SOGs and SOPs
Standard operating guidelines (SOGs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are essential components of fire department training and operations. They spell out the do’s and don’ts for fire department personnel, sometimes as strict requirements and other times as recommended best practices.
Shreveport fireground video and interviews detail response issues, delayed search and communication breakdowns, as lawsuits allege firefighter actions and dispatch errors contributed to four deaths
The family alleges Shreveport firefighters did not search for occupants, despite a 911 report and MDT message that multiple people were inside, until the arrival of the third engine company
UL FSRI researchers used full-scale residential fire experiments to show how simultaneous interior/exterior attack and post-knockdown ventilation can improve firefighter safety and victim survival
Ineffective awareness, training, PPE and personnel accountability contributed to death of volunteer firefighter during wildfire
Under the new policy, an incident commander will decide what salvage operations are needed
Two captains entered the burning structure with an uncharged hose line and became disoriented after running low on air
Richard Gist, principle assistant at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, outlined how AARs are the backbone of the military’s operational culture
Dr. Stefan Svensson gave a damning indictment of safety within the U.S fire service four years ago, and this year had a follow-up
If you have a railroad in your jurisdiction, when was the last time you received training on railcar emergencies or exercised a scenario like this?
How seriously do you value your firefighters? If you have an elite RIT that trains for multiple scenarios, then you can probably answer in a positive manner
Why do we as a fire service place ourselves at substantial risk to save burning vehicles in the first place?
The impact from the flaming shrapnel and percussion from sound waves caused injuries ranging from burns to ringing in ears
Two firefighters were killed and 19 others injured when a bowstring truss roof collapsed at an abandoned structure
An effective RIT team should work together as a group and approach training evolutions in a teamwork fashion
Firefighters Josh Burch and Brett Fulton were killed while fighting the Blue Ribbon Fire on June 20
On her way back from a call, an 18-year-old firefighter lost control, overcorrected and crashed a 28,000 pound tanker
A NIOSH report says an incident safety officer and rapid intervention team weren’t readily available at the scene
Firefighter Christopher Wheatly died last year when he fell 53 feet from a fire escape ladder while responding to a restaurant fire
Firefighters have said they did not enter the water because they were not certified to carry out water-land rescues
The silo exploded and killed an assistant fire chief after he closed hatches at the top of the structure
One of the first officials on the scene was Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller, a certified instructor in the National Incident Management System
Keeping communication open lets you know if your plan is being carried out, and if it’s having the impact you’re hoping for
Volunteer Fire Police Captain Donald Mellott was hit by a vehicle while responding to a two-car crash last year
Instead of trying to determine frequency and severity of uncertain situations, we should choose pre-determined courses of action and then engage in serious and continuous self-critique
However your department accomplishes the RIT function, make sure those crews are highly-trained, well-equipped, and diligent
Firefighter John B. Glaser died May 22 last year when he removed his SCBA to clear vomit from the equipment
A Prince George’s County investigation found the firefighter frantically searched for an exit and removed his PPE without issuing a mayday
The chief was killed when the vintage 1960’s off-road vehicle he was driving rolled down a steep slope, pinning him
Five firefighters were on the second story of a house when the floor tilted, causing three firefighters to fall
An overhang collapsed and trapped a firefighter in San Francisco, leaving him with burns and a broken leg
We have to be careful with NIMS as with the many other blind orthodoxies we are encouraged to accept
A firefighter became trapped in a room with the patient who suddenly brandished a gun toward the four firefighters who were there to assist her
Investigators say crews failed to recognize signs of an imminent flashover; firefighters were between the fire and ventilation points