Safety
Overview
All wildland fire response personnel being deployed into a disaster area will be supported by some type of Incident Management Team or Agency Representative. This is to ensure that appropriate safety, logistical support, and management oversight are provided. Recognizing that disaster situations are dynamic, usually with limited or nonexistant communications and consequentially uncertain or incorrect information, responders should be prepared to enter a chaotic and stressful situation. Typically the power will be out of service and stores, hotels, and automated bank teller machines will be closed or non-functional. As a result responders must prepare ahead of time, prior to entering the disaster area, to allow self sufficient operation for 72 hours.
Risk management evaluation principles should be constantly applied during an all hazard incident response. In many cases the agency may be assigned a mission which could involve exposures that are unknown or unrecognized prior to the team’s arrival on site. These hazards are typically not found during a wildland fire response and must be evaluated and mitigated in order to protect personnel.
Hazards that could be encountered may include sewage, chemicals, biological wastes, downed power lines, poor or no communications, poisonous plants, animals and insects, mold, fungus, human and animal remains, exposure to infectious diseases, lack of traffic control, additional storms, and exposure to disaster victims often in desperate situations. This is, by no means, a complete list of potential hazards.
Job Hazard Analyses will be used to assure that our work is done safely. It is your responsibility to make sure that a fully completed and reviewed Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is in place, and that you are confident the task can be completed safely. Many JHA's, which address situations previously encountered on all hazard assignments, have been prepared and can be reviewed on the JHA tab above . If you encounter a situation that has not been previously addressed or is unusual, contact your supervisor and the Southern Region AHRO.
As in fire assignments, each individual has the right to refuse any assignment that is considered unsafe. Assignments for which an individual is unqualified or lacking adequate personal protective equipment should be refused. Begin your preparations early and bring what you need to sustain yourself for several days. Recognize that you probably won't be able to buy anything while you are in the disaster area.