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Field Operations Directives (FODs)

86-013 Fire and Life Safety at Field Operations Regions' Facilities


86-014 Decision to Evacuate Areas During Major Fire Emergencies
86-012 Inmate Security, Safety, and Special Handling

FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY AT FIELD OPERATIONS REGIONS' FACILITIES

The purpose of this directive is to express the policy statements of the Department pertinent to fire and life safety and related issues at our Field Operations Regions Stations. Guidance and direction are offered in the areas of fire safety, facility evacuation, and necessary training.

It is essential that all personnel assigned to a facility be aware of the fire and life safety hazards at that facility, and of the precautions and procedures to follow to offset and deal with these conditions. While each station has individual physical facility characteristics and needs, those considerations common to all will be addressed here.

Certain areas of our stations, and substances we deal with, give rise to a level of fire hazard and life safety related risk greater than is experienced by most organizations.

A few such areas of concern are fuel storage, P.C.P. and toxic precursor presence, storage batteries in communications equipment rooms, fusee storage, bedding and building materials that may generate toxic gases if burned, etc. Another paramount concern, unique to law enforcement facilities, is the presence of inmates held in confinement. These concerns dictate the following expressions of Department policy:

  • Of utmost importance during any fire situation is the preservation of life and the prevention of injury.
  • Of great, but secondary, importance is the detention and security of inmates under our care and control.
  • As mandated by State law, notification to the Fire Department shall be made immediately upon the first indication of fire or smoke.
  • Department personnel shall engage in firefighting activities only to the extent necessary to preserve life or safely evacuate personnel or inmates.
  • State law requires that at each detention facility, at least one person per shift be qualified in general fire and life safety procedures (including the use of self-contained breathing apparatus); however, Department personnel, properly equipped with and trained in the use of self-contained breathing apparatus, shall utilize this equipment only as is necessary to safely evacuate personnel or inmates, and always in tandem.

The following issues are also presented for consideration and policy implementation:

  • The Fire Department will respond to all reports of fire or smoke at our Field Operations Regions' facilities. If a fire occurs, but is extinguished prior to the Fire Department's arrival, they must still respond and ensure total extermination of the fire.
  • To properly and safely perform their duties, responding fire personnel must be familiar with the location's physical layout, and the location of such high risk factors as were previously listed. This requires constant liaison with and frequent inspection by local fire station personnel.
  • Station Commanders shall ensure that their facility is inspected by the local fire station at least semi-annually and whenever major facility modifications occur, and by the Los Angeles County Fire Department Institutional Inspection Detail, yearly. These inspections shall be recorded on the "Jail Fire Safety Inspection Report" form (sample attached). In addition each shift at every fire station is required by law to prepare a pre-fire response plan for fire at local detention facilities. Station Commanders shall ensure appropriate assistance in the preparation of these pre-fire plans, which are maintained at the fire station, and should obtain a copy for the stations usage.
  • A copy of each inspection report, prepared by Fire Department personnel, shall constitute the basis for any corrective action or work orders indicated, and shall be indefinitely maintained at the unit.
  • In conjunction with the semi-annual inspections by local fire station representatives, Station Commanders shall coordinate a fire evacuation drill in conformance with that unit's existing evacuation plan. The concerned Area Commander shall observe and evaluate at least one of these semi-annual drills.
  • In the event that fire damage results in a station being unable to continue normal operations, each Station Commander shall establish the necessary communications with the appropriate telephone company to reroute all incoming calls to an adjacent Sheriff's facility or other alternate site, for dispatching purposes.
  • Station Commanders shall ensure that prohibitions against the use of padded cells, urethane mattresses and smoking or the possession of matches in the secure jail areas are rigidly enforced.
  • Each station shall have a "Fire Key" block prepared. This block shall consist of only those keys necessary to evacuate the jail, it shall be conspicuously marked, maintained in the Watch Sergeant's office or other suitably secure location, and be readily accessible foe emergency use.

Consistent with our policy that the preservation of life is of the utmost concern, is the need to develop and practice a facility evacuation plan. Again, recognizing the diversity of the Field Operations Regions units, the following is an enumeration of common areas of concern that must be treated in any evacuation plan. This is not intended to be an all-encompassing list, but rather a guide for your use in preparing your stations specific evacuation plan. It is left to your discretion to designate the individual post position responsible for carrying out the tasks identified.

Fire Discovery/Alarm

  • Immediate notification to desk
    • Give location and nature of fire
  • Desk - immediately notify Fire Department
    • Give location and nature of fire
    • Give location of desired arrival (i.e., front door, jail etc.)
  • Desk - notify Watch Commander
  • Desk - assign employee to meet responding Fire Department personnel.

Employee Area Evacuation

  • Designate who authorizes evacuation
  • P.A. Announcement
    • State reason for evacuation and give evacuation routes.
  • Notification to Sheriff's Radio Center
    • Advise designated field units to respond to station
  • Establish Roll-Call personnel accounting system
  • Communications with field units
    • How and by whom
  • Perimeter and security patrols
    • Who establishes and supervises
  • Reentry - who authorizes
    • Fire Department concurrence
  • First Aid - medical treatment
    • Responsibility for coordinating
    • Establish access for ambulance, etc.

Jail Area Evacuation

  • Who orders and who accomplishes
    • Watch Commander orders, if circumstances permit.
    • Jailer accomplishes, if circumstances permit.
  • Location and use of air packs (see policy statement).
  • Fire Block - statement re: location and use of keys
  • Handcuffing
    • Prior to evacuation if time permits
    • Four-man chains and/or flex cuffs
  • Assembly/security areas
    • Use of radio cars or vans as temporary measure
    • Security force consists of
    • Mandatory segregation maintained if possible, i.e., male/female, adult/juvenile.
  • First-aid and medical treatment
    • Whose responsibility
    • Location and maintenance of supplies

Follow-up responsibilities

  • Department notifications
    • Sheriff's Information Bureau - Op Log, significant incident memorandum.
    • Chain of command telephone notifications
      • By Whom

Miscellaneous

  • Building Floor Plans
    • Designating locations of fire hoses, extinguishers, air packs, fire block, etc.

It is the responsibility of each unit commander to prepare an evacuation plan consistent with and adequately treating the foregoing considerations. These plans will be updated as necessary, and shall be the subject of recurrent training for all assigned personnel.