[Adopted 12-21-2004 by Res. No. 225-04]
A.
Mutual Aid Plan. The Saratoga County Mutual Aid Plan will supersede
all other County Mutual Aid Plans.
B.
Definition of "mutual aid." Mutual aid is organized, supervised,
coordinated, cooperative, reciprocal assistance in which personnel,
equipment and physical facilities of all participating fire departments,
regardless of type or size, are utilized for fire or other public
emergencies in which the services of a firefighter would be used throughout
the County of Saratoga and adjacent areas.
C.
Amendments. Amendments to this plan may be made periodically and
will adhere to the following procedure:
D.
Annual review. Each year this plan shall be reviewed by the County
Fire Coordinator and the Mutual Aid Committee of the Fire Advisory
Board for corrections or changes.
A.
Extent and limit of participation by fire departments. All cities,
towns, villages and fire districts in Saratoga County may fully participate
in this plan. These departments presently are:
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Arvin Hart
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Mechanicville
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Ballston Spa
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Providence
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Ballston Lake
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Quaker Springs
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Burnt Hills
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Rexford
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Charlton
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Rock City Falls
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Clifton Park
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Round Lake
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Corinth
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Saratoga Springs
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Edinburg
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Schuylerville
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Galway
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South Glens Falls
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Gansevoort
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Stillwater
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Greenfield
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Victory Mills
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G.E. Silicone
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Waterford Vischer Ferry
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Hadley
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Waterford (Village)
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Halfmoon
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Waterford (Northside Fire)
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Harmony Corners
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West Charlton
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Hillcrest
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West Crescent
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Jonesville
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Wilton
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Malta Ridge
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B.
Extent and limit of participation with adjacent counties. Mutual
aid is provided to and received from any County in New York State
through their respective County Fire Control Centers under direction
of their County Fire Coordinator and subject to the State Mobilization
Plan as per § 209E of the General Municipal Law.
C.
Entering and participating in the plan.
(1)
Any duly established fire company or fire department may participate
in this plan by filing a copy of a resolution adopted by the legislative
body of each participating city and village, or by the Board of Fire
Commissioners or other Commissioners or other governing board having
jurisdiction over the fire department, the Board of Fire Commissioners
of each participating fire district, or the Town Board of each town
in relation to participating fire companies serving territories outside
of cities, villages and fire districts or in relation to a town fire
department. Such resolution shall state that such fire company or
department elects to participate in the Saratoga County Mutual Aid
Plan and will comply with the provisions of such plan. The resolution
shall state that the fire company or department shall recognize a
call for assistance from another fire company or department through
the Saratoga County Fire Communications Center.
(2)
Such resolution shall state that no restriction exists against "outside
service" by the fire company or fire department of the municipality
or district within the meaning of § 209 of the General Municipal
Law which would affect the power of such fire company or fire department
to participate in the Saratoga County Fire Mutual Aid Plan.
(3)
If the outside service activities of a participating fire company
or department are restricted pursuant to § 209 of the General
Municipal Law, notice of any restriction shall be given promptly to
the Saratoga County Fire Coordinator. Any such restriction imposed
by the legislative body of a city, village or town by the Board of
Fire Commissioners shall take effect in accordance with the resolution
imposing the restriction.
D.
Withdrawal from plan.
(1)
Any fire company or fire department may elect to withdraw for this
plan by adopting a resolution to such effect. Such withdrawal shall
become effective 30 days after filing of such notice with the Saratoga
County Fire Coordinator.
(2)
Any fire company or fire department withdrawing from this plan, upon
the effective date, shall surrender and return to the County of Saratoga
at Ballston Spa, New York, all County-owned equipment. Such withdrawal
shall remain in effect until reinstated as defined by § 209
of the General Municipal Law.
(3)
Withdrawal from this plan will result in the suspension of mutual
aid pursuant to this plan to the withdrawing Fire Company or Department.
All radio identifiers, call signs and use of radio frequencies 46.42,
46.28 M.C., 46.32 M.C. and 46.48 M.C. authorized for use of such Fire
Company or department are canceled on the effective date of withdrawal.
B.
Extent and limit of authority of County officials.
(1)
County Fire Coordinator as Chief Fire Officer at the County level
for the fire service.
(a)
Administers the New York State Fire Training Program, the New
York State Graduate Fire Training Program, and any and all training
programs developed by the state or by the Coordinator's office throughout
the County.
(b)
Administers the County Fire Mutual Aid Plan and is responsible
for the efficient operation of the plan for intra- and intercompany
purposes at fires or where the services of firefighters are used.
(c)
Acts as the liaison officer between the fire service of Saratoga
County and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
(d)
May appoint and remove Deputy County Fire Coordinators in accordance
with § 401 of the County Law, § 3 of the Public
Officers Law and the Civil Service Law.
(e)
May delegate duties to Deputy County Fire Coordinators as required.
(f)
Operates a system of countywide fire reporting. Reports monthly
to the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
A.
Absence of County Fire Coordinator. The County Fire Coordinator shall
designate in writing and file in the Office of the County Clerk and
of the Clerk of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors the order
in which Deputy County Fire Coordinators are to possess the powers
and perform the duties of County Fire Coordinator during his absence
or inability to act pursuant to § 401 of the County Law.
See Enclosure 2.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Enclosure 2 is on file with the Clerk of the
Board of Supervisors.
B.
Vacancy in position of County Fire Coordinator. The Saratoga County
Fire Coordinator shall designate the Deputy County Fire Coordinator
who shall possess the powers and perform the duties of County Fire
Coordinator in the event of a vacancy in the County Fire Coordinator
position, until a successor is appointed by the County Board of Supervisors
and has qualified, pursuant to § 401 of the County Law.
A.
Maintenance of individuality. Each fire department participating
in this plan shall retain its internal command and individuality.
B.
Liability. Liability for expenses incurred by the responding agency
rests with the host district as per § 209-g of the General
Municipal Law.
C.
Authority of requesting fire chief or incident commander.
(1)
A "requesting" fire chief or incident commander is one who requests
mutual aid for his department in accordance with this plan.
(2)
The "chain of command" for the firefighters and officers entering
an area under mutual aid remains with the fire department requesting
the mutual aid.
(3)
The incident commander will work with chiefs, senior officers, and
company officers of departments providing mutual aid in accordance
with the Incident Command System structure.
D.
Initial emergency call.
(1)
Upon receipt of a call, a Fire Department receiving the call shall
respond to the scene of the emergency. If the Incident Commander determines
a need for mutual aid, the Incident Commander shall notify the Saratoga
County Communications Center and shall specify the equipment and manpower
needed. The Fire Communications Center will dispatch the requested
mutual aid to the scene of the emergency.
(2)
Should the responding Fire Department determine an emergency call
is located outside its district, such Fire Department will immediately
notify the Saratoga County Fire Communications Center and will proceed
to the scene of emergency. The Fire Communications Center will notify
the Fire District, within whose district the call is located, of the
emergency and that a Fire Department from another district is responding.
The host Fire Department may choose to let the responding Fire Department
handle the call, or may choose to respond. If the host Fire Department
responds, it may choose to have the responding Department transfer
command of the incident to the host Department. If Command is transferred,
the responding Department will immediately transmit all pertinent
information to the host Fire Department.
Departments shall follow the procedures set forth in the current
Saratoga County Haz Mat Response Plan.
Saratoga County will maintain the following resources at the
locations indicated for the use of participating Fire Companies and
Departments:
All apparatus used by fire departments while participating in
this plan shall be equipped to adapt to National Standards Threads
as defined by the National Bureau of Standards.
A.
Procedure to obtain activation of plan.
(1)
The County Fire Coordinator or a deputy in the line of authority
designated pursuant to § 401 of the County Law, after utilizing
all available assistance from Fulton, Hamilton, Warren, Washington,
Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery and Rensselaer Counties, may call
the Office of Fire Prevention and Control to obtain activation of
the State Fire Mobilization Mutual Aid Plan.
(2)
Activation procedure shall conform with that specified in the Guide
to Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plans in the State of New York,
by the Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
B.
Authority and responsibility of the regional fire administrator.
The authority and responsibility of the Regional Fire Administrator
under the activated State Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan is
established by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Under activation of the statewide plan, only resources deployed by
the RFA shall respond to the site of the declaration.
C.
Retirement provision relating to the position of regional fire administrator.
Should the County Fire Coordinator be separated from the office for
any reason, this leads to automatic retirement as Administrator, if
the title of Regional Fire Administrator is also held. The Office
of Fire Prevention and Control is authorized by law to appoint someone
to the position.
D.
County number issued under the State Fire Mobilization and Mutual
Aid Plan. The County Fire Coordinator shall utilize County number
46 assigned to Saratoga by the State Fire Mobilization and Mutual
Aid Plan.
A.
Saratoga County will coordinate training through New York State and
other sources as needed.
B.
Type and
extent of training. The New York State Fire Training Program consists
of basic firefighter training, advanced courses, and the New York
State Graduate Fire Training Program, and is adopted as standard throughout
the County of Saratoga.
A.
When responding to mutual aid calls within the County, all firefighters
are to use a three-tag accountability system. At least one tag will
contain the following information:
B.
The heading on this tag will read "Saratoga County Firefighter ID."
This tag should stay with the firefighter at all times. The other
two tags will at a minimum contain the firefighter's name or
identification number and the firefighter's department name or
number.
B.
The following specific mutual aid requests require the following
minimum staffing assignments as listed:
(1)
ETA, rescue or engine to the scene or for cover assignment: minimum of driver/pump operator, officer or firefighter-in-charge and two SCBA/interior qualified firefighters. Interior qualifications in Enclosure 3.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Enclosure 3 is included at the end of this chapter.
(2)
Tanker/engine for water supply only: driver/pump operator and one
other firefighter.
(3)
FAST team, team member qualifications in Enclosure 3: four FAST personnel.
C.
If a department cannot meet the equipment requirements or the minimum
firefighter staffing level established for this plan, the unit will
respond and at the same time, notification will be made to the Incident
Commander as to the equipment status and staffing level of the responding
unit. The Incident Commander will determine the action to be taken
(e.g., cancellation, request additional, etc.).
D.
When the Incident Commander requests mutual aid, the specific requirements
and needs are to be clear. Any mutual aid response is to meet the
specific requirements of the requesting Incident Commander. Personnel
and apparatus not requested are not to be sent.
An audible-type evacuation signal will be used when immediate
removal of firefighters from their environment is necessitated. This
warning signal is generally given when conditions in an interior structure
fire situation have deteriorated to the point that firefighter removal
is required for their safety; but may be used for any circumstance
that requires the removal of personnel from any dangerous environment.
The method of signaling is as follows:
A.
The Incident Commander, Safety Officer or the designated Operations
Officer will give a radio and verbal signal, to evacuate the structure
or designated area.
B.
One designated on-scene apparatus will give three equal blasts of
an air horn followed by a verbal evacuation message on the PA system.
Firefighters who have been determined to be within the evacuation
area are to begin a controlled and rapid retreat from the area. Tools
such as hand lines and forcible entry devices should be taken only
if needed for the purpose of evacuation. Firefighters working in groups
will leave with their group as per the buddy system. Once firefighters
have evacuated the area, they are to follow accountability procedures
for their department. It is important to remember for responding apparatus
that excessive use of air horns close to the fire scene be limited,
as this may cause a false emergency evacuation.
