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City of Plattsburgh, NY
Clinton County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
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Firefighting operations and other emergencies are major functions of the Department. Knowledge of regulations, orders and procedures shall be the responsibility of all members. Members shall comply with instructions contained or implied in these regulations and all amendatory orders bearing upon operations of the Department.
Officers on duty shall see that the fire zone in front of quarters is maintained clear of vehicles or other obstructions and notify the Police Department of any unusual traffic condition which may interfere with response of apparatus. Members on house watch duty shall assist officers in this responsibility and keep them fully informed of conditions.
Members shall, upon reporting for duty, promptly place all required fire clothing on apparatus. Before going off duty, members shall remove such clothing from apparatus and arrange it in their lockers or approved racks.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 57-15 of the 1989 Code, Reporting to dispatcher and officer in command, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Officers on duty shall be responsible for proper receipt of alarms and response of apparatus to correct location.
Members shall exercise care to avoid injury when boarding and riding apparatus. They shall use hand rails, hand straps and safety belts, when such are provided. They shall observe rules of safety, in keeping with good fire service practice, to prevent unwarranted and needless personal injuries. Drivers shall take all necessary precautions consistent with safety.
Responses to alarms shall be made with all proper speed consistent with safety. Officers shall not converse with drivers, except when necessary to regulate speed of apparatus, to determine route to be taken or to relay information received by radio.
Officers shall hold drivers responsible for operation of apparatus while responding to, operating at or returning from alarms and on all other occasions when apparatus is taken from quarters.
When responding to alarms, bells, air horns or sirens will be sounded with a frequency depending upon conditions en route. Sirens or air horns shall not be used returning to quarters or other duties unless under emergency; bells shall be sounded when necessary.
Officers shall require members driving apparatus to observe the following:
A. 
Maintain safe control of apparatus at all times.
B. 
Proceed with caution when traveling through congested areas or wet or icy pavement or descending grades or passing over excavations.
C. 
Proceed with caution when driving against traffic lights.
D. 
Proceed with caution when approaching street intersections or turning corners.
E. 
Use extreme caution when delayed in leaving quarters or when normal route of response is changed, keeping in mind that other companies responding will not expect the delayed apparatus.
F. 
Use one-way streets against traffic only when absolutely necessary in responding to alarms.
G. 
Never use one-way streets against traffic when returning from alarms.
H. 
Never attempt to pass another apparatus going in the same direction unless signaled by the officer in command of the apparatus ahead.
A. 
In accordance with law, vehicles of the Fire Department proceeding to a fire or alarm, false or otherwise, are granted what is technically known as "right-of-way." This privilege, to effect its purpose, must be used with balanced judgment and deliberate precaution. Officers shall make known to vehicles the necessity for clearing the way for apparatus by audible signal, using siren, air horn or bell, and by visible signal through display of red lights. Members operating apparatus shall at all times drive with due regard for safety of all persons using the streets. All Fire Department vehicles shall obey all traffic controls upon returning from any emergency.
B. 
Careful judgment and caution shall be exercised by drivers at all times, but particularly in the following instances:
(1) 
When encountering vehicles in standing position in obedience to a traffic signal.
(2) 
When apparatus is proceeding on thoroughfares where traffic is controlled by progressive signal lights. In both situations, drivers shall recognize the possibility of causing vehicles to proceed against traffic lights to the detriment of other vehicles crossing intersections.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Persons not connected with the Fire Department shall not ride on apparatus going to or from alarms, etc., unless approved by the Fire Chief.
A. 
All officer personnel will be responsible for the provisions of the regulations and instructions for radio procedure.
B. 
County numbers, as assigned to apparatus, will be used in all radio transmissions.
C. 
All radio communications shall be of a professional manner.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
All members of the Fire Department, when on off-duty, shall voluntarily respond to multiple alarms or emergency calls, except when out of town and unable to be reached, on sick leave, vacation or excused by the Fire Chief.
Officers or personnel in charge of an apparatus shall report to the officer in charge when arriving at the scene of an emergency.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Section 8.16, concerning additional regulations from the Standard Operating Procedures Manual, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 10-5-1989 by L.L. No. 4-1989.