Created by @HellDoge#6550, last modified on November 30, 2022.
Welcome to San Antonio Fire Department. We are a team of highly trained individuals that respond to a variety of Fire and EMS -related emergencies. We are staffed with members that serve the people of Texas at every given moment. Our experiences, both in classroom materials and on-scene knowledge, help to keep the people of Texas safe and healthy.
Texas Fire Department responds to all Fire-related calls at any time of the day. We can provide extrication from vehicles and structures, technical rescues, and fire extinguishment. The department also utilizes air apparatus for rapid patient transport and aerial search and rescue.
The role of the Fire Chief is to oversee all personnel and decisions made for the department as an Admin Member. The Chief will make the overall final decision in department matters such as Policy changes as well as disciplinary decisions. It is the Chief’s role to be the overall leader of the department and the one the members can trust to do their job to the best of their ability. It is the Chief that the members should look to for overall guidance involved in Department operations, and handles more of an oversight over the entire department. The Fire Chief Plays a crucial role in monitoring and policy creation for the training of all LSFR branches. They can be easily identified by the White on White Fire helmet and/or a White Button-up Shirt with gold bugles.
Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief’s Role
The role of the Battalion Chief is to assist the Chief in making decisions in regards to policy and operations in the department as a Junior Administrative member, being able to give major disciplinary points. They can take command of scenes as well as play a crucial role in monitoring the training policies of the various SAFR branches. They are easily identified by a Black on White Fire helmet and/or a White Button-up Shirt with gold bugles.
If a violent situation arises near, within, or approaching a station, the station should go into lockdown. This is done by putting out a /ooc message stating the station is on lockdown, and at stations with an interior (STNs 2, 5 and 9) by locking all exterior doors, and then having all personnel go into a room difficult to reach or shoot into, making sure all doors on the way are locked if able. At stations without an interior personnel should make their way into a position that provides as much cover as possible. During lockdown, the station should only respond to calls if no other station is able to and it can be done safely(e.g. if the lockdown is precautionary for a pursuit nearby, but the pursuit is not within visual range of the station). Personnel should not make contact with any individuals outside of the station with no exception, in order to not give potential attackers an idea of where personnel are in the building. Apparatus that are not at the station when it is put into lockdown should not return to station, but go to a safe location until lockdown is lifted.
Driving Procedures
All apparatus shall adhere to the rules of Defensive Driving:
Clearing Intersections:
When an apparatus is approaching a controlled intersection, they shall slow down to a rolling stop and only proceed when it is confirmed that there isn’t any traffic or all traffic has come to a stop.
Speed Limit:
All apparatus, with exception to the Fly Car, shall not exceed 90MPH on any paved roadway. The Fly Car shall not exceed 100MPH on any paved roadway.
On any dirt roads, speeds shall not exceed 40MPH with the exception of Brush and the Fly Car. The Brush and Fly Car shall not exceed 60MPH on any dirt roads.
Arrive alive, don’t become another patient due to your driving.
While on the Ambulance with a loaded patient, the ambulance shall not exceed 90MPH, When you're transporting HIGH PRIORITY you shall not exceed 100 MPH. When going LOW PRIORITY, please be careful and obey the speed limits and traffic laws. Take corners slowly and keep in mind you have at least a patient, if not a co-worker in the box that you don’t want to be banged up by the time you get to the hospital.
OPERATIONS
Radio Operations consist of everything transmitted over the radio from when calling in service as your apparatus until you call out of service as the apparatus. We do not use 10 codes whatsoever, only plain English. When going in service at the start of your shift you are to state which station you are at and what apparatus you will be using. Ex. “100 Foxtrot in service station 5” it’s up to you if you would like to specify what particular apparatus you are running out of that station. There are many reasons that you would have to call over the radio to dispatchers. Some of these include, but are not limited to:
"Apparatus” in service
“Apparatus” responding
“Apparatus” on-scene (size up if possible)
“Apparatus” establishing/terminating scene command
“Apparatus” transporting a patient to the hospital
“Apparatus” going out of service
Firefighters/Medics can not respond to any tweets or any text from anyone. We only responded to 911 calls, witnessed emergencies (seeing an MVA, etc.), or LEO request
Scene size up is the initial evaluation of an incident, in particular an immediate evaluation of hazards to responders, other lives, and property, and what additional resources may be needed. The first arriving unit should paint a picture of the scene to any other responding units and provide the Dispatcher with as much information as possible about the current incident (further information is located in the fire cheat sheet). If hazards are on scene making it unsafe (downed powerline, live RailRoad tracks, busted gas or water lines, etc.) then the necessary utilities or agencies should be contacted to make the scene dangers neutralized. This is most often done using “/ooc calls power company to shut power lines off” and then you can proceed on scene.
The Incident Command System (ICS) is an organization system used on any emergency scene to distribute resources to work on multiple jobs at once and to separate responsibilities between all units on-scene. When arriving on-scene, The first unit on-scene performs a size up and takes command, and remains as command until on-duty command staff in another apparatus arrives on-scene or when the Command vehicle arrives on-scene; they will take command. Ex: “Engine 50 on-scene of a 2-story residential structure with flames showing from the roof. Engine 50 will have Panorama Command”.
When on the scene of a motor vehicle accident, if you arrive in a fire truck at the minimum you are to have your bunker pants, helmet, and traffic vest. During the winter months when it’s snowing you can wear your station jacket and bunker pants with the helmet as well. If you respond on the ambulance, at a minimum, you are to have your traffic vest and helmet on. During the long sleeve months, the traffic vest will not work with our current station jacket so you can wear your helmet with your station uniform, also during the snow months, you do have the option to wear your bunker gear while on-scene of the MVA. If you are actively involved in an extrication or fire attack then you are to have your full PPE on.
Motor Vehicle Accidents are one of the most dangerous scenes that you can be on. The way that you make the area at least somewhat safer is the way you park your apparatus. Ideally, there should be a minimum of 2 fire apparatus and 1 ambulance responding to any MVA, but due to some in-game restraints, you may only get 1 firetruck and 1 ambulance. The correct way to park your vehicle in a traffic accident is at a 45-degree angle, taking up the initial lane of the accident plus 1. The ambulance should be parked downstream of the incident where the back is facing the incident for ease of patient loading. *** As soon as law enforcement gets on the scene, traffic control is their call, if they ask you why you are blocking a lane a valid reason MUST be given, if not you will be asked to move your apparatus. If the MVA is not blocking the flow of traffic and there is room to work. We shouldn’t attempt to block traffic. Failure to do so will result in appropriate action both in and out of the game. It likely results in criminal charges for obstruction and a character suspension or being fired from the SAFR entirely, as well as the appropriate disciplinary action from fire coc. ***
When on Duty you are permitted to travel to a business and perform a routine inspection. Inform Dispatch you are at the location of choice and what you are doing. Do not use this as an excuse to dodge calls or to harass civilians. You may also go to homes, businesses, etc. and instruct basic fire safety, hang up smoke detectors, or check fire extinguishers.
Building Inspection Procedure:
When doing a Fire Code Inspection; you are to go through the following checklist.
#1. Clear Paths of Egress
You are to check if any of the paths of egress are blocked or obstructed in any way. Any path that leads to an exit must be 36 inches in width. You are to make sure that all exit doors are able to be opened and closed without any problem.
#2. Emergency Exit Lights
All exits must be clearly marked with exit signs. These signs are to have backup batteries so that it can be illuminated for at least 90 minutes in the event of a fire or power outage. Many signs contain lights on top and you are to make sure the bulbs work properly and that they have functional batteries.
#3. Fire Extinguishers
Buildings must have a fire extinguisher within 75 feet of travel from any place in your facility. All extinguishers must be at least 2A-10BC size rating and also been serviced within the last 12 months. The service tag must be in place and updated.
#4. Fire Alarm Panels
You are to check the fire alarm panels and make sure their inspection tags are up to date and also make sure that there are no warning lights illuminated on the panel.
#5. Fire Sprinklers
You are to inspect each sprinkler and ensure that there is no obstruction to the ability of the sprinkler to spread the water efficiently. There must be 18 inches of space between the sprinkler and any furniture.
#6. Sprinkler Water Supply
You are to inspect all the hoses, valves, and fire department connections. You are to also ensure that there is no leakage, corrosion, or physical damage. Also, that they are not obstructed by a foreign object or paint.
#7. Storage of Combustible Liquids
You are to make sure that all flammable liquids, or any liquid that is a fire hazard, are stored in a fireproof cabinet.
#8. Maximum Capacity Limits
Every building has a capacity limit set and businesses are to adhere to them.
#9. Overloading Electrical Sockets
There is not to be an excessive amount of wires connected to one socket. Also, there should not be two or more extension cords connected to each other to extend the reach of power in the facility.
#10. Electrical Panels
All electrical panels are to be unobstructed at all times. Any item that can be caught on fire or is flammable is to be a good distance away from the panel. There should be three feet of clearance in front of the panel, to provide sufficient working space.
As an EMT Basic, you are allowed to do Basic Level of Care. What this means is that you are allowed to do things such as bandage and splint, take vitals and hook the patient up to the monitor, as well as work an AED. You treat the patient to the point to which they are stable and take them to a hospital for treatment. You cannot do any advanced procedures or give advanced medication without a Paramedic’s assistance. See the cheat sheet for any help needed. Doing Advanced procedures without the guidance of a Paramedic is a breach of SOP policy and a criminal negligence and will be handled appropriately.
Paramedics
As a Paramedic, you can use medications and advanced procedures to help a patient get better or help them long enough to get them to a hospital and doctors. Medics are professionals that begin treatment so that the patient can get to the hospital. As a Paramedic, you can run the Fly Car and as TEMS; if trained and it is required.
Designation: Fly ##. The Fly Car is an ALS unit designed to offer ALS care by paramedics to scenes where there is: an ambulance already on-scene without a paramedic or to offer first responder assistance with an ambulance already on the way. They can also do intercepts with an ambulance carrying a BLS crew to offer ALS assistance on a call/transport. If the patient requires ALS care with a 2-manned EMT crew, then one of the EMTs may switch with the medic and FOLLOW the ambulance to the hospital while the medic is handling patient care in the back of the ambulance. When responding in the fly car and the ambulance has a single EMT on it, then you are to leave the fly car on-scene and go with the patient and treat them en-route to the hospital. It should only be used if absolutely needed. If there are multiple victims needing priority transport; you are to take another ambulance rather than take the fly car. For those ALS-trained AirMed personnel, you can respond to a call for AirMed in the Fly Car. The fly car cannot be sitting out, it must be spawned when needed.
Med-Flight is a part of Air Rescue and you must be FAA Certified to pilot and co-pilot the aircraft. A Paramedic that isn't trained for Med-Flight is allowed to be a flight medic with you if the craft has 2 trained personnel already on board. If you're wanting to be Med-Flight, you will go on as primary Fire and then put MF behind your name (Ex: 206-F Stn 4 MF) so Fire Comm or Dispatch can contact you if Med-Flight is needed to which you would respond in the fly-car down to the helipad meetup.
EMS Operations
Level I: A Level I Trauma center is typically a teaching hospital with a major trauma center. Usually take things that are serious and life-threatening here. Will have all doctors needed to handle all body systems on call and stationed at the facility ready to treat.
Level II: A level II trauma center can do the same things as a Level one but isn’t a teaching hospital. Most likely will not have a psych ward or neurological doctor on call.
Level III: A Level III Trauma Center can provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations.
Level IV: A Level IV Trauma Center can provide advanced trauma life support (ATLS) prior to transfer of patients to a higher level trauma center. It provides evaluation, stabilization, and diagnostic capabilities for injured patients.
Level V: A level V trauma center can provide immediate stabilization and transportation to a higher level of care facility (clinic)
There are only two Priorities you should be going to the hospital and that is Low Priority (no lights) and High Priority (lights and sirens). When you use these depends on the patient's status.
Low Priority Response: This response should be used when the patient is in stable condition and there is no threat to the patient’s condition degrading. So you can take time to go to the hospital. You are to follow traffic laws, stop at lights and signs, and follow speed limits.
High Priority Response: This response should be used when there is an immediate threat to a patient's life and they need to be in an ER or on an operating table within the next 20-25 min or they will die. Or there is a potential that the patient may degrade. You are to use lights and sirens, clear intersections, and transport safely but quickly to the ER.
When Hospitalizing a civ we should remember a minimum of 30 seconds should be applied. 30 seconds is for your minor injuries, morgue visits, evals, etc. (Green Tag and Black Tag PTs). For moderate injuries and semi-critical PTs (yellow tag) you should aim for 45-60 seconds. For severe injuries and critical PTs (red tags) you should go for 60-75 seconds. You should never Hospital script someone for less then 30 seconds or more then 90 seconds.
A patient, at any point, can refuse treatment if they are alert, oriented, are able to make sound decisions, and are not impaired. Depending on the patient’s presentation and complaint; it is the job of you, the Medic or EMT, to give your best advice to the patient. This means if a patient does refuse, you are required to get paperwork showing they do not want to go to the hospital against your advice.
Paramedics and EMTs can be called out to a scene to declare a Patient dead. This is done by checking for a pulse on the wrist and neck, then connecting a monitor/ 12 lead ECG (for paramedics) to check for any sign of cardiac activity (if activity is found, start CPR), and lastly stating TOD and calling for the county coroner to confirm and take the body. The Patient is obviously dead if: they have started Rigor Mortis, they have started the decomposition process, or their injuries can in no way support life (decapitation, split in half from head to pelvis, etc.).
When found in a position of providing care after a criminal act has occurred, be sure to preserve as much evidence as possible. What this means:
1). If a patient appears to be dead on-scene (DOS), check vitals and nature of injuries; if their injuries aren't conducive to life and they don't have any life signs, leave them be.
2). If a patient is shot or stabbed, cut the clothing in a way to avoid the holes made by the weapon to get access to the working area.
3). Do not touch anything that isn't necessary to care for the patient.
4). Do not walk through fluids unless necessary to get to a patient.
5). Any one-use items you used on a patient that becomes DOS should be left with them and not removed.
If a patient is in custody or you may suspect that LEOs may need to talk to them, let them know where you are taking them if they do not ask. If the patient is a minor and in Law Enforcement custody, it is up to the LEOs if they want them transported. If a suspect needs to be transported to the hospital, confirm with LEOs on-scene that they are aware the suspect is being transported and see if there is someone available to follow the ambulance to the hospital with the suspect. If no officers can follow, get a unit number of an officer that will be staying on-scene and, if priority traffic isn’t in effect, advise that specific unit when you have dropped the patient off at the hospital.
Any fire apparatus can respond to a taser barb removal and, when a call comes in, you are to respond Low Priority to the scene. If law enforcement on-scene indicates a life-threatening situation involved with the patient; they can let you know to step it up or not.
Procedure for removal is:
Hold the skin around the barb,
Swiftly pull it out, if bleeding use 4x4 to clean, and
Place Band-Aid over the affected area
Staging
When an EMS or Fire unit is called to stage before moving into an active LEO scene, if able, the units should stage a minimum of 2 blocks and around the corner 90 degrees from the incident.
Public Danger/Threat Policy
In the course of your duty, if you witness a person doing something that could endanger the public or if you witness someone acting in a threatening manner to a member of the public; then you are to alert LEO and not intervene unless you are directly in danger or threatened which you should then follow the “Self-Defense” policy. You are not to attempt to step in, detain, or citizen’s arrest a person. We are not Law Enforcement; therefore, we don’t enforce the laws.
Self-Defense
If you find yourself in an active scene of violence:
RUN and escape if possible:
Alert Fire Control to the situation as soon as you’re safe.
Leave any unnecessary equipment behind.
Help others escape, if possible, but evacuate even if others don’t decide to follow you.
Until Law Enforcement arrives, alert other people in the area and try to coordinate everyone to a safe evacuation point.
HIDE if escape is not possible:
Get out of the threat’s view and stay quiet.
Silence all electronics including radio if not wearing an earpiece (If wearing an earpiece, reduce volume as much as possible).
Lock and block doors, close blinds, and turn off lights.
Don’t hide in groups. Spread out along walls or hide separately.
If safe to do so, inform Fire Control of all important information (Location of threat/suspect, type of threat, number of suspects, suspect’s description).
Stay in place until Law Enforcement Officers advise Code 4.
FIGHT as an absolute last resort:
Commit to fighting and act as aggressively as possible against the threat.
For All Tiers, do not use weapons, go hands-on and attempt to control the suspect by overpowering them.
If, while actively running Fire/EMS, you receive a verbal or physical threat then you are to immediately contact LEO and do what is best to get safe.
-Verbal Threat: If the person is being transported, take them to the Hospital and have LEO ready to arrest them for Criminal Threats. If you are on scene and someone verbally threatens you contact, LEO and get to a safe location away from the person.
-Physical Threats: If someone is physically threatening you, you are to follow the above guidelines for self-defense. If you are transporting this person then you should contact LEO and tell them what is happening, coordinate a way for them to get the suspect and for you to get to safety, and then follow that plan (EX. LEO responds to your location and surrounds the medic and makes the situation safe.)
Civilian and Interpersonal Interactions
The Texas Fire Department currently does not provide Civilian Ride-alongs in apparatus. However, on-duty personnel can still provide station tours and showcases inside the station for interested civilians.
Spiking (Drugging) - Fire/EMS are not allowed to Spike (Drug) any food or drinks. If caught; then you would face appropriate actions with your CoC (Emergency Service Negligence).
You may desire to use your Fire/EMS character while you are off duty and this is fine, but you must remember to act like an upstanding citizen. When off duty your actions can affect your career. Committing crimes, losing your driver's license, etc. can see your character suspended or fired from LSFR.
You also are not protected under the LSFR legal Liability. This means your aid to people in need should be limited to basic stabilization, CPR, holding pressure, etc. You cannot render ALS aid when off duty. You must hand the scene over to Fire/EMS when they arrive on the scene. You shouldn’t attempt to transport the Patient yourself, but wait for the Ambulance to arrive.
As an Off-duty, you are to not get involved with Fire scenes. If it is your house/property that is on fire then evacuate it and aid those inside it to evacuate. Then call 911 and stay away from the fire.
When off-duty you are not to order around on-duty personnel.