standard operating procedure college station fire department

SUBJECT: Personnel Accountability System SOP: 300.1.20
CATEGORY: PAGE: 3 of 4
Level I Accountability
1. Generally used on single point entry incidents (i.e. structures with access only to one side)
or incidents that have potential for escalation. These incidents are usually conducted with
a minimum of personnel.
2. Accountability of personnel at these scenes can usually be conducted through “line of
sight” by the Officer in Charge.
3. If the situation escalates and crews are developed, PASSPORTS will be formed.
4. Assignments will be made on a crew basis.
5. When a crew is assigned, the crew leader will attach the PASSPORT to the apparatus
Accountability Board, where it will remain until Level II Accountability is called. The
driver/engineer(s) will maintain control of the Accountability board(s) until an
Accountability Officer is designated.
Level II Accountability
1. Initiated on multiple entry point incidents (i.e. large commercial structures, high rise fires)
or incidents having mutual or automatic aid personnel present.
2. Level II accountability will be conducted by the IC or an assigned Accountability Officer.
3. Multiple Accountability Officers (Sector Officers) may be appropriate, depending on the
magnitude of the incident.
4. Upon the call for Level II Accountability, the Accountability Officer(s) will collect the
Accountability Boards for their area of responsibility.
5. PASSPORTS will remain with the Accountability Officer at the point of entry to the
Hazard Zone or be delivered to the IC.
6. Crews exiting at a location different than their original point of entry must immediately
notify their Sector and/or Accountability Officer. The PASSPORT must be retrieved.
7. If physical distance or barrier prevent easy retrieval of the PASSPORT, and where the
crew is being assigned to another sector, a secondary PASSPORT must be
assembled. Crew members will provide their new Sector Officer with another plastic
name tag. Where another PASSPORT is not available, the name tags may be placed
directly on the Accountability Status Board.
8. The original Sector Officer must be made aware of the change and PASSPORTS
removed from that Accountability Status Board.
9. Command will establish a Staging Area as soon as additional resources and personnel are
requested. The location of the Staging Area will be announced over the radio. It is
imperative that all later arriving personnel report to the Staging Area. Large incidents
may have more than one Staging Area.
10. Those crews arriving on apparatus will report via formation of the apparatus PASSPORT.
11. Additional crews and PASSPORTS will be formed and assignments will be given at the
Staging Area.
12. During prolonged incidents, personnel report back to the Staging Area upon rotation
through the Rehab Area.
RIC-Rapid Intervention Crews
1. As the incident escalates and crews are operating in the Hazard Zone, Command will
assign Rapid Intervention Crews at each point of entry or side of incident, if possible.
2. At a minimum, one crew will be established and ready for fire fighter rescue purposes.
rev: 11/95, 7/97, 3/99,re#’d 11/02