Post-Incident Activities
Foundational
Scope
This Operational Guideline outlines activities occurring after the end of an incident or on return to the station.
Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.
Guiding Principles
- After completing operations at an incident:
- All appliances and equipment used should be cleaned, checked and re-stowed.
- Personal protective clothing and equipment (PPC/PPE) should be cleaned in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
- Water, foam, vehicle fuel, pump fuel, chain saw fuel/oil, and drip torch fuel tanks and containers should be checked and replenished.
- Any damaged, unserviceable, depleted, or worn-out equipment (including PPC/PPE) should be appropriately tagged/marked and replaced.
- An After Action Review (AAR) with the crew should be conducted, including discussion of procedures and equipment used; performance of the crew; and any equipment, procedural, training, or maintenance needs that were identified.
- All firefighter injuries or safety incidents are to be reported in accordance with RFS Work Health and Safety (WHS) procedures. The Officer in Charge (OIC), if possible, should take action to prevent a recurrence, and recommend in the form what action needs to be taken.
- Any damage to equipment during the incident should be reported.
- Complete Post Incident Reporting.
Special Considerations
- For members attending a Potentially Traumatic Event (PTE), consider engagement with the Mental Health Services Team and Critical Incident Support Services (CISS) following the incident.
- Depleted equipment refers to things such as a discharged fire extinguisher which needs to be sent for recharging or an empty breathing apparatus cylinder.
Related Information
Definitions
Term | Definition |
---|---|
AAR | After Action Review - Similar to a debrief, an AAR involves describing what was intended, what actually happened, what mistakes were made and how participation might improve in the future. |
CISS | Critical Incident Support Services - Is to provide support to all members, as individuals or as a group, of the RFS. This includes volunteers or staff (and their families) who may be experiencing a critical incident stress reaction following an operational incident. |
Critical Incident | Is defined as any event, which causes significant disruption to effective operations, creates significant danger or serious injury, or fatality to a member of the RFS. A Critical Incident may also include any event that has, or may reasonably cause the public to lose its confidence in the RFS and its members. |
drip torch | A canister of flammable fuel fitted with a wand, a burner head and a fuel flow control device. It is used for lighting fires for prescribed burning, backburning and burning out. |
foam | A mass of bubbles formed by mixing air with water and foam concentrate in specific proportions. It is used as a firefighting agent to form a smothering, cooling and/or ignition preventing layer of the surface over a fuel. |
OIC | Officer in Charge - The officer present with the authority to command a brigade. |
PPC/PPE | Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment - Protective clothing and equipment designed to protect a person from injury or infection, e.g. firefighting ensemble, respiratory protective equipment, boots, helmet, gloves, goggles, flash hood, mask. |
PTE | Potentially Traumatic Event - Also referred to as a Critical Incident, are incidents which involve actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence. |
WHS | Work Health and Safety |
Content Owner:
Area Operations
Date Approved:
26 Mar 2024
Review Required:
26 Mar 2027
Version:
1.0
If you have any questions or feedback on Operational Doctrine, please email Ops.Performance@rfs.nsw.gov.au.