Operations at Fire Stations

This section steps volunteers through what to do when deployed to a fire station to support BEECNs in an emergency or during an exercise. Operations for volunteers who deploy to BEECN sites are covered in Operations: BEECN Sites.

400.05 Fire Station Volunteers: General Objectives

In the event of a deployment, Fire Station cohorts:

a. Stay safe, and will abort their deployment if they feel unsafe.

b. Deploy to their assigned fire station to access the orange VHF Go-Kit (See Equipment Caches BEECN Radio Go KitEquipment_Caches#BEECN_Radio_Go_Kit for equipment details).

c. Set up the Go-Kit at the fire station, as well as the handheld UHF radio.

d. Pass radio traffic between nearby BEECNs and net control at the city’s ECC.

400.10 Deployment Planning

Have a plan. Cohorts must consider that an earthquake knocking out communications systems means volunteers will be unable to check in with each other. Therefore, cohorts must plan ahead on who deploys for the first 8-hour shift, and who for the second. Furthermore, all four volunteers (Primary and Backup) assigned to a shift should deploy for that shift if they can. If one or both Primary volunteers cannot deploy, the Backup volunteers are still present to carry out fire station responsibilities and/or assist the Primary Volunteers if needed. Backup volunteers can also rotate Primary Volunteers out of their shift for breaks to eat, use the bathroom, etc.

PBEM recommends that the Cohort Coordinator inform local NETs of the cohort’s deployment plan. The Team ARO for a local NET may need to access the orange Go-Kit in the event of a disaster.

400.15 Responsibilities Prior to Deployment

Immediately following an earthquake, FS volunteers:

a. Check themselves for injuries and ensure personal safety.

b. Check in with household members, ensure their safety, and treat any injuries.

c. Deploy to fire station if it is safe to do so and commence operations.

400.20 Deployment Protocols

BEECNs are deployed 24 to 48 hours following a catastrophic earthquake that has shut down communications systems such as cell phones and land lines. Therefore, FS volunteers must expect to self

deploy without a direct request from PBEM or other government authority. FS volunteers deploy to their assigned fire station and set up the Go-Kit if, and only if, the following conditions are met:

a. No less than 24 hours have passed since a catastrophic earthquake.

b. The volunteer and his or her family are not in any immediate danger, and are not injured.

c. Communication systems (such as land lines) are inoperative.

d. Volunteers have received no direct instructions from PBEM or other government authority.

400.25 Self Determination to Deploy

Individual volunteers maintain personal discretion to deploy when the self- deployment protocols are met as described in 400.20. The decision to deploy following a disaster is a volunteer’s own, and a volunteer may never be coerced into deploying. A volunteer who chooses not to deploy will not be subject to any consequences related to his or her standing in the BEECN program.

400.30 Deployment Guiding Principles

During the course of any deployment or exercise, FS volunteers must ensure that all chosen actions conform to the following guiding principles:

a. Safety is always the top priority.

b. Use the buddy system and always work in pairs. It takes at least two volunteers to relay radio traffic from the fire station.

c. If you see something unsafe, say so. Everyone has permission to say, “That does not seem safe” or “I do not feel safe.”

d. If someone points out an unsafe condition, stop and correct it right away.