New Hanover Township Fire Service Assessment - Final

Fire Services Assessment
for
New Hanover Township,
Montgomery County,
Pennsylvania
October, 2010
183 Leader Heights Road

York, PA 17402
Call: (800) 233-1957

Fax: (717) 747-7028
Web Site: www.vfis.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE .......................................................................................................................................4
STATEMENT OF WORK ............................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................11
SIGNALS OF CHANGE .............................................................................................................14
PROJECT FINDINGS ...............................................................................................................19
ASSUMPTIONS AND CURRENT TRENDS ...........................................................................22
MANAGEMENT ISSUES ..........................................................................................................24
OPERATIONAL ISSUES ...........................................................................................................29
PERSONNEL ...............................................................................................................................32
FINANCES ...................................................................................................................................34
APPARATUS ...............................................................................................................................36
FACILITIES ................................................................................................................................38
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES............................................................................39
MUTUAL/AUTOMATIC AID ...................................................................................................42
RESPONSE TIMES AND STATION LOCATIONS ...............................................................43
FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE .....................................................................................................45
RECOMMENDATION ACTION PLAN ..................................................................................46
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 2

APPENDICES ..............................................................................................................................68
APPENDIX 1 Municipal Fire and EMS Service Delivery Model

APPENDIX 2 Training Requirements and Officer Qualifications by
Position and Proposed Organizational Chart
APPENDIX 3 NFPA Standard 1720 Self Assessment
APPENDIX 4 Strategic Guidelines for Emergency Operations
APPENDIX 5 Insurance Service Office Evaluation Summary
APPENDIX 6 Comparison of Standard Operating Guidelines in Use in
New Hanover Township
APPENDIX 7 Recommended Standard Operating Guidelines
APPENDIX 8 New Hanover Township Fire Response Data
APPENDIX 9 New Hanover Township Fire Risk Assessment Map
APPENDIX 10 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 1.5 mile Pumper
Response Capability
APPENDIX 11 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 2.5 mile Aerial
Ladder Response Capability
APPENDIX 12 Sample Pre-Emergency Planning Form
APPENDIX 13 Risk Assessment by Planning Zone Sample Report
APPENDIX 14 Recruitment and Retention Plan
APPENDIX 15 Apparatus Replacement Cost Projection
APPENDIX 16 Vehicle Assessment Form
APPENDIX 17 Fire Service Funding Model
APPENDIX 18 Sample Department Annual Report
APPENDIX 19 Billing Service
APPENDIX 20 Policy on Township Staff Use as Firefighters During Emergencies
APPENDIX 21 Second Class Township Code Fire Protection Considerations.
APPENDIX 22 Consulting/Project Team
APPENDIX 23 References

Preface
During the period of June through September 2010, a consulting team from VFIS Education,
Training and Consulting conducted a documentation review and site analysis of the fire services
provided to New Hanover Township. This work effort was consistent with the scope of work
described in the proposal agreed upon between New Hanover Township and VFIS and detailed
later in this report.
The Board of Supervisors of New Hanover Township is to be congratulated for their proactive
initiative to evaluate its fire company’s services and in developing a plan for the future. Too
frequently communities undertake such activities following major adverse events, functioning
reactively, instead of proactively such as the New Hanover Township officials have done.
It must be noted that the interests expressed by the Board of Supervisors, the township staff and
the members and staff of the fire companies were focused upon providing quality service to the
residents, workers, and visitors to New Hanover Township. There were many positive efforts and
programs found to be in place within the services provided to the township. While much of this
report centers upon action to be taken to enhance long term performance, everyone recognized
that the fire companies perform the work that needs to be conducted at the time of an emergency.
There were seven (7) primary activities involved in this project.

1. An introductory meeting was held with the Township Manager and a representative of
the Board of Supervisors, and the fire chiefs to establish an understanding of project
involvement and expectation as well as a timeline to complete the project. The fire
department was provided with self-assessment tools and a series of questions to complete
in order to establish baselines of performance. A list of necessary documents needed for
review and people to contact were also submitted.
2. “Self Assessments” and “Statements of Issues and Concerns” were obtained, and a
compilation and analysis of the data provided, were completed.
3. Site visits to each fire station were made to confirm self assessment information, review
commentaries submitted, and establish a structure for possible solutions to identified
issues. The fire department officers were open and provided applicable documentation to
the teams and provided “tours” of facilities and apparatus.
4. A number of documents were reviewed as submitted by the township, including, but not
limited to:
- Insurance Services Office Report (12/05)
- Various fire response summaries and documents
- Existing Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines
- Budget documents
- Miscellaneous pertinent information
5. Specific meetings were conducted and self-assessments were completed and analyzed.
These were compiled and will be found later in this document.
6. Follow-up activities were conducted as necessary.
7. This document is the result of the completed and consolidated efforts of the six
aforementioned activities.

We wish to complement the Board of Supervisors of New Hanover Township, and the officers
and membership of New Hanover Township Fire Department for their proactive initiative to
evaluate long term needs of the community’s fire services and for their willing and active
participation in the process of completing the evaluation.

Statement of Work
TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
PHASE I – Initiate Project
• Upon award of contract, hold a joint planning meeting with New Hanover Township. The
meeting will result in a plan that defines:
1. Primary tasks to be performed.
2. Person(s) responsible for each task.
3. Timetable for each task to be completed.
4. Method of evaluating results.
5. Resources to be utilized.
6. Possible obstacles or problem areas associated with the accomplishment of each task.
This plan will be completed within 14 days of the awarding of the project. This plan
will list actions of proposed interviewees.
7. Data requirements will be made to New Hanover Township.
• Through a series of meetings and similar activities, gather information from the
following:
1. Supervisors of New Hanover Township or their designees
2. Chiefs and officers of the primary companies serving the township
3. Township Planner
4. Township Manager
5. Police representative
6. Others as they may contribute to this project with approval of staff
• Each of the primary responding agencies will be asked to complete an NFPA 1720 self-
evaluation questionnaire (based on current industry best practices and developed by
VFIS), which will then be correlated and validated by the consultants working on this
project.
From these interviews, the consultants/project team will obtain an additional perspective on
operational, staffing, economics, and policy issues facing the fire service. In addition, the
consultant will learn more about availability of data necessary to meet projected goals.
PHASE II – Emergency Services Information Review
• Data received by the project team will be evaluated in concert with additional documents
received from the fire department meeting, including but not limited to
1. Budgets
2. Strategic Plans
3. Annual Plans (including goals and objectives)

4. Organizational Charts
5. Response Data
6. Standard of Response Cover
7. Township Documents
8. Recruitment and Retention Plans
9. Risk Assessment/Target Hazards, etc.
10. A Risk and Demand Analysis for each fire company to determine resources needed
including, but not limited to:
- staffing
- equipment
- specialized equipment
- cost estimates for equipment
The analysis will include a Station Location and Response Time Analysis to determine
the possible need to modify fire & rescue districts, establish new stations or move
stations.
• Evaluate training programs and officer qualifications to assure an adequate and consistent
level of service can be provided
• Evaluate and determine the need for the extent of mutual aid activity and the existence
of/need for standard operating guidelines at the county level. This would include the
current interface of the fire companies with the intent to develop as much standardization
of reporting, operations, and performance as possible.
• Opportunities will be identified for standardization, benchmarking and service delivery.

They will include analysis of
1. ISO report
2. Prior consulting reports
• VFIS will review the current state of the fire service delivery system in New Hanover
Township and provide recommendations as to what can be done to preserve this service.
As part of this review, VFIS will review the current organization’s operational and
management structure to include policies, procedures and organizational guidelines, and
opportunities for any enhancement or consolidation. Data will be analyzed to develop a
hypothetical standard of response cover.
• VFIS will also use its proprietary products of budget analysis and capital planning to
analyze income stream and incurred expense relationships.
Fire Stations
- Review present fire station locations in conjunction with township demographics,
geographics and road networks.
- Provide a detailed report evaluating the most efficient location(s) of fire station(s)
and, if necessary, discuss necessary features required of future facilities.

Apparatus
- Review the existing apparatus fleet and any records regarding maintenance repair
and testing of the fleet.
- Prepare a long range plan that outlines apparatus needs and provide a long range
replacement schedule. Provide due process recommendations for obtaining
agreement on the validity of apparatus schedule and selection.
- Provide an opinion on the appropriate ownership of future units.
- Provide a detailed report on the maintenance, upkeep and testing of the fleet and
provide recommendations for future servicing of the units.
Overall Departmental Management

- Review the present management hierarchy of the township fire services. Review
any state regulations, local ordinances, legal interpretations, fire company by-laws
and other pertinent data.
- Prepare a report on the present system discussing present as well as potential
problems, as well as any and all changes recommended, including incident
command procedures.
Training
- Township/Department training including present training systems, training
requirements for all officers and members, as well as training records for
management, will be evaluated. Likewise an assessment of current training will be
conducted to see if it meets minimum requirements.
- Evaluate township-wide training, providing suggestions if appropriate, to make
training more manageable and user friendly in regard to attendance and attainment
for volunteers.
Budgeting and Accounting Issues

- The study team will review and critique the present system for budgeting and
reporting as it relates to financial resources. Recommendations should increase
effectiveness of the system as well as offer changes that provide a greater level of
accountability throughout the system.
- The study team will assess the funding sources available to the township and offer
recommendations as to how to effectively utilize them. Emphasis will be placed on
programs with low interest (2%) financing.
- The study team will evaluate the costs associated with retaining volunteers
compared to those of increased career staffing over the next five, ten and twenty
years. Provide programs available to help retain or encourage volunteers under
federal, state, and local laws.
Fire and EMS Reporting

- The study team will review the present system of fire and EMS response data
collection and reporting.
- The study team will report on the present fire/EMS reporting system, noting
problems or potential problems, and provide recommendations for a more
consistent and streamlined system.

Staffing
- Assess the level of present staffing
- Recommend total staffing levels for current and projected call volume
- Make recommendations on how to expand and maintain the number of volunteers.
- Assess current issues impacting the morale of the firefighting brigade and
recommendations.
Communication
- Review and assess communications, procedures and effectiveness among fire
department, dispatch and mutual aid agencies. Provide recommendations, as
appropriate, for better communications.
Public Relations
- Assess and recommend improved venues for better department publicity.
- Provide concept for internal and external public relations program.
PHASE IIIA – Site Visits and Meetings
• VFIS will conduct a series of site visits and meetings in New Hanover Township at the
convenience of the staff and volunteers. These visits will enable VFIS to acquire physical
observations and assessments and enable interviews with various individuals and
community members.
• This effort will include the fire services function, staffing, level of impact/effectiveness,
and options to enhance community fire safety.
• Upon completion of all visits and data gathering the consulting team will
validate/redefine assumptions, recommendations, and re-query as needed.
• A comparison will be made to national and regional benchmarks.
NOTE: It is anticipated that the township will assign a key fire department person to provide
input and coordinate meetings.
PHASE IIIB – Evaluation Items and Report Components
Activity:
Upon completing phase IIIA, a summary evaluation will be prepared that will discuss the
following aspects:
- Organizational Overview & Design
- Management Overview
- Mission, Vision and Goals of the organization
- Standard of Cover
- Personnel Management
- Staffing including Recruitment and Retention

- Recordkeeping
- Communications (internal and public communication/relations)
- Funding (including budgeting and financing)
- Capital Improvement Plan (including financing model)
- Facilities
- Fire and Rescue Station location and effectiveness
- Apparatus and Equipment (type, serviceability and future needs)
- Training
- Standard Operating Procedures, policies and organizational guidelines
- Officer Qualifications
- Mutual Aid Agreements & Relationships
- Response Times
PHASE IV – Prepare Draft Report
A draft report will be submitted to the Township that will undergo a process of accuracy review
by key New Hanover Township representatives and the consultant in preparation for the
production of the final report. The editorial and critical comments obtained shall be considered
as essential information in the final report.
PHASE V – Prepare Final Report
Adhering to the parameters as established by the township, VFIS will prepare and present a
written report, focused for stakeholders in the process and local elected officials (as well as the
public). VFIS will also provide an electronic/PDF version of the final report suitable for posting
and distribution on a public access website. The report will detail the data and information
acquired during the project and the consultant’s analysis and recommendations.

Introduction
The nation’s volunteer fire service is changing. Given the extent of these changes and at times
the lack of awareness or even unwillingness to accept external forces on the volunteer system, it
is important to help drive change before it drives an organization.
Longtime volunteers often look back on the “way it used to be.” They recall a time when training
was much less demanding and time consuming and the local fire department had fewer
responsibilities. Fires and accidents were pretty much the game. Attendance and training
standards were achievable. There were fewer calls but each was an event that required the
assistance of neighbors, who took great pride in their membership in the local department. The
community appreciated their neighbors’ help, local businesses supported the volunteer fire
department, and the call volume was small enough so as not to interfere with the requirements of
the members’ jobs. The system was manageable, the emergencies were mitigated and it was fun
to be a member.
The reality today is that in many communities, to be a contributing, effective firefighter, a person
has to meet significantly higher standards physically, in terms of training, and in terms of time
“on the job” gaining experience. Not everyone has the luxury of time or in some cases the
inclination, to meet those requirements in today’s hectic environment. Anymore, the fire
department is not just a group of people trained to suppress fire and render first aid. It has
become the premier provider of choice for different levels of emergency medical services and in
many cases transportation, as well as the provider of just about every other service that is not
provided by the police department—hazardous materials response, high-rise and below-grade
rescue, inspections, prevention and education, and community emergency planning and
management, to name a few.
This is not to say that volunteers can’t handle the job, for their abilities and successes are
demonstrated daily in many places from coast to coast and border to border. But where they
cannot, community and fire leaders are challenged to meet their community’s needs. In some
cases, they will find ways to reinvigorate the volunteer members of their departments and
improve their performance. In others, they will recognize the need for another type of change,
moving to some form of partial or fully paid department, and they will set out to make it happen.
New Hanover Township was incorporated in 1741 by a division of the Township of Hanover
into four separate municipalities: Douglass, Upper Hanover, Pottsgrove and New Hanover
Townships.
Falkner Swamp, the oldest settlement in the Township, is today known as New Hanover,
encompassing the area in and around Swamp Pike and Route 663. Other villages include
Fagleysville, Sassamansville, Pleasant Run, Layfield and Anise.
The Falkner Swamp United Church of Christ, the first reformed congregation in America, was
organized in 1725. The New Hanover Evangelical Church, organized in 1700, was the first
German Lutheran congregation in America.

Township population from 1800 to 1950 remained fairly constant at about 1,800 residents, most
of whom made their living by farming or by working in factories in the local area. Beginning in
1960, the population began growing as housing developed. The current population is 8,785 and
our residents are commuting to various job locations.
New Hanover Township is a township of the Second Class and is governed by a five member
Board of Supervisors elected at large. Most of the executive and legislative powers allocated to
New Hanover Township in the “Laws Relating to Township of the Second Class” code are
vested with the Board of Supervisors.
The Board of Supervisors is empowered to appoint professionals to assist in the operation of the
township and to furnish advice and counsel on technical matters. Additionally, the board
appoints all of the members of the various advisory boards and commissions as well as the
Zoning Hearing Board and the Sewer Authority.
The levying of township taxes and the appropriations to the various departments and subsidiary
boards and commissions is the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors. During the months of
October, November and December public hearings are held for the purpose of reviewing the
budget for the following year. Residents are encouraged to attend these meetings and to review
the budget for the following year.
New Hanover Township remains a semi-rural residential community located east of Pottstown in
Western Montgomery County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 21.6 square miles
all of it land. It consists mainly of rolling hills and valleys and is drained by the Schuylkill River
mostly via the Perkiomen Creek. Its villages include Fagleysville, Hoffmansville, Layfield, New
Hanover, New Hanover Square and Sassamansville.
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,369 people, 2, 532 households and 2,147 families residing
in the township. The population density was 341.3 people per square mile. There were 2, 615
housing units at an average density of 121.1 square miles.
There were 2,532 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with
them. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to
24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 38 years.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,097 and the median income for a
family was $70,789. The per capita income for the township was $25,084. About 1.3% of
families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under
age 18 and 1.4% of those ages 65 or over.
The township is protected by two volunteer fire companies.

The all volunteer Sassamansville Fire Company, organized on July 15, 1948 and chartered in
April of 1949, is located along Hoffmansville Road in the village of Sassamansville. Mr. Stanley
Bauman was the first fire chief and the first apparatus was a 1925 Hale pumper which was
donated to them by the Gilbertsville Fire Company in September, 1948. A 1996 Pierce Engine
with a six person cab and a 1,000 gallon tank capable of pumping 1250 gpm was added in 2004
and is the primary response unit for fires and accident calls. Currently, Ray Strickland serves as
fire chief and Glenn Hull serves as fire marshal.
Like Sassamansville, the New Hanover Township Fire Company, founded in 1970, is an all
volunteer firefighting force responding 24/7, 365 days a year at a moment’s notice as calls for
service are received. The fire company does more than just fire suppression, it responds to auto
accidents with injuries, gas leak reports, fire alarms sounding, and a variety of rescues, to name a
few. Additionally, they strive to provide fire prevention education throughout the year to all
residents. As they try to tailor the fire company’s service to meet the needs of the 21st century in
the township, they embrace the three “E’s” of the fire prevention community, Engineering,
Enforcement and Education and by doing so hope to minimize the need for fire suppression and
reduce the potential loss of life and property by fire. The firefighting force is comprised of a
group of dedicated fire personnel who have committed to maintaining a high level of training
discipline. The company became one of the few companies across the commonwealth which has
attained the advanced level of rescue certification given by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In addition to the demands associated with the growth in the community, firefighters strive to
provide community oriented service at levels to which they have committed to achieve.
As this report is written, the fire department serves an estimated population of 8,000 residents
covering 21.6 square miles, involving schools, libraries, houses, places of worship, community
centers, business and industry, educational facilities, residences and cultural and historic
buildings, responding to over 300 fire incidents a year within New Hanover Township.

Signals of Change 1
As noted earlier, the volunteer fire service is changing. Two recent studies by the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as two studies by the International Association of Fire
Chiefs – Volunteer/Combination Officer Section have validated reasons for these changes and
what can and should be done to manage the future changes impending on the volunteer fire
service. Given the extent of these changes and at times the lack of awareness or even
unwillingness to accept these external forces on the volunteer system, we thought it would be
appropriate to begin this report with “Signals of Change”.
“Signals of Change” presents an interesting look at the changing system of volunteer emergency
services. It is excerpted from the document “Lighting the Path of Evolution, The Red Ribbon
Report, Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments”, a 2005
publication of the International Association of Fire Chiefs – Volunteer/Combination Officer
Section.
Indicators for change
A natural evolution for a volunteer department is the growth in services and added
responsibilities as the demographics of the community change. When the system develops
problems, people generally know about them long before they are willing to admit that they need
serious attention. For fire department managers and local government leaders, it is critical that
they recognize the signs of problems ahead and prepare for change before it is forced on them by
external circumstances. It is helpful when they recognize these pointers to change:
Community Growth - Emergency services are directly impacted by community growth—more

people, more businesses, more emergencies. The larger a community, the higher level of service
people expect. In many areas people moving to “suburbs” assume wrongly that emergency
services are delivered in the same way they are provided in the more established cities and
towns. A history of community growth and projected increases in demand can help managers
forecast and plan for changes in the delivery of emergency services. In some cases, population
growth projections might even help a department determine to limit its services based on
available staffing.
Community Aging - A fire department’s ability to recruit new members in part depends on the
supply of new, younger people who can be tapped for service. A community’s age profile can be
an indicator of problems ahead. The age factor in your community is revealed by data showing
the age of those moving in and moving out. If the younger people are moving away or if schools
are showing or expecting declining enrollment, the fire department may have a difficult time
maintaining appropriate levels of service in the future.
Missed Calls - When an emergency call goes unanswered—a “scratch” on the East Coast or in
1
International Association of Fire Chiefs – Volunteer/Combination Officer Section, “Lighting the Path of Evolution,
The Red Ribbon Report, Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments”, IAFC-VCOS,
Fairfax, VA, 2005, Pages 3-6.

other communities a “did not respond”— the fire department has a serious problem, not just
because life and property are at stake, but also because it is a failure highly visible to the public.
Equally serious is a department’s over-reliance on mutual aid for coverage and the lack of
adequate personnel to handle subsequent calls when primary units are on an assignment
Extended Response Times - When units regularly fail to get out of the fire station in a timely
manner because of inadequate staffing resources, the community is endangered and fire
department managers have a reliability problem. Response time is a critical factor to any fire
department determined to provide appropriate service to the public. It is especially critical for
medical calls when the first-due company fails to respond for whatever reason and an EMS unit
responds but fails to meet the response-time standard, a common occurrence even when mutual
aid is not involved.
Reduced Staffing - Units responding with fewer than the required number of people needed to
perform that unit’s functions pose a serious problem for the safety of citizens and the responders.
This is another indicator of reduced service capability.
All of these situations indicate an inconsistency in a department’s ability to provide necessary

service, though not all are necessarily caused by a shortage of volunteer members. Staffing
deficits can be related to other factors, such as changes in local business and industry policies
regarding employees leaving the workplace, the number of volunteers who are employed outside
their response areas, a lack of understanding on the part of new corporate managers of the
community’s needs, a tight labor market driven by rapid community growth, or even members’
apathy. Where workforce restrictions are at play in the community, they typically lead to daytime
response shortages and a significant challenge for the department.
Other Considerations - While employment issues tend to be the major factor in volunteer
staffing shortages, other factors also contribute. Decreased interest among members who fail to
participate could be the result of unreasonable community expectations, some problem with the
fire department’s internal requirements, or other organizational issues, such as:
- Responsibilities outpace capabilities. Mandated and selected responsibilities and
response commitments exceed the department’s capability to manage outcomes properly.
Mandated responsibilities may have their basis in state statutes or local resolutions,
proclamations and ordinances. Selected responsibilities are response categories that result
from self-imposed obligations to provide a service.
- Inability to raise funds. Growth in the department as it faces new demands outpaces the
volunteers’ ability to raise capital and operational funds.
- Waning political support. A once-supportive political climate begins to falter and less
emphasis is placed on the volunteer-staffed fire company. This becomes noticeable when
apparatus is not replaced, new purchases are postponed, or local government wants the
volunteer company to operate less expensively. The volunteer-staffed fire company needs
to be a vital, supportive and healthy part of the local governmental infrastructure.
- Internal conflict. A department has internal struggles over its mission in the community
and that conflict involves the preservation of the system as a fraternal organization rather
than a service-delivery system.
- Officers filling lower operational positions. Staffing shortages that result in the fire chief

driving the fire truck or fulfilling the responsibilities of other line firefighters is another
sign of a serious staffing problem.
- Mission creep. When first-responder programs that once managed to provide essential
services and also extra staffing for critical events and rescues become subject to all kinds
of other assignments, or to policies that dictate that fire units respond every time an
ambulance is dispatched, chronic staffing shortages can be a problem.
- Controversy. When internal controversy becomes the focal point and public image of the
department, its effectiveness is impaired. Controversy can he inflamed by a poorly
managed emergency, an event that exceeds the capabilities of the volunteers, or public
criticism that home response is no longer adequate for the number of emergency calls
handled by the department. The problems are exacerbated when the volunteers are unable
to reorganize and meet the increased demands, or when the news begins to publicly
question the effectiveness of the service. Few volunteers join the department to fail or be
exposed to a community philosophy that “they tried hard, but they are just volunteers.”
- Too many jobs, too little time. Another indicator: The department cannot provide fire
prevention, public education or inspection responsibilities because of training and
response demands occupy the time volunteers have to commit.
- Kingdoms come first. Some jurisdictions consider their response areas their “kingdoms.”
Boundary disputes can occur when department leaders fail to understand that the public
does not care what color or name is on the fire truck. The “kingdom” attitude also leads
to contentious working environments with neighboring agencies.
- Lack of budget support. Failure by elected officials to approve budgets that include
capital expenditures for the department is an ominous sign.
- Missed deadlines. When critical administrative deadlines, such as daily response reports,
training records, and legally required documentation are not completed or budget
deadlines are not met, the department’s effectiveness is compromised.
- Catastrophic losses. Catastrophic events, such as the loss of a firefighter or a civilian
fatality, focus great attention on the department, and perhaps its problems and deficits,
which can discourage members.
- Volunteers priced out of the community. In many communities the price of homes and
property taxes makes it difficult for the children of current volunteers or others who have
time to volunteer to live in the community, thus reducing the pool of potential members.
- Demographic Changes. Shifts in the community that drive decisions by current members
to purchase homes outside the fire district are a detriment to member retention.
When the time for change has come
Once a department recognizes there is a need for change, it must examine carefully both the
organization and the options available to it. It is essential that all members of the organization
identify the department’s mission and core values. Whether in the end the change is a revitalized
volunteer organization or a move to some type of paid or part-paid organization, a careful
articulation of core values is critical to the success of the organization. Those core values must
be incorporated and reinforced as employee strategies in new career positions and the core values
must be carried throughout the evolution process. If the members expect the organization to be a
mirror of what it once was, everyone must believe in and apply its core values. If you expect to
maintain big city services with small town pride, the organization must maintain the focus on

their core values and reinforce those values at every opportunity.
Once it is clear that change is necessary to preserve the department’s ability to engage in its core
mission, creating a paid staff is not necessarily the first option to consider. Having the answers to
a number of key questions may help resolve a department’s staffing issues.
Does the department have the right leadership? An initial examination of problems should
always include a review of the fire department’s leadership. The lack of dynamic, adequately
prepared leaders has long been identified as a significant issue for the volunteer fire service. Poor
leadership has a significant impact on the retention rate of volunteers, on a department’s desire
and ability to meet new levels of service demand, and on the quality of the service provided.
Does the department offer benefits and incentives? Benefits are safeguards provided by the
community or the department to protect firefighters and their families against unexpected
financial strain should the firefighter be injured, disabled or killed while on the job. As demands
for service increase, so do the chances that firefighters will be injured or worse at the emergency
scene. Departments need to provide protection—such as insurance and retirement or wage
supplement plans—to ensure that the health, welfare and financial stability of firefighters and
their families are protected. Such benefits are essential to assure that members are treated as
valuable assets.
Incentives can provide motivation for members to improve personal performance and
participation. These are defined by personal or team recognition programs or awards. Young
people today, the future lifeblood of all fire departments, are interested in immediate feedback
and that includes benefits and incentives. It is more cost-effective to pay for benefits than it is to
pay people. It is imperative that the community be involved in determining the level of support
for volunteer or part-time firefighters. How willingly the community provides benefits for them
now may help department leaders gauge its willingness to sustain a combination system, if one is
needed.
Are department membership standards appropriate? Fire department leaders should review
membership standards to ensure that they are appropriate for the services provided. Do you need
to increase requirements to ensure that volunteers have adequate skills to deal with the dominant
types of calls to which the department responds? Does the department really need a requirement
that all members have the expertise and the responsibility to respond to all types of calls?
Can you use diversification strategies? It is critical for department leaders to understand that not
everyone is equal in skills or abilities. Diversification strategies—essentially, not everyone in the
department has to be proficient in all the jobs in the department—can be helpful in attracting new
members. Diversification strategies are fairly simple. Recruit subject-matter experts for the
different disciplines within the department. You can take advantage of that to attract new
members and take pressure off of a small group of dedicated responders. For example, you might
recruit from a number of professions within the community that deal with hazardous materials.
Attract and train those individuals as volunteers and use them when chemical emergencies are
dispatched. By implementing diversification strategies, you may actually improve your volunteer
base by reducing the demand on all your members and enhancing their subject-matter expertise.

Trim the non-essentials. Review your organization’s mission and values and identify the
essential functions and services it is required to deliver. A review can, in some cases, lead to
reducing or eliminating non-essential services. Remember, you can’t be all things to all people.
These “Signals of Change” presented by the International Association of Fire Chief’s Volunteer-
Combination Officers Section, provide a sound basis for questions and concerns as one evaluates
its emergency service delivery system. This information is incorporated into the assessment
process for New Hanover Township.

Project Findings
The project findings were compiled as a result of document review, self assessment reviews, and
comparisons of observations to information and analyses provided, and input on concerns,
issues, and problems.
The project team was quick to observe that the township officials and the fire company officers
have the safety of the public as a prime concern. The interest in providing a quality service to the
people who live, work and visit New Hanover Township was quite obvious. The relatively low
fire experience in the township is also a testament to the overall performance of the fire
department.
Personnel, officers, business representatives and elected officials were afforded the opportunity
to identify concerns and issues of current operational practices. These items were part of the
analytical process and were validated by the project team and have all been reflected in this
report. The fire companies are to be commended regarding their competence, candor and interest
in performance improvement by raising the issues for discussion and recognizing that the issues
raised, will result in recommendations to change current methods of operation.
As the project team analyzed and observed station operations, it quickly became clear that the
fire companies had independent long-standing values, philosophies and operational success. It
was also apparent that change in the community and community expectations will drive
operational demands in the future
There is a structured Fire Service Oversight Board/committee. This report will recommend an
organization design, given the size and scope of the community and its emergency response
system. The organization chart of the fire department illustrates the relationship of the fire
companies to the township. This is considered consistent with the township code.
There were no prior fire service type studies conducted regarding fire services in New Hanover
Township. The most recent Insurance Services Office (ISO) report, from 2005 was reviewed and
discussed. This project will essentially provide the first fire-oriented master plan for the township
which will assist in identifying the priority and level of service provided in specific operational
areas, and can assist in addressing adequacy and performance, and align specific divisional needs
with organizational expectations and the strategic plan. 2 Of specific note in a master plan are
objectives and goals involving, among others:
- To evaluate the quality of fire protection
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the organization
- To evaluate the organization since merging fire companies several years ago
- To make recommendations for improvements
The development of a master plan will also use current service philosophies in the creation of
recommendations. In 2010 the fire service operates on the philosophy of a “Standard of Cover”
2
“Strategic Planning: One Plan Type of Many”, Chief Fire Officer’s Desk Reference, Jones and Barltett Publishers,
Inc. Sudbury, MA, 2005, Page 26.

which includes a correlation of response to hazard and uses data to establish priority in
dispatching and response. These are based on criteria established jointly by the International
Association of Fire Chiefs and the International City Manager’s Association. These referenced
recommendations have been restated at various points within this document.
ISO is the leading supplier of statistical, underwriting, and actuarial information for the
property/casualty insurance industry. Most insurers use the Public Protection Classification
(PPC) survey for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial and
industrial properties. The ISO report detailed the analysis conducted of the structural fire
suppression delivery system provided in New Hanover Township. The resulting classification of
Class 5 is considered very respectable for a community such as New Hanover Township. The
ISO report provided a number of areas of suggested improvement. With respect to the fire
department, the ISO report indicated deficiencies due to:
- Not all sections of the fire district with hydrant protection are within in 1.5 miles of a
fully-equipped engine company and 2.5 miles of a fully-equipped ladder company.
- a lack of pre-fire planning inspections of each commercial, industrial, institution and
other similar type building twice annually, with records of notes and sketches
- insufficient training record keeping
As is typical with volunteer fire companies in the ISO reporting system, volunteer companies are
found deficient in company personnel (number responding to incidents) and a lack of training
records. 3 While some improvement was noted during the ISO visits, the basic issues of staffing
were found to still exist.
VFIS requested the fire companies complete a self-assessment using National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) Standard 1720 as a baseline. NFPA 1720, entitled the “Standard for the
Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special
Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments”, was developed as a national consensus
document to identify minimum requirements related to the organization and deployment of
volunteer fire service agencies. While there is no mandate to use this document, it is the closest
definition of expected service delivery by volunteer fire agencies. Areas of positive and deficient
performance were identified by this assessment. The assessment indicates that there is a belief
that the organization is performing in compliance with the standard in a number of key areas,
including:
- Fire Suppression Organization (NFPA 1720 Section 4.1)
- Initial Attack (NFPA 1720 Section 4.6)
- Intercommunity Organization (NFPA 1720 Section 4.7)
- Training (NFPA 1720 Section 5.3)
- Communication System (NFPA 1720 Section 5.4)
- Incident Management System (NFPA 1720 Section 5.5)
Each of the 58 assessment components were evaluated with the department assigning an Attains
(A), Partially Attains (PA), or Fails to Attain (FA) rating. The following areas were self-
3
“Public Protection Classification Results, New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, PA, ISO, Marlton N.J.,
2005.

determined to require action, based up the indication of a deficiency (failing to attain
expectations). These are:
- Community Risk Management (NFPA 1720 Section 4.2)
- Conducting Quadrennial Evaluations (NFPA 1720 Section 4.4)
- Standard Operating Procedures (NFPA 1720 Section 4.5)
- Pre-Incident Planning (NFPA 1720 Section 5.5)
Recommendations related to these issues are found in subsequent sections of the report. Details
of this effort are provided in Appendix 3.
A strategic approach (or related document) to incident management is not in place. This strategic
guideline or approach identifies and outlines some basic rules and principles that relate to the
major areas of firefighting strategy, emergency response and subsequent fireground activity. The
uniform application of this guideline will produce favorable fireground outcomes. This
guideline is designed to offer a basis and simple framework for fire companies servicing New
Hanover Township. It further defines many existing practices, and how the fire companies are
expected to perform during certain emergencies. A draft copy is provided in Appendix 4.
Similarly, a review of existing Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) was

conducted based on information provided by the Chiefs. In addition, a comparison based upon
the NFPA 1720 self-assessment and the results of the interviews conducted by the project team, a
recommended outline for development of SOPs/SOGs is provided later in this report. There is an
excellent opportunity to use existing SOPs/SOGs and those of other agencies as the basis for the
development of updated SOPs/SOGs, by providing existing programs that work and eliminate
extensive research time. This should help expedite the time it would take to develop and
implement a SOP/SOG.
The observations, analyses, and subsequent recommendations are provided in the following
categories:
- Management Issues
- Operational Issues
- Personnel
- Apparatus
- Facilities
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Mutual/Automatic Aid
- Response Time and Station Locations
The fire department continues to perform its mission and meet the expectations of the
community. As with any agency, changes become necessary after a period of time the
organization settles into operation. This is the situation found in New Hanover Township.
Among the areas which require focus over the next “generation” of the organization are:
- establishment of a “Standard of Cover”
- establishment of standardized deployment
- long term funding of both operational and capital needs
- personnel management practices and reorganization redesign
Recommendations are provided within each section of the report.

Assumptions and Current Trends
Any conceptual project begins with a set of assumptions and analysis of current trends within the
industry. This project is no exception. There were three (3) basic assumptions established prior to
the assessment and development of a report for New Hanover Township. The assumptions
includes the following:
- The desire is to maintain a volunteer fire service system to deliver fire and rescue
services as long as possible.
- Nationally recognized standards would be used as the baselines for any recommended
changes in operations.
- Programs, best practices, policies, guidelines, etc. recommended for use, should be
recognized as successful programs.
In addition, time was taken to compare New Hanover Township to fire services in similar sized
communities around the Unites States. A national study was conducted by the National Fire
Protection Association entitled “U.S. Fire Department Profile through 2008”, printed in 2009,
measured service provision in several key areas. These are compared in the following chart. 4
Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result* New Hanover Township

Percentage of communities between 5,000
and 9,999 population with all volunteer 50.8% All Volunteer
fire services
Number of volunteers per 1,000 3.84 (median) Estimated 56 active
population 4.46 in the volunteers total in both
Northeast agencies
Number of other suppression vehicles per
.291 .625
1000 population
Number of stations per 1,000 population .196 .250
Number of pumpers per 1,000 population .322 .250
Number of aerial trucks per 1,000
.036 .125
population
% Departments in communities between
5,000 and 9,999 population with 3-4 48.9% 2 pumpers
pumpers
5,000 and 9,999 population 49.9% - 1 Aerial 1 aerial truck
aerials
5,000 and 9,999 population with 5+ other 8.9% 5+ Vehicles
suppression vehicles
4
Michael J. Karter, “U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2008”, NFPA, Quincy, MA, 2009, 30 pages.

Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result* New Hanover Township
20.5% 2 stations
5,000 and 9,999 population with 2 station
% Departments in communities between NO EMS – 41%
5,000 and 9,999 population where fire BLS – 41% N/A
department provides EMS Service. ALS – 18%
In the 5,000 and 9,999 population category there are 4,365 fire departments:
3.9% of the departments are all career
7.9% of the departments are mostly career
37.4% of the departments are mostly volunteer
50.8% of the departments are all volunteer
Throughout the United States, the % of membership by age range is as follows:

Age 16-19 = 4.2%
Age 20-29 = 25.2%
Age 30-39 = 26.2%
Age 40-49 = 23.7%
Age 50-59 = 14.8%
Age 60+ = 5.8%
The comparison of New Hanover Township to communities of similar size demonstrates the
services available to New Hanover Township to be comparable to the equipment, facilities and
staffing provided in similar sized communities throughout the United States.
Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result New Hanover Township

Total rate of firefighters per 1000
3.81 7.00
population
Volunteer rate of firefighters per
7.01 7.00
1000 population
Career rate of firefighters per 1000
1.73 0.00
population
*Comparison was against communities with populations between 5,000 and 9,999.

Management Issues
The Sassamansville and New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company personnel do their best to
provide emergency response services to the township. As stated earlier, the lack of significant
major loss events is a tribute to the performance of the organization.
The documents requested indicated two township fire companies to be the legally designated
provider of services to the township, but there is no statement of expectations from the township.
Basic vision statements can be extracted from that defined by those of New Hanover Fire
Company, and it is worthwhile to institutionalize this information in order that members and the
public understand the services provided for the township-wide operations so that their
expectations as recipients of the service can be met.
VISION STATEMENT
(aka purpose)
The New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service shall
preserve property from destruction by fire within the township and
work for betterment of the community.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue

Services is to respond and operate in a safe manner at all reported
emergencies in the community and help its citizens deal with natural
and man-made emergencies, and work to the best of our abilities, with
the resources available, to limit the loss of life, the environment, and
property.

Integral to the township fire service operations are defined procedures for:
- officer qualifications and incident command
- apparatus response procedures
- firefighter and officer training
- standard of cover/service delivery statement
The above are addressed in appropriate sections later in this report.
The issue of a Service Delivery is best quantified via a “Service Delivery Statement or Standard
of Response Cover”. Based upon an analysis of the information and data presented to the project
team and subsequently discussed with the chief officers of the fire company, the following
Service Delivery Statement is recommended for consideration of adoption in New Hanover
Township. This is consistent with the current delivery of service to the community.
SERVICE DELIVERY STATEMENT

STANDARD OF RESPONSE COVER
(proposed draft for review, agreement, and revision)
Fire Department response to a structure fire or rescue in New

Hanover Township will be provided within 5 minutes of dispatch
and be on scene with one piece of fire apparatus in 12 minutes, with
a crew of four (4) qualified firefighters, 90 percent of the time.
The following goals and objectives have been identified by the fire companies:
1. Prevent the loss of life and property due to fire
2. Confine fire to its place of origin, suppress and extinguish fire and investigate the cause
and origin of fire
3. Establish and maintain a proper training program
4. Create an atmosphere of fellowship, support, and respect among its entire membership
Annually the township budgets funds for the fire companies’ operations and funds are distributed
as required by law for the Foreign Fire Insurance Premium Tax through two relief associations.
The fire company develops its own annual budget/spending plan. An annual audit is reportedly
provided. This spending information along with response information should be part of an annual
information document provided to the community. In addition, the companies are not required to
provide long term planning for capital spending and reserving, which would be an excellent
practice to start and report annually to the township.
Management information is maintained at the discretion of the fire chiefs. An overall approach to
Information Management was not clear, but should include monthly reporting of incidents
responded to within the township, injuries and damage sustained, personnel and companies who

responded, and fire inspections/plan reviews conducted. This type of data is necessary for
appropriate public safety analysis and planning by the elected officials.
The New Hanover Township Fire Companies, the officers and its members indicated training as
a hallmark of their performance, individual staff development, and value to the community. The
consistent record of performance would validate that the companies integrate training within
their operational activities. However, based on the documentation provided and the responses to
questions during site visits, it is clear that the overall approach to training and development of
standard operating guidelines needs refinement to truly be effective over the long term. A
suggested model for comprehensive training and resultant firefighter and officer qualifications is
provided as Appendix 2 of this report. It should be used as a baseline for discussions to develop
the ultimate model for use in the township. While standard operating guidelines are in place and
others are being developed, an over-riding guideline for strategically operating at incidents
should be developed to provide a foundation which includes risk management and the
philosophical “industry standards” approach to the management of emergencies. A sample is
provided as Appendix 4.
Several management practices considered common in the business world have appropriately
expanded into emergency services and should be applied to the fire companies. These
specifically include the expansion of current risk management initiatives into a comprehensive
risk management plan and the expansion of the current disaster preparedness initiatives into a
comprehensive disaster planning/business recovery program for the township. Information on the
further development of a disaster/business recovery plan for the organization will be provided
under separate cover.
The business practice of the social club’s impact on fire company operations at the
Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company was a point of major discussion and is commented on
later in this report.
The most significant issue observed during this project, was the operational struggle between the
two companies. This is commented on in the operations section of this report.
Given the financial challenges (distribution of funds/multiple relief associations); the operational
challenges (lack of consistent training, response, performance); and the need to respond both
stations to all calls; it is recommended that a consolidation of the companies occur into the New
Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services with a Sassamansville station and a New Hanover
station. The combined membership will serve the total township system.
A suggested organizational chart is provided, as well as job descriptions in Appendix 2.

RECOMMENDATIONS
10-01 Develop a Service Delivery Statement which would indicate the types of emergency
services to be provided, the area to be covered, and the delegation of authority to perform
those services. This will also serve as the basis for development and implementation of a
mission statement, vision statement, and development of annual goals, objectives and
funding requests. Consistent with the development of these documents is a Standard of
Response Cover for use in New Hanover Township as a method to define a service
expectation the community will accept. This will also serve as a benchmark to determine
when and if career staff would ever be needed for fire-fighting services. Examples of
these draft statements (Mission, Vision, and Service Delivery Statement/Standard of
Cover) are provided in the body of the text.
10-02 Reorganize the fire department into a single township-wide fire and rescue service
system. Under the New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Service there would be one
set of members, selecting one set of officers, with required duties and goals, served from
two stations (Sassamansville Station and New Hanover Station).
10-03 Develop a procedure/guideline to strategically manage emergency operations which

clearly defines a process for emergency response personnel and officers to use, regardless
of when officers arrive and what stage the emergency is in. (Example provided in
Appendix 4)
10-04 Establish a long-term process to assure a risk assessment is conducted for the community
which provides input and a basis for the development and implementation of the
community’s standard of response cover and protection of life and property.
10-05 Within the annual report for consolidated service delivery provided to the township,
including a projected costs savings to the taxpayers, through the utilization of the
National Volunteer Fire Council’s “Volunteer Fire Service Cost Savings Model”,
available at www.nvfc.org. A current estimate is provided in the personnel section of the
report.

Proposed
New Hanover Township Fire & Emergency Services

Operational Issues
As noted earlier, the fire department operates under long-standing procedures, using mutual aid,
automatic aid, and standard operating practices. This culture and tradition have built an
organization that has performed as needed in the community for decades. The delivery systems
for fire services, as well as the fire department response models have not been integrated into a
single, seamless delivery system. The closest fire station(s) is dispatched and the same level of
response is provided for similar types of incidents. A “box” system was implemented for the
purpose. The community has a variety of situations where in one case the closest station
responds with an apparatus complement different than a similar type situation in another part of
the community.
The changing demands and expectations on emergency services, particularly in communities

such as New Hanover Township, creates conflicts in performance and develops potential
operational and liability issues.
The same scenario exists with standard operating procedures. The companies individually
developed standard operating guidelines but have not fully implement them on a joint basis. This
will be addressed later in this report.
In looking at the delivery of service as compared to communities of similar size and complexity,
firefighting, rescue, hazardous materials, terrorism, and emergency medical services were all
evaluated. A summary document of services currently delivered and by whom, is included in
Appendix 1.
To determine the operational needs of the fire department, there must first be an understanding of
the hazards being faced. There is no community risk analysis at this time, so it becomes
important to gain as much an understanding of the hazards posed as possible. This can be done
by analyzing response data, defining and inventorying what are considered major or target
hazards, and developing plans to deal with these hazards individually and comprehensively.
This is further represented in the following diagram which illustrates the relationship of
operations, training, preplanning and standard operating guidelines.
Operations
Standard
Operating
Guidelines
Preplanning Training

Since a comprehensive risk analysis has not been completed, it is recommended that one be
completed. There have been some individual assessments of properties completed and pre-plans
developed. As part of this project, a risk/target hazard map was developed and can be found in
Appendix 9. In addition, there were just a few SARA TITLE III sites indicated which are
currently being evaluated and planned. Key target hazards such as large area structures, high
density/personal care/nursing homes, and other similar challenges exist and require pre-planning.
There is currently no process to assure information from inspections, plan reviews and related
tasks is provided to the companies and incorporated into preplans.
There is no fault or blame intended, simply recognition that the current process does not integrate
this aspect. The ISO report recognized a lack of pre-planning and company inspection activities
as one of its recommendations for improvement. Provided as Appendix 12 is a sample
documentation tool to consider for modification and use in the risk analysis and pre-planning
process. These pre-emergency action plans, are recognized methods to predefine the risk posed,
the required water supply, apparatus, personnel, support resources, etc. to manage an incident at
a particular location.
The primary mission of the fire department is fire suppression and the primary tool to suppress
fire was and remains water. Therefore, once target and routine hazards are analyzed, water
supply becomes the first point of consideration. The ISO report indicated that “water supply was
deficient (less water available from the municipal water supply system than the needed fire flow)
in numerous locations tested”. This means pre-emergency planning should consider water supply
required versus water supply available to determine any gaps and how that water should be
provided to the scene, or the related risks that must be managed as a result of a less than needed
water supply.
Once the water supply needed and available to suppress fires in the community is defined, one
can move on to ascertain the level of operational staffing, apparatus, stations, and their respective
positioning and availability. Each of these will be provided separate sections of evaluation and
comment in this report.
While the township does provide support to the department in multiple ways, the “system
consistency” needs to be addressed to assure that all citizens throughout the township receive the
same standard of service throughout the township. This should include policies on the
standardized box alarm concept using the closest fire stations. This should be consistent with the
Service Delivery Statement/Standard of Response Cover as recommended in the Management
Section of this report.
A significant situation exists regarding response times and related response districts and staffing.
Development over the years has benefitted New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company while the
lack of development in the Sassamansville Volunteer Fire company district has resulted in
reduced staffing. Operational conflicts between the two fire companies has further strained
relations and as a result have had a reported negative impact on staffing and response times.
While many Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company members once lived in immediate
proximity to the station, today the great majority reportedly live three-plus miles away. As a
result, extended travel times are needed, just to get to the station. This results in New Hanover

Volunteer Fire Company arriving on scene first, throughout the township, on a regular basis.
There is nothing wrong with this, except for the populace expectations that is they are closer to
Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company’s station, and contribute to Sassamansville’s fund drive,
that they would be expected to arrive first. It also leads to command issues where New Hanover
Fire Company officers arrive first, begin set-up, and the Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company
officers arrive and a transfer of command is expected, but often is too complicated to quickly and
efficiently be put into place. Reality is that due to the fact that personnel live outside the
township and distant from the station in Sassamansville. The Sassamansville unit responding to
calls will probably be the second, third or fourth vehicle/company on scene, at most New
Hanover Township incidents. This will not change until more members live closer (within ¾
mile) to the Sassamansville fire station.
A similar operational conflict arises if the township road crew (which responds to fire calls
during working hours) responds to the New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company station, even if
they are working in front of Sassamansville’s fire station. The road crew should respond to the
closer of the two stations and respond from that station.
During the study, a number of questions became apparent regarding the social club at the
Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company. A staple for fire stations in the 1950’s through 1980’s,
the financial support originally provided by these operations has significantly reduced in recent
years (similar to those operated by other fire companies) for a variety of reasons. However, as
long as they provide income to the fire company, and do not affect operations, they bring value.
In recent years changes in by-laws have allowed for control of fire operations by firefighters, not
social members at Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company. While it was reported that the
social club/administration pays for a number of fire company expenses (e.g. building expenses),
it was not documented in a financial model. It was also reported that there are three sets of by-
laws. In reality there should be one set of by-laws for the organization with the fire company
(emergency service) aspects priority and the social club secondary in all respects.
Those conflicts and issues noted above are the main reasons the companies should be
consolidated as previously indicated.
RECOMMENDATIONS
10-06 Develop a process for the development, distribution, and training of pre-emergency plans
for target locations as identified in the risk assessment process. This should include water
supply information, as well as a hydrant out-of-service notification process.
10-07 The township road crew should respond to the closer of the two stations and respond
from that station.

Personnel
The fire companies indicate a combined roster of fifty-six (56) active firefighters. In this day and
age when it is more and more difficult to recruit and retain volunteers for any activity, the fire
department continues to find a way to sustain members. However, it is becoming more and more
challenging to recruit and retain members.
Personnel represent the most significant resource of the fire companies’ services. Without trained
people who are willing to respond to emergencies, raise funds, perform maintenance work, and
train, there would be a mammoth challenge to assuring the safety of the people and properties of
the township. Unfortunately, like many similar communities, less time to volunteer, more calls,
more required training, and expanded fund raising needs are all reported to be conditions
challenging the staffing of the fire companies.
Using the basic data of fifty-six (56) volunteers, two (2) pumpers, one (1) rescue, one (1) aerial,
and one (1) tanker, a cost savings calculation can be made to determine the savings to the
taxpayers of New Hanover Township by using a volunteer system. The National Volunteer Fire
Council’s (NVFC) Volunteer Fire Service Cost Savings Calculator, computes this savings (for
salaries and benefits of firefighter/EMTs) to be approximately $4,000,000 to New Hanover
Township. The NVFC Cost Savings Calculator was created by St. Joseph’s University Graduate
Program in Public Safety and Environmental Protection with the following objectives:
- Develop a model to calculate the cost savings of an emergency service organization
- Develop a model power-point slide presentation for an emergency service, organization
to use with elected officials and public groups to promote their service and the value
created by the service
- Develop a projection of annualized savings of volunteer emergency service organizations
within the United States
The study found the savings, nationwide, to be $37 billion. The program and additional
information can be found at www.nvfc.org.
The question was asked by the project team, how recruitment and retention activities are
conducted. There was no structure to the process, individually or collectively. The officers
indicated they conduct a variety of activities, but gave no baseline for goals, expectations, or
consolidated approach to the process of recruitment and retention. Without a comprehensive
approach to recruiting and retaining members, that is local in design and responsive to members
needs, the continuation of an all volunteer system is put at risk.
The chiefs maintain personnel information by using a software package. Confidentiality is

critical in managing this information. A common set of informational components and a
standardized format should be developed, including what should be maintained electronically
and what should be maintained in paper fashion. Security of these documents is critical due to
confidential information. For this reason, these records should be maintained at one location.
Copies of these records should be maintained by a single focal point. In addition, there are no

standards for minimum documents, for maintenance in personnel files. A proposed
recommendation is provided as well as sample forms (under separate cover).
Physicals are not provided to members. Physicals and related performance impact issues should
be considered. Disciplinary practices are reportedly in place with limited actual documented
process for acting on members requiring discipline.
As earlier noted township public works staff is permitted to leave work for incidents to fulfill
needed crews at the New Hanover station. It was noted that if the crew was closer to the
Sassamansville station, it would still respond to the New Hanover station (Appendix 20).
Meetings were held with the officers of both fire companies to provide input. Consistent
comments were made regarding the following items which require attention:
- Organization design
- Officer qualifications and duties
- Disciplining process
- Standard operating guidelines used
RECOMMENDATIONS
10-08 Develop and implement a comprehensive approach to the recruitment and retention of
an adequate force of competent fire and rescue service personnel. Coupled with this
should be minimal criteria for membership.
10-09 Develop a standardized set of data and documents to be maintained about each
member. This should include, as a minimum, an application, physician’s release to
perform firefighter duties, training information, driver license, working papers, etc, as
deemed appropriate. Sample information and forms are provided in VFIS safety and
management forms which will be forwarded under separate cover.
10-10 Establish and implement a defined progressive discipline process.
10-11 A process should be implemented when an annual physical (at least baseline
information taken) is provided to active firefighters and fire police staff. The cost to
implement this should be borne as the highest priority of the relief association. The
EMS agency can serve as the group to obtain annual physical baseline information.

Finances
Like any typical volunteer fire department, the New Hanover Township Fire Companies utilize
multiple revenue streams (e.g. fund raising, municipal contribution, Pennsylvania Act 84 funds,
contributions to fund drives) to fund their operations. Typical operational expenditures are for
firefighting equipment, vehicle and structure maintenance, fuel and utilities, communication
equipment, personal protective equipment, training, fire prevention, administration, etc. New
Hanover Township is no different. The proposed operating budgets submitted to the project team
appear appropriate for an organization the size and complexity of New Hanover Township.
Currently a .31 mill tax for fire protection results in $179,126 annually.
It was found that the practice of billing for services on the highway is not being conducted. A
sample ordinance and standard operating procedure were provided under separate cover to
consider this.
Capital expenditure requests were also provided to the project team for review. The team noted
that the fire companies individually fund and specify capital expenses. While practical from a
single year budgeting process, this may create a major challenge when the expenditure is of
significant dollars, such as a fire engine for $500,000. Recent business models for municipal
government have shown these expenditures to be better handled by leasing, pre-funding the
capital expense through annual reserving of funds, borrowing funds for a period of years, or
floating bonds. While each municipal budget officer and team of elected officials has their own
concept of what is the best method to achieve this, the project team favors the long-term pre-
funding model for municipalities under 50,000 population. In this fashion, funds can be allocated
over a period of years and upon purchase of a high cost vehicle or station, the funds are already
in place for use. The equipment becomes the asset of the municipality.
The fire companies are provided funds to the respective “Relief Association”, through the
Foreign Fire Insurance Tax Distribution process. The most recent audit report was reviewed. It
was also noted that there were no outstanding recommendations made. While a case was made
for two separate relief associations, the project team found no basis for two small funds to be
maintained. A single association offers single source management consistent delivery of benefits
and equipment, and better purchasing power.
The project team found the budgeting process as acceptable given the size and complexity of the
organization. However:
• The funding requests by the fire companies should be more structured for funding
requested expenses (a related chart of accounts for the expense and income is provided in
the appendix). This will also resolve the concerns about distributions to each company as
funds would be distributed based upon need to perform duties versus a percentage to each
company.
• Long term capital planning is necessary for fire apparatus replacement and fire station
construction/remodeling purposes (sample plan is provided as an appendix).

The township and state currently provides funding to the volunteer fire departments, however
there is no requirement to replay the funds or assure assets paid for with public money are
provided back to the public if an organization dissolves. Going forward, in concert with any
funding provided by the county, assurance should be made that a signed contract is secured. The
contract should include language to assure, if the agency is dissolved for any reason, that the
assets obtained with public funds going forward, are properly disposed of.
RECOMMENDATION
10-12 A long-term capital purchasing funding model is recommended. A projected 20 year
capital expense demand charts (one for apparatus only and one for apparatus and
structure) have been prepared as Appendix 15.
10-13 The two relief associations should be combined into one for improved management,
oversight, consistency in purchasing and providing benefits and equipment, as well as
better purchasing power.
10-14 Operational funding should be based upon a consolidated budget request to fund required
expenses versus a general percentage distribution of funds. This may take a number of
years to understand and implement the process. However the long term implementation
will provide more efficient funding.
10-15 A process should be implemented to bill for services provided at highway incidents. A
sample ordinance and standard operating guideline to implement a billing for services
system are included in the appendix.
10-16 In the event of dissolution of the volunteer fire department or the termination of its affairs
or other liquidation of its assets, the volunteer fire department’s property shall not be
conveyed to any organization created or operated for profit or to any individual for less
than the fair market value of such property. All assets remaining after all debts and
expenses of the volunteer fire department have been paid shall be conveyed or distributed
by the Board of Trustees to one or more organizations qualifying for the exemption
afforded by Section 501 (c) (3) of the Code. Any assets not so distributed shall be
disposed of by a Court of Common Pleas of competent jurisdiction exclusively for such
purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said or shall determine which are
organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
No part of the net earnings of the volunteer fire department shall inure to the benefit of
any Trustee of the volunteer fire department, Officer of the volunteer fire department or
any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services
rendered to or for the volunteer fire department affecting one or more of its purposes),
and no Trustee or Officer of the volunteer fire department shall be entitled to share in the
distribution of any of the volunteer fire department assets upon dissolution of the
volunteer fire department. No substantial part of the activities of the volunteer fire
department shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence
legislation, (including the publication or distribution of statements), any political
campaign on behalf of any candidate of public office.

Apparatus
The purpose of this assessment is to assure that the minimum apparatus needs of the township, as
defined by risk evaluations conducted to date, are provided for and in adequate functioning and
reliable condition. The apparatus located in the township are indicated below.
The fire department has been provided the equipment to meet the actual demands being placed
upon the companies (water for fire suppression), with secondary needs (threat/hazard based).
Based on physical observation and discussion with officers and members, as well as the review
of records management, the project team evaluated the apparatus as follows:
Unit Year Manufacturing Pump Tank Condition

Engine 37 2010 KME 1500 gpm 500 gal Good
Ladder 37 2000 KME 75’ 1500 gpm 500 gal Good
Rescue 37 2000 KME 1500 gpm 500 gal Good
Command 37 Ford ----- ----- Good
Command 37-1 Jeep ----- ----- Fair*
Engine 68 1996 Pierce 1250 gpm 1000 gal Good
Field 68 2010 Ford ----- gpm 300 gal New
Tanker 68 2010 International 500 gpm 2,250 gal New
Service 68 1994 Pierce ----- ----- Good
* Fair condition due to age, not mechanical capability
An apparatus replacement plan has been developed and documented by the project team. An
assumption that long term, allocated tax dollars would fund the apparatus replacement when
necessary is incorporated. This is found in Appendix 15.
Critical to the longevity, service ability, functional ability, and reliability is the maintenance of
the apparatus. The apparatus in service today is in good repair with just a few pieces of
equipment considered nearing its functional performance life. There are a number of
fundamental decisions that have to be made with regard to replacing fire apparatus. These
decisions include “what warrants replacement”:
- Age alone
- Age coupled with level of performance
- Performance only
The apparatus of the fire department was found to be on a service/maintenance program,

coordinated by an assigned officer. File information found that maintenance is conducted and
appropriate records are maintained in a paper file.

A review of the ISO reports found that annual fire pump tests were meeting their requirements
but there was insufficient equipment carried on some apparatus. Hose and ground ladder testing
are conducted annually as well, every other year in the worst case.
The type of apparatus purchased and their location provide for an effective complement for the
township. This is consistent with ISO requirements.
To assure the department can maintain its ISO rating required equipment expectations, copies of
documents indicating ISO required equipment and equivalencies will be provided under separate
cover. The companies should develop a computer database to manage vehicle maintenance
information for apparatus to provide an easy method of identifying expense by unit and purpose
to assist in budgeting and replacement processes.
There is no “long term” purchasing plan/projection in place by the department or the township.
The project team did develop a “hypothetical schedule” to assist in long term planning and
financial projections. This can be found in Appendix 15.
RECOMMENDATIONS
10-17 A process for determining replacement of fire apparatus needs to be implemented.

Appendix 16 provides an evaluation tool which should be completed for each piece of
apparatus in the fleet. This will help determine potential longevity of the apparatus as
well as help in determining financing options.

Facilities
The facilities were evaluated to consider suitability and growth opportunities within the response
district. The fire station conditions were rated subjectively, based on housekeeping, size of
apparatus bays, existence of detection and suppression equipment ramp size, building
maintenance and interior traffic conditions. The New Hanover station was constructed between
1972 and 1991 and includes a vehicle exhaust capture system and building generator. The
Sassamansville station was constructed in phases in 1950, 1974 and 2000. There is no standby
generator or vehicle exhaust capture system. Facilities are rated as follows:
Location Condition
Sassamansville Fire Co. Average
New Hanover Fire Co. Average
The department has in place maintenance agreements for major service equipment, e.g. back-up
generators and HVAC systems. These two systems are critical to sustaining operational use of
the stations. Consistent with this, there should be routine assessments conducted of electrical,
plumbing and roofing systems. No formal recommendation is being made as these practices
should be simply integrated into routine activities.
The stations not only serve operations and administration, but also fund raising activities.
The Sassamansville station may well be located in an ineffective spot in today’s world. We were
advised that most firefighters are three-plus miles away from the station which results in
extended response times. This was mentioned by the officers and confirmed by response data
from Montgomery County’s Emergency Dispatch Services. Long-term a station relocation near
a major roadway intersection would better serve response to the township.
New Hanover VFC Station Sassamansville VFC Station

RECOMMENDATIONS
10-18 The Sassamansville station should be upgraded to include a vehicle exhaust capture
system and standby generator. A FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant should be
applied for to provide these at minimal (10%) cost to the fire company. This will
enhance safety and operations.

Standard Operating Procedures
The project team reviewed the processes in place to develop, implement and monitor the
standard operating procedures. This was followed by a review of Standard Operating
Procedures/Standard Operating Guidelines (SOP’s//SOG’s) currently in use. The format that is
generally found to be most effective including the indication of the date adopted, date reviewed
and date posted, as well as the following components of a standard operating procedure,
including:
- Purpose
- Scope
- Responsibility
- Safety
- Definitions
- References and attachments
- Guideline
The SOP’s/SOG’s should be updated (as currently is being done) to be comprehensive and
consistent with the various training, performance, and monitoring components that standard
operating procedures should include. However they should also be flexible enough to assure
situational awareness is used to make the appropriate decision.
The standard operating guidelines developed illustrate state of the art approaches to many issues.
However, they are not used to also serve as a referencing and training tool.
There was no defined process to assure a “read and sign approach by all members” is in place to
assure members are aware of the guidelines, updates and new procedures implemented. These
options should be considered and the most effective implementation process applied.
A master Table of Contents for Standard Operating Guidelines (as provided) was considered
acceptable.
Standard Operating Guidelines serve several functions in today’s emergency services. Not only
do they provide an understanding of how certain activities are to be accomplished, but they
establish basic training criteria. A more realistic plan, using member and officer involvement,
needs to be established to review the existing Standard Operating Guidelines and begin the
process of revision and identifying new guidelines that should be developed.
In today's society it is essential that all emergency service organizations develop, adopt, and
implement standard operating procedures and guidelines. The principal of public kindness is no
longer acceptable practice. Concepts, such as sovereign immunity (individual vs. government)
have been significantly limited and narrowed by the courts.
Many of the federal, state, and provincial laws allow for suits against individual leaders of
emergency service organizations. Terms such as "duty of care," "breach of omission or
commission," and "joint and several liabilities" are entering the vocabulary of emergency service
personnel.

One important way to prepare for this challenge is to develop, adopt, and implement a
comprehensive set of Standard Operating Procedures/Standard Operating Guidelines
(SOP/SOGs.) 5. Standard Operating Procedures/Standard Operating Guidelines are a fundamental
safety practice, not only for emergency services, but business and industry as well. Common
SOP’s/SOG’s provide a foundation for consistency in training and operations.
During the process of compiling SOP/SOGs, the difference between these varied documents may
become blurred. For instance, often the distinction between policy and procedure do not seem so
clear. Policy is different from a SOP/SOG. All procedures and guidelines are based on an over-
riding policy. Policy should be viewed as the attitude, philosophy and intent of top management
to the organization’s personnel. It provides a framework and guidance to organization personnel
in making decisions. To aid in the development of SOP/SOGs, understanding specific definitions
of terms is essential. 6
It was noted that several SOP’s/SOG’s adopted by the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs
Association have not been adapted and implemented, and should be.
It is understood that the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), in this case it would be New
Hanover Township who is responsible for granting approval or designating that responsibility for
Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines. As the organization grows, there should be a process
implemented to grant authority for routine operational procedures and tasks, following a process
that requires member input, staff development and finalization. Policy issues and administrative
issues shall remain under the clear control, authority and responsibility of New Hanover
Township Fire Department.
The use of separate SOP’s/SOG’s by each company presents potential conflicts at emergency
scenes, joint training challenges and safety concerns. One set of township-wide SOP’s/SOG’s
should be developed and implemented.
Finally, as noted earlier there is no one document that establishes a Strategic Guideline that
identifies and outlines some basic rules and principles that relate to the major areas of
firefighting strategy and subsequent fireground activity. The uniform application of this guide-
line will produce favorable fireground outcomes. This guideline is designed to offer a basis and
simple framework for use in New Hanover Township fireground operations and command. It
also represents many existing practices and defines how this department is expected to perform
during certain emergencies. A model guideline is provided as Appendix 4.
5
Developing and Implementing SOP and SOG for Emergency Service Organizations, VFIS, York, PA 2001, Page
2.
6
Ibid, Page 9

RECOMMENDATIONS
10-19 A single set of “township-wide” Standard Operation Procedures/Guidelines should be

developed and implement using the existing SOP’s/SOG’s and those submitted by the
project team as the initial set. Refine and implement Standard Operating
Procedures/Guidelines using the proposed procedure format and develop a
prioritization for development and revision, using the information provided in this
section as a guideline.

Mutual/Automatic Aid
The fire companies use a mix of mutual and automatic aid. The philosophies for the number and
types of apparatus being deployed to calls and the related use of mutual and automatic aid are
established by each response grid. However, the mutual/automatic aid company may not respond
or may respond with minimum personnel. A review found, in general that, the closest station to the
incident is typically dispatched as well as New Hanover Township Fire Department. Overall,
Mutual Aid agreements in place are verbally agreed to and are not based on any structured concept
of service delivery with a traditional “box system” applied in the township.
The response deployment should be reviewed. Given that Montgomery County has not mandated
the use of Mutual Aid agreements, written agreements are not being recommended, but are
considered highly desirable.
RECOMMENDATION
10-20 A review of the automatic aid to New Hanover Township should be conducted over the
next twelve months to assure the response matches the risk and that responses maximize
the staffing opportunities of the companies. To standardize deployment to properties in
New Hanover Township, the following “box system” methodology for structure fires
should be applied:
- Dwelling Fires; A dispatch involving a complement of two engines and one service
truck from the three closest stations
- Commercial Structures, Educational Facility (non-residence), Non-Habitational; Three
engines and one ladder from the four closest stations
- Health Care, Educational Residence Facilities, And Industrial Facilities; Four engines
and two ladders from the four closest stations
- Automatic Fire Alarms; One engine and one ladder from the two closest stations.
- In areas where the water supply has been deemed inadequate, a water tender/tanker
should be included in the dispatch for structure fires.

Response Times and Station Location Analysis
Fire station location dictates, to a large degree, response times to emergencies. Research and
analysis will include response volume, response types, current response time performance, and
how projected growth of the community will impact workload in the future. Achievement of this
objective will allow for specific recommendations for improvements in overall facility location
planning, resource deployment, and response time, as well as assisting in the determination of
the need for career staffing.
One of the analytical models which was part of this evaluation process involves a review of
station location in proximity to the location and types of calls for assistance. A study such as this
can determine where additional stations can be located to meet service delivery demands. Using
a standard model advanced by the Insurance Services Office for basic station location analysis,
New Hanover Township was found to have a unique location for its primary responding station,
as one station is clearly appropriate for the township, near the center of the original business and
residential district and in close proximity to the high-value, high risk areas.
The Insurance Services Office process uses the approach for response time that road distance
criteria for engines (1.5 miles), ladders (2.5 miles) and in Pennsylvania a maximum distance (5
miles) translates into response time. The distance is based on a formula developed years ago by
the RAND institute, and uses the equation:
T = 0.65 + 1.7D
T = travel time in minutes

D = distance in miles
The formula is based on an average 35 mph road speed which is quite realistic for most areas
considering road conditions and type, weather, intersections, traffic, etc. Mathematically, this
converts to engines 3.2 minutes, ladders 4.9 minutes, and a maximum response distance of 9.15
minutes. It is easy to see that times much greater than these are pushing the limits of the fire
department's ability to successfully control a fire (especially considering that these are only
travel times, not dispatch and turnout time etc). It is very easy to see why for most states the
Insurance Services Office has a maximum 5 road mile distance for which a protected class (class
1 through 9) will apply. Anything over 5 road miles is almost a known higher loss and insurance
industry data supports that.
Appendices are provided that illustrate the current 1.5 mile road distances from New Hanover
Township Fire Department. It clearly identifies portions of the community that exist outside the
bounds of the 1.5 mile area, as well as 2.5 miles. A review of mutual aid responses to assure
closest fire stations are responding to all incidents in the township was conducted and confirmed
as acceptable by the project team, but requires regular review.
Long term consideration needs to be given to building a new station, based on demand and
volunteer residence location. When the construction of the new station arises, this map should be

consulted to identify an appropriate property that may maximize the opportunity for deployment
within the township from one station.
A current assessment of data found the following regarding response times can be found in
Appendix 8.

Fire Marshal’s Office
There is no role of a Fire Marshal in the township today. Plan review as conducted by the
Township Engineer with input from the New Hanover Fire Company Deputy Chief. This
process works, provided input is submitted to both fire companies regarding the necessary
information.
Codes that are adopted by New Hanover Township are consistent with similar communities in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and found to be adequate.
Fire investigations are handled by the company chiefs with assistance requested as necessary.
There has not been enforcement of the annual fire inspection requirement of the fire code. This
may be best handled with an inspector to be part-time inspector with portions paid for by the fees
associated with inspection requirements and pre-plan input.
RECOMMENDATIONS
10-21 There is no method in place at this time to perform required fire inspections. A part-time
role should be established to conduct the necessary inspections for code compliance and
pre-plan input to the fire companies.

Recommendation Action Plan
Based upon the input, findings and assessments conducted as part of this project,
the assessment team provides the following recommendations. Each
recommendation is provided with a problem statement and reason that it is a
problem, and a solution. Where possible, a priority level is assigned, a projected
completion time is provided, and if costs are foreseen, an estimate of that cost is
provided.
The recommendations are submitted with the following considerations: the

findings and improvement recommendations of the Insurance Services Office;
state of the art best practices in risk assessment, standard of response cover,
strategic planning; and practices and protocols defined within the reference
documents for this project which are detailed in the References section of this
report.
It must be recognized that the purpose of this process is to facilitate discussion

and action on the problem. In reality, you may find alternative solutions that are
more (or less) efficient, more (or less) costly, more (or less) politically expedient,
take more (or less) time, and have more (or less) success. However, the fact that
elected municipal officials, municipal administrative staff, and municipal fire
and rescue service provider officers develop a consensus approach to managing
the risks posed is the ultimate goal. The use of these recommendations as
discussion and action points should assist you in achieving local progress in the
management of fire and rescue services.

RECOMMENDATION 10-01
ISSUE/PROBLEM
Currently, there is no documented statement of what services or service levels are to be provided by the
companies as related to the needs and wants of the community. Understanding the parameters of the
service to be provided and the related expectations from elected officials and members of the general
public is critical to effective performance and the delivery of emergency services. Coupled with this
statement of services should be the revision of the mission and vision statement for these municipal
services. Without a lack of clarity regarding what services will be provided by whom, and when, will
allow for multiple levels of standard of care and delivery, all of which could actually present both
operational and risk management challenges for the municipality. The current approach has multiple
mission and vision approaches for a single municipality that may create service delivery conflict. Also, no
Standard of Response Cover exists for the community’s fire protection system. Without a standard of
response cover defined, there is no true understanding and definition via “policy, procedure or guideline
that determines the distribution, concentration and reliability of fixed and mobile response forces to fire,
emergency medical service, hazardous materials, and other forces of technical response”. Therefore
decisions on level of service become arbitrary decision points, instead of being based on empirical
evidence and rational discussion.
SUGGESTED ACTION
It is recommended to develop a statement of services which would indicate the levels and types of
services to be provided, the area to be covered, and the delegation of authority to perform those services.
A model to accomplish this is provided in Appendix 1. A proposed mission statement and vision
statement are provided within the body of the text and serve as starting points for discussion and
development of New Hanover Township Fire and Emergency Medical Service’s vision and mission.
Similarly, develop a Standard of Response Cover for use in New Hanover Township as a method to
define a service expectation the community will accept. Not only does the Standard of Response Cover
establish expectations of performance of the fire companies, it is a tool for evaluating and defining the
agencies goals and objectives, determines the levels of service for all, or portions of a community, and
measures an agency’s performance over different budget or operational years. This process can further
serve as a benchmarking “trigger point” for the decision making purposes of delivery system changes or
additions.
PRIORITY – 1
TIME FRAME – 6 MONTHS
COST – NONE ANTICIPATED
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – NFPA STANDARD 1201, STANDARD FOR

PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC & COMMISSION ON FIRE
ACCREDITATION SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS, PENNSYLVANIA SENATE
RESOLUTION 60 REPORT.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
The current organizational design provides for operational and administrative conflicts.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Reorganize the fire department system into a single township-wide service system. Under the
New Hanover Township Fire and Rescue Services there would be one set of members, selecting
one set of officers, with required duties and goals, served from two stations (Sassamansville
station and New Hanover station).
PRIORITY – 1
COST – $1,000 FOR BY-LAW AND ORDINANCE CHANGES
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RESOLUTION 60

COMMISSION REPORT, COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION SELF-
ASSESSMENT PROCESS, and NFPA STANDARD 1720 STANDARD FOR THE
ORGANIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION EMERGENCY
MEDICAL OPERATIONS, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS TO THE PUBLIC BY
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
The fire department has an extensive array of standard operating guidelines. However, a strategic
guideline which offers a framework for combating fire and dealing with emergencies both
offensively and defensively should be used as a foundation document in their approach to
managing emergencies.
SUGGESTED ACTION
An Operational Strategic Guideline should be developed that outlines some basic rules and
principles that relate to the major areas of firefighting strategy and subsequent fireground
activity. The uniform application of this guideline will produce favorable fireground outcomes.
A draft copy is provided in Appendix 4.
All Standard Operating Guidelines should be web-based to allow for easy staff reference.
PRIORITY – 1
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – NFPA STANDARD 1720 STANDARD FOR THE


ISSUE/PROBLEM
A comprehensive Community Risk Assessment for the providing of services to New Hanover
Township does not exist.
The lack of a community risk assessment for fire and non-fire risks is critical to the development
of needed resources to combat a fire or other emergency. These tools not only enable the
community to determine its needs, but also to develop a comprehensive long-term plan to
manage both the activities and the costs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Establish a process to assure a risk assessment and master plan is conducted for the community
that provides input and a basis for the development and implementation of the community’s
standard of response cover. The development process is best achieved by using the Commission
on Fire Accreditation model for developing a Standard of Response Cover that includes the risk
assessment process.
PRIORITY – 2
TIME FRAME – 1 YEAR
COST – $10,000 POTENTIAL COSTS MAY BE PLANNED FOR, IN THE EVENT FIRE
COMPANY AND FIRE DISTRICT STAFF CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK.
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – NFPA 1201 STANDARD FOR PROVIDING

EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC AND COMMISSION ON FIRE
ACCREDITATION SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
The fire department currently develops annual report information but it is not distributed to the
community at large. Without a consolidated annual report, an understanding of the true value of
the service to the community cannot be known or understood. This leads to lack of knowledge,
lack of funding, and lack of interest.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Develop an annual report for consolidated service delivery provided to the township, including a
projected costs savings to the taxpayers, through the utilization of the “National Volunteer Fire
Council’s Volunteer Fire Service Cost Savings Model”, available at www.nvfc.org . The report
document should be no longer than one page two-sided and serve as a hand-out to the general
public in multiple venues.
PRIORITY – 2
COST – $1,000 PRINTING COSTS (POSSIBLY OBTAINED VIA ADVERTISING

FUNDRAISING
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION SELF-

ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
Pre-emergency plans have been initiated but have not been conducted for all major facilities and
target hazards.
Without a predefined plan to identify potential hazardous facilities and emergency processes,
resource needs cannot be planned for, offering the potential for greater than expected losses.
While some preplanning is conducted and some plans are available, a more consistent flow of
information from the plan review team to the Fire Chief, including the development of
appropriate plans, photos, data sources, etc. will enhance this planning effort and ultimately
improve efficiency and performance at emergencies.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Develop a process for the development, distribution, and training of pre-emergency plans for
target locations as identified in the risk assessment process. This should include water supply
information, as well as a hydrant out-of-service notification process.
PRIORITY – 3
COST – $10,000 PER YEAR FOR OUTSIDE CONSULTING SERVICES.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND NFPA STANDARD 1720 STANDARD FOR THE

ISSUE/PROBLEM
The road crew currently responds directly to the New Hanover station to respond to incidents
which, can result in a delay of getting resources to an emergency.
SUGGESTED ACTION
The road crew should respond to the closer of the two stations and respond from that station.
PRIORITY – 1
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT –PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RESOLUTION 60


ISSUE/PROBLEM
There is no structured approach to recruitment and retention.
People are the most valuable resource to any emergency agency, volunteer or career. Without
people, apparatus cannot respond and incidents cannot be handled. The program must be
developed based on what members want as benefits or incentives, what member’s value in the
organization and effective leadership.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Develop and implement a comprehensive approach to the recruitment and retention of an
adequate force of competent fire and rescue service personnel. Coupled with this should be
minimal criteria for membership.
PRIORITY – 2
COST – $30,000 PER YEAR IN 2ND AND 3RD YEARS, $0 IN FIRST YEAR
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – USFA REPORT “RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

PRACTICES FOR VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS,
COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND US
FIRE ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL
PROGRAMS WHICH HAVE DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
Personnel, training, health, and operational data are all critical to effective performance of a fire
department. The lack of consistent data and its accessibility create challenges and conflicts to
efficient operation of companies.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Develop a standardized set of data and documents to be maintained about each member. This
should include, as a minimum, an application, physician’s release to perform firefighter duties,
training information, driver license, working papers, etc., as deemed appropriate. Sample
information and forms are provided in VFIS safety and management forms which will forwarded
under separate cover.
PRIORITY – 2

ASSESSMENT PROCESS, NFPA STANDARD 1720 STANDARD FOR THE
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, NFPA STANDARD 1201 STANDARD FOR
PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, AND USFA/NVFC
PROGRAMS

ISSUE/PROBLEM
Discipline is not provided on a consistent basis.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Establish and implement a defined progressive discipline process (example provided under
separate cover).
PRIORITY – 1
TIME FRAME – IMMEDIATE


ISSUE/PROBLEM
Physicals are not being conducted for the active firefighters.
SUGGESTED ACTION
A process should be implemented when an annual physical (at least baseline information taken)
is provided to active firefighters and fire police staff. The cost to implement this should be
enacted as the highest priority of the Relief Association. The EMS agency can serve as the
group to obtain annual physical baseline information.
PRIORITY – 1


ISSUE/PROBLEM
The project team identified that both station and apparatus replacement plans are not in order for
the New Hanover Township. This requires the development of a long-range capital funding
plan.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Township officials should begin the process of determining the long term capitalized financial
needs for emergency services in the township and establish a methodology to pay for these long
term needs. Typical methods of funding these needs are:
- Annual reserving of funds
- Bonds
- Acquiring loans
- Fund drives through community sources
PRIORITY – 2
COST – NONE ANTICIPATED TO DEVELOP THE PLAN
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA SECOND

CLASS TOWNSHIP CODE AND THE COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION
SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
There are two separate relief associations serving the township, creating conflicts and
inefficiencies.
SUGGESTED ACTION
The two relief associations should be consolidated into one for improved management, oversight,
consistency in purchasing and providing benefits and equipment, as well as better purchasing
power.
PRIORITY – 1
COST – $1,000 FOR LEGAL FEES PAYABLE VIA RELIEF ASSOCIATION


ISSUE/PROBLEM
Both fire companies submit requests for funding anticipating an even split of funding.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Operational funding should be based upon a consolidated budget request to fund required
expenses versus general percentage distribution of funds. This may require a number of years to
understand and implement the process. However, the long term implementation will provide
more efficient funding.
PRIORITY – 1


ISSUE/PROBLEM
The companies respond to highway based incidents without the opportunity of a funding source
to support this necessary expense and response.
SUGGESTED ACTION
A process should be implemented to bill for sources provided at highway incidents. A sample
ordinance and Standard Operating Guideline to implement a billing for services system are
included in the Appendix.
PRIORITY – 1


ISSUE/PROBLEM
In the event of dissolution of the organization, there is no assurance the assets would remain
accessible to those who paid for the residents.
SUGGESTED ACTION
In the event of dissolution of the volunteer fire department or the termination of its affairs, or
other liquidation of its assets, the volunteer fire department’s property shall not be conveyed to
any organization created or operated for profit or to any individual for less than the fair market
value of such property. All assets remaining after all debts and expenses of the volunteer fire
department have been paid shall be conveyed or distributed by the Board of Trustees to one or
more organizations qualifying for the exemption afforded by Section 501 (c) (3) of the Code.
Any assets not so distributed shall be disposed of by a Court of Common Pleas of competent
jurisdiction exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said or
shall determine which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
No part of the net earnings of the volunteer fire department shall inure to the benefit of any
Trustee of the volunteer fire department, Officer of the volunteer fire department or any private
individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the
volunteer fire department affecting one or more of its purposes), and no Trustee or Officer of the
volunteer fire department shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the volunteer fire
department assets upon dissolution of the volunteer fire department. No substantial part of the
activities of the volunteer fire department shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise
attempting to influence legislation, (including the publication or distribution of statements), any
political campaign on behalf of any candidate of public office.
PRIORITY – 1


ISSUE/PROBLEM
There is currently no specific process to determine the need for replacing apparatus.
SUGGESTED ACTION
A process for determining replacement of fire apparatus needs to be implemented. Appendix 15
provides an evaluation tool which should be completed for each piece of apparatus in the fleet.
This will help determine potential longevity of the apparatus as well as help in determining
financing options.
PRIORITY – 1
TIME FRAME – IMMEDIATE
COST – NONE ANTICIPATED TO DEVELOP PROCESS

ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND NFPA STANDARD 1901, STANDARD FOR
AUTOMOTIVE FIRE APPARATUS.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
A vehicle emission source capture system is not provided at the Sassamansville station.
SUGGESTED ACTION
The Sassamansville station should be upgraded to include a vehicle exhaust capture system and
standby generator. A FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant should be applied for to provide
these at minimal (10%) cost to the fire company. This will enhance safety and operations.
PRIORITY – 2
COST – 10% OF COST OF SYSTEMS

ORGANIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE SUPRESSION, EMERGENCY

ISSUE/PROBLEM
There are existing Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association model Standard Operating
Guidelines that are not integrated for use.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Continue the development of Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, using the existing
procedure format and develop a prioritization for development and revision, using the
information provided in this section and report as a guideline. Develop and conduct training
sessions to explain and discuss standard operating guidelines. A single set of “township-wide”
Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines should be developed and implemented using the
existing SOP’s/SOG’s and those submitted by the project team as the initial set.
PRIORITY – 1

ASSESSMENT PROCESS, AND NFPA STANDARD 1720, STANDARD FOR THE

ISSUE/PROBLEM
Automatic and Mutual Aid plans are in place, but are not formalized and are not consistent. For
consistency, a “box alarm” system should be developed and implemented for use within the
Township, to provide consistent resources for similar situations.
SUGGESTED ACTION
To standardize deployment to properties in New Hanover Township, the following “box system”
methodology for structure fires should be applied. All “boxes” should be re-evaluated to assure
the defined complement of apparatus and related staffing is being provided:
- Dwelling Fires; a dispatch involving a complement of two engines and one service truck from
the three closest stations
- Commercial Structures, Educational Facility (Non-Residence), Non-Habitational; Three
engines and one ladder from the four closest stations
- Health Care, Educational Residence Facilities, and Industrial Facilities; Four engines and two
ladders from the four closest stations
- Automatic Fire Alarms, One engine and one ladder from the two closest stations.
- In areas where the water supply has been deemed inadequate, a water tender/tanker should be
included in the dispatch for structure fires.
THESE CAN BE MODIFIED BASED UPON ACTUAL RISK LEVEL ONCE A RISK
ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETED.
PRIORITY – 1
COST – NONE ANTICIPATED – COVERED BY FEES

ASSESSMENT PROCESS; NFPA STANDARD 1720 STANDARD FOR THE
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS; AND 2008 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE
SERVICE SUMMIT REPORT.

ISSUE/PROBLEM
There is no method in place at this time to perform required fire inspections.
SUGGESTED ACTION
A part-time role should be established to conduct the necessary inspections for code compliance
and pre-plan input to the fire companies.
PRIORITY – 2
COST – NONE ANTICIPATED, COVERED BY FEES
JUSTIFICATION/SUPPORT – THE COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION

SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

APPENDICES

APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 Municipal Fire and EMS Service Delivery Model
APPENDIX 2 Training Requirements and Officer Qualifications by
Position and Proposed Organizational Chart
APPENDIX 3 NFPA Standard 1720 Self Assessment
APPENDIX 4 Strategic Guidelines for Emergency Operations
APPENDIX 5 Insurance Service Office Evaluation Summary
APPENDIX 6 Comparison of Standard Operating Guidelines in Use in
APPENDIX 7 Recommended Standard Operating Guidelines
APPENDIX 8 New Hanover Township Fire Response Data
APPENDIX 9 New Hanover Township Fire Risk Assessment Map
APPENDIX 10 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 1.5 mile Pumper
Response Capability
APPENDIX 11 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 2.5 mile Aerial
Ladder Response Capability
APPENDIX 12 Sample Pre-Emergency Planning Form
APPENDIX 13 Risk Assessment by Planning Zone Sample Report
APPENDIX 14 Recruitment and Retention Plan
APPENDIX 15 Apparatus Replacement Cost Projection
APPENDIX 16 Vehicle Assessment Form
APPENDIX 17 Fire Service Funding Model
APPENDIX 18 Sample Department Annual Report
APPENDIX 19 Billing Service
APPENDIX 20 Policy on Township Staff Use as Firefighters During Emergencies
APPENDIX 21 Second Class Township Code Fire Protection Considerations.
APPENDIX 22 Consulting/Project Team
APPENDIX 23 References

APPENDIX 1
MUNICIPAL
FIRE AND
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE
DELIVERY MODEL

MUNICIPAL FIRE/EMS SERVICE DELIVERY CHART
This summary chart identifies the primary provider of services to the community.
Fire Suppression NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Hazardous Materials – Awareness Level NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Hazardous Materials – Operations Level NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Fire Police NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Rescue (vehicle, elevator, light entrapment) NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Confined Space Rescue NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE PLUS GOODWILL OR
POTTSTOWN
Trench Rescue NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

POTTSTOWN
Technical (structural collapse) Rescue NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

POTTSTOWN
High Angle Rescue NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Water Rescue NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE

SERVICE
Basic Life Support – EMS GILBERTSVILLE & UPPER

PERKIOMEN EMS
Advanced Life Support – EMS GILBERTSVILLE & UPPER

PERKIOMEN EMS

APPENDIX 2
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS BY
POSITION
AND
OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS

New Hanover Township Fire and Rescue Services
Training Requirements by Position (Recommended)
Fire Police Captain/Lt/Sgt.

Firefighter Prob.
Engineer Assist.
Driver/Operator
Firefighter Jr.
Fire Police
Firefighter
Battalion
Assistant
Engineer
Captain
Deputy
Chief
Lt.
Residency (3 mile border) X X X X - - - - - - - X - -
In Township as FF 2 2 2 2 - - - - - - - 2 - -
Yrs. Active Experience 10 10 5 5 3 3 3 - - - - 5 - -
FF1 X X X X X X X X X 2 - - - -
FF2 X X X X X X - - - - - - - -
Hazmat R&I X X X X X X X X X - - X X X
Hazmat Ops. X X X X X X X X X - - - - -
Instructor 1 X X X X 4 4 - - - - - - - -
Officer 1 X X X X 4 4 - - - - - - - -
VRT X X X X X X - - - - - - - -
Rescue 1 X X X X X X - - - - - - - -
Pump 1 X X X X X X X X - - - - - X
Pump 2 - - - - - - X - - - - - - -
ICS 100 X X X X X X X X X - - X X -
ICS 300 X X X X 4 4 - - - - - - - -
ICS 400 X X X X 4 4 - - - - - - - -
EVOC X X X X X X X X X X - X X X
Aerial Ops. X X X X 4 4 - - - - - - - -
Operator of all apparatus X X X X 1 1 X 1 - - - - - -
Fire Police Basic - - - - - - - - - - - X X -
Fire Police Advanced - - - - - - - - - - - X - -
Intro to Fire Service - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - -
Fireground Support - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - -
# = Years to obtain training after acquiring position
X = Required prior to holding position

New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Service
Operations Organization Chart (Proposed)

Job Description
Fire Chief
Objective: Serves under the direct supervision of the Board of Supervisors. Is
selected and appointed by New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue
Services and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Term shall be for one
year with reappointment at the option of the Board of Supervisors.
Qualifications: 15 years fire service experience

10 years command experience
Firefighter II Certification
Fire Officer I Certification
Incident Command System
Haz Mat Operations
Term: Two (2) years
Reports to: Board of Supervisors (strategic, planning & budgeting)/Police Chief

(administrative)
Job Specifications: (Based on assigned function)
1. Responsible for suppression activities.

2. Responsible for assigned administrative task within New Hanover Township Volunteer
Fire Department (i.e. pre-planning, fire prevention, training, junior firefighter program,
etc.).
3. Management of fire station(s).
4. Responds to all working alarms within New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire
Department coverage area and assume appropriate command position.
5. Assists in other administrative duties assigned as necessary or requested.
6. Works closely and cooperatively with the Police Chief to assure coordination of all
township fire service activities.
7. Performs other fire service activities as requested by the Police Chief or Township
Supervisors.
8. Works with Deputy Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs to develop leadership capabilities within
the department.

9. Strives to assure all firefighters in the department get the best possible training to assure
quality service to our residents in a fast, efficient, and safe manner.
10. Promotes safety both on and off the emergency scene through example and dedication to
safety training.
11. Develops and manage annual budget and all spending according to the appropriate rules.
12. Approves all Standard Operating Guidelines for implementation.
13. Responsible for personnel management and discipline (rules and regulation) programs of
the organization, according to the by-laws of the fire company.
14. Establishes strategy and objectives for the organization.
15. Manages Fire Police activities.
16. Manages the Risk Management Program, including safety and health aspects (Safety
Officer Activities).
17. Manages Engineer, Personnel Protective Equipment Director, Fire Prevention Director
and Communication Director Activities.
18. At each regularly scheduled meeting of the company, the Fire Chief shall make a report
in writing of all fires, accidents, and injuries.
19. Manages Fire Department Safety program.
20. Attends various meetings.

Job Description
Deputy Fire Chief
Objective: Manages delegated functions of the organization
• Operations
• Administration
• Training
The assigned function may change at the direction of the chief.

5 years command experience
Firefighter II Certification
Fire Officer I Certification
Incident Command System
Haz Mat Operations
Term: Five (5) years, nominated by Fire Chief, supported by Police Chief
Reports to: Fire Chief
1. Maintains records (management information) as directed by the Chief, including but not
limited to, incident reporting, training, meeting attendance, etc. and provide reports as
directed by the Chief.
2. Manages the Fire Prevention Director activities including the annual fire prevention
demonstration during Fire Prevention Week and arrange public education efforts handled
by fire company personnel.
3. Serves as Public Information Officer.
4. Manages Communication Director activities.
5. Manages recruiting activities.
6. Manages record keeping coordination.
a. Fire training registration and certificate receipt
b. Communications Center records management
c. Office of Emergency Planning
7. Coordinates events plan.

8. Arranges photographic services as needed or requested by departmental officers.
9. Responsible for facilities/operations and identification of required changes and/or
maintenance and propose same to the Chief.
10. May serve as Incident Commander, Division Commander or Crew Leader.
11. Implements annual training plan as developed by the Deputy Chiefs and approved by the
Chief.
12. Purchases, maintains, and stores in house training tools.
13. Serves as coordinator for all building construction, fire hazard, and pre-emergency
planning issues.
14. Maintains standard operating procedure program and propose new equipment, equipment
changes, and standard operating procedures suggested by department personnel to the
Chief for review, approval, and implementation.
15. Coordinates Probationary Training program.
16. Develops and implements a program to manage the conduct of preplans and run-books.

Job Description
Captain
Objective: Support Deputy Chief in management of operations, administration, and
training. Serve as Sector/Division Commander or Crew Leader at
incidents

Firefighter I Certification
Term: Two (2) years, nominated by Chief, unanimously approved by the Deputy
Chiefs, the Chief, and the Police Chief.
Reports to: Assistant Chief of function
1. Develops and implements as directed, Standard Operating Guidelines for Area of

Operation.
2. Proposes to the Deputy Chief, Standard Operating Guidelines, new equipment,
equipment changes (with justification) for purchase or implementation consideration.
3. Maintains equipment for assigned area of operation.
4. Performs necessary record keeping for assigned area of operation.
5. Prepares annual training plan for area of operation tasks, coordinating and conducting
two training classes per quarter.
6. Serves as Division Commander or Crew Leader at incidents.
7. Fills in for Deputy Chief in his/her absence.
8. Performs duties as assigned.

Job Description
Fire Lieutenant
Objective: Provide support to the respective Assistant Chief of the assigned function.
Serve as Crew Leader at incidents.
Qualifications: 5 years service

Firefighter I Certification
Term: One (1) year, nominated by Chief, unanimously approved by the Deputy
Chiefs, and the Chief.
Reports to: Assistant Chief of function
Job Specifications:
1. Implements Standard Operating procedures.

2. Assists in conducting training with Captain and Deputy Chief.
3. Serves as Probationary Training Committee.
4. Provides the following:
a. Inventory
b. Inspection
c. Maintenance
d. Testing
5. Proposes to respective Deputy Chief, Standard Operating Procedures, new equipment,
and equipment changes (with justification) for purchase or implementation consideration.
6. Conducts research and quality activities as directed by Deputy Chief.
7. Serves as Crew Leader at incident.
8. Fills in for Captain in his/her absence.
9. Performs duties as assigned.

Job Description
Safety Officer
Objective: Provide for the integration of safety in to tasks performed by personnel.
Qualifications: Same as Lieutenant, plus National Fire Academy “Incident Safety Officer”
course or equivalent.
Term: Appointed by Chief in concurrence with the Deputy Chiefs. Two (2) year
term can be repeated.
Job Specifications:
1. Oversees safety at incidents and training, bringing items of concern to the attention of the
Incident Commander.
2. Conducts one training session per quarter dealing with safety.
3. Develops, proposes to management and implements safety program for the organization,
applying NFPA 1500 in concept.
4. Proposes to the Chief, Standard Operating Guidelines, new equipment, equipment
changes (with justification) for purchase or implementation.
5. Performs accident investigation, review, and implement prevention programs under the
direction of the Officer-In-Charge.
6. Manages information related to accidents and identify problems and trends, proposing
necessary action to the Chief.
7. The position holds no fire-ground authority other than safety related issues as defined in
NFPA Safety Officers Standards.
NOTE: The safety officer can appoint up to two assistant safety officers, upon concurrence with
the Chief, with qualifications equal to his/hers.

Job Description
Engineer (Apparatus Operator Supervisor)
Objective: Manage the apparatus training operation, maintenance, and repair for the
organization.
Qualifications: Five (5) years firefighting experience with at least two (2) of those years
in New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services. Must have completed
a firefighting basic course, plus pump operator and EVOC, meet
performance skills needs and have mechanical aptitude.
Term: Five (5) years, named by the Chief.
Job Specifications:
1. Develops Standard Operating Guidelines relative to apparatus.

2. Prepares and submits for approval, an annual budget for engineering services and manage
approved budget.
3. Supervises apparatus operation at incidents under control of the Incident Commander.
4. Serves on Apparatus Committee, if/when formed.
5. Prepares an annual training plan for related tasks.
6. Performs necessary record keeping for area of operations.
7. Proposes to Chief and/or Deputy Chief, Standard Operating Guidelines, new equipment,
equipment changes (with justification) for purchase or implementation consideration.
8. Oversees Apprentice Engineer program.
9. Serves as Water Liaison Coordinator at incident as directed by Incident Commander.
10. Supervises maintenance and operability of apparatus and report on the condition of the
apparatus and equipment at each meeting.
11. Has authority to have all necessary repairs made to the apparatus in an emergency.
12. The Engineer can appoint subordinate (assistant) engineers as defined in the job
description “engineer” as needed and as agreed to by the Chief.
13. Implements Standard Operating Guidelines for engineering.

14. For assigned apparatus assure:
a. Routine maintenance program adhered to.
b. Repairs made within 48 hours or problem indication.
c. Necessary annual pump/aerial ladder test is conducted.
15. Implements/Conducts training program designed by the Engineer.
16. Proposes to the Engineer, Standard Operating Guidelines, new equipment, and equipment
changes (with justification) for purchase or implementation consideration.
NOTE: This level holds no firefighting rank.
Apprentice Engineer
Appointed by the Engineer.
Involves a maximum of two (2) aspiring firefighters under 21 years of age desiring to assist in
repair, maintenance, and support duties as needed. They have no rank and have no authority and
serve only as firefighters at all incidents.

Job Description
Personal Protective Equipment Director
Objective: Provide for the necessary personal safety devices for use by firefighters
while in hostile situations or environments.
Qualifications: Two (2) years firefighting experience of which, at least one (1) year is in
New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services.
Term: One (1) year, nominated by the Chief. Can be reappointed. No maximum
to number of terms one can serve in this position.
Reports to: Assistant Chief
Job Specifications:
1. Issues and orients protective clothing to all firefighter personnel.

2. Proposes annual budget and manage approved budget for protective clothing and self
contained breathing apparatus.
3. Recommends the purchase of, store, and maintain protective clothing and self contained
breathing apparatus.
4. Recommends new equipment, equipment changes and Standard Operating Procedures to
the Chief.
5. Maintains an inventory (including serial numbers on SCBA) on all personal protective
equipment owned.
6. Assists Deputy Chiefs in orientation and training with SCBA.
7. Assures serviceability of cascade system.
8. Any purchase must be authorized/approved by the Chief.

Job Description
Fire Prevention Director
Objective: Develop and manage an integrated fire prevention program for the
community.
Qualifications: Two (2) years firefighting experience of which at least one (1) year is in
Job Specifications:
1. Establishes and maintains a standard program for station tour attendees, to be usable
(conducted) by any firefighter.
2. Identifys, proposes for purchase and maintains appropriate fire prevention handout
material.
3. Annually educates all firefighters in Fire Prevention Program activities.
4. Coordinates activities with the Fire Chief to eliminate duplication and enhance
effectiveness.
5. Coordinates and manages the annual Fire Prevention Demonstration/Mall Display/Public
Safety Day activities.

Job Description
Communications Director
Objective: Provide for the necessary personal safety devices for use by firefighters
while in hostile situations or environments.
Qualifications: Two (2) years firefighting experience of which at least one (1) year is in
Job Specifications:
1. Proposes for purchase, identify, maintain, and store all communication equipment.
2. Proposes annual budget and manages approved budget for communication equipment.
3. Provides initial orientation and training of members on newly purchased equipment.
4. Manages inventory of communication equipment.
5. Recommends new equipment, equipment changes, and Standard Operating Guidelines t
the Chief for review and proposal.
6. Maintains necessary records associated with the function.
7. Any purchases must be approved by the Chief.

APPENDIX 3
NFPA 1720 SELF-ASSESSMENT

STANDARD FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND
DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION,
EMERGENCY MEDICAL OPERATIONS AND
SPECIAL OPERATIONS
TO THE PUBLIC,
BY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
.
ASSESSMENT
for
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP

Introduction
NFPA 1720
STANDARD FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION,
EMERGENCY MEDICAL OPERATIONS, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS TO THE PUBLIC BY
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
This standard was developed to identify minimum requirements relating to the organization and
deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical operations, and volunteer fire
departments. Approximately three of every four fire departments in the United States are
volunteer. Therefore this standard, as well as related practices (accreditation, certification, etc.),
have a profound effect on the direction of the volunteer fire service.
The standard does NOT include Fire Prevention, Community Education, Fire Investigations,
Support Services, Personnel Management, and Budgeting.
This standard may, in the minds of some create a benchmark to aspire and plan. To others, it
represents a minimum baseline. To others it will serve as an expectation that contracted services
must meet or plan to meet. In reality the standard will mean different things to different entities
because a key section indicates, “The Authority Having Jurisdiction determines if this standard is
applicable to their fire department”.
Therefore, the first question to ask and resolve is whether or not the Authority Having
Jurisdiction (AHJ) will use/apply the standard. The AHJ will vary by municipality/district/etc.
applying this standard.
The next step is to determine how the organization meets the “substantially volunteer” definition.
There is no defined calculation method or model, thus you may establish your criteria based on:
• Number of volunteers versus number of paid staff.
• Hours contributed by volunteers versus number of hours worked by paid staff.
• Average response (number of persons) by volunteer staff versus paid staff, or any similar
calculations process.
It should also be recognized that this standard recommends a predefined approach in some cases
where an “equivalency” may occur locally. If there is an equivalency, documentation of how
that is achieved is warranted. There is intent in this standard to enhance effectiveness and
efficiency, even though they may not be compatible at all times. The intent of this guide and
your evaluation and assessment should be to determine gaps and establish a plan to close those
gaps over time.
As you review the NFPA 1720 document and this implementation guide you will quickly notice
that there are enhanced expectations for volunteer units in organization, communication,
planning documentation and scheduling, in some ways being modeled after career services.
These can be narrowed to six key critical criteria, in addition to defining the level and type of

services to be provided, as well as assuring a training program is in place to achieve performance
competency.
Fire protection for New Hanover Township is provided by New Hanover Township Volunteer
Fire Department. Surveys have been completed by the fire chiefs. This report attempts to
provide a snapshot of fire protection from the township’s perspective, looking at the strengths
and weaknesses of the department and comparing them to fire service standards.
Completing this self review is simple and straight forward. In order to help ensure accuracy, it is
advisable to utilize the actual NFPA 1720 document in conjunction with the self review. This
document is designed to assist departments in understanding and initiating the review process to
determine key areas requiring action by the fire department. Many of these components can be
achieved in a variety of ways. It is up to each agency to determine how achievement is measured.
Simply indicating compliance with this document does not validate compliance. Appropriate
support detail must be collected and maintained, and assurance made that any related references
within the standard are complied with.
This matrix is not intended to replace or assure compliance with NFPA 1720, The Standard for
the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical
Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments (2001 Edition).
A copy of the entire NFPA 1720, including the appendices and related introductory detail, can be
obtained from the:
National Fire Protection Association

1 Batterymarch Park
P.O. Box 9101
Quincy, MA 02269-9101
Additional NFPA Standards Referenced:
 NFPA 1500 Standard on Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety

Program
 NFPA 472 Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous
Materials Incidents
 NFPA 1561 Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management Systems
 NFPA 1221 Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency
Service Communications Systems
 NFPA 1600 Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity
Programs
 NFPA 1620 Recommended Practice for Pre-Incident Planning

Instructions for the Assessment Process
This assessment process has ten (10) components:
1. Thoroughly read and review this document, and preferably NFPA 1720 as well, prior to
taking any action or making any assessment. Obtain appropriate advice or counsel before
beginning the assessment.
2. Complete the “Definition Assessment” and the NFPA 1720 “Critical Criteria
Assessment” sections. Note any deficiencies or items of concern in the “Summary
Statement” section.
3. Read each survey component item.
4. Review the appropriate fire department document, procedure, operation, practice, etc.
which applies to the survey component item. (Suggested review items are indicated in
the notes section)
5. In the notes section of the evaluation guide, indicate any applicable documents,
processes, etc. that demonstrates achievement of the component item.
6. Attempt to both document (D) and observe (O) achievement/compliance. This process
completion should be noted by your marking by a check ( or X or circle) the D
(documented), and O (observed) portions of each survey component item.
7. Use your best judgment to determine if the fire department:
 A – Achieved each component.
 PA – Partially Achieved each component.
 FA – Failed to achieve each component.
Indicate your grading on the appropriate survey component section and the summary
page. Indicate any action required in the appropriate page of the summary.
8. Based upon your assessments, provide an overall assessment of how you believe the
organization has achieved, partially achieved, or failed to achieve the intent of NFPA
1720. Provide substantiation statements to support your rating.
9. Transfer any “actions required” from the summary page to the “Action Plan” page,
assigning the responsibility for completion to an appropriate person, and prioritize the
action required.
10. Monitor the action plan on a monthly basis and incorporate, as needed, items into the
annual and strategic plan, monitoring and modifying them on an annual basis.
The process should be done with all officers present and involved. Completion should take
approximately 12 hours.

NFPA 1720 Definition Assessment
Authority Having Jurisdiction has indicated whether or not the standard applies to the fire
department. X Yes _ __ No
Authority Having Jurisdiction: Board of Supervisors of New Hanover Township.
Organization has indicated and documented why it is classified under NFPA 1720.
Volunteer X Yes _ __ No
Demonstrated via: ___By-laws & no career staff____

NFPA 1720 – Critical Criteria Assessment
Minimum critical criteria
Department’s organizational, operational and deployment procedures must be in writing and

issued to members.
X Yes ___ No Demonstrated via SOG’s
The department identified minimum staffing levels to ensure that a sufficient number of
members are available to operate safely and efficiently.
X Yes ___ No
Demonstrated via: Meeting with township
The response to an incident shall be based on risk analysis and pre-fire planning based on
specific location or incident.
X Yes ___ No
Demonstrated via: SOG’s, pre-plans, box assignments

The department has defined that personnel responding to fires and other emergencies be
organized into company units or response teams and shall have appropriate apparatus and
equipment.
X Yes ___ No
Demonstrated via: __SOG’s & response assignments_
Demand Zone Demographics Staffing & Response Time Percentage
Special Risks AHJ AHJ 90%

2
Urban >1000 population /mi 15/9 90%
Suburban 500-1000 people/mi2 10/10 80%
Rural <500 people/mi2 6/14 80%
Remote Travel dist. ≥ 8 mi 4 90%
The department has the capability, upon assembling the necessary resources, to safely initiate an
initial attack within 2 minutes, 90 percent of the time.
X Yes ___ No Demonstrated via: Training

The Fire Company uses training programs of HACC, Montgomery County Fire Academy and
Bucks County Fire Academy to cover each component of operations. Indicate for each the
programmatic requirement:
Firefighting X
EMS (level_________________) X
HazMat (level______________) X
Rope Rescue X
Water Rescue X
Trench/Collapse Rescue X
Confined Space Rescue X
Extrication Rescue X
Air/Sea Rescue N/A N/A
USAR-Light N/A
SWAT - N/A N/A
Fire Police X
Public Service/Assistance X
Note: All members are encouraged to obtain Pennsylvania recommended Phase I and Phase II
training
.

NFPA 1720 Evaluation Checklist
Survey Component Notes
Organization, Operation & Deployment Chapter 4
7
Fire Suppression Organization (4.1* )
Are fire suppression operations (ops) organized to SOP (dispatch/response/ manning/aid-automatic/mutual)
A PA FA
ensure the fire department’s (FD) suppression (both)
capability includes sufficient resources to Mission statement
1
efficiently, effectively & safely deploy fire
suppression resources? (4.1*)
Has authority having jurisdiction (authority) Municipal operating statement/statute A PA FA

promulgated 8 the FD’s organizational, operational, SOP manual
2 & deployment procedures with written regulations,
orders and standard operating procedures (SOP’s)?
(4.1.1*)
Do FD SOP’s clearly state succession of command Organization chart
A PA FA
responsibility? (4.1.1.1*) ICS SOP
3 Rules and Regulations
Job Descriptions
7
* - An asterisk denotes that there is additional explanatory information in “Annex A” which follows the text of NFPA 1720
8
Promulgate – defined as to put into operation by formal proclamation

Community Risk Management (4.2*)
The fire department shall participate in a process Plan A PA FA
that develops a community fire and emergency SOP(s)
medical services risk management plan (4.2*) Standard of response cover document
Relation to code enforcement
The specific role of the fire department and other Emergency Management A PA FA
4 responding agencies shall be defined by the
community risk management plan (4.2.1)
The number and type of units assigned to respond A PA FA

to a reported incident shall be determined by risk
analysis and/or pre-fire planning (4.2.2*)
Has FD participated in development of a Plan A PA FA
community risk management (mgmt) plan SOP
regarding associated risks with storage, use, & Haz-mat SOP/haz-mat team SOP- /LEPC Info
transportation of hazardous materials (haz-mat)? (County Haz Mat Team Procedure – HM 919)
(4.2.3.1) Technical rescue SOP
5 LEPC relation
Does plan define role of FD and other agencies for
haz-mat ops mgmt as well as including other No comprehensive FD risk Assessment
special ops? (4.2.3.2)

Fire Suppression Organization
Has FD Identified minimum staffing requirements SOP – response/safety/RIT A PA FA
6 that ensure sufficient number of members are Standard of response cover
available to operate safely and efficiently? (4.3.1)
Table 4.3.2 indicated in Critical Criteria Table completed in Critical Criteria Assessment A PA FA
Assessment 11 completed by AHJ to determine Community risk profile
staffing and response time capabilities, and the Standard of response cover
federal accomplishment for reporting purpose
(4.3.2*)
7 Standard of response cover statement A PA FA
SOP
After assembling necessary resources at emergency Incident reports (both)
scene, does FD have the capability to safely initiate
the initial attack within 2 minutes 90 percent of the
time? (4.2.2.1)
Are FD personnel responding to emergencies: Organizational chart
A PA FA
1. Organized into company units or SOP - response/POV
8 response teams? Inventory Records
2. Equipped with appropriate apparatus &
equipment? (4.3.3*)
Do standard response assignments (including SOP – response A PA FA
mutual aid response & mutual aid agreements) Run cards/dispatch guidelines
predetermined by location, & nature of reported Any written agreements
9
emergency regulate the dispatch of companies,
response groups and command officers to
emergency incidents? (4.1.7*)
Does FD maintain standard reports for each Incident report (NFIRS - both) A PA FA
response that contains:
1. Nature?
10 2. Location?
3. Description of ops performed?
4. Identification of members responding?
(4.4.1*, 4.4.1.1, 4.4.1.2))

Annual Evaluation (4.4.2)
Does the fire department evaluate its level of Summary report (on website) A PA FA
service and deployment delivery and response time Comparison report to SORC
objective on an annual basis? (4.4.2.1) Report by demand zone
SOP – response
11 Annual evaluation shall be based on data relating to Run cards/dispatch guidelines
level of service, deployment, and the achievement Any written agreements
of each response time objective in each demand
zone within the jurisdiction of the fire department.
(4.4.2.2)
Quadrennial Report (4.4.3)
Does the fire department provide the AHJ with a Quadrennial Reports A PA FA
written report, quadrennially, that shall be based on Demand Zone charts/reports
annual evaluations required by? (4.4.3.1) Strategic Plan (reference/concept)
SOP - response
Does the report explain the predictable Run card/dispatch guidelines
consequences of identified differences and address Any written agreements
steps within a fire department strategic plan
12 necessary to achieve compliance? (4.4.3.2)
Standard response assignments and procedures,

including mutual aid response and mutual aid
agreements predetermined by location and nature of
reported incident, shall regulate dispatch of
companies, response groups, and command officers
to fires and other emergency incidents.

Fire Suppression Operations (4.5)
Do SOP’s require one individual assigned as the SOP – ICS
incident commander (IC)? (4.5.1*)
A PA FA
13
Do SOP’s require the assumption of command to SOP – ICS A PA FA

be communicated to all units involved in the
14 incident? (4.5.1.1*)
Do SOP’s require the IC to be responsible for SOP – ICS A PA FA

overall coordination & direction of all activities for
15 the duration of incident? (4.5.1.2) NIMS Adopted
Do SOP’s require the IC to ensure an accountability SOP – accountability/ICS A PA FA
system is immediately established to ensure rapid Training Records
16
accounting of all on-scene personnel? (4.5.1.3)
Do SOP’s require the company officer/crew leader SOP A PA FA

to be aware of the identity, location, & activity of Accountability system
17 each member assigned to the company at all times? Radio equipment
(4.5.2)
Do SOP’s require the company members to be SOP A PA FA

aware of the identity of the company officer/crew Accountability system
18 leader? (4.5.2.1) Training records

Initial Attack (4.6)
Are orders to crewmembers, particularly verbal & SOP
A PA FA
those at emergency scenes, transmitted through the
company officer? (4.5.2.2)
19
Are initial attack ops organized to ensure that at SOP A PA FA

least four members are assembled before initiating
internal fire attack at a working structure fire?
20
(4.6.1*)
Do two members work as a team while in SOP A PA FA

hazardous areas? (4.6.2) Incident reports
21

Do SOP's provide for the assignment of two SOP A PA FA
members outside of hazardous area to assist or
rescue team operating within the hazardous area?
1. One of these rescue team members is

permitted to engage in other activities
22 (4.6.3)
2. Members performing critical tasks that
if abandoned to perform rescue, would
endanger any firefighter operating at the
incident are prohibited from assignment
to the two-person rescue team (4.6.4)
Where immediate action could prevent loss of life SOP A PA FA

or serious injury, are initial attack ops organized to Incident reports for accidents
ensure that first arriving attack personnel who find
23 an imminent life-threatening situation take
appropriate action (even with less than 4 personnel
on-scene) in accordance with NFPA 1500 9? (4.6.5)
9
NFPA 1500 – Standard on Fire Department Health and Safety Program

Beyond the capability of the initial attack, can FD SOP – response A PA FA
provide for sustained ops including: Automatic aid agreement
1. Fire suppression? Current Run Cards
2. Search & rescue?
3. Forcible entry?
4. Ventilation?
24
5. Preservation of Property?
6. Accountability of personnel?
7. Dedicated rapid intervention crew
(RIC)?
8. Support activities beyond capabilities of
initial attack? (4.6.6)
Intercommunity Organization (4.7)
Are mutual aid, automatic aid and other fire SOP
A PA FA
protection agreements in writing and complete and Dispatch center procedure
include issues such as: Agreements written – Township Inter-municipal agreement
1. Liability for deaths and injuries? Training records
2. Disability retirements?
25 3. Cost of services?
4. Authorization to respond?
5. Staffing and equipment?
6. Resources made available?
7. Designation of incident commander (IC)?
(4.7.1*)
Are procedures and training of personnel for all SOP A PA FA
FD’s involved in agreements sufficiently Training records/mutual response procedure
26 comprehensive to produce an effective fire force
and insure uniform operations? (4.7.2)

Are units responding to mutual aid incidents SOP A PA FA
equipped with communications equipment to Dispatch center procedures
27 permit communications with IC, division, group Inventory of radios
and/or sector officers? (4.7.3)
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (4.8*)
EMS is provided by Gilbertville EMS & Upper Perkiomen EMS
Support is provided to this agency upon request.

Special Operations Response (4.9*)
IF PROVIDED, are FD’s special operations (special SOP’s A PA FA
ops) organized to insure special ops capability Mutual aid agreement
including sufficient:
1. Personnel
2. Equipment
3. Resources
38 To deploy the initial arriving company and additional
alarm assignments providing such special ops
services? (4.9.1.1)
Established automatic and mutual aid agreements are

permitted to comply with these requirements.
(4.9.1.1)
Has FD adopted a special ops response plan and SOP A PA FA
related standard operations procedures (SOP’s) that
specify:
39 1. Role and responsibilities of the FD in special
operations?
2. Authorized functions of members responding
to HazMat incidents? (4.9.3)
Are FD members expected to respond to HazMat SOP A PA FA
incidents beyond first responder operations level Mission statement
41 trained to applicable requirements of NFPA 47210? Training records/certification
(4.9.4)
10
NFPA 472-Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents

Does FD have capacity to implement RIC during SOP A PA FA
special operations incidents that would subject Training records
firefighters to immediate danger of injury, or in the Current Run Cards
42
event of equipment failure or other sudden events per
NFPA 1500 11? (4.9.5)
If a higher level of response is needed beyond the SOP

A PA FA
capability of the FD for special ops, does the FD have Contact list/agreements
procedures to determine: Dispatch procedures
1. Availability of outside resources to
deploy these capabilities
43 2. Method of contact and response
3. Integration with local resources? SOP
(4.9.6.1) Mission statement
Do procedures limit FD to performing only those
specific special ops functions for which their
personnel are trained and equipped? (4.9.6.2)
11
NFPA 1500-Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program

SYSTEMS Chapter 5
Safety and Health System (5.1*)
Does FD provide occupational safety and health SOP OSHA requirements
A PA FA
program in accordance with NFPA 1500 12 that forms Safety officer Physical fitness
the basic structure of protecting the health & safety of Contact for CISD Equip./Gym facilities
44 firefighters, regardless of the scale of the dept. or Safety posters
emergency? (5.1*)
Incident Management System (5.2*)

Does FD provide an incident mgmt system in SOP A PA FA
accordance with NFPA 1561 13 that forms the basic
45 structure of all emergency ops regardless of scale of
dept. or emergency? (5.2.1)
Is incident mgmt system designed to manage SOP A PA FA

incidents of all different types, including (5.2.2*)
- structure fires
- wildland fires
46
- haz-mat incidents
- emergency medical operations
- others
Does FD have a training program and policy to SOP (not written)

A PA FA
ensure that personnel are trained and their Training program
47 competency is maintained to execute their Training records
responsibilities consistent with FD’s organization and
deployment addressed in Chapter 4? (5.3)
12
NFPA 1500-Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program
13
NFPA 1561-Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System

System Component Notes
Communication Systems (5.4*)
Does FD have a reliable communication system to SOP A PA FA
facilitate prompt delivery of fire suppression, EMS License
48 and special operations? (5.4.1*) Test
Do FD’s communications facilities, equipment, Certification statement/license A PA FA

staffing and operation procedures comply with NFPA MCEDS
49 1221 14? (5.4.2)
Do operating procedures for radio communications SOP

A PA FA
provide for standard protocols and terminology at all MCEDS
50 types of incidents? (5.4.3)
In compliance with NFPA 1561, is standard SOP A PA FA

terminology established to transmit information MCEDS
including:
51 1. Strategic modes of operation?
2. Situation reports?
3. Emergency notifications of imminent
hazards? (5.4.4)
Pre-Incident Planning (5.5*)
Does FD have operational requirements to conduct SOP A PA FA
pre-incident planning, with particular attention to PEP’s/run book – run book only
52
target hazards? (5.5*) Risk assessment survey
14
NFPA 1221-Standard for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems

APPENDIX 4
STRATEGIC GUIDELINE
FOR
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

DRAFT - Standard Operational Guideline - DRAFT

S.O.P Title: Strategic Guidelines Page 1 of 8
Original Issue Date:
Latest Revision:
Authorized By__________________________________
This Strategic Guideline identifies and outlines some basic rules and principles that relate to the
major areas of firefighting strategy and subsequent fireground activity. The uniform application
of this guideline will produce favorable fireground outcomes. This guideline is designed to offer
a basis and simple framework for New Hanover Township Fire Companies fireground opera-
tions and command. It also represents many existing practices, and a defining of how this
department is expected to perform during certain emergencies.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
There are four separate strategic priorities that must be considered in order to stabilize
fireground situations - these priorities also establish the order that other basic fireground
functions must be performed. These strategic priorities should be regarded as separate,
yet interrelated, activities that must be considered in order. The Incident Commander
cannot proceed on to the next priority until the objective of the current function has been
completed.
The Basic Strategic Priorities are as follows:
Life Safety (Rescue) - The activities required to protect occupants, and to treat
the injured.
a) Removing victims from threat
b) Removing threat from victims
c) Defending in place, to buy time
Exposure Protection - Keep things (persons or property) that are threatened by

fire from being damaged by fire.
Fire Control/Extinguishment - The activities required to stop the forward

progress of the fire and to bring the fire under control and complete
extinguishment.
Property Conservation - The activities required to stop or reduce additional loss

to property. This includes, but is not limited to, salvage.
All four strategic priorities require a somewhat different tactical approach from both a
command and an operational standpoint. While the Incident Commander should satisfy

the objectives of each function in its priority order, he must, in many cases, overlap and
"mix" the activities of each to achieve completion. Notable examples of this are the need
many times to achieve interior tenability with active/extensive fire control efforts before
getting on with primary search, or the need to initiate salvage operations while active fire
control efforts are being extended.
1. LIFE SAFETY
It shall be a standard of New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services procedure to
extend a primary and secondary search in ALL involved and dangerously exposed areas
that can be entered in accordance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA) 2 in 2 out rule. The Incident Commander and operating companies cannot de-
pend upon reports from spectators to determine status of victims. Fire department per-
sonnel should utilize such civilian reports as to the location, number and condition of vic-
tims as information that "supports" routine primary search efforts. Positive information
from spectators about victims inside shall be considered sufficient for the OSHA rescue
exception. Other probabilities as well may indicate a situation where the OSHA
exception applies. Such activity must only be carried out with the knowledge and con-
sent of the Incident Commander in order to insure the safety of the rescuers.
The Incident Commander must structure initial operations around the completion of the
primary search. Primary search means companies have quickly gone through ALL
occupiable area(s) and verify the removal and/or safety of all occupants. Asking
spectators or one time occupants, "Is everybody out?", or the status of the fire, is not
enough. Time is the critical factor in the primary search process and successful primary
search operations must be extended quickly and during initial fire stages to be regarded
as being primary. The completion of the primary search shall be reported to the Incident
Commander using plain language by those who were assigned the task. It is the
responsibility the Incident Commander to coordinate primary search assignments, se-
cure completion reports from interior companies and to communicate the search
accomplishment to all units operating on the scene. The Incident Commander must
make specific primary search assignments to companies to cover specific areas of large
complex occupancies and maintain on-going control of such companies until the entire
area is searched. Once the primary search has been completed and communicated to
all units, the Incident Commander must take steps to maintain control of access to the
fire area and beware of occupants (and others) reentering the building.
The life safety functions that follow lengthy fire control activities are regarded as
representing a secondary search. A secondary search means that fire companies thor-
oughly search the interior of the fire area after initial fire control and ventilation activities
have been completed. Different companies should preferably complete a secondary
search than those involved in the primary search activities. Thoroughness (rather than
time) is the critical factor in a secondary search.
The stage of the fire becomes a critical factor that affects the life safety approach
developed by the Incident Commander. The following items outline the basic approach
of the Incident Commander to standard fire stages:

Nothing Showing - In nothing showing situations or in very minor fire cases that
clearly pose no life hazard, the officer in charge must organize and direct a rapid
interior search and those carrying out that task must promptly report their
findings. In such cases, the interior search for victims will also verify no fire.
Smoke Showing - In smoke showing and working fire situations, fire control
efforts must be extended simultaneously with rescue operations to gain entry and
to control interior access to complete the primary search. In such cases, the
Incident Commander and all operating companies must be aware that the oper-
ation is in a rescue mode until primary search is complete, regardless of the fire
control required. In working fire situations, primary search must be followed by a
secondary search.
Fully Involved - In cases of fully involved buildings or sections of buildings, im-

mediate entry (and primary search activities) becomes impossible and survival of
the occupants improbable, the Incident Commander must initially report fully in-
volved conditions and that a primary search is not possible. As quickly as fire
control is achieved, Command must then structure what is in effect a secondary
search for victims.
The Incident Commander must consider the following factors in developing a basic life
safety size-up:
• Number, location and condition of victims.

• Effect the fire has on the victims.
• Capability of the fire-rescue forces to enter the building, remove and protect
the victims and control the fire.
The most urgent reason for the special calling of additional units is for the purpose of
covering life safety. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to develop a real-
istic (and pessimistic) rescue size up as early as possible.
The Incident Commander must make one of these three basic life safety decisions:
1. Do we remove victims from the threat?
2. Do we remove the threat from the victims?
3. Do we buy time until more resources are available?
In some cases occupants may be safer in their rooms than moving through contami-
nated hallways and interior areas. Also, such movement may impede interior firefight-
ing. In still other cases the fire-rescue personnel may have no choice in the matter;
some occupants will insist in evacuation while others will refuse to leave the relative
safety of their rooms.

Life Safety efforts should be extended in the following order:
1. Most severely threatened
2. The largest number (groups)
3. People in the remainder of the fire area
4. People in the exposed areas
All initial attack forces must be directed toward supporting rescue efforts and hose lines
must be placed in a manner to control interior access, confine the fire, and protect
avenues of escape. Hose line placement becomes a critical factor in these cases and all
operating companies must realize that the operation is in a Life Safety (rescue) Mode,
and if necessary, operate in a manner that writes off the structure in order to buy rescue
time.
Normal means of interior access (stairs, halls, interior public areas, etc.) should be
utilized to remove victims whenever possible. Secondary means of rescue (ladders, fire
escapes, and the like), should be utilized only in their order of effectiveness.
It shall be the responsibility of the Incident Commander to structure the treatment of vic-
tims after removal. Multiple victims should be removed to the same location for more
effective treatment. The Incident Commander should direct and coordinate the "EMS"
structure whenever possible. Implementation of the "Mass Casualty" might be in order
depending upon circumstances and the number of victims.
2. FIRE CONTROL
It shall be the standard New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services operating pro-
cedure to attempt to stabilize fire conditions by extending wherever possible an
aggressive 15, well-placed and adequate interior fire attack effort and to support that
attack with whatever resource and action is required to reduce fire extension and to
bring the fire under control. Incident commanders must develop a fire control plan of
attack that first stops the forward progress of the fire and then brings the fire under con-
trol. In most cases, the first arriving company will not immediately have adequate
resources to accomplish all of the attack needs that may be faced. The initial Incident
Commander must prioritize attack efforts, act as a resource allocator and determine the
resources the fire will eventually require. Accurate forecasting of conditions by the
Incident Commander becomes critical during this initial evaluation process.
There will be cases where the entire first arriving engine company (as a whole, fully
geared unit!) may be required to enter a structure to locate, search, and operate an
attack line from a standpipe system. This situation will most likely occur in buildings
such as college dormitories, high rise, and modern low-rise buildings. When this "total
engine company" enters the structure, the second arriving engine must function as
the water supply company feeding the various fixed fire protection systems being
used. Radio communication becomes critical during this process. Other arriving units
15
A well- thought out, staffed, equipped, and supplied (GPM) firefighting\life safety effort.

must know what the first arriving unit is doing. The Total Engine Company Concept is
an option and mentioned here for individual officer consideration.
Fires should be fought from the unburned side. Attack from the burned side
generally will drive the fire, smoke and heat into uninvolved portions of the building and
the interior control forces out of the building.
Fires should be fought from the interior. The fastest place to put water on the fire is
generally from the outside at the point where the fire is burning out of the building. Most
of the time this is the worst application point.
The Incident Commander must consider the most dangerous path of travel and avenue
of fire extension, particularly as it affects rescue activities, confinement efforts, and expo-
sure protection. Resources must then be allocated based upon this fire growth predic-
tion.
Initial attack efforts must be directed toward supporting primary search. The first attack
line must go between the victims and the fire and protect avenues of escape.
First arriving units must determine fire location and extent before starting fire operations
(as far as possible). All such beginning operations must be communicated.
Put water on fire: The rescue, exposure protection, confinement, extinguishment,

overhaul, ventilation and salvage problem is solved in the majority of cases by a fast,
strong, well-placed attack.
The Incident Commander must consider seven (7) sides (or sectors) of the fire: Front,
back, sides, top, bottom and interior.
The Incident Commander must develop a conscious time decision with regard to both
the size of the attack and the position of the attack. The bigger the attack, the longer it
takes to get it going. The more the interior attack is repositioned, the longer it will take to
complete the task. "Where’s the fire going to be?" after set up is completed, is an
important question that must be answered.
Lacking direction when fire is showing, companies will many times lay hose and put wa-
ter on the fire utilizing the fastest, shortest, most direct route. This process has been
identified in some fire service texts as the "candle-moth syndrome"; everyone wants to
go to the flames. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to insure that all
operations are "directed" activities.
When the fire is coming out of a burning building and not affecting exposures, let it vent.
Launch an interior attack from the unburned side. It is generally venting in the proper
direction. Placing a hose stream in the ventilation opening is dangerous, careless and
reckless. It requires discipline on the part of the firefighters and fire officers not to do so
and not submit to "candle-moth" temptations.
The Incident Commander must develop critical decisions that relate to cut-off points and
must approach fire spread determinations with pessimism. It takes a certain amount of
time to "get water" and the fire continues to burn while the attack gets set up. The

Incident Commander must consider where the fire will be when attack efforts are ready
to actually go into operation. If the Incident Commander misjudges, the fire may burn
past the planned attack/cut-off position.
Don't put water into burned-out property, particularly where there is unburned property
elsewhere left to burn. It is generally improper to operate fire streams into property that
is already lost. Many times such activity is done at the expense of exposed unburned
property and wastes valuable extinguishment efforts. Write-off property that is already
lost and go on to protect exposed property based on the most dangerous direction of
spread. Do not continue to operate in positions that are essentially lost.
3. PROPERTY CONSERVATION
It shall be standard New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services operating
procedure to commit whatever fireground resource is required to reduce property loss to
an absolute minimum. It must be stressed that the age old practice of taking
chances with firefighter lives for vacant and derelict buildings is no longer
acceptable! The Incident Commander must weigh the risk versus the benefit, at all
operations. The activities that relate to effective property conservation require the same
early and on-going command functions and aggressive action as both rescue and fire
control. All members are expected to perform in a manner that continually reduces loss
during fire operations.
When the fire is out - shut down fire streams. Early recognition that the forward progress
of the fire has been stopped is an important element in reducing loss. The earlier the
salvage operations begin, the smaller the loss.
When basic fire control has been achieved, the Incident Commander must commit and
direct companies into "stop loss" activities; such activities generally include:
• Evaluating damage to overall fire area.
• Evaluating the salvage value of various areas.
• Evaluate resources that will be required.
• Committing the necessary companies to salvage functions.
• Reducing hose lines from fire control functions to salvage functions.
• Additional rotation of personnel due to fatigue.
In cases where there is an overlapping need for both fire control and salvage to be per-
formed simultaneously and where initial arriving companies are involved in firefighting
and salvage remains undone, it shall be considered reasonable to special call additional
resources to perform salvage functions.
Be aware that personnel involved in rescue and fire control operations are generally
fatigued and have reached a state of reduced efficiency by the time property conserva-
tion functions must be completed. This can result in a high potential for injury. The
Incident Commander must evaluate personnel conditions and replace with fresh compa-
nies if needed.

4. ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND
First Arriving Unit: The first arriving unit or officer is responsible for initially assuming
command. This individual (officer or member in charge of the unit) retains command
responsibilities until command is transferred to a higher-ranking officer or until the
incident is terminated. This assumption of command by the first unit is mandatory.
As the identity of the Incident Commander changes through the formal command tran-
sfer process, the responsibility for command functions also changes. (Note: The
Incident Commander is responsible for all Command functions, all of the time, during the
incident.) The term INCIDENT COMMANDER refers jointly to the person, the functions,
and the location of whoever is in charge and provides a standard identification tag for the
single person in charge. With this system, it should be all but impossible for more than
one officer to act as an Incident Commander at any one time on any one incident scene.
Incident Commander Modes - When the first unit arrives, quick decisions must be made
as to which of the following commitments the unit will make:
NOTHING SHOWING MODE - Generally requires investigation by the first

arriving unit while others remain in a stand-by position. Usually, the officer
on the first unit will go with the investigating company while using the
portable radio to continue the command function. In effect, this creates a
"mobile command"; a condition that is otherwise undesirable.
FAST ATTACK MODE - Requires immediate action to stabilize (e.g., a

working, interior fire in a residence, apartment or small commercial
occupancy). For an offensive fast attack, the choice may be to lead the
attack while utilizing the portable radio to continue command. This fast
attack mode should be concluded rapidly with one of the following outcomes:
1. Situation stabilized by the offensive attack.

2. Command transferred to the first arriving chief officer
3. Situation not stabilized. Member in charge of the first arriving unit
moves to an exterior (stationary) command position.
The Fast Attack Mode will most likely be the mode most officers will utilize in
the beginning, at the majority of fires.
COMMAND MODE - Because of the size of the fire, complexity of the occu-
pancy, or the possibility of extension, some situations will demand strong
direct command from the outset. In these cases, the first arriving unit will
maintain at an exterior command position and remain there until relieved of
command.
Chief Officers arriving upon the scene of an incident not yet declared under
control may "take" command by a formal process. The actual command
transfer is regulated by a very simple, straightforward procedure that inclu-

des: Contacting the Incident Commander directly (face to face is always pref-
erable). However, transfer of command by radio can be accomplished during
fairly simple incidents when the responding officer has "copied' all command
activity made before arrival. Standard communications must be followed.
The officer being relieved will provide a briefing that includes:

• Initial Situation - "What was it like when you arrived?"
• Deployment & Assignment - "What you are doing?"
• Strategic and Tactical Plan - "What would you do if I wasn't here?"
• Safety Considerations- "Are there any unusual safety problems that you
know of?
This briefing concludes with a confirmation of command transfer. It should be
a short, straight to the point exchange!
The County Dispatch Center shall be advised what unit identifies the Incident Commander.
Transfer of Command takes place on the scene only.

Only the Incident Commander shall do radio communications from the scene to the dispatch
center.

APPENDIX 5
INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICE SUMMARY

FINDINGS OF
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP,
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA
(Information extracted from report of December 2005,

the most recent ISO report for this fire district)
Summary Rating for New Hanover Township is 5

INSURANCE SERVICES OFFICE
FIRE DEPARMENT SUMMARY FINDINGS 12/05
RATING SEGMENT – NEW HANOVER MAXIMUM
RECEIVING & HANDLING FIRE ALARMS TWP. ACTUAL CREDIT
CREDIT
Credit for Telephone Service 1.80 2.00
- This item reviews the facilities provided for the public to
report fires, including the listing of fire and business
numbers in the telephone directory
Credit for Operators 3.00 3.00
- This item reviews the number of operators, on duty, at
the communication center to handle calls
Credit for Dispatch Circuits 3.25 5.00
- This item reviews the dispatch circuit facilities used to
transmit alarms to fire department members
TOTAL CREDIT FOR RECEIVING & HANDLING FIRE 8.05 10.00
ALARMS

FIRE DEPARTMENT TWP. ACTUAL CREDIT
CREDIT
Credit for Engine Companies 7.95 10.00
- This item reviews the number of engine companies and
the hose and equipment carried
Credit for Reserve Pumpers .071 1.00
- This item reviews the number of reserve pumpers and the
equipment carried on each
Credit for Pumper Capacity 5.00 5.00
- This item reviews the total available pump capacity
Credit for Ladder Service 4.55 5.00
- This item reviews the number of ladder and service
companies and the equipment carried
Credit for Reserve Ladder Service 0.53 1.00
- This item reviews the number of reserve ladder and
service trucks and the equipment carried
Credit for Distribution 3.12 4.00
- This item reviews percent of the built-upon area of the
city which has a first-due engine company within 1.5
miles and a ladder-service company within 2.5 miles
Credit for Company Personnel 4.86 15.00+
- This item reviews the average number of equivalent
firefighters and company officers on duty with existing
companies
Credit for Training 2.61 9.00
- This item reviews the training facilities and their use
TOTAL CREDIT FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT 29.33 50.00+

WATER SUPPLY TWP. ACTUAL CREDIT
CREDIT
Credit for Water System 14.93 35.00
- This item reviews the supply works, the main
capacity and hydrant distribution
Credit for Hydrants 2.00 2.00
- This item reviews the type of hydrants, and method
of installation
Credit for Inspection and Condition of Hydrants 0.95 3.00
- This item reviews the frequency of inspections of
hydrants and their condition
TOTAL CREDIT FOR WATER SUPPLY 17.82 40.00
Deficient areas identified include (references needed gpm and available gpm) (gpm refers to
gallons per minute of water available from water supply system)
Hydrant Location Water (gpm*) Required Water (gpm*) Available

Swamp Creek E. of Middle Creek Rd. Needed 2,250 gpm Available 1,100 gpm
Swamp Pike W. of Charlotte St. Needed 3,500 gpm Available 1,100 gpm
Swamp Pike & Romig Rd. Needed 2,250 gpm Available 700 gpm
Faust Rd. & Washington Dr. Needed 2,250 gpm Available 900 gpm
Charlotte Rd. N of Buchart Rd. Needed 1,000 gpm Adequate
The radio alarm dispatch circuit should be monitored for integrity, per NFPA 1221.
Apparatus was listed as having insufficient equipment and hose tests.

All sections of the township with hydrant protection should be within 1 ½ miles of an adequately
equipped engine company and 2 ½ miles of an adequately equipped ladder, service, engine
ladder or engine-service company.
An increase in the on-duty company personnel by one person per company will increase the fire
department credit by 0.33.
All hydrants should be inspected twice per year with records kept.
Needed fire flows are not provided in numerous portions of the township.
The training program should be improved.
Pre-fire planning should be conducted twice per year with records and sketches maintained.

All sections of the township with hydrant protection should be within 1 ½ miles of a fully
equipped engine company and 2 ½ miles of a fully equipped ladder, service, engine-ladder or
engine service company. The distance to be measured along all weather roads.
RECOMMENDATIONS
There should be an emergency line separate from the fire and business lines for use in automatic
telephone dialing equipment to report alarms from private detection systems. List the business
number of the fire department under fire department and under the name of the city in the white
pages.
Two (2) engine companies are needed based on the basic fire flow requirements (2,250 gpm)
within the township; one (1) reserve pumper is needed.
One (1) ladder/service company and one (1) service company, as well as one (1) fully equipped
reserve ladder truck is required based on the ISO evaluation.
As noted above, the ISO report illustrated a number of training, preplanning and management
practice opportunities that can be enhanced to improve performance of the group, as well as the
ISO rating.

APPENDIX 6
COMPARISON OF
STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES
IN USE IN

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES STUDY
ESTABLISHED STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES (SOG)

USED BY NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE COMPANIES
STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE NEW HANOVER SASSAMANSVILLE

Definitions X
New Recruits X
Fire Station X
Response Procedures X
Use of Apparatus & Equipment X
Department Personal Property X
Department Park and Discipline X
General Incident Operations X X
Fire Scene X
Communications X
Training X
Junior Firefighters X
SCBA X
Incident Command System X
Appendix – Courtesy/Blue Light X
Regulations
Appendix – Attendance Recording X
System
Appendix – Administration of Penalties X
Drug & Alcohol Policy X
Sexual Harassment X
Non –discrimination Policy X
Safety Officer X
Company X
Fireground Safety X
Basic Tactical Priorities X
Drills X
Wearing Turnout Gear X
Lost/Trapped Firefighters Basic Survival X
Respiratory Protection X
Mayday Procedure X
SCBA X
Thermal Imaging Camera X
Hazardous Materials X
Ladders X

STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINE NEW HANOVER SASSAMANSVILLE
Overhaul X
Staging X
Driver Qualifications X
Back-up Policy X
Tanker Shuttle Operations X
Apparatus Responsibility X
Mutual Aid X
Motor Vehicle Accidents X
Rapid Entry/Knox Box X
Ventilation X
Vehicle Fires X
Water Rescue X
Rope operations X
Air Medical Transport Policy X
Seat Belt Policy X
Dumpster Fires X
Gas Emergency X
Response to Power Lines/Energized X
Electrical Equipment
Bombs/Explosives X
Carbon Monoxide X
High Rise Operations X
Ground Ladders X
Elevator Emergencies X
Fire Police x

A TYPICAL SET A STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES (SOG) FOR
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES
Section 1- Administration
1. Mission Statement
2. Department Organization
a. Voting Process
3. Standard Operating Guidelines
4. Application Process
5. Classification of Membership
6. Chain of Command
7. Department Communications
8. Personnel Data
9. Training Records
10. Rules and Regulations
11. Department Discipline
12. Incident Reporting
13. Radio Procedures
14. Uniforms
b. Class A
c. Class B
d. Class C
e. Class D
15. Visitor Ride Along
16. Knox Box Program
17. Lock Job Kit/Keys
18. Medical Leave
19. Firefighter Injury
20. Guidelines for Special Events
a. Parades
b. Funerals
c. Sport Team Escorts
d. Stand-by Functions
e. Fire Prevention
21. Apparatus Use of Operations
22. Volunteer Incentive Program
23. Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP)

24. Sexual Harassment
25. Volunteer Firefighter’s Relief Association
26. Scene Photography
Section 2- Training/Standards
1. Qualifications and Duties
a. General Firefighter Requirements
i. Probationary Member Requirement
b. Junior/Cadet Firefighter
c. Active Support Member
d. Exterior Firefighter
e. Interior Firefighter
f. Drivers/Pump Operations
g. Lieutenants
h. Captains
i. Deputy Chiefs
j. Department Chiefs
k. Fire Police
i. Captain
ii. Lieutenant
l. Career Firefighter
2. Department Training
a. In-house Training
b. Outside Training
3. Training Recertification Requirements
4. Training Aids
a. Books, Videos, CD-ROM
b. Training Equipment
5. Job Evaluations
Section 3- Response to Alarms

1. General Conduct
2. Response in Personal Vehicles
3. Blue Lights
4. Temporary Truck Assignments
5. Fires
a. Structure

b. Vehicle
c. Miscellaneous
d. Automatic Alarms
6. Rescue
a. Vehicle & Machinery
b. Technical
7. Emergencies
a. CO Alarms
b. Medical Advisory
c. Aero Medical
d. Hazardous Material
e. Accident with Injury
f. Rapid Intervention Team
g. Downed Wires
h. Fire Police (Traffic hazards)
i. Gas Emergencies
8. Non-Emergencies
a. Water condition
b. Odor Investigation
c. Transfer/Standby
d. Accident with Fluids
e. Lockouts
f. Animal in distress
g. Miscellaneous
9. Knox Box Access
10. Accidents Involving Apparatus
Section 4- Safety
1. Personal Protective Equipment
a. Care & Maintenance
2. Self-contained Breathing Apparatus
a. Field Inspection
3. Accountability System
4. Personnel Accountability Reports (PAR)
5. Safety Officer/RIT
6. Mayday Procedures
7. Emergency Evacuation
8. Bloodborne Pathogens/ Infectious Disease

a. Prevention
b. Exposure
9. General Safety Guidelines
a. Riding Apparatus
b. Severe Weather Conditions
c. Health & Fitness
Section 5- Maintenance
1. Station
2. Apparatus
a. Mechanical
b. Appearance
3. Equipment
4. 0.0.S. Notification Procedure
Section 6- Appendix/ Forms

1. SOG- Update
2. Policy/Equipment Change Form
3. Application Forms
4. Personnel Data Forms
5. Discipline Slip
6. Incident Report Form
7. County Fire Report
8. State Fire Report
9. DOW Incident Report Form
10. Zone 4 Radios SOPs
11. Visitor Release Form
12. Knox Box Information Sheet
13. Lock Jock Use Log
14. Medical Release Form
15. Training Aid Sign Out Sheet
16. Apparatus Log
17. Fireground Information Sheet
18. Confined Space Entry Permit
19. Atmosphere Monitor Sheet
20. CO Response Checklist
21. CO Action Form
22. CO Detector Loeaner Form

23. Knox Box Log
24. Accident Report Form
25. PPE Issue Authorization Form
26. SCBA Maintenance Form
27. Rope Use Log
28. Safety Officer Checklist
29. Vaccination Form
30. Exposure Report Form
31. Declination of Vaccination Release
32. Blue Light Application
33. Temporary Truck Assignment Sheet
34. Late to Work Form
35. Firefighter Injury
36. Driver Training Status Sheet
37. SCBA Consumption Check
38. Maintenance Tracking Sheet
39. Air Cylinder Filling Log Sheet
40. Meeting Attendance Sheet (Sign-in Sheet)
41. Introduction Signature Sheet
42. Master Personnel Response Record
43. Fire Police Sworn Officer Form
44. RIT Equipment Checklist
45. Training Agreement/Payment Request
46. Sexual Harassment Reporting Form

APPENDIX 7
SAMPLE STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES

New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Services
General Operating Guidelines
Rehabilitation GOG #: Revision:
Effective Date: 10/1/2010 Page 1 of 4
Rehabilitation
Purpose:
To provide guidance for facilitating the appropriate rehabilitation - rest, rehydration, nutritional
support and medical monitoring - of emergency service responders during emergency incidents.
Guideline:
The goal of this guideline is to provide a structure and guidance for incident commanders,
officers, and emergency responders that will support providing rest, rehydration, nutritional
support and medical monitoring of emergency responders and fire department members during
emergency incidents.
The goal to be achieved by designated emergency responders is support of:

- Adequate rest and recovery from physical and psychological exertion.
- Adequate rehydration and nutritional support
- Medical assessment & monitoring
o Detection signs of heat and stress related illness
o Triage of personnel following rehab to:
 Return to duty on scene
 Relief of on-scene duties
 Transport to the Emergency Department for further treatment.
Establishing Rehab:
The incident commander (IC) will establish a Rehab Sector at all emergency incidents where the
conditions require rest and rehydration of all personnel. These situations include, but are not
limited to:
- Building fires
- Anytime FAST or RIT response is requested
- Prolonged operations (emergency or training)
- Extremes of temperatures
Company/Crew level rehab (NFPA Standard 1584):

In addition to formal rehab sectors, rehydration solutions will be made available in proximity to
SCBA bottles on individual apparatus to allow firefighters to rehydrate during the initial bottle
change. All firefighters are encouraged to drink 4 to 8 ounces of rehydration solution during the
initial bottle exchange. Company officers will be trained to observe their crews for signs of
exhaustion, dehydration, and heat and stress related illnesses.

Assignment to the Rehab Sector:

- All firefighter must report to Rehab following the use of two 30-minute SCBA bottles.
- A company officer may assign a member to rehab at any time
- Upon completion of 45 minutes of “active work”
- Any time a member feels any injury or stress (physical/mental)
Personnel assigned to Rehab will follow department accountability procedures when they move
to the Rehab sector.
Staffing of the Rehab Sector

At the minimum, the rehab sector will be staffed by a dedicated EMT-B with an AED. Ideally, a
fully equipped ALS provider will be assigned to the Rehab sector.
The senior medical provider assigned to the Rehab Sector will be designated “REHAB” and
advise the IC when the rehab sector is set up and maintain coordination and communication
appropriately with Fire/EMS officers on scene.
Location of the Rehab:

The Ideal Rehab Sector location will be
- Uphill and up wind of the incident
- Provide warmth in cold conditions
- Provide shade and a cool area in hot conditions
- Close to ambulance staging
- Close to SCBA replenishment
- Free of vehicle exhaust
- Limited media access
- Away from disturbing scenes
- Portable running water (if possible)
- Access to rest rooms (if possible)
Rehab Sector Equipment

- Triage (rehab) Tags
- Stretcher
- Oxygen & Supplies
- Drinking Water & Cups
- Ice/Cooling Supplies/Water Vapor (As event/scene appropriate)
- Warming Supplies/Heater (As event/scene appropriate)
- Chairs (As event/scene appropriate)
- Shelter (As event/scene appropriate)
- EKG monitor (ALS)
- Medications (ALS)
- IV Fluids (ALS)

Entry in Rehab Sector

Upon entry to rehab, personnel will:
- Surrender accountability tags
- Doff SCBA, helmets, hoods, turnout coats and other PPE as indicated.
Medical Personnel will obtain and log entry vital signs on Rehab Tag as follows:
- Pulse
- Blood Pressure
- Oral Temperature
- Pupils
- Skin Color/Temperature
- General physical Status/observations
Based on parameters in Table 1 firefighters will be assigned either to:

- Medical Monitoring zone or
- The rest zone in the rehab sector
Rehydration in Rehab Sector

All personnel will drink a minimum of16 oz of rehydration solution while in the Rehab Sector.
Duration of Stay in the Rehab Sector

Personnel will spend a minimum of 10 minutes in the Rehab Sector prior to returning to on-scene
duties.
Disposition from the Rehab Sector

Disposition from the Rehab Sector will be determined at the discretion of the ranking medical
officer on the scene. There are three possible dispositions from the Rehab sector
- Return to duty after on-scene Rehab
o Personnel who have rested for a minimum of 10 minutes, been rehydrated, and
who have acceptable vital signs per Table 2 will return to on-scene duty.
Personnel with initial triage to the medical monitoring zone of the Rehab sector
will require a second set of vital signs and assessment prior to returning to on-
scene service.
- Relief of on-scene duties
o Retention in Rehab and evaluation for further medical intervention will be
mandated as per Table 2. In addition, a firefighter with an oral temperature
between 99.5 and 100.9 will not be allowed to re-don SCBA, turnout coat or other
PPE. Personnel with abnormal vital signs as defined by Table 1 or Table 2 will be
instructed not to return to on-scene duties and receive additional monitoring, rest,
and rehydration in the rehab sector, or be transported to the emergency
department for medical evaluation.

- Transport to the emergency department for further treatment

o Personnel with any of the indicators defined in Table 3, at any time on the
emergency scene or in the Rehab sector will be transported to the emergency
department for further medical evaluation.
TABLE 1 - Parameters for Rehab/Rest Rehydration & Return to Duty

Blood Pressure: 100-160 Systolic;
<100 Diastolic
Pulse <120
Temperature <99.5 F
Respiratory <32,
no distress,
SaO2>98%
TABLE 2 – Medical Evaluation and Monitoring Criteria

Blood Pressure: >160 Systolic;
<100 Systolic,
>110 Diastolic
Pulse >120
Temperature >99.5 F
Respiratory >32,
dyspnea, audible wheezing, shortness of breath,
SaO2 (if available) <95%
TABLE 3 – Indicators for Need of Medical Care/Transport to ED

Blood Pressure: >200 Systolic;
<90 Systolic,
>120 Diastolic anytime
Pulse >150 anytime
>140 after 10 minute cool down
- chest pain
- palpitations or irregularity of pulse or EKG (Arrhythmias)
Temperature >101 F
Respiratory >32,
dyspnea, audible wheezing, Air hunger
SaO2 (if available) <92%
Altered Mental Status
Persistent Vomiting
Signs of Heat Stroke
Trauma or other “normal” indicators for hospital care.

Tanker Task Force GOG #: Revision:
Tanker Task Force

Purpose: To provide uniform operations with departments participating in tanker shuttle
and water supply operations. These guidelines are intended to be followed to
eliminate confusion and provide an understanding of what should happen when
the need arises for a tanker shuttle.
I. Activation
a. GOAL: To establish and maintain continuous water supply for rural fire ground
operation using primary tankers to deliver water to the fire ground.
b. INTENTION: To provide uniform operations with departments participating in

tanker shuttle and water supply operations. These guidelines are intended to be
followed to eliminate confusion and provide an understanding of what should
happen when the need arises for a tanker shuttle.
c. PROCEDURE: The Officer in Charge of the hosting department will notify

Montgomery County Emergency Dispatch Services (MCEDS) and request the
Tanker Task Force for the incident. MCEDS will then dispatch five (5) tankers
and two (2) additional engine companies to respond to the incident. (Template
attached).
The Officer in Charge should request the WESTERN MONTGOMERY
COUNTY TANKER TASK FORCE as soon as possible due to distances and
travel time of the mutual aid tankers and Engine Company. The Tanker Task
Force should be activated anytime a continuous water supply is needed in a rural
application or when a pressurized source will not meet the needed fire flow
requirements. The Officer in Charge of the first responding department will
appoint a water supply officer who will establish command of the water supply
operations at the dump site. The water supply officer should be familiar with the
surrounding locations as to where fill sites (within a two (2) mile radius) can be
established, whether from a static source or a pressurized source. The water
supply officer will appoint a fill site officer to establish command at the fill site.
MCEDS will notify the water supply officer what tankers and engines will be
responding. Anytime the fire location is within two thousand feet (2000’) of a
water source it is recommended that a supply line be laid instead of utilizing
tankers unless the water source does not meet needed fire flow requirements.
When responding with tankers there should only be two (2) pumpers with the
tanker unless the Officer in Charge is requesting additional firefighters. If
additional firefighters are requested they need to dismount the tanker on the first
dump and proceed to the staging area for firefighters.

II. Dump Site for Tanker Operations
operation using primarily tanker to deliver water to the fire ground.

c. PROCEDURE: The water supply officer will be in charge of the dump site area
and will be designated as (Water Supply) on the radio to all responding units.
Staging, if not already employed, shall be designated by Water Supply, remote
from the dump site. Staging will not be used when more full tankers are available
then can be placed at the dump site alleviating congestion and accident potential
at the dump site.
Considerations for the dump site shall include:

Accessibility for incoming tankers. The area shall be large enough for
maneuvering and should have access to a minimum of two (2) dump tanks. The
dump tanks location. The sump tanks shall be setup with the ability to position
two (2) tankers dumping at once. The draft engine shall use one of the main
intakes for maximum volume. Draft engine shall use two (2) lengths of hard
suction hose, preferably with a low level strainer. A third (3rd) hard suction hose
will be needed to transfer water to the main dump tank. The distance to the fire
ground should be less than one thousand feet (1000’). The department having
jurisdiction shall lay a line with the first due attack engine. The draft engine is to
lay from the end of the line laid by the first in engine to the dump tank site.
Before choosing a dump site, consider routing and direction of travel of travel to
the fill site. Avoid setting dump tanks in the congestion of the immediate fire
ground. The dump tanks should be set up so the tankers stay on the hard surface
and the drafting engine is set up off the road.
Water Supply will designate personnel for backing operations and opening dump
valves on all tankers. When placing the dump tanks in relationship to the draft
engine, consider all of the possibilities for setup. Use either a square setup or a
triangle setup. The type of setup will depend on several factors:
• The amount of room at the dump site
• Width at the dump site
• Width of the road
• Type of dump valve on tankers

Once the dump site is setup, the pump operator shall establish the initial draft
pump pressure of 75 PSI. The water supply officer or pump operator shall
establish communications with the attack engine. Water Supply is to notify the
Incident Commander that “water supply is in operation”. Maintain a minimum of
fifteen hundred gallons (1500) reserve in the dump tanks with the booster tank in
the engine full at all times. At any time the minimum reserve is reached, notify
the Incident Commander. Tankers should dump in the primary dump tank as
much as possible. Water Supply will notify the responding tankers, which tank to
dump into. Dispatch the tankers back to the fill site with partial loads after their
most efficient portion of the dump is completed. Use the most effective means of
dumping for each tanker. Tankers must be equipped with a rapid dump device (jet
assist or Newton dump valves).
III. Fill Site for Tanker Operations

operation using primarily tankers to deliver water to the fire ground.
b. INTENTION: to provide uniform operations with departments participating in

c. PROCEDURE: Either the Incident Commander of the Water Supply Officer will
appoint a Fill Site Officer. The Fill Site Officer will need to have communications
to talk to the tankers and the Water Supply Officers. The Fill Site Officer will be
designated as (Fill Site) on the radio. Staging should be designated remote from
the fill site. It is to be used when more empty tankers are available than can be
placed at the fill site. This will alleviate congestion and accident potential at the
fill site. The nearest water source to the fire ground can be determined by preplan
data or the Water Supply Officer.
Considerations for picking the fill site will include:
• The volume of water available by known test results.
• The travel distance, routing and traffic control.
Whenever possible try to achieve a loop route rather than a one-way turn around
route. Try to keep the site accessible.
Equipment needed at the water source will include:
• A draft engine
• Any special required fittings
• Suction hose and/or portable pumps

The fill location shall use the largest available (Gallons per Minute) engine when
possible. The engine shall set up four (4) large lines. They should be paired so
two (2) tankers can be connected at the same time. Only one (1) tanker is to be
filled at a time. Fill with the best possible method, i.e. highest volume for the
shortest amount of time. It is preferable to use an engine on a hydrant, but when
only a hydrant is used setup two (2) large lines. Consider using a second hydrant
for multiple fill sites using the same setup.
When large volume tankers (2,000 gallon or larger) are utilized they should be
sent to a different fill site so the fill operation for the smaller tankers will not be
slowed down. Another Fill Site Officer may be required at this site.
IV. Water Supply Officer

operations using primarily tankers to deliver water to the fire ground.

c. PROCEDURE: The Officer in Charge of the department requesting the Tanker

Task Force shall appoint a Water Supply Officer. This position will be from the
requesting department or from a mutual aid department and will be in charge of
the dump site. The water supply officer shall be designated as (Water Supply) on
the radio to all units responding.
Water Supply shall check with the Incident Commander to find out the required
flow in gallons per minute needed at the fire scene. If a ladder or quint has been
requested the flow should be a minimum of five hundred (500) gpm. If the
required flow is unknown, Water Supply will try to achieve a minimum of four
hundred (400) gpm. This flow will adequately flow two (2) 1 ¾ hand lines.
Water Supply will coordinate the dump site setup and the supply lines to the fire
ground. Water Supply will set up staging for the tankers at a remote location
from the dump site to alleviate congestion and accident potential at the dump site.
Water Supply will need to have radio communication to talk to the tankers and
the Incident Commander.
Tanker radio traffic is to be held to minimum. Do not advise status of location
unless asked by Water Supply Officer. Water Supply will advise incoming tankers
which dump tank to use in a timely manner so tanker drivers can respond and
react accordingly.

Roadway and Roadside GOG #: Revision:
Scene Safety Effective Date: 10/1/2010 Page 1 of 8
Roadway and Roadside Scene Safety

Purpose:
To establish guidelines for protection of personnel and incident victims at all roadway or
roadside incident scenes.
Policy:
This procedure identifies parking practices for fire department apparatus and vehicles that will
provide maximum protection and safety for personnel operating in or near moving vehicle
traffic. It also identifies several approaches for individual practices to keep firefighters safe
while exposed to the hazardous environment created by moving traffic.
It shall be the policy of the fire department to position apparatus and other emergency vehicles at
a vehicle-related incident on any street, road, highway, or expressway in a manner that best
protects the incident scene and the work area. Such positioning shall afford protection to fire
department personnel, law enforcement officers, tow service operators and the motoring public
from the hazards of working in or near moving traffic.
All personnel should understand and appreciate the high risk that personnel are exposed to when
operating in or near moving vehicle traffic. Responders should always operate within a
protected environment at any vehicle-related roadway incident.
Always consider moving vehicles as a threat to your safety. At every vehicle-related emergency
scene, personnel are exposed to passing motorists of varying driving abilities. At any time, a
motorist may be driving without a legal driver’s license.
Approaching vehicles may be driven at speeds from a creeping pace to well beyond the posted
speed limit. Some of these vehicle operators may be vision impaired, under the influence of
alcohol and/or drugs, or have a medical condition that affects their judgment or abilities. In
addition, motorists may be completely oblivious to your presence due to distractions caused by
cell phone use, loud music, conversation, inclement weather, and terrain or building obstructions.
Approaching motorists will often be looking at the scene and not the roadway in front of them.
Assume that all approaching traffic is out to get you until proven otherwise.
Nighttime incidents requiring personnel to work in or near moving near traffic are particularly
hazardous. Visibility is reduced and driver reaction time to hazards in the roadway is slowed.

Terminology
The following terms shall be used during incident operations, post-incident analysis, and training
activities related to working in or near moving traffic.
 Advance Warning- notification procedures that advise approaching motorists to transition

from normal driving status to that required by the temporary emergency traffic control
measures ahead of them.
 Block- positioning a fire department apparatus on an angle to the lanes of traffic creating
a physical barrier between upstream traffic and the work area. Includes ‘block to the
right’ or’ block to the left’.
 Buffer Zone- the distance or space between personnel and vehicles in the protected work
zone and nearby moving traffic.
 Downstream- the direction that traffic is moving as it travels away from the incident
scene.
 Flagger- a fire department member assigned to monitor approaching traffic and activate
an emergency signal if the actions of a motorist do not conform to established traffic
control measures in place at the highway scene.
 Shadow- the protected work area at a vehicle-related roadway incident that is shielded by
the block from apparatus and other emergency vehicles.
 Taper- the action of merging several lanes of moving traffic into fewer moving lanes.
 Temporary Work Zone- the physical area of a roadway within which emergency
personnel perform their fire, EMS and rescue tasks at a vehicle-related incident.
 Transition Zone- the lanes of a roadway within which approaching motorists change their
speed and position to comply with the traffic control measures established at an incident
scene.
 Upstream- the direction that traffic is traveling from as the vehicles approach the incident
scene.
Safety Benchmarks
All emergency personnel are at great risk of injury or death while operating in or near moving
traffic. There are several specific tactical procedures that should be taken to protect all crew
members and emergency service personnel at the incident scene including:
 Never trust approaching traffic

 Avoid turning your back to approaching traffic
 Establish an initial “block” with the first arriving emergency vehicle or fire apparatus
 Always wear structural firefighting helmet
 Always wear the Class II or Public Safety highway safety vest at all vehicle-related
emergencies or when working in or near a roadway
 Turn off all sources of vision impairment to approaching motorists at night time incidents
including vehicle headlights and spotlights

 Use fire apparatus and police vehicles to initially redirect the flow of moving traffic
 Establish advance warning and adequate transition area traffic control measures upstream
of incident to reduce travel speeds of approaching motorists
 Use traffic cones and/or cones illuminated by flares where appropriate for sustained
highway incident traffic control and direction
 Establish a fire department member assigned to the “Flagger” function to monitor
approaching traffic and activate an emergency signal if the actions of a motorist do not
conform to established traffic control measures in place at the highway scene
Apparatus and Emergency Vehicle Benchmarks
Listed below are benchmarks for Safe Parking of apparatus and emergency vehicles when
operating in or near moving traffic.
 Always position first-arriving apparatus to protect the scene, patients, and emergency
personnel.
 Initial apparatus placement should provide a work area protected from traffic
approaching in at least one direction.
 Angle apparatus on the roadway with a “block to the left” or a “block to the right” to
create a physical barrier between the crash scene and approaching traffic.
 Allow apparatus placement to slow approaching motorists and redirect them around the
scene.
 Use fire apparatus to block at least one additional traffic lane more than that already
obstructed by the crashed vehicle(s).
 When practical, position apparatus in such a manner to protect the pump operator
position from being exposed to approaching traffic.
 Positioning of large apparatus must create a safe parking area for EMS units and other
fire vehicles. Operating personnel, equipment, and patients should be kept within the
“shadow” created by the blocking apparatus at all times.
 When blocking with apparatus to protect the emergency scene, establish a sufficient size
work zone that includes all damaged vehicles, roadway debris, the patient triage and
treatment area, the extrication work area, personnel and tool staging area, and the
ambulance loading zone.
 Ambulances should be positioned within the protected work area with their rear patient
loading door area angled away from the nearest lanes of moving traffic.
 Command shall stage unneeded emergency vehicles off the roadway or return these units
to service whenever possible.
At all intersections, or where the incident may be near the middle lane of the roadway, two or
more sides of the incident will need to be protected.
Law enforcement vehicles must be strategically positioned to expand the initial safe work zone
for traffic approaching from opposing directions. The goal is to effectively block all exposed
sides of the work zone. The blocking of the work zone must be prioritized, from the most critical
or highest traffic volume flow to the least critical traffic direction.

For first arriving engine or truck companies where a charged hose line may be needed, block so
that the pump panel is “downstream,” on the opposite side of on-coming traffic. This will
protect the pump operator.
At intersection incidents, consider requesting law enforcement response. Provide specific

directions to law enforcement officers as to exactly what your traffic control needs are. Ensure
that law enforcement vehicles are parked in a position and location that provides additional
protection of the scene.
Traffic cones shall be deployed from the rear of the blocking apparatus toward approaching
traffic to increase the advance warning provided for approaching motorists. Cones identify and
only suggest the transition and tapering actions that are required of the approaching motorist.
Personnel shall place cones and flares and retrieve cones while facing oncoming traffic.
Traffic cones shall be deployed at 15-foot intervals upstream of the blocking apparatus with the
furthest traffic cone approximately 75 feet upstream to allow adequate advance warning to
drivers
Additional traffic cones shall be retrieved from law enforcement units to extend the advance
warning area for approaching motorists.
Incident Command Benchmarks

The initial-arriving company officer and/or the Incident Commander must complete critical
benchmarks to ensure that a safe and protected work environment for emergency scene personnel
is established and maintained including;
 Ensure that the first-arriving apparatus establishes an initial block to create an initial safe
work area.
 Assign a parking location for all ambulances as well as late-arriving apparatus.
 Lanes of traffic shall be identified numerically as “Lane 1”, “Lane 2”, etc., beginning
from the right to the left when right and left are considered from the approaching
motorist’s point of view. Typically, vehicles travel a lower speed in the lower number
lanes.
 Directions “Right” and “Left” shall be as identified as from the approaching motorist’s
point of view left or right.
 Instruct the driver of the ambulance to “block to the right” or “block to the left” as it is
parked at the scene to position the rear patient loading area away from the closest lane of
moving traffic.

 Ensure that all ambulances on-scene are placed within the protected work area (shadow)
of the larger apparatus.
 Ensure that all patients loading into ambulances is done from within a protected work
zone.
 The initial company officer and/or Incident Commander must operate as the Scene Safety
Officer until this assignment is delegated.
 Command shall ensure that traffic signal preemption strobe systems (if so equipped) are
turned OFF and that other emergency lighting remains ON.
 At residential medical emergencies, Command shall direct ambulances to park at the
nearest curb to the residence for safe patient loading whenever possible.
Emergency Crew Personnel Benchmarks

Listed below are benchmarks for safe actions of individual personnel when operating in or near
moving vehicle traffic.
 Always maintain an acute awareness of the high risk of working in or near moving
traffic. Act as if they are out to get you!
 Never trust moving traffic
 Always look before you move
 Always keep an eye on the moving traffic
 Avoid turning your back to moving traffic
 Personnel arriving in crew cabs of fire apparatus should exit and enter the apparatus from
the protected ‘shadow’ side, away from moving traffic.
 Officers, apparatus operators, crew members in apparatus with individual jump seat
configurations and all ambulance personnel must exit and enter their units with extreme
caution remaining alert to moving traffic at all times.
 Class II or Public Safety vest and helmet must be donned prior to exiting the emergency
vehicle.
 Always look before opening doors and stepping out of apparatus or emergency vehicle
into any moving traffic areas. When walking around fire apparatus or emergency
vehicle, be alert to your proximity to moving traffic.
o Stop at the corner of the unit, check for traffic, and then proceed along the unit
remaining as close to the emergency vehicle as possible.
o Maintain a ‘reduced profile’ when moving through any area where a minimum
‘buffer zone’ condition exists.
 Law enforcement personnel may place traffic cones or flares at the scene to direct traffic.
This action builds upon initial fire department cone deployment and can be expanded, if
needed, as later arriving law enforcement officers arrive. Always place and retrieve cones
while facing on-coming traffic.

 Placing flares, where safe to do so, adjacent to and in combination with traffic cones for
nighttime operations greatly enhances scene safety. Where safe and appropriate to do so,
place warning flares to slow and direct approaching traffic.
High-Volume, Limited Access, Highway Operations
High-volume limited access highways include the expressways, toll ways, freeways, and multi-
lane roadways within the fire department response area. Typically, law enforcement and
Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies have a desire to keep the traffic moving on these
high-volume thoroughfares. When in the judgment of fire department command it becomes
essential for the safety of operating personnel and the patients involved, any or all lanes,
shoulders, and entry/exit ramps of these limited access highways can be completely shut down.
This, however, should rarely occur and should be for as short a period of time as practical.
Unique Safe Parking procedures at expressway, toll way, freeway, and limited-access, high-
volume multi-lane roadway incidents;
 First-arriving engine company apparatus shall establish an initial block of the lane(s)
occupied by the damaged vehicle plus one additional traffic lane.
 A ladder truck apparatus shall be automatically dispatched to all vehicle-related incidents
on all limited-access, high-volume expressways, toll way, freeway, and highways.
 The primary assignment of this Truck company apparatus and crew shall be too;
o Establish an upstream block occupying a minimum of two lanes plus the paved
shoulder of the highway or blockage of three driving lanes of traffic upstream of
the initial block provided by the first-due apparatus.
o The position of this apparatus shall take into consideration all factors that limit
sight distance of the approaching traffic including ambient lighting conditions,
weather-related conditions, road conditions, design curves, bridges, hills and
over- or underpasses.
o Traffic cones and/or cones illuminated by flares should be placed upstream of the
ladder truck apparatus by the ladder truck crew at the direction of the company
officer.
o Traffic cones on limited-access, high-volume roadways shall be placed farther
apart, with the last cone approximately 150 feet “upstream”, to allow adequate
warning to drivers. Personnel shall place cones and flares and retrieve cones
while facing the traffic.
o Assign a Flagger person to monitor the response of approaching motorists as they
are directed to transition to a slower speed and taper into merged lanes of traffic.
o Notify Command on the incident operating channel of any approaching traffic
that is not responding to the speed changes, transition, tapering and merging
directions.

o Flagger shall activate a pre-determined audible warning to operating personnel of

a non-compliant motorist approaching.
o Driver operator of ladder truck apparatus shall sound a series of long blasts on the
apparatus air horn to audibly warn all operating personnel of the concern for the
actions of an approaching motorist.
 Law enforcement vehicles will be used to provide additional blocking of additional traffic
lanes as needed. Ambulances shall always be positioned within the safe work zone.
 Staging of additional companies off the highway may be required. Ambulances may be
brought onto the highway scene one or two at a time. An adequate size multi-patient
loading area must be established.
 Command should establish a liaison with law enforcement as soon as possible to jointly
coordinate a safe work zone and to determine how to most efficiently resolve the incident
and establish normal traffic flows.
 The termination of the incident must be managed with the same aggressiveness as initial
actions. Crews, apparatus, and equipment must be removed from the highway promptly,
to reduce exposure to moving traffic and minimize traffic congestion.
Officer’s Safe Parking “Cue Card”
 “Block” with first-arriving apparatus to protect the scene, patients, and emergency
personnel
 Block at least one additional lane
 Block so pump panel is “downstream”
 Block most critical or highest traffic volume direction first
 Consider requesting additional law enforcement assistance
 Crews wear proper PPE w/Helmet
 Wear helmet at all times
 Always wear Class II or Public Safety vest when operating in or near a roadway
 Establish more than adequate advance warning
 Traffic cones at 15’ intervals
 Deploy minimum 5 cones upstream
 Cones only “Suggest” they do not Block!
 Expand initial safe work zone
 Direct placement of ambulances
 Ensure ambulances park within shadow of larger apparatus as directed
 Lane 1 is furthest right lane, next is Lane 2, then Lane 3, etc. from approaching motorist’s
point of view

 Direct ambulance to “block to the right” or “block to the left” to protect loading doors
 Place ambulance patient loading area facing away from closest lane of moving traffic
 All patient loading into ambulances is done from within a protected work zone
 You are the Scene Safety Officer
 Consider assigning firefighter as upstream “Spotter” as necessary for approaching traffic
Night or Reduced Light Conditions
 Turn OFF vehicle headlights

 Turn OFF traffic signal preemption strobes (if so equipped)
 Provide overall scene lighting
 All personnel in PPE with helmets
 Illuminate cones with flares if possible
 Consider additional Truck company for additional upstream “Block”
 Limited access, high-volume highway incidents
 Establish initial block: minimum two lanes
 Ladder truck establishes upstream block
 Two lanes plus paved shoulder or three driving lanes
 Place cones and/or cones illuminated by flares upstream of ladder truck apparatus, last
cone approximately 150 feet “upstream” of apparatus
 Establish Flagger position, monitor approaching traffic sound emergency signal as
necessary
 Driver operator of ladder truck apparatus sound a series of long blasts on apparatus air
horn as necessary
 Use law enforcement vehicles for additional blocking
 Stage additional companies off highway
 Establish liaison with law enforcement
 Terminate incident
For more information regarding safety for responders working in or near a roadway, refer to the
following website: http://www.respondersafety.com
Note– Public Safety reflective vests were under development at this time of publication. An ANSI
standard is expected which will provide a specialized reflective vest for responders that includes
a “breakaway” feature and optional color coding by discipline.
Note– Departments must comply with Section 6i of MUTCD (Manual of Uniform Traffic Code
Devices) and ensure their SOPs are compliant.

2-In 2-Out GOG #: Revision:
2-In 2-Out
PURPOSE
To establish standard guidelines and procedures that will serve to provide a safe working
environment for all volunteer members and to reduce the risk of injury or death as a result of
department operations at emergency incidents. This guideline will serve to comply with the 2-In,
2-Out provisions in the OSHA Respiratory Protection Final Rule (29 CFR Part 1910).
GUIDELINE
To operate as safely and effectively on emergency scenes as possible, the volunteer fire
department has established the following procedures which shall be adhered to by all personnel.
DEFINITIONS
IDLH Atmosphere: An atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive or asphyxiant
substance that poses an immediate threat to life or would cause irreversible or delayed adverse
health effects or would interfere with an individual’s ability to escape from a dangerous
atmosphere.
Rapid Intervention Team (RIT): A specifically designated team (minimum two members)
designed to provide personnel for the rescue of emergency service members operating at
emergency incidents if the need arises.
Incipient Fire: A fire in the initial or beginning stage which can be controlled or extinguished by
portable fire extinguishers. However, it is the intent of the fire department to deploy a minimum
of a 1 ¾ inch hand line any time there is a fire inside of a structure. Though the incipient fire
may actually be controlled by a smaller line or portable extinguisher, a 1 ¾ inch hand line shall
be used in most cases.
PAR: Personnel Accountability Report as defined in volunteer fire department G0G.
Qualified Firefighter: Any individual possessing a North Carolina Firefighter One Certification
or equivalent education.
PROCEDURES:
A. The first arriving company officer shall determine if the incident involves an “IDLH
atmosphere”. At no time shall individuals enter an IDLH atmosphere independently.
Teams of at least two (2) SCBA equipped personnel shall be required for entry into such
an atmosphere at all times.

B. In fire situations, it will be necessary for the incident commander to determine if the fire
is in the incipient stage. A team of two qualified firefighters may take action according to
standard operating procedures to extinguish an incipient fire without the establishment of
an RIT.
C. If the presence of an “IDLH atmosphere has been determined, and there are less than 5
qualified firefighters on the scene, the companies shall wait until at least 5 qualified
firefighters are assembled on the scene before initiating operations within the IDLH
atmosphere. Two qualified firefighters may begin operating within the IDLH atmosphere
as long as two additional qualified firefighters (properly trained and equipped) are outside
the IDLH atmosphere to serve as the initial RIT, and one person maintains the operation
of the pump. One of the two initial RIT members must be responsible for establishing the
on-scene accountability system. The second RIT member may be assigned other tasks
and/or functions so long as these tasks and/or functions can be abandoned, without
placing any personnel at additional risk, if rescue or assistance is needed.
D. Members operating in IDLH atmospheres must use SCBA and work in teams of two or
more. They must also maintain voice or visual contact with each other at all times.
Portable radios and/or safety rope tethering are not acceptable as replacements for voice
or visual contact. Radios can (and should) be used for fireground communications,
including communications between interior and exterior teams. They cannot, however, be
the sole tool for accounting for one’s partner during interior operations. Team members
must be in close proximity to each other to provide assistance in case of an emergency.
E. Until five firefighters are assembled, operations outside of the IDLH atmosphere shall
commence immediately in accordance with standard operating procedures. Such
operations include, but are not limited to: establishment of water supply; exterior fire
attack; establishment of a hot zone; utility control; ventilation; placement of ladders;
forcible entry; exposure protection; and any other exterior operations deemed appropriate
by the incident commander.
F. As the incident progresses to the point of more than one interior team, an identified and
dedicated Rapid Intervention Team shall be established and positioned immediately
outside the IDLH atmosphere. This team shall be fully outfitted with protective clothing
and SCBA with the air mask in a ready position to don, a portable radio, and other
required rescue equipment. Both team members will be dedicated to perform rescue and
shall not be assigned other duties (except for incident accountability) unless a
replacement team member is assigned. A charged hose line shall be dedicated to this
team.

G. If the incident is in a high or mid-rise structure, large area facility, or other areas with
multiple IDLH atmospheres, the incident commander shall establish the necessary
number of rapid intervention teams so that rescue can be accomplished without a
deployment delay. A team should be considered for each remote access point on any
large facility. The incident commander will be responsible for determining the number of
teams needed based on the specifics of the incident.
H. If a firefighter(s) becomes trapped, disabled, or otherwise in need of assistance by the

Rapid Intervention Team, the incident commander shall announce this action to Fire
Alarm via radio. In turn Fire Alarm shall simulcast the emergency message signal and
announce that a rescue is in progress. All radio traffic not directly related to the
firefighter(s) rescue shall cease immediately to facilitate the rescue. An immediate
personnel accountability report (PAR) shall be conducted. The incident commander shall
then assign personnel to assist in the rescue and to assist the rapid intervention team as
deemed appropriate. The RIT shall continue to inform the incident commander of their
progress and actions taken during the rescue.
I. Should the incident commander order a building evacuation, a PAR shall be conducted
(as outlined in the Operations Manual, Book Number 3, and Personnel Accountability
System”) immediately after the building has been evacuated. The RIT shall remain in
place for immediate activation should a team fail to report during the PAR.
EXCEPTIONS:
A. If upon arrival at a fire emergency, members find a fire in its incipient stage,
extinguishment of such a fire shall be permitted with less than five persons on the scene.
Extinguishment of outside fires such as dumpster, brush, or automobiles, shall be
permitted with less than five persons, even if SCBA are being worn.
B. If upon arrival at the scene, members find an imminent life-threatening situation or

probable life threatening situation where immediate action may prevent the loss of life or
serious injury, such action shall be permitted with less than five persons on the scene
when the probability of a rescue is made in accordance with normal size-up indicators
and fireground evaluation factors. (Examples: report of persons inside, signs of persons
inside, etc.)
The incident commander shall evaluate the situation, considering the occupancy, time of
day, day of week, reports from persons on the scene, signs that persons may be inside the
structure, etc. Entry may be considered if signs indicate a probable victim rescue. In the
absence of clear signs or a report from a responsible person on the scene that people are
in the structure, it is to be assumed that no life hazard exists and interior attack shall not
be initiated until the minimum five (5) persons arrive on the scene.

C. If members are going to initiate actions that would involve entering an “IDLH
atmosphere” because of a probable or imminent life-threatening situation where
immediate action may prevent the loss of life or serious injury, and personnel are not on
the scene to establish an initial rapid intervention team, the members should carefully
evaluate the level of risk that they would be exposed to by taking such actions. In all
cases a minimum of two (2) people shall form the entry team.
D. If it is determined that the situation warrants immediate intervention and five people are
not on the scene, the incident commander shall notify Fire Alarm of the intent to enter the
“IDLH atmosphere” prior to the availability of a rapid intervention team. Fire Alarm shall
then notify all responding companies of this action and receive acknowledgment from
each company that the transmission was received.
E. Should the incident commander on the scene deviate from this guideline, the actions
taken shall be documented on the fire incident report and forwarded through the chain of
command to the fire chief The narrative of this report shall be by the incident commander
and outline the reasons, rationale, justification, and end result of the deviation from the
standard operating procedure. All information in the report shall be of enough depth so as
to provide a comprehensive understanding of the actions taken.

May Day GOG #: Revision:
May Day
PURPOSE
The purpose of this guideline is to identify the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved at
an incident where a “May-Day” has been transmitted.
GUIDELINE
The radio message “May-Day” will be used by firefighters to report their status as being lost,
trapped or injured and in need of rescue. Any member may use a “May-Day” to report a lost
firefighter. Any report of “May-Day” will receive priority radio traffic. The term “May-Day”
will be reserved only to report a lost, trapped or injured firefighter.
PROCEDURE
In the event of a firefighter(s) becoming trapped, lost, entangled, disoriented, and injured or in
need of other assistance, the firefighter(s) shall remain calm. The firefighter should call on the
operations or dispatch channel and state “May-Day May-Day May-Day” to clear the radio traffic
on that channel once the IC has acknowledged the “May-Day”. You should give:
1. Your radio number.
2. Your crew’s designation.
3. What your status is in regards to any injuries or entrapments.
4. What the fire and smoke conditions are.
5. Your point of entry into the structure.
6. Your last know position.
7. Your air supply status.
You should move to a safe location if possible and activate your PASS alarm and remain in radio
contact with command and the RIT team as long as possible. Stay in one location so that we can
find your if you move around we will have to chase you so please remain in one location.
The guidelines outlined on the following pages will be followed at ANY incident involving the
use of a “May-Day”.
Command Responsibilities
Command will maintain an awareness of the location of firefighters on the fire ground primarily
through assignments and the individual accountability system. In the event that a firefighter
cannot be located through a PAR (Personnel Accountability Record), or any other time a
firefighter is missing. Any member can announce a “May-Day”. The term “May-Day” will
indicate a lost, trapped or injured firefighter. Command shall respond to a “May-Day” by
implementing a rescue plan for the firefighter(s) through communication with the leader of the
Rapid Intervention Team (RIT).

Missing Firefighter
Company Officers and individual firefighters who suspect a firefighter is missing must notify the
Incident Commander (IC) immediately. The IC MUST ALWAYS assume that the missing
firefighter is lost in the building until the member is located and accounted for. The system must
include the ability to identify when a firefighter is going to be delayed beyond his / her SCBA
airtime. The plan should include:
• Fire operations during rescue efforts
• Expanding organization
• Establishing/deploying RIT
• Assign an Officer to manage the rescue / RIT
• Medical Operations
• Safety
• Support Activities
Change the Strategy and Plan to a High Priority Effort

The IC must restructure his / her strategy and action plan to include a firefighter rescue effort.
This may seem obvious to most. However, incident commanders can become overwhelmed by
the emotion related to the crisis at hand and may become hooked on reacting to tasks rather than
looking at the global picture. This can lead to disorganization and delays that can be fatal to the
missing firefighter.
Accurate information must be immediately obtained. Rapid commitment of the RIT must occur.
These resources must be organized and controlled. The command organization must expand. The
strategy, plan, and objectives must be quickly communicated to the Command Staff and Sector
Officers. The plan and rescue activities must be continually monitored and revised as necessary.
Conditions and updated information cause changes in plan and objectives. The IC must
communicate any changes to the Command Staff and Sector Officers.
Immediately Request Additional Alarms

In many situations, all resources on-scene may already be committed to firefighting positions.
Some firefighters may already be approaching physical exhaustion; their SCBA’s may be nearly
empty. Relocating committed forces is difficult and slow. At least one additional station with an
EMS unit and an additional RIT should be immediately requested upon report of a lost, trapped,
or injured firefighter. Additional resources may be requested based on circumstances and
potential. There should be no hesitation in requesting additional resources.

Include EMS when Requesting Additional Resources

Medical personnel will be needed to treat and assist rescued firefighters. The IC must ensure that
an adequate number of paramedics are responding as well as an adequate number of ambulances
to transport injured firefighters. The IC should understand that the situation is critical, and that
firefighters tend to overexert themselves when searching for a missing firefighter, resulting in
additional firefighters being injured. Adequate medical resources must be ready and available
and on site.
Commit the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT)

All working structure fires will have a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) assigned. This team shall
be fully outfitted with protective clothing, SCBA, etc., and monitoring all radio traffic. Upon
report of a missing firefighter, the IC has a completely fresh crew fully outfitted, available for
commitment to an immediate search and rescue of the last known area of the missing
firefighter(s). The RIT must be immediately sent to the rescue are. Once the RIT is mobilized,
another RIT must be started to take their position in waiting.
Withdraw Companies from the Affected Area, if Appropriate, to obtain a PAR and
Reconnaissance Information
In some situations, such as a collapse or explosion, crewmembers may get separated. The only
practical method to obtain an accurate PAR of effected crews may be to withdraw them to the
exterior. In addition, withdrawal may be the only way to quickly obtain accurate information and
reconnaissance on exactly where trapped members may be, routing to victims, debris locations,
and the type of rescue equipment that may be needed for extrication. Once the roll call and
reconnaissance information is quickly obtained, crews can be re-assembled into a more
organized rescue effort.
Withdrawal is a judgment call based on circumstances at the time, information available, and
resources. It may not be practical or possible to do so. However the absolute need for an accurate
roll call and information on missing firefighters remains a critical priority. If it is determined not
to withdrawn, a detailed roll call must be obtained from each sector for all crews operating under
his / her direction.
Do not Abandon Firefighting Positions — Hold Positions and Prevent Fire Spread
The reasons for the RIT and the immediate request for additional resources, becomes very clear
with this critical fire ground need. If a missing firefighter(s) is to survive, the IC must keep fire
fighters out of the rescue area. With a RIT in place, the IC can initiate an immediate rescue effort
without withdrawing or relocating fire combat companies.
In most situations the IC cannot allow fire spread. If anything, these fire combat positions need
to be reinforced. Additional companies should be sent to priority positions to keep the fire out of
the rescue area.

Individual Responsibilities
• To follow directions from superiors
• To continue with assignment unless otherwise directed
• To keep your cool
Every member on the scene should listen specifically for a “May-Day” as fire ground noise
could cover a call for the “May-Day”.
Dispatch Center Guideline

When an emergency responder identifies that he/she, or a member of his/her team, is lost,
entangled, trapped, disoriented, injured or in need of assistance, he/she shall (if possible)
transmit a verbal message on the tactical channel to Incident Command and state:
“MAY-DAY, MAY-DAY, MAY-DAY”
Upon receipt of a “MAY-DAY” from Incident Command, C-COMM shall immediately transmit
alert tone three (3) for three (3) seconds followed by a verbal message stating “MAY-DAY
Acknowledged, all fire ground operations switch your traffic to Operations channel (e.g., Fire
2, Fire 3, State Fire)”. This message shall be stated on both the dispatch (e.g., County Fire 1 or
Monroe Fire) and operations channel for that incident. In addition, the channel marker shall be
activated in order to provide an open and clear frequency for which the Mayday was transmitted.
The C-COMM Supervisor shall take over all other EMS/Fire channels and the EMS/Fire
telecommunicator along with the Incident Commander or their designee shall monitor the
channel that the Mayday was transmitted on. C-COMM Supervisor shall dispatch one (1)
additional EMS unit and one (1) additional fire station, emergency traffic to the staging area, or
unless otherwise directed by Incident Command. In addition, the on-duty EMS Supervisor and
the on-call Fire Investigator shall be notified.
All fire channels shall be monitored closely for any transmissions by the missing firefighter(s). If
the missing firefighter(s) transmits on another channel other than the assigned operations
channel, the telecommunicator shall remain in contact with that firefighter, and C-COMM shall
notify Incident Command. It is essential that once communications have been established, they
not be lost.
At the time Incident Command advises the “MAY-DAY” situation is clear, the
telecommunicator shall advise on the dispatch (e.g., County Fire 1, Monroe Fire) and operations
channel (Fire 1, Fire 2, State Fire) “MAY-DAY CLEAR, ALL UNITS RESUME NORMAL
RADIO TRAFFIC”

Incident Command GOG #: Revision:
Incident Command
PURPOSE
The National Incident Management System recommends the following position statement related
to the use of incident command and the role of the Incident Commander:
GUIDELINE
All fire personnel should operate under the National Incident Management System; all fire
fighters ground commanders are to announce a fixed command post position when establishing
command; all fire ground commanders are to remain in the command post and not roam around
the incident or participate in tactical operations; and fire ground commanders should utilize fire
ground functional supervisors to relay operational information in order to maintain effective
communications and safe incident management.
Basis
The basis for this position is our deep concern for the safety of our firefighters and the
knowledge that Incident command is still not being used properly or in some instances not being
established at any point during an operation. There have been instances where the Incident
Commander has not established a point (location) of command and/or the Incident Commander
roams from one side of a structure to the other and in some cases has actually entered the
structure as the Incident Commander. In fact, the position of Incident Commander is
compromised and becomes ineffective when this occurs. This type of behavior does not comply
with recognized Incident Command protocol and more importantly it compromises the safety of
every firefighter on the fire scene.
Historical studies of catastrophic events involving firefighters are rarely attributed to lack of
resources or the breakdown of tactical operations. These studies do however, regretfully, point
toward inadequate incident management as the single most common reason for incidents
resulting in multiple firefighter deaths. It is sad to say that history continues to repeat itself and
we continue to experience needless tragedies among our ranks because of our lack of
commitment to proven methods of effective incident management.
Basic Principles
The following comments are offered as an endorsement for utilizing Incident Command, and a
challenge and an appeal for all fire ground commanders to function within the established
parameters of Incident Command. All elements of the ICS should be utilized to the fullest with
special emphasis on the basic principles of incident command - identifying the Incident
Commander, identifying the physical location of the command post, manageable span of control,
identifying the chain of command, providing for unity of command and the accountability of
responders. These basic principles should be established in the earliest stages of all incidents.

The Incident Commander for the typical incident will and should assume command and
announce the location of a field command post. The Incident Commander then remains in charge
unless formally relieved providing a single point of contact for individual fire ground
supervisor’s functional areas. This type of action allows for the IC to manage the total operation
providing for a manageable span of control thus creating the safest fire ground organizational
structure currently available to the fire service.
The following are points of interest taken from the ICS -#300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding
Incidents student manual. These principles clarify reporting relationships and eliminate the
confusion caused by multiple, conflicting directives. Incident managers at all levels must be able
to command the incident and control the action of all personnel under their supervision:
Manageable Span of Control: Span of control is the key to effective and efficient incident
management. Supervisors must be able to adequately supervise and control their subordinates, as
well as communicate with and manage all resources under their supervision. Within the Incident
Command System, the span of control of any individual with incident management supervisory
responsibility should range from three to seven subordinates
• Chain of Command: Chain of command refers to the orderly line of authority within the
ranks of the incident management organization
• Unity of Command: Every individual has a designated supervisor to whom he or she
reports to at the scene of the incident. Each individual involved in incident operations will
be assigned to only one supervisor
• Accountability: Effective accountability at all jurisdictional levels and within individual
functional areas during incident operations is essential. To that end, the following
principles must be adhered to:
o Check In — All responders, regardless of agency affiliation, must report in to receive
an assignment in accordance with the procedures established by the Incident
Commander;
o Incident Action Plan (lAP) — Response operations must be directed and coordinated
as outlined by the lAP;
o Resource Tracking — Supervisors must record and report resource status changes as
they occur.
Conclusion
All personnel should be trained and exposed to the principles of Incident Command. All
personnel should be held accountable to follow the incident command system on all emergency
incidents.
Emergency operations cannot be managed effectively and personnel cannot be accounted for
adequately without an established incident command system. The basic principles should be
adhered to on every incident. The use of “roving command post” and “freelancing” on any
emergency incident should not be permitted.
The facts reveal that a consistent cause of multiple firefighter deaths on fire scenes is the lack of
incident command. We owe our emergency responders the most earnest attention, commitment
and dedication to this most important safety issue.

Accountability GOG #: Revision:
Accountability
PURPOSE
• This guideline identifies a system of incident site firefighter accountability.
• To account for all firefighters, at any time, within the most dangerous area of an incident.
• Use of a Personnel Accountability System will provide enhanced personnel safety for the
individual firefighter, and will provide the incident command organization staff an
improved means to track and account for all personnel and their whereabouts within the
danger area.
The danger area will be defined as any area that requires an SCBA, charged hose line, and
special protective clothing or in which a firefighter is at risk of becoming lost, trapped, or injured
by the environment or structure. This would include entering a structure reported to be on fire,
operating in close proximity to the structure during exterior operations, brush/forest fire,
confined space or trench rescue, etc.
SCOPE
All New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue personnel, riding guest firefighters.
RESPONSIBILITY
All fire department members and duty officers.
SAFETY
Accountability involves a personal commitment to work within the safety system at an

incident. It will be the responsibility of individual firefighters and other personnel at the
incident to keep their officers informed of their activities and whereabouts. Freelancing
of activities will not be permitted and can lead to injury and death of the firefighter and
others.

ACCOUNTABILITY EQUIPMENT
The accountability equipment should include:
• Two (2) ID tags

o Tags will have as a minimum firefighters name and ID Number.
o White Tags for Chief Officers.
o Red Tags for SCBA approved members who can perform interior operations.
o Yellow Tags for members who are NOT approved to perform interior operations
with SCBA.
Each apparatus should have one (1) collection ring fixed to the apparatus at the pump panel.
A status board should be available to the incident commander and to any division or
accountability officer collecting tags.
PROCEDURE
• To enhance accountability and to improve tracking of firefighters in the danger area, a
two (2) tag system will be used.
• One tag should be affixed to a collection ring on the apparatus prior to entering a
dangerous area.
• Upon arrival the collection ring should be turned into command, an accountability officer
or designated accountability location upon request, otherwise it is left on the apparatus
until requested.
• The initial accountability location may be the first arriving apparatus.
• As additional equipment and crews arrive and prior to entering the danger zone,
accountability collection rings will be turned in at the designated accountability location.
• Chief or Senior Officers after assuming command will collect the accountability rings
and as the incident escalates place the collection rings on a status board.
• The status board will contain only the tags of those crews in the danger zone.
Crews/companies or individuals exiting the danger zone will retrieve their accountability
tags or collection ring.
• The second tag must be turned in at the entry point to the building or danger zone.
The division or accountability officer who will track the assignments of teams on a status board
will collect these tags. When no officer is available for this collection, the tags will be placed at
the designated entry point accountability location. Team members will retrieve their tags
immediately upon exiting the danger zone.

Member arriving in POV’s

Individual firefighters arriving via personal vehicle should report to the Command Post and have
their ID tag affixed to the company or area they are assigned to.
No member should enter a danger area without first reporting to the IC or designated
accountability officer. An accountability ID tag must be submitted prior to being assigned.
Accountability Supervisors/Division Supervisors

Accountability Supervisors will be responsible to track and account for all personnel working in
their division/exposure or danger area.
Division Supervisors will always maintain an accurate tracking and awareness of

crews/individual firefighters assigned to them. This will require the Division/Exposure
Supervisor to be in his/her assigned area and maintaining close supervision of crews assigned.
Terminating the accountability system

Accountability will be maintained at least through a report of “fire or situation under control”, at
which time a roll call for all crews should be obtained.
Command will determine at that time, based on the situation and risk as to whether to continue
with the accountability procedure.
If visibility is still impaired or a significant hazardous condition still exists, command may
choose to extend the accountability system beyond “situation under control”.
Upon termination or release from the incident, the Supervisors or crew leaders will ensure that
the tags are returned to the firefighters.

POV Operations GOG #: Revision:
POV Operations
PURPOSE
To establish guidelines while responding to the volunteer fire department incidents, functions
and meetings in privately owned vehicles (POV).
GUIDELINE
• Motor Vehicle Laws
The most significant risk associated with allowing volunteers to respond in their personal
vehicles is that they may operate them as if they are emergency vehicles. All too often
this leads to accidents. While state motor vehicle laws address this issue, personal
vehicles are not emergency vehicles and are not permitted the same, if any, exemptions to
motor vehicle laws. For example, while licensed emergency vehicles are allowed to
exceed the posted speed limit, move against the normal flow of traffic and proceed
though a negative intersection control device, personal vehicles driven by volunteers are
required to obey the state motor vehicle law.
• Courtesy Lights
State motor vehicle laws address the use of red “courtesy lights”. Basically these are a
visual request asking other drivers to allow you to pass them upon approach. They are not
a demand for right of way, nor do they permit the driver to illegally pass or speed up to
overtake any vehicle.
PROCEDURES
• Members responding in personal vehicle must obey state motor vehicle laws with respect
to courtesy light and siren privileges.
• Courtesy lights must not be used by volunteers as a license to operate their personal
vehicles as if they are emergency vehicles. All courtesy lights should be approved by the
Chief of the Fire Department.
• Volunteers responding in personal vehicles should never exceed the posted speed limit.
• Volunteers responding in personal vehicles should come to a complete stop at all stop
signs and red traffic signals and must wait for normal right of way before proceeding.
• Any member responding to an emergency call should park at a minimum of 200 feet.
away from the address of the emergency call location.
• No personal vehicles should block any fire apparatus or fire hydrant. The member should
be responsible for any consequences that results in his/her blocking any fire apparatus or
hydrants.
• Members responding to an EMS call should park in a manner not to block any access or
exit ways in which an ambulance will travel.
• Individual volunteers must have personal auto liability insurance with appropriate
liability limits that protect not only the volunteer but also your organization.

APPENDIX 8

FIRE RESPONSE DATA

APPENDIX 9

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT
MAP

Gasoline Pipeline
Underground
Barn
This map illustrates:

• Target Hazards
• Population Density Area
Group • LEPC (HazMat) Sites
• Risks with limited
Home
Church
Henkles & Horse available water supply
McCoy Garage Farm
Schools
55 & Over
Community
School
Girl Scout
Camp
Battery
Storage
Hall
Churches

APPENDIX 10

MAP ILLUSTRATING 1.5 MILE
PUMPER RESPONSE CAPABILITY

Illustration Shows:
1.5 Mile Pumper
Travel Distance
(Road miles from fire station)
Yellow = Sassamansville VFC
Green = New Hanover VFC

APPENDIX 11

MAP ILLUSTRATING 2.5 MILE
AERIAL LADDER
RESPONSE CAPABILITY

Illustration Shows:
2.5 Mile Ladder Travel Distance
(Road miles from fire station)
Red = New Hanover VFC

APPENDIX 12
SAMPLE PRE-EMERGENCY PLAN

FORMAT16
16
Jenaway, W.F., Pre-Emergency Planning, ISFSI, Ashland, MA, 1984.

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES
FACILITY PRE-PLANNING REPORT
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS _____________________________________________ DATE ______________

TYPE OCCUPANCY ________________________________________________________
BUSINESS NAME ___________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE: BUSINESS ______________________ EMERGENCY _________________
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OCCUPANT _______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
BUILDING DIMENSIONS: LENGTH _________ WIDTH ________ # FLOORS________
STRUCTURAL NOTES (FIRE WALLS, BREACHES, ETC.) ___________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
DOLLAR STOCK CONCENTRATION:
STOCK SQ. FT. STOCK/BLDG. VALUE
BUILDING _______________
TOTAL
COMMENTS:

II. UTILITIES
HEAT: TYPE ______________ SIZE ______________ LOCATION (H) ______________

COOL: TYPE ______________ SIZE ______________ LOCATION (C) ______________
GAS SHUT-OFF (G) LOCATION ______________________________________________
CO. NAME/PHONE NO. ________________________________________________
ELECTRIC SHUT-OFF LOCATION (EL) _________________________________________
CO. NAME/PHONE NO. _________________________________________________
STEAM/OTHER SHUT-OFF LOCATION (S) _____________________________________
CO. NAM/PHONE NO. __________________________________________________
WATER SHUT-OFF LOCATION (W) ___________________________________________
CO. NAME/PHONE NO. _________________________________________________
COMMENTS: ______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
III. EXTERIOR
OBSTRUCTIONS:
FENCES _ VEHICLES _ WIRES _
WALLS _ EQUIPMENT _ TREES _
GATES _ PRODUCTS _ SIGNS _
OTHER/COMMENT _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
EXPOSURES:
N: CONSTRUCTION _________________ HEIGHT _________ DISTANCE ________
OCCUPANCY ______________________________________________________
S: CONSTRUCTION _________________ HEIGHT _________ DISTANCE ________
OCCUPANCY ______________________________________________________
E: CONSTRUCTION _________________ HEIGHT _________ DISTANCE ________
OCCUPANCY ______________________________________________________
W: CONSTRUCTION ________________ HEIGHT _________ DISTANCE ________
OCCUPANCY ______________________________________________________
IV. WATER SUPPLY
SOURCE ______________________________________ TYPE _______________________
HYDRANT LOCATION/GPM AVAILABLE _____________________________________
GPM NEEDED:
1. BUILDING LENGTH X WIDTH + 1,000
10 = _______
2. (HT. IN STORIES – 1) X 500 = _______
3. EXPOSURES 0’ – 30’ = 2,000 31’ – 60’ = 1,500 = _______
61’ – 90’ = 1,000 91’ + = 500 = _______
4. IF NONHAZARDOUS OCCUPANCY, SUBTRACT ¼ OF (1 + 2 + 3) = _______

5. IF FIRE RESISTIVE OR SEMI-FIRE RESISTIVE BUILDING,
SUBTRACT 1/3 OF (1 + 2 + 3) =( )
6. IF BUILDING IS AUTOMATICALLY SPRINKLERED,
SUBTRACT 1/10 OF (1 + 2 + 3) =( )
GPM TOTAL REQUIRED _________
GPM AVAILABLE _________
GPM EXCESS OR (NEEDED) _________
COMMENTS _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
V. OTHER PROTECTION
F.D. CONNECTION A.S. F.D. CONNECTION STDP.
EXTINGUISHERS __________________________________________________
OTHER ___________________________________________________________
(NOTE ON DIAGRAM AS APPROPRIATE)
HOUSEKEEPING: GOOD FAIR POOR

SPECIAL HAZARDS/LOCATION/CONTROLLED (YES/NO)
* _____________________/_________________________/___________________
* _____________________/_________________________/___________________
* _____________________/_________________________/___________________
* _____________________/_________________________/___________________

VI. TACTICAL CONCERNS
RESCUE:
HIGHLY POPULATED AREAS _____________________________________________
NEED FOR _____________________________________________________________
INVALIDS ______________________________________________________________
HOW TO ACCOMPLISH _________________________________________________
FORCIBLE ENTRY/VENTILATION:
ACCESS POINTS ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
LOCKING METHODS ____________________________________________________
FORCING METHODS ____________________________________________________
BLIND OPENINGS _______________________________________________________
FALSE CEILINGS/COCKLOFTS ____________________________________________
POSSIBLE FIRE TRAVEL ROUTES ______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
METHODS TO CONTROL FIRE TRAVEL ________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
POTENTIAL MAN-TRAPS/DROP-OFFS ________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
ROOF LEVEL: CONSTRUCTION CONCERNS __________________________________
NOTE ON DRAWING: SCUTTLE HOLES _____ SKYLIGHTS _____ PENTHOUSE _____
HEAVY OBJECTS _____ PARAPETS _____ VENTS _____
OTHER ________________________________________________
COMMENTS ____________________________________________________________
ADJOINING STRUCTURE USE ________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION/TYPE OF: (INCLUDE ON DRAWINGS)

STAIRWAYS ____________________________________________________________
ELEVATORS (E) _________________________________________________________
FIRE ESCAPES __________________________________________________________
EVACUATION CONCERNS ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
SALVAGE NEEDS _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
VII. POTENTIAL NONFIRE EMERGENCIES

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FLOOD WINDSTORM/TORNADO
EARTHQUAKE VEHICLE SNOW
BOMB OTHER
__________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
EMERGENCY MEDICAL NEEDS ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
VII. GENERAL COMMENTS

IX. BUILDING PLANS
PLOT (SHOW RELATIONSHIPS OF BUILDING, STREET, EXPOSURES, WATER SUPPLY)

FLOOR (SHOW FOR EACH FLOOR: ROOMS, WALLS, DOORS, KEY ACCESS POINTS)
ROOF (SHOW LOCATION OF ALL OBJECTS)
TACTICAL (SHOW TACTICAL APPROACH TO INCIDENT)
MIX AND MATCH TO SHOW BEST DESCRIPTION

APPENDIX 13
RISK ASSESSMENT BY PLANNING ZONE

SAMPLE REPORT

Planning Area 11
FIRE-RESCUE RISK LEVEL – MEDIUM
This planning area in the east portion of the township is comprised of primarily single family
houses of frame construction, ranging from approximately 1,200 square feet to 1,800 square feet.
The Westwood Shopping Center is also located in this planning area, as is the Westwood Farms
Swim Club (with a 1-story ordinary construction structure), several small commercial properties,
a church, and the Westwood Farms Elementary School (a 1 story non-combustible school
building) which houses some 456 students. This is an extremely dense housing area, with small
dwellings and small lots. There are some 411 housing units. The Westwood Shopping Center is
comprised of a 30,000 square foot grocery store and several smaller stores, all of which are
sprinklered. There is a diagram for the Westwood Shopping Center, but no pre-emergency plan
has been developed. There are several small streams determined to be of no significance in this
planning area, as well as St. James Cemetery and John Phillips Sousa Park. A water supply
deficiency was identified by ISO for this planning area.
There is one target fire hazard in this Planning Area.

1. The CSX Rail Line presents numerous challenges such as rail accidents and brush
fires to name the most common. A Local Emergency Planning Commission Survey
and Analysis was not available for review, nor was it known if one was completed,
yet should be to understand the types of rail cars traversing the township and the
probability of a related incident. The CSX Railroad crosses the coverage area east
to west with freight and Regional Rail commuters (average daily riders 13,000) rail
line running north and south. While Regional Rail is technically not in the
township, the fire company is the primary responder.
There are no non-fire target hazards in this planning area.
Planning Area 11’s Fire Rescue Risk Level is rated MEDIUM based on the following empirical
and anecdotal data.
1. Historically, this planning area experiences between 1 and 5% of total fire service
responses each year which places it in the MEDIUM risk level.
2. The population density for this area is 1,142 as compared to an average of 551 per
planning area.
3. There are no significant fire threats in this planning area, however, the density of housing
and related population, water supply deficiencies identified by ISO, and the location of a
significant size elementary school present a greater than average probability for
responses.
A pre-emergency plan should be prepared for:

- Westwood Shopping Center
- CSX Rail Line

Additional required resources (needed water supply, apparatus type and number, staffing levels
and patterns, unique hazards and the method to manage the hazard, and mutual aid) for the target
hazards identified are indicated in specific response dispatch procedures. Copies are attached.
THIS INFO IS THEN INDICATED ON A MUNICIPAL MAP WHICH RELATES THE RISK
LEVEL TO OTHER PORTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. AN OVERLAY TO A WATER
SUPPLY MAP SHOWING DEFICIENT AREAS, AS WELL AS AREAS WHERE
STRUCTURES REQUIRE LADDERING OR EXCESS STAFFING REQUIREMENTS ARE
ALL COMPONENTS TO DETERMINE NEEDED RESOURCES.

APPENDIX 14
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PLAN

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIC PLAN
FOR THE
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES
October, 2010
In today’s world, whether an organization is totally volunteer, a combination services or

paid/career, recruiting and retaining quality personnel is challenging, time consuming and critical
to sustaining effective operations.
As part of this project, the following information was developed to assist New Hanover
Township Fire & Rescue Services in enhancing their recruitment and retention efforts.
Recruiting members to meet the needs of the organization and then keeping those individuals
involved in the service is critical to sustaining the value brought to the community through
neighbors helping neighbors.
The following chart provides an approach for use by the department to plan its recruitment and
retention activities. A reference text with supporting details and other useful tools for
implementation is provided under separate cover.

2011 – 2012 Recruitment and Retention Plan
Activity Timing Resource & Location Responsibility Status

1. Assign a 1/11 Use program criteria from Assigned by
Recruitment support documents. NHFRS
& Retention Recruit local corporate
Committee and Human Resource/Marketing
develop staff to assist.
benchmarks for
success
2. Implement 1/11 Use program criteria from Assigned by
Everyone Get through support documents NHFRS
One Campaign 4/11
3. Conduct 1/11 Use program criteria from Assigned by
Junior Firefighter support documents NHFRS
Recruiting
Drive in
High School
4. Determine 2/11 “USFA Recruitment and Assigned by
other possible Retention Manual” NHFRS
initiatives from
“Volunteer
Recruitment
& Retention
Manual” provided
5. Poll members of 3/11 Use program criteria from Assigned by
additional support documents NHFRS
incentives of
interest to
members
6. Implement 6/11 Local Sources Assigned by
incentives of through NHFRS
interest to 12/11
members
7. Develop budget 9/11
for 2010
Recruitment &
Retention
Initiatives
8. Live in Program
TBD – local issues
TBD – local issues

Create 2012 Plan 12/11
based on success and
failure in 2011

APPENDIX 15
APPARATUS REPLACEMENT
COST PROJECTION

CONCEPTUAL APPARATUS AND MAJOR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT PLAN
UNIT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031
Engine 37 2010 701,402 0
Ladder 37 2000 1,008,363 0
Rescue 37 2000 853,230 0
Command 37 0
Command 37-1 0
Engine 68 1996 510,512 0
Field 68 2010 366,287
Tanker 68 2010 800,000
Service 68 1994 214,160 384,602
0
0
0
0
0
STATION 0 0
0
0
Bunker Gear? 0
SCBA? 0
Computers? 0
Pagers? 0
Large Diameter hose? 0
Radios? 0
0
TOTALS BY YEAR 0 0 0 214160 0 510512 0 0 0 1861593 0 0 0 0 366287 384602 0 0 0 1501402
0
TAX INCOME 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 200,000
EQUIP SALE INCOME 0 0 5,000 0 0 46,371 0 0 114,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 62,137 0 10 0 0 0
INTEREST INCOME 2,629 5,284 7,966 9,346 12,068 15,017 13,824 16,791 19,788 12,807 15,764 18,751 21,768 24,814 27,891 30,999 28,528 31,643 32,640 35,795 0
EXPENSE 0 0 0 214,160 0 511,022 0 0 0 1,861,593 0 0 0 0 366,287 384,602 0 0 0 1,501,402 0
ACCOUNT BALANCE 0 205,284 418,250 413,436 625,504 375,870 589,694 806,485 1,140,273 -508,513 -292,749 -73,998 147,770 372,584 234,188 142,722 371,250 602,903 835,543 -430,064 0
Program assumes $20,000 reserved annually for capital purchases. The actual amount reserved and when vehicles are purchased would be determined by the Management Team
Expense includes annualized expenses indicated, plus current indebtedness
THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATIVE PROJECTION, WITH MANY VARIABLES, ALL OF WHICH REQUIRE DECISION BY THE MANAGEMENT TEAM
AS CAN BE SEEN, A FINANCIAL PLAN NEEDS TO BE DESIGNED, AS A $20,000 ALLOCATION OF TAX DOLLARS PER YEAR WILL NOT MEET THE EXPENSE PROJECTIONS TO REPLACE BASIC EQUIPMENT
Vehicle costs used as baselines are Engine = $400,000, Ladder = $750,000, Service Vehicles - $130,000, with a 3% increase annually.

APPENDIX 16
VEHICLE ASSESSMENT FORM

VEHICLE ASSESSMENT
(conducted every 3 years)
Unit # ____________________________________ Date _______________
Vehicle ____________________________ VIN ___________________
Vehicle Component Rating* Adversely Affects State Inspection
Engine _____
Chassis _____
Transmission _____
Axles _____
Electrical _____
Pump _____
Tank _____
Steering _____
Body _____
Aerial Device _____
Ability to access parts

& readily repair vehicle _____
Comments: ___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Projected Life _____ Years Signed ____________________________ EVT
*Rating Definition: 1 = works well, no problems

2 = any problems resolved by routine maintenance
3 = problem is manageable
4 = major repair required in next 12 months, costing over $5,000
5 = not functional

APPENDIX 17
FIRE SERVICE FUNDING MODEL

FUNDING BUCKET: COMPANY FUND BUCKET
Income Streams
Sassamansville New Hanover

Fund Drives/Solicitation
Social Events
Grants
Social Club
Rental Income
Miscellaneous
Dues
Cell Tower
Fund Raising
Misc. Donations
Misc. Revenues
Interest
TOTAL
Expense Components – Actual Expenses Reported

Mortgages/Loans
Facility Maintenance
Insurance
Misc (less $5k for audit)
Fire Prevention
Salaries
Memberships
Contracts
Subscriptions
Donations
Welfare
Social Functions
TOTAL
NET DIFFERENCE
TOTAL NET DIFFERENCE

ALLOCATION PROPOSED
EXPENSES
Utilities
Facility Fuel
Apparatus Maintenance
Apparatus Fuel
Incentives
General Expenses
Annual Audit
Workers’ Comp
Legal Fees
Office Supplies (200/mo)
Firefighting Equipment
Postage
Utilities at $4 per square foot of fire department operations (excluding social clubs).
Apparatus maintenance at contract service $2,500/vehicle, plus $2,000 parts, etc. per vehicle per
year.
Incentives at rate of $300 per member at 10% participation rate (only one company per person).
General Expense = phone actual + internet + water + sewer + trash
$200 per VOLUNTEER (215) would be allocated to a LENGTH OF SERVICE FUND to be

held by the township ($43,000). Relief would pay for any physicals costs for members.

FUNDING BUCKET: MISCELLANEOUS FUND BUCKET
Income Streams

Fund Raising – Misc.
Miscellaneous Donations
Misc. Revenue
Interest
TOTAL
Expense Components – Actual Expenses Reported

Mortgages/Loans
Facility Maintenance
Insurance
Misc (less $5k for audit)
Fire Prevention
TOTAL
NET DIFFERENCE
NET DIFFERENCE

APPENDIX 18
SAMPLE
DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

APPENDIX 19
BILLING SERVICE

RESOLUTION NO. ______
A RESOLUTION OF THE NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

RECOGNIZING THE AUTHORITY OF THE FIRE COMPANIES SERVING THE
TOWNSHIP TO SEEK REIMBURESEMENT FOR FIRE AND RESCUE RESPONSES,
HAZARDOUS MATERIAALS ABATEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL INCIDENTS, AND
OTHER EMERGENCY INCIDENTS.
WHEREAS: The New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company and Sassamansville Volunteer Fire
Company are providers of services for New Hanover Township, and
WHEREAS: The fire companies respond to fire and rescue incidents, hazardous material
incidents, environmental incidents, and other emergencies, and
WHEREAS: Said responses may involve the use of fire and rescue equipment and materials and
hazardous material abatement equipment and materials.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of New Hanover

Township hereby authorize the fire companies to recover the reasonable costs of fire fighting
materials and hazardous abatement equipment and materials involved in any hazardous materials
incident, environmental incident, or fire and rescue incident or operation, including vehicular
accidents. Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned reasonable costs, the fire companies
shall be authorized to collect reasonable interest as well as reasonable administrative fee for
collective the same and any and all additional fees as authorized by any statue, case law or
common law.
Resolved and Adopted: _____________________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Fire and Rescue Services Billing Fees
(hazardous materials incidents)
HAZ-MAT $ UNLIMITED
Where the incident requires a hazardous materials team response, the rate of service time shall be
calculated at
$125 per hour per vehicle assigned to the incident
$500 per hour for the hazardous materials team assigned to the incident
Per item charge for all absorbent/control materials used, based on retail product prices

PROPOSED ORDINANCE:
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ORDINANCE NO. ____ OF 201_
AN ORDINACE REGULATING THE CLEANUP AND REMOVAL OF HAZARDOUS

MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS, DELIVERY OF FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES, AND
PROVIDING FOR THE RECOVERY OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE COSTS THERETO:
AND NOW, this ____ day of __________, 200_, the Board of Supervisors of New Hanover
Township hereby enacts and ordains as follows:
SECTION 1. The New Hanover Township Code of Ordinances is hereby amended by adding to
Chapter __, pertaining to fire prevention and fire protection, and a new segment to read as
follows:
___ Public Nuisance. New Hanover Township hereby declares as a public nuisance the unsafe
storage or deposit of any hazardous material or chemical within New Hanover Township.
___ Definition of “Hazardous Materials”. For the purpose of this Part, “hazardous materials”
shall mean any of the following
a. Any substance listed in the list of toxic pollutants found in 40 C.F.R. 401.15 as
amended.
b. Any substance designated as a hazardous material by applicable laws of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
c. Any compressed gas, explosive, flammable liquid, flammable solid, oxidizer, poison,
or radioactive material. For purposes of this Ordinance, the foregoing listed
substances shall have the meanings set forth in Volume 49 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 173.
d. Any of the following: petroleum or petroleum products, explosives, pyrotechnics,

flammable gas, flammable compressed gas, non-flammable compressed gas,
flammable liquid, oxidizing material, any flammable material, poisonous gas,
poisonous liquid etiologic (biologic) agents, irritating material, material that causes
disease in humans, gas under such pressure that an explosion hazard exists,
radioactive material, corrosive material or liquefied petroleum gas.
___ Deposit of Hazardous Materials Cleanup or Abatement .

a. The New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company Chief and Sassamansville Volunteer Fire
Company Chief, the New Hanover Township Board of Supervisors, or their designees
shall have the authority to notify any person or entity who releases, discharges, or
deposits a hazardous material upon or onto any property or facilities in New Hanover
Township to clean-up or abate the effects of said hazardous material. The notification
shall be in writing, specify the hazard identified, and specify a reasonable time period
within which the hazardous material must be cleaned up and or abated. The Fire
Chiefs may take such action as is necessary to supervise or verify the adequacy of the
cleanup or abatement.
b. Any person or entity who disagrees with the contents of the notice may appeal to the
Board of Supervisors within five (5) days of receipt of the notice. Unless an
emergency situation exists (regarding hazardous materials) as determined under
Section 3(c) hereof, the order in the notice shall be stayed pending the outcome of the
appeal. The Board of Supervisors may affirm, modify or reverse the order in the
notice.
c. In the event any person or entity so notified fails to cleanup or abate the hazardous
material within the time period set forth in the notice or as modified by the Board of
Supervisors on appeal, the Fire and Rescue Services and the Township are authorized
to clean up or abate the effects of the hazardous material unlawfully released,
discharged or deposited upon or onto any property or facility within the Township.
d. The persons or entities responsible for the hazardous material shall be liable to the
Fire and Rescue Services and the Township for all costs incurred as a result of
supervision or verification of the cleanup, or for the actual cost of the cleanup
incurred by the Fire and Rescue Services, the Township and/or their agents and
subcontractors.
e. Notwithstanding anything in this Ordinance to the contrary, the Township and the
Fire and Rescue Services may immediately clean up and abate hazardous materials
without notice to any person or entity when, in the judgment of the Township or Fire
and Rescue Services, an emergency situation exists. The costs of an emergency
cleanup shall be recoverable as provided in this Ordinance.
___ Included Costs. For purposes of this Ordinance, costs incurred shall include, but not
necessarily be limited to the following: actual labor costs of New Hanover Fire and Rescue
Services and Township personnel, including benefits and administrative overhead; costs of
equipment operation; costs of materials obtained directly by the township; costs of any contract
labor and materials; costs of disposal and remediation; and costs of collection and reasonable
attorney fees. The costs incurred shall be itemized by the Fire and Rescue Services and/or the
Township and provided to the persons or entities responsible.
___ Persons Responsible. For purposes of this ordinance, those persons and entities responsible
for the hazardous material, for cleanup and abatement of hazardous materials, and the costs

thereof, include (1) any person or entity whose negligent or willful act or omission cause such
release, discharge or deposit; (2) any person or entity who owned or had custody or control of the
hazardous material at the time of such release, discharge or deposit, without regard to fault or
proximate cause; (3) any person or entity who owned or had custody or control of the container
which held such hazardous material or substance at the time of or immediate prior to such
release, discharge or deposit, without regard to fault or proximate cause; and (4) any person or
entity who owned, occupied or had a leasehold interest in any real estate on which such
hazardous materials were located or found and whose negligence or willful act or omission
caused a release, discharge or deposit.
___ Municipal Lien. The costs incurred by the Township and/or Fire and Rescue Services shall
be a municipal lien against the real estate at issue and shall be collective as a lien or as otherwise
provided by law.
___ Cost Recovery. The cost of recovery for “hazardous materials” incidents shall be the
responsibility of New Hanover Township. The funds collected will be deposited in the general
fund of New Hanover Township. If there are direct expenses for products incurred by Fire and
Rescue Services (e.g. foam, absorbent materials), bills should be submitted for reimbursement of
these items.
___ Severability. If any term, condition, or provision of this ordinance shall, to any extent, be
held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder hereof shall be valid in all other respects and
continue to be effective.
____This ordinance shall become effective five (5) days from the date of enactment.
ENACTED AND ORDAINED, this ___ day of ________, 201_.
NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS _________________________
ATTEST _________________________

PROPOSED ORDINANCE:
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ORDINANCE NO. ____ OF 201_
A RESOLUTION OF THE NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM TO CHARGE USER FEES FOR
THE DEPLOYMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES RENDERED AT EMERGENCY
INCIDENTS.
WHEREAS, the Emergency Services response activity to incidents on the highways continues to
increase each year; Environmental Protection requirements involving equipment and training,
and Homeland Security regulations involving equipment and training, creating additional
demands on all operational aspects of Fire and Rescue Services; and
WHEREAS, the Fire and Rescue Services has investigated different methods to maintain a high
level of quality of emergency service capability throughout times of constantly increasing service
demands, where maintaining an effective response by the Fire and Rescue Services decreases the
costs of incidents to insurance carriers through timely and effective management of emergency
situations, saving lives and reducing property damage; and
WHEREAS, raising real property tax to meet the increase in service demands would not be fair
to the property owners, when a majority of Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) involve individuals
not owning property or paying taxes in the jurisdiction; and the ability of Fire and Rescue
Services to effectively respond decreases the liability of insurance companies by saving lives and
minimizing vehicle damage; and
WHEREAS, the New Hanover Township Board of Supervisors desires to implement a fair and
equitable procedure by which to collect said MVA fees and shall establish a billing system in
accordance with applicable laws, regulations and guidelines; Now, Therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

OF NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP
SECTION 1: The New Hanover Township Fire and Rescue Services shall initiate user fees for
the delivery of Fire and Rescue Services, personnel, supplies and equipment to the scene of
motor vehicle accidents and other incidents on the highways. The rate of user fees shall be that
which is usual, customary and reasonable (UCR), which may include any services, personnel,
supplies, and equipment and with baselines established by addendum to this document.
SECTION 2: The user fee shall be filed to the motor vehicle insurance, representing an add-on
cost of the claim for damages of the vehicles, property and/or injuries. In the event services are

required relating to utilities causing safety problems to highway areas, and if the area is deemed
unsafe by emergency responders, the same billing process shall apply to said utility, whose
equipment related problems cause for an emergency services response. The claim costs shall be
filed to the insurance coverage of the owner of a vehicle, owner of property, or responsible
parties.
SECTION 3: The Fire and Rescue Services Board may make rules or regulations and from time
to time may amend, revoke, or add rules and regulations, not consistent with this Section, as they
may deem necessary or expedient in respect to billing for these fees or the collection thereof.
SECTION 4: All amounts collected as a result of this Ordinance shall be placed into a fund as
established by The Fire and Rescue Services Board to be used exclusively for personnel, supplies
and equipment of Fire and Rescue Services agencies.
SECTION 5: It is found and determined that all formal actions of this Board of Supervisors
concerning and relating to the adoption of this Ordinance were adopted in open meetings of this
Board of Supervisors, and that all deliberations of this Board of Supervisors and any of its
committees that resulted in such formal actions were in accordance with all legal requirements,
and the Codified Ordinances of the Board of Supervisors.
SECTION 6: This Ordinance shall take effect at the earliest time permitted by law.
Passed: _______________________ ___________________________

Signature
Approved _____________________ ___________________________

Signature
VOTE ON PASSAGE: ____ Yea ____ Nay ____ Abstain
Attest: _____________________________
Clerk
I, _______________________, Clerk of the (governing body), do hereby certify that the

foregoing Ordinance No. ____ was duly published in the _________________________, a
newspaper of general circulation in the__(municipality) on the ____ day of _______, 2___; and
I further certify the compliance with the Codified Ordinances of the __(municipality) and the
laws of the State of Pennsylvania, pertaining to Public Meetings.
_____________________________
Clerk
Resolved and Adopted: _____________________

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Fire and Rescue Services Billing Fees
(highway non-hazardous materials incidents)
LEVEL 1 $125
Service charges include:
- Basic Response
- No complicated or lengthy service performed
- Basic Fire Police Services
LEVEL 2 $250
Service charges include any of the above items, plus any of the following:
- Traffic control
- Apply absorbent
- Clean scene of debris
- Assist in vehicle removal
LEVEL 3 $375
- Traffic and crowd control – less than 2 hours
- Extrication of a single patient
LEVEL 4 $500
- Extrication of multiple patients in a single vehicle
- Above average use of power/hand tools
- Traffic control in excess of 2 hours
- Assisting Police Department with incident reconstruction
- Any miscellaneous complicated incident which requires extensive manpower time
and services
In all cases, this fee is based on a per vehicle rate, meaning the rate can be charged for each
vehicle involved in an incident.

Billing for Services by Fire GOG #: Revision:
Companies Effective Date: 10/1/2010 Page 1 of 3
I. PURPOSE:
This policy shall be established to define the procedure, roles and responsibilities
for the billing for services conducted by the fire companies.
II. POLICY:
It shall be the policy of the New Hanover Township Fire and Rescue Services
Division to bill for specific services provided by the companies, as defined by this
procedure.
III. DEFINITIONS:
IV. PROCEDURES:
1. The New Hanover Township Fire companies shall bill for services consistent with the
New Hanover Township ordinance #_________
2. Qualifying incidents for billing include:

- motor vehicle accidents
- other incidents on the highway
- utility related incidents causing safety problems on highways
- demands for fire police services
3. Upon completing an qualifying incident, the responding company(ies) will submit a

billing for services form (Appendix 1) to _____________ for processing. The form
must be submitted within 72 hours of the incident.
4. ____________________ will submit a letter and accompanying bill to the generator

of the problem (vehicle(s)/utility(ies) involved in the incident and the insurance
provider to the (vehicle(s)/utility(ies) involved, if known. With instructions to provide
payment to New Hanover Township Fire and Rescue Services. The individual will be
instructed that they are receiving a copy of the bill sent to the insurer (if known) or
that there is no insurance information provided and they should submit it to their
insurer for payment.
5. Reasonable and Customary Fees will be charged consistent with the table provided in
Appendix 2.

6. In all cases, this fee is based on a per vehicle rate, meaning the rate can be charged for
each vehicle involved in an incident.
7. Funds will be received by ____________________ and placed in a separate bank

account entitled “New Hanover Fire and Rescue Services Billing Fees”.
8. All amounts collected as a result of this procedure and the related ordinance shall be
distributed to the individual fire and rescue company involved in providing the
service.
9. ___________________ will provide the billing services.
10. Distribution of the funds will occur on a quarterly basis on or around: March 31, June
30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. The disbursement will be as
follows:
• On March 31, _________ will receive 20% of the total amount received, and
of the remaining amount $3,000 will be reserved for the payment, of auditing
services, the audit (for the prior calendar year) to be conducted by a Certified
Public Accounting firm, with the remaining funds distributed to the
companies on an as-received for service basis.
• For the remaining distribution periods, __________ will receive 20% of the
funds collected for the provision of the billing services and the remaining
funds distributed to the companies on an as-received for service basis.
11. The purpose of disbursing the funds to the fire companies is to offset the expenses
incurred in the provision of services to individuals and businesses, not providing
donations or tax dollars to the companies to provide such services.
12. All amounts collected as a result of this procedure and the related ordinance shall be
distributed to the individual fire and rescue service company involved in providing
the service.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES
Emergency Service Companies:

• shall assure that all officers and members are familiar with this policy

Written by: _______________________
APPROVED: ________________________________ DATE: _____________

Township Manager
APPROVED: ________________________________ DATE: _____________

Chief of Police
Distribution: - All volunteer fire and rescue services chiefs

APPENDIX 1
FIRE COMPANY BILLING SERVICES FORM
NEW HANOVER FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES

STATION (circle) 39 68
Location ____________________________________ Mont.Co. Incident # ______
Date of Incident ________________________________________
Contact _______________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________
City __________________________________ State ______ ZIP ______________
Phone Number ______________________________
Driver License Number _________________________ State ________
Vehicle License Plate Number ____________________ State ________
Vehicle Year _____________ Make ________________ Model ________________
Insured Name ____________________________________ VIN# _________________
Insurance Company ______________________________ Policy # ________________
Insurance Co. Contact Info _________________________________________________
Form Completed by ____________________________________
Indicate level of service performed:
_____ LEVEL 1 INCIDENT $150

APPENDIX 2
REASONABLE AND CUSTOMARY FEE CALCULATION*
LEVEL 1 INCIDENT
$150
- basic response to reported vehicle fire, standby at accident scenes, utility problem
- no complicated or lengthy service performed, minimal or no fire police services
- 2 engines respond, 1 in each direction of travel, $59 per hour each
- Fire police respond in each direction, $25 per hour each
- Maximum 1 hour time.
LEVEL 2 INCIDENT
$350
- Level 1 incident response plus any of the following:
- Apply absorbent, traffic control less than 2 hours, clean scene of debris, assist in vehicle
removal, extrication of a single person
- Rescue apparatus in each direction, $64 per hour each
- Spill control unit $25 per hour each
- Maximum 2 hour time
LEVEL 3 INCIDENT
$500
- Level 2 incident response plus any of the following:
- Above average use of power/hand tools, traffic control in excess of two hours, assisting
police with incident reconstruction
- Any miscellaneous complicated incident which requires extensive manpower time and
services
- Estimated maximum 4 hour time involvement
- Generally requires additional 2 units at a minimum two hours additions for manpower at
$25
* all per hour charges are based on FEMA rates

APPENDIX 20
POLICY ON
TOWNSHIP STAFF USE
AS FIREFIGHTERS
DURING EMERGENCIES

Response to emergencies GOG #: Revision:
during working hours Effective Date: 10/1/2010 Page 1 of 3
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to set forth guidelines which will be followed by employees
who are also active firefighters, taking into account not only the need for volunteers
during daylight hours, but also the tasks which must be completed for the township.
II. POLICY: It is the policy of New Hanover Township:
1. To allow township employees, who are also emergency responders, to respond to

structure fires within the township borders, as long as the employees’ absence does
not have an adverse impact on the operations of the department for which the
employee works

rescues within the township borders, as long as the employees’ absence does not
have an adverse impact on the operations of the department for which the employee
works

any type of emergency, except fire alarms, as long as the employees’ absence does
not have adverse impact on the operation of the department for which the employee
works
III. DEFINITIONS:
Emergency Responder – shall be defined as an employee who is member and active

firefighter or emergency medical services attendant within the Fire and Rescue Services
Division of New Hanover Township. This shall include the New Hanover and
Sassamansville Fire Companies. This does not include fire police.
Adverse Impact – shall be defined as having the effect of interrupting the job at hand, or
work scheduled for that day, which could cause:
• A safety hazard in the event the job is not completed as expeditiously as
possible
• A reduction of the level of safety at the job site
• A waste of materials
Apparatus Operators - active firefighters who are qualified to drive and operate
fire/rescue apparatus. There are permitted only two (2) apparatus operators per Fire
Company.

DEFINITIONS: Continued
OIC – Officer in Charge
Rescue Technicians – shall be defined as firefighters who have successfully completed

State Certified Rescue Course(s).
Structure/Dwelling Fire – shall be defined as a dispatch of a “structure” or “dwelling”

fire. It does not include automatic fire alarms, appliance fires, gas leaks and the like.
During daytime/weekdays, structure/dwelling fires are multiple company responses.
IV. PROCEDURES:
1. An employee who wishes to take advantage of this policy shall notify his
supervisor, in writing.
2. The employee shall have their respective chief send a letter to the employee’s
department head certifying that the employee is a member of the Fire and Rescue
Services Division.
3. The employee shall provide his own alerting device.
4. Upon receiving a dispatch to a structure or dwelling fire, the emergency responder

may respond, as per the policy.
5. Upon receiving a dispatch to a rescue, the emergency responder may respond, as

per the policy.
6. Upon receiving a dispatch to any type of emergency, except fire alarms, the
employee/apparatus operator operators may respond, as per the policy.
7. Upon receiving a re-dispatch asking for manpower, an employee/emergency

responder may respond to any type of emergency, as per policy.
8. In the event of an emergency where additional companies are dispatched due to the
size or severity of the incident, an employee/emergency responder may respond to
any type of fire, as long as it does not have an adverse impact on the job at hand.
9. If an employee/emergency responder is involved in a emergency and these activities

extend into the employee’s normal working hours, the employee/emergency
responder shall notify his immediate supervisor at his earliest convenience. No
employee shall be disciplined for lateness caused by emergency operations.

PROCEDURES: Continued
10. The employee shall return to work as soon as the company, or unit, is returned to
service.
11. Although the time an employee/emergency responder spends on the fireground

during a work day will not be deducted from the employees’ normal working hours,
such time will not be included for the purposes of calculating overtime
compensations.
12. The employee/emergency responder’s need not to punch out for a response, but
shall note the emergency response on the time sheet/card by the initials “ER”. The
immediate supervisor shall be responsible for maintaining records regarding
responses to emergencies.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES
Department Head – Shall be responsible for submitting the name of the designated
driver in writing to the fire chief as needed.
APPROVED:_____________________________________ Date:________________________
Township Manager

APPENDIX 21
SECOND CLASS TOWNSHIP CODE

FIRE PROTECTION CONSIDERATIONS

SECOND CLASS TOWNSHIP CODE – ESTABLISHMENT OF EMERGNCY MEDICAL
SERVICES
Act of Mar. 17, 2008, P.L. 47, No. 7

Session of 2008
No. 2008-7
HB 1131
AN ACT
Amending the act of May I, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), entitled, as reenacted and
amended, -An act concerning townships of the second class; and
amending, revising, consolidating and changing the law relating thereto,·
providing for the establishment of fire and emergency medical services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The

Second Class Township Code, reenacted and amended November 9, 1995
(P.L.3S5, No.60), is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1553. Emergency- -(a) The township shall be responsible for
ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are provided within the
township by the means and to the extent determined by the township,
including the appropriate financial and administrative assistance for these
services.
(b) The township shall consult with fire and emergency
medical services providers to discuss the emergency services
needs of the township.
(c) The township shall require any emergency services organizations
receiving township funds to provide to the township as annual itemized
listing of all expenditures of these funds before the township may consider
budgeting additional funding to the organization.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
APPROVED--The 17th day of March, A. D. 2008.
EDWARD G. RENDELL

Second Class Township Code
Section 1802
a) The Board of Supervisors may appropriate moneys for the use of the township or to fire
companies located in the township for the operation and maintenance of fire companies,
for the operation and maintenance of fire apparatus, for the construction, repair and
maintenance of fire company houses, for training of fire company personnel and as set
forth in this section for the training schools or centers in order to secure fire protection for
the inhabitants of a township. The fire companies shall submitted the board of supervisors
an annual report of use of appropriated moneys for each completed year of the township
before any further payments may be made to the fire companies for the current year.
b) The board of supervisors may by ordinance make rules and regulations for the
government of the fire companies which are located within the township and their
officers.
c) The board of supervisors may contract with or make grants to near or adjacent municipal
corporations or volunteer fire companies therein for fire protection in the township.
d) No volunteer fire company not in existence in the township before the effective date of
this act may organize or operate unless the establishment or organization is approved by
resolution of the board of supervisors.
e) The board of supervisors may annually appropriate funds to fire companies located
within the township for the training of its personnel and to lawfully organized or
incorporated county for regional firemen’s associations or an entity created pursuant to
the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 762 No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental
Cooperation law, to establish, equip, maintain and operate fire training schools or enters
for the purpose of giving instruction and practical training in the prevention, control and
fighting of fire and related fire department emergencies to the members of the fire
department and volunteer fire companies in any city, borough, town, or township within
the Commonwealth.

APPENDIX 22
CONSULTING/PROJECT TEAM

Consulting Team
William F. Jenaway, Ph.D., CFO, CFPS, Principal Consultant, Project Manager
Dr. William F. Jenaway, CFO, CFPS will serve as Project Manager for this engagement. Dr.
Jenaway is the CEO of VFIS Education, Training and Consulting responsible for training,
education and consulting services provided to clients and VFIS. His organization provides
training to over 20,000 fire/EMS personnel annually and provides technical guidance and
consultation to over 200 agencies on an annual basis. He has served as Chief and Fire Marshal
of the East Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania Volunteer Fire Department; and as Chief and
President of the King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Volunteer Fire Company, as well as being
Chairman of the municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services Board. Under Chief Jenaway’s
leadership, the department became the first all volunteer Accredited Fire Service Agency in the
US. Fire Chief Magazine named him the “Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year” in 2001. Bill’s
background includes 30-plus years of volunteer fire and EMS experience.
In 2004 he was named to Chair the Pennsylvania Senate Resolution 60 Commission to evaluate
and provide recommendations to the Pennsylvania legislature and fire service on strategic
approaches to the state’s fire and EMS delivery system.
Over the years, Bill has authored over 200 articles, seven texts and provided over 100 speeches
on fire and life safety issues. He holds Certified Fire Protection Specialist and Certified Fire
Officer designations as well. In 1999 he was named to the Presidential/Congressional
Commission known as the “Advisory Panel to Assess preparedness for Terroristic Acts
Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction” (a/k/a Gilmore Commission). Dr. Jenaway also serves
as President of the Congressional Fire Services Institute and is Past President of the Pennsylvania
Fire Services Institute. He serves on the National Fire Protection Association Committees of
Emergency Services Risk Management; Providing Emergency Services to the Public; Fire
Department Apparatus, and Fire Service Training. Dr. Jenaway is in his second, three-year term
as a Commissioner on the Commission on Fire Department Accreditation.
Robert Drennen, M.S. CFPS, Consultant
Robert Drennen is the Director of St. Joseph’s University Public Safety and Environmental
Protection Master’s Degree Program. Within this program Mr. Drennen directs the students’
development and the course program. Research papers of the students serve to broaden the
perspective of Mr. Drennen and his team in the development of new techniques and procedures
for fire service. Under the direction of Mr. Drennen, St. Joseph’s worked with Dr. Jenaway in
the development of an efficient and effective model for businesses to utilize in the preparation,
prevention, response and recovery to emergencies, as well as projects for the National Volunteer
Fire Council involving volunteer recruitment, retention and cost savings. Mr. Drennen is
responsible for student research projects, many of which involve specialized evaluations of their
local emergency service organization. This provides him with a unique insight and understanding
of current trends in volunteer and combination fire service operations in the Mid-Atlantic States.
Mr. Drennen holds a Masters Degree, is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist and is a retired

Chief Officer of the Philadelphia Fire Department, currently serving as Safety Officer of the
Willow Grove, PA, Fire Company.
Daniel B.C. Gardiner, M.S., CFPS, Consultant
Daniel B.C. Gardiner retired as the Chief of the Department of Fire-Rescue Services, in Fairfield,
Connecticut, serving there for 31 years. Fairfield is a combination (career and volunteer)
fire/EMS department. Prior to his appointment as Chief, he was the department’s Budget
Control Officer in charge of a budget of over eight million dollars. Chief Gardiner holds a
Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science and holds two Masters Degrees, one in Public Administration
and one in Fire Science Technology, from the University of New Haven, Connecticut. He served
on the NFPA 1021 Committee (Fire Officer Standard). Chief Gardiner has been extensively
involved in fire department consulting projects as well as managing and conducting assessment
center activities for various positions throughout the northeast. He has also provided testimony
before numerous fire commissions, boards of inquiry and study panels, in addition to serving on
a number of review boards as well. An author of a number of fire service texts and articles, Chief
Gardiner edited the book, Managing Fire Department Operations, and co-authored the best
selling text, Fire Protection in the 21st Century. Now serving his fifth term as a Director of the
Certified Fire Protection Specialist Board, Chief Gardiner speaks nationally on fire protection,
and fire service finance. He is a past president of the International Society of Fire Service
Instructors and a past president of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association.

APPENDIX 22
REFERENCES

References
In addition to the documents provided by representatives of New Hanover Township Volunteer
Fire Department, the following documents were used in the analysis of information regarding
fire and emergency medical services and in the preparation of this report.
Buckman, John, ed., Chief Fire Officers Handbook, Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, VT, 2005
Commission on Fire Accreditation International, Fire and Emergency Service Self-Assessment

Manual, CFAI, Chantilly, Virginia, 2002.
Insurance Services Office, “Fire Suppression Rating Schedule”, ISO, Jersey City, New Jersey, 2003.
International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer-Combination Officers Section, “Lighting the Path
of Evolution, The Red Ribbon Report, Leading the Transition In Volunteer And Combination Fire
Departments, IAFC-VCOS, Fairfax, Virginia, 2005.
Gardiner, Daniel B.C., and Jenaway, William F., Fire Protection in the 21st Century, ISFSI, Ashland,
MA, 1996.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hanover_Township,_Pennsylvania
ISO, “Public Protection Classification Results, New Hanover Township , Montgomery County, PA,
ISO, Marlton N.J., June 2005.
Jenaway, William F. Pre-Emergency Planning, ISFSI, Ashland, MA, 1984.
Jenaway, William F., Transforming the Volunteer Fire Company, VFIS, York, PA, 2003.
Karter, Michael, J., “U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2005”, NFPA, Quincy, MA, 2006, 30
pages.
Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, The Feasibility of Regionalizing Pennsylvania’s

Volunteer Fire Companies, Harrisburg, PA, June 2005.
National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1201 Standard for Providing Emergency Services to the
Public, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts, 2004.
National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1720 Standard for the Organization and Deployment of
Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer
Fire Departments, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts, 2004.
National Volunteer Fire Council, “Cost Savings Calculator for Volunteer Emergency Service
Organizations”, www.nvfc.org, 2003.
Senate Resolution 60 Commission, Report to the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania –

Senate Resolution 60, Harrisburg, PA, November 2004.
VFIS, Developing and Implementing SOPs and SOGs for Emergency Service Organizations, VFIS,
York, PA, 2001

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Fire Services Assessment

183 Leader Heights Road

Call: (800) 233-1957

STATEMENT OF WORK ............................................................................................................6

SIGNALS OF CHANGE .............................................................................................................14

PROJECT FINDINGS ...............................................................................................................19

ASSUMPTIONS AND CURRENT TRENDS ...........................................................................22

MANAGEMENT ISSUES ..........................................................................................................24

OPERATIONAL ISSUES ...........................................................................................................29

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES............................................................................39

MUTUAL/AUTOMATIC AID ...................................................................................................42

RESPONSE TIMES AND STATION LOCATIONS ...............................................................43

FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE .....................................................................................................45

RECOMMENDATION ACTION PLAN ..................................................................................46

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 2

APPENDIX 1 Municipal Fire and EMS Service Delivery Model

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 3

There were seven (7) primary activities involved in this project.

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 4

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 5

PHASE II – Emergency Services Information Review

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 6

• Opportunities will be identified for standardization, benchmarking and service delivery.

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 7

Overall Departmental Management

Budgeting and Accounting Issues

Fire and EMS Reporting

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 8

PHASE IIIA – Site Visits and Meetings

• A comparison will be made to national and regional benchmarks.

PHASE IIIB – Evaluation Items and Report Components

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 9

PHASE IV – Prepare Draft Report

PHASE V – Prepare Final Report

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 10

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 11

The township is protected by two volunteer fire companies.

NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 12

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Indicators for change

Community Growth - Emergency services are directly impacted by community growth—more

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All of these situations indicate an inconsistency in a department’s ability to provide necessary

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When the time for change has come

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Similarly, a review of existing Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) was

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Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result* New Hanover Township

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Throughout the United States, the % of membership by age range is as follows:

Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result New Hanover Township

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The mission of New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue