Appliance Readiness and Turnout Procedure

Purpose. Describes the checks that keep appliances and equipment ready for response, and the actions of the crew from the moment an alert is received until the appliance is responding.

1.Start of shift checks

At the start of every career shift, and weekly at volunteer stations, the crew must complete the appliance check: fuel, water, foam, pump operation, hose and branches, breathing apparatus sets and cylinders, rescue tools, ladders, radios, lighting, first aid and defibrillator, and personal protective equipment. Results must be recorded in the Appliance and Equipment Register and any defect reported to the station officer immediately.

2.Defects

A critical defect, being anything that affects the safe operation of the appliance or a life safety item, must take the appliance off the run until repaired, and the communications centre must be told so that resource status is updated. Non-critical defects must be recorded and repaired at the next service. Appliances must never respond with a critical defect.

3.Breathing apparatus

Every breathing apparatus set must be checked at the start of shift and after every use: cylinder pressure, face mask and seal, demand valve, low pressure warning and telemetry. Checks must be recorded against the set number in the register. A set that fails any check must be tagged out.

• Cylinder pressure at or above the minimum
• Face mask seal and visor undamaged
• Low pressure warning tested
• Set number recorded in the register

4.Alert and turnout

On alert the crew must acknowledge the alert, read the incident details from the printout or terminal, don protective equipment appropriate to the incident type, board the appliance with seatbelts on and respond within the turnout target. The driver must confirm the route and the officer must confirm the crew and their competencies before responding.

5.Responding

Appliances must be driven under operational conditions only by members recorded as competent in the training matrix and in line with the driving procedure. Warning devices must be used as required and the driver must not exceed the safe speed for conditions. The officer must maintain radio contact with the communications centre and confirm arrival at the incident.

6.Return to readiness

After every incident the crew must replenish water, foam and consumables, clean and check equipment, replace used breathing apparatus cylinders, record equipment use and defects in the register, and report the appliance available to the communications centre. Contaminated protective equipment must be bagged and sent for cleaning.