must assign members to traffic control duty. This position is of utmost importance to ensure that the incident scene is secure from oncoming traffic. Traffic control will redirect all other traffic in accordance with the incident scene.

H. Members performing traffic control duties will be in full protective clothing and use equipment including retro-reflective vests, traffic wands at night or low light conditions, stop/slow paddles and road cones. These members must also keep in contact with each other and incident command, by the use of radios.

I. The Incident Commander will notify the RCMP on what traffic control measures are in place and what is further required (i.e. contracted highway maintenance).

J. If EMS requires assistance with victims and the personnel are available, the incident commander can assign members to assist EMS with patient care and ambulance operations.

K. Secure sufficient room for ambulances, fire apparatus and any other resources needed.

A. Members engaged in firefighting and rescue efforts shall wear full PPE (and SCBA for vehicle fires). Protective clothing shall not be removed until the incident has been secured.

B. The presence of broken glass and other sharp objects mandates that personnel wear approved gloves and other safety equipment to prevent the possibility of injury even after the incident has been secured.

C. Stabilize the vehicle as soon as possible, to prevent movement. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as using wheel chocks, cribbing, winches, etc.

D. If it becomes necessary to open the vehicle’s hood, a hatch or other opening to make a rescue or extinguish a fire, prop open the hood or hatch to prevent accidental closing.

E. De-energize the vehicle as soon as possible by disconnecting the battery cables. Disconnect the negative cable first. Take care to prevent sparks in the event flammable or combustible vapors or fluids are present.

F. If the operation takes place in the darkness, illuminate the scene properly. The use of portable or fixed scene lighting is recommended.

G. Firefighters and rescue workers should be also aware of the hazards associated with airbags, energy absorbing bumpers, downed or overhead power lines, hollow drifeshafts, high pressure hoses, air suspension systems and the danger of exploding tires equipped with split-rims, such as the wheels on larger vehicles and some pick-up trucks.

H. Establish an adequate supply of water. Hoselines should be pulled. Typically, the minimum size deployed should be a 38mm hoseline. Approach the vehicle from upwind whenever possible.

a. Position the apparatus upwind and uphill from the burning vehicle. If possible, try not to drive through the scene. This will keep the crew out of the smoke and prevent leaking fuel from running underneath the apparatus.

b. Apparatus should not be parked closer than 30 meters from the burning vehicle whenever traffic conditions permit. If the burning vehicle is labeled as transporting a hazardous material, increase the distance based on the recommendations of the CANUTEC manual.

c. The apparatus operator should position the apparatus to block at least one lane of traffic to create a barrier between the firefighters and the oncoming traffic. Ideally, the angle of the apparatus will allow the operator to view the burning vehicle from the pump operators’ position and not expose the operator to oncoming traffic.

a. Never stick your head inside a vehicle while it is still burning and never crawl under a vehicle to extinguish a fire.

b. A variety of combustible metals (i.e. magnesium) are used for engine blocks, wheels and other components. These may act adversely with water and may require the use of specialized extinguishing agents.

The Incident Commander must provide safe apparatus positioning for Fire/EMS crews and the incident scene.

a. Position the apparatus other than the Rescue Unit, at least 30 meters from the accident scene.

b. Position the rescue unit a safe distance from the accident scene (keeping in mind the use of the rescue tools).

c. Apparatus may be repositioned after the scene survey is complete and hazards are identified and under control.

d. The apparatus operator should position the apparatus to block at least one lane of traffic to create a barrier between the firefighters and the oncoming traffic. Ideally, the angle of the apparatus will allow the operator to view the vehicle from a good vantage point, and not expose the operator to oncoming traffic.

a. All required hydraulic-powered and hand tools shall be removed from the rescue unit, properly connected and operated to ensure correct operations. Hydraulic-powered and hand tools should be staged in a tool staging area (preferably on the tarp that is located in the rescue unit, in the rescue tools compartment) and should be placed in a secure area near the incident.

b. Under the direction of the extrication officer (usually the officer of the Rescue Unit) extrication should be coordinated with EMS personnel to ensure the safety of both the crew as well as all occupants in the vehicle. During extrication, blankets and other forms of protection shall be used to protect the occupants.

c. Try to keep extra damage to a minimum to assist the RCMP and/or fire department with any investigation they may have to do.

d. At the termination of the incident all rescue tools shall be cleaned, re-fueled and reloaded for service.

1. A fuel tank may be punctured during an accident or may fail during a fire, thereby causing a spill or runoff. Take precautions to contain the spill and prevent environmental damage. If the fuel has not ignited, take steps to minimize the chance of ignition.

2. A variety of fuels are used in motor vehicles. Of particular concern are Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). A leak involving either of these fuels poses special problems as does the possibility of a fuel tank rupture due to flame impingement. It is critical that these vessels be cooled during a fire.

4. Do not turn you back on a burning vehicle and keep charged hoselines available after extinguishment in the event of re-ignition.

7. A fuel leak may be controlled by using plugs or other equipment or by turning off the fuel valves on an LNG or LPG tank.

8. If the fuel leak is a small one, it can be absorbed by the use of a granular absorbent located in the rescue unit. Once the fuel is absorbed it will be cleaned up and disposed of by the person(s) responsible for the leak/spill.

A. Automobile dealerships are great resources. Personnel should visit these regularly and familiarize themselves with the features of new models. Unfortunately, many of the features that make vehicles safer for the motoring public pose unique hazards for firefighters.

B. Traditionally, the motor vehicle fires have been considered routine. A re-examination of our attitudes and perceptions is in order. Vehicle fires and rescues are increasingly dangerous and firefighters should not become complacent about them.