FIRE PROTECTION

I.	PURPOSE
	This Annex provides for the coordination of fire and rescue activities to ensure the safety of life and property within the County during emergency situations.
II.	SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
	A.	Situation
		Fire prevention, control and rescue operations are daily problems faced by fire and rescue service personnel. Several hazards become more significant during emergency situations including nuclear incidents and hazardous materials accidents.
	B.	Assumptions
		Existing fire and rescue personnel and equipment will be able to cope with most emergency situations through the use of existing mutual aid agreements. When additional support is required, assistance can be obtained from State and Federal agencies.
III.	CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
		A.	During emergencies, the fire and rescue service must be prepared to support each other utilizing available expertise, equipment and manpower.
		B	In an emergency which requires a number of emergency services (i.e., fire, rescue, law enforcement, etc.) to respond all units, regardless of service, will be coordinated by an incident commander.
		C.	Regardless of the situation, Alexander County's Incident Management System Plan will be followed. This would involve both emergency and non-emergency situations.
		D.	Under the North Carolina Hazardous Materials Right to Know Law, the Fire Chief should survey facilities within his jurisdiction to identify types and volume of hazardous materials located within the County. He should consider this information when developing response plans for hazardous materials accidents within the County. Coordination of facility emergency response plans with the Local Emergency Planning Committee will be included in fire service planning.
IV.	ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
	A.	Organization
		1.	Fire departments in Alexander County are made up of organized and trained units utilizing volunteer personnel, which serve a specific geographical area, providing service to local governments. The primary concern of these departments are structural fires within their jurisdictions.
		2.	The control and prevention of forest fires is the responsibility of the State Division of Forest Resources. Through mutual aid agreements, local fire departments support the State Division of Forest Resources in this responsibility.
		3.	Rescue Squad(s) in Alexander County are made up of organized and trained units utilizing volunteer personnel, which serves within the boundaries of Alexander County, providing service to local governments. The primary concern of these departments is to provide rescue services to the entire county. These services may include, but are not limited to vehicle and machinery rescue, collapse rescue, confined space, high angle and water rescue. The squad also provides missing person search and recovery.
	B.	Responsibilities
		1.	Fire Marshal, Assistant Fire Marshal, Fire Chief or Rescue Captain
			a.	Analyze fire potential and identify fire service requirements.
			b.	Prepare fire annex and SOG's for coordination of fire fighting during emergencies.
			c.	Develop mutual aid agreements.
			d.	Prepare inventories of all fire equipment and personnel resources.
			e.	Report to EOC upon activation, and direct and control fire-fighting operations.
			f.	Assist in warning and notifying the affected population of an existing or impending emergency.
			g.	Deploy fire/rescue personnel and equipment during emergencies.
			h.	Provide for protective equipment, instruments, antidotes and clothing to perform assigned task in a hazardous chemical or radiological environment.
			i.	Provide fire equipment and personnel to supplement reception areas fire services.
			j.	Direct and dispatch fire-fighting/rescue aid from other locations (if applicable) and other counties to the disaster site.
			k.	Designate staging areas for mutual aid and volunteer forces responding from other areas.
			l.	Alert all emergency support services to the dangers associated with technological hazards and fire during emergency operations.
			m.	Advise decision makers on the hazards associated with hazardous materials.
			n.	Support rescue operations.
			o.	Provide radiological and hazardous material decontamination and monitoring support.
			p.	Provide fire protection for emergency shelters.
			q.	Provide for maintaining exposure records and ensure that dosimeters are read and reported at appropriate frequencies.
			r.	Assist in handling inquiries and informing families on the status of individuals injured or missing due to a disaster event.
			s.	Coordinate support personnel to assist in traffic control and damage assessment operations.
			t.	Conduct fire inspections during recovery.
V.	DIRECTION AND CONTROL
	A.	Direction and Control of local fire departments/rescue squad is exercised by the Executive Branch of government under the supervision of the Fire Marshal or Rescue Captain or either of their designees.
	B.	Coordination of fire/rescue services in an emergency is accomplished by the Fire Service Coordinator, utilizing mutual aid agreements developed with local units; and state wide, through the State Emergency Response Team.
	C.	When the EOC is activated, the Fire Marshal and Rescue Captain or their designee will normally be located in the EOC.
VI.	CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
	A.	The line of succession for fire is:
		1.	County Fire Marshal
		2.	Chief of jurisdictional fire department
		3.	Ranking officer of scene or responding fire department
	B.	The line of succession for rescue is:
		1.	Captain of Alexander Rescue
		2.	1st Lieutenant
		3.	Ranking officer on-scene or responding.
VII.	ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS
	A.	A listing of personnel, equipment and supplies for fire and rescue services located in the County will be found in the County Resource Manual.
	B.	Reports and records of fire services activities during an emergency/disaster will be collected and maintained by the Fire Services Coordinator.
	C.	Agreements between fire and rescue services organizations and between related organizations will be kept on file in the County Emergency Management Office.
	D.	Fire/rescue services will maintain current maps and charts and current notification/recall rosters.
VIII.	PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
	A.	Each fire and rescue organization will maintain procedures that reflect their operational capabilities.
	B.	This Annex will be reviewed on an annual basis.
IX.	AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES
	A.	The Hazardous Chemical Right to Know Act, Article (8), Chapter 95 of N.C. General Statutes.
	B.	N.C. General Statutes, 166A.
	C.	Title III of Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA).
	D.	Alexander County Emergency Management Ordinance.