State of California
Office of Emergency Services
Fire and Rescue Branch

TRANSMITTAL

TO: REGIONAL FIRE AND RESCUE MUTUAL AID COORDINATORS

FROM: Kim Zagaris, Chief

DATE: June 05 , 2007

SUBJECT: FIRESCOPE Procedures for the Identification and Management of Life Hazard Zones
NOTE: ***** THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN*****
PLEASE DELIVER TO REGIONAL FIRE AND RESCUE COORDINATOR

Please forward and distribute to the OES Fire and Rescue Regional Coordinator and OES Fire and Rescue Operational Area Coordinators within your Region.

Please insure that the OES Fire and Rescue Operational Area Coordinators forward and distribute to Local Fire Agencies within their Operational Areas listed below:

To: The California Fire Service

In March, 2006, after a tragic accident involving a California fire service member the OES Fire and Rescue Services Advisory Committee/ FIRESCOPE Board of Directors, directed the FIRESCOPE Decision Process to research and develop a standardized method to identify Life Hazard zones at incidents and promulgate this standard throughout the California Fire Service.

The attached document entitled, “PROCEDURES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LIFE HAZARD ZONES” provides a standardized method to identify and isolate areas at incidents that pose an immediate threat, serious injury or death to incident personnel. Examples are not limited to downed electrical wires, unstable structures or trees, etc

The standard is based upon the physical identification of the hazard by the presence of three horizontal strands of fireline barrier tape or optimally, a 3” red and white barrier tape with the warning, “LIFE HAZARD, DO NOT CROSS”. It is critical that all California Fire Service personnel recognize this method of isolating Life Hazards and comply with the procedures included in the “PROCEDURES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LIFE HAZARD ZONES” document.

The “PROCEDURES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LIFE HAZARD ZONES” concept has been included in the 2007 edition of the Field Operations Guide (ICS 420-1) and was introduced at this year's State and Federal Team meetings. This procedure has also been submitted to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Safety and Health Working Group and to the NIMS Integration Center National Field Operations Guide Working Group for consideration at the national level.

Thanks to the members of the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the FIRESCOPE Program for their commitment to the Safety of California Fire Service personnel.

Sincerely,

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY

KIM ZAGARIS
State Fire and Rescue Chief

Document Downloads

Subject File Format FIRESCOPE Life Hazard Document FireFighter Incident Safety & Accountability Guidelines (ICS 910)

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