FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT

STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES
Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office

Cabanatuan city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 1

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Table of Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2 Goal..................................................................................................................................................... 4
3 Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Policies ................................................................................................................................................ 4
4.1 Coordination and Collaboration .................................................................................................. 4
4.2 Planning Assumptions ................................................................................................................. 5
4.3 Worst Case Scenario ................................................................................................................... 5
4.4 Risk Assessment Profile ............................................................................................................... 5
Fire Incident Response Flow ....................................................................................................................... 6
5 Standard Operating Procedures for Fire ............................................................................................. 8
5.1 Receiving of Call/Report .............................................................................................................. 8
5.2 Notify Bureau of Fire Protection ................................................................................................. 8
5.3 If additional manpower/medical assistance/extrication is needed ............................................. 8
5.5.1 Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ........................................................................................... 9
5.5.2 Philippine National Police (PNP) .......................................................................................... 9
5.5.3 Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team (CESAR-QRT) ............ 10
5.6 Activate Incident Command System (ICS) ................................................................................. 11
5.6.1 Responsibilities of each ICS staff/members ...................................................................... 13
5.7 Demobilization .......................................................................................................................... 13
5.8 Documentation ......................................................................................................................... 13
HAZMAT Incident Response Flow ............................................................................................................. 14
6 Standard Operating Procedure for Hazmat....................................................................................... 15
6.1 Note and validate the report..................................................................................................... 15
6.2 Notify Responsible Agencies ..................................................................................................... 15
6.3 Deploy the Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team ....................... 15
6.4.1 Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ......................................................................................... 16
6.4.2 Philippine National Police (PNP) ........................................................................................ 16
6.4.3 Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team (CESAR-QRT) ............ 16
6.5 Demobilization .......................................................................................................................... 17

Cabanatuan city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 2

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

6.6 Documentation ......................................................................................................................... 17

7 EMS Protocol on providing first-aid to victims .................................................................................. 17
7.1 Burn .......................................................................................................................................... 17
7.1.1 Thermal burns ................................................................................................................... 19
7.1.2 Chemical burn ................................................................................................................... 20
7.1.3 Electrical burns .................................................................................................................. 21
7.1.4 Inhalation burns ................................................................................................................ 21
7.1.5 Triage guideline for burn patient ...................................................................................... 21
7.2 Decontamination ...................................................................................................................... 22
7.3 Panic attack ............................................................................................................................... 22
8 List of agencies, available resources, and personnel......................................................................... 23
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix A. Fire Classification and Types of Fire Extinguisher ............................................................. 25
Appendix B. How to use Fire Extinguisher ............................................................................................ 26
Appendix C. List of available force multipliers ...................................................................................... 27

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 3

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

1 Introduction

Fire is produced when three components namely; fuel, oxygen,

and heat are present. When harnessed, it may give us many benefits such
as light, heat for warmth and cooking, and energy for driving engines.
However, if not used with caution or when exposed to combustible
materials such as wood, fabric, and petroleum product, it may destroy
whatever lies on its path and result to injuries.

Small fires can be extinguished using water or fire extinguishers. Nonetheless, since
fire spreads quickly, people are advised to evacuate the burning structure and notify
responsible agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as soon as possible.

A number of hazards may also arise secondary to fire. These may

include a spill of flammable liquids or hazardous material (hazmat). Such
circumstance should be addressed with caution because contact with
hazardous material may lead to serious health threats. Thus, only trained
personnel wearing proper protective gear should be allowed to cross the
incident perimeter.

This Standard Operating Procedure for Fire and HAZMAT will provide general
information on the procedures that should be followed in case of a reported fire or hazmat
incident.

2 Goal
Ensure the safety of the responders and public throughout the entire operation and
be able to effectively render the necessary assistance.

3 Objectives
1. Be able to create a suitable plan of action based on risk assessment.
2. To protect the emergency personnel during the entire operation
3. To be able to provide the necessary medical assistance

4 Policies

4.1 Coordination and Collaboration

4.1.1 Agencies involved must ensure that all emergency-related activities will be
well-coordinated, collaborated, and acted upon
4.1.2 All stakeholders involved shall abide to the basic principles of
accountability, transparency, and control
4.1.4 Always bear in mind that the overall goal of City Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Office is to pull available resources and coordinate efforts
among the council members for effective emergency response.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 4

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

4.1.5 If the operation requires many resources, the following agencies/volunteer

organization may be contacted:
A. Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)
B. Philippine National Police (PNP)
C. City Engineering Office (CEO)
D. Barangay Disaster Response Team (BDRT)
E. Cabanatuan City Electric Corporation (Celcor)
F. Cabanatuan City Water District (CCWD)
G. Philippine Red Cross (PRC)
H. Volunteer Fire Fighters

4.2 Planning Assumptions

4.2.1 Different emergencies such as smoke inhalation, hazmat situations, and
injuries may be encountered and so responders must have appropriate
PPEs and paraphernalia
4.2.2 Occurrence of mass casualty incidents due must be considered. Thus, the
personnel included in the ICS should be readily available
4.2.3 Exposure to Large-scale explosions (Improvised Explosive Devices, LPG
tanks, and electrical gadgets) can cause massive destruction therefore,
residents, bystanders, and even rescuers are advised to keep away from
suspected site.
4.2.4 Responders must be equipped with proper Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) to prevent Injuries, exposure to smoke and poisonous materials
4.2.5 Staging of proper ICS command and Medical treatment area for affected
person and responders
4.2.6 Proper risk assessment should be done before dispatching the team.

4.3 Worst Case Scenario

4.3.1 Large chemical fires not easily extinguished by water
4.3.2 Many people are entrapped inside a burning structure
4.3.3 Insufficient water supply, fire-fighting equipment and firefighters
4.4 Risk Assessment Profile
4.4.1 Medical injuries are common during fire incidents and may affect anyone
who is near the scene. Injuries may vary from dyspnea and asphyxia from
inhaling too much smoke to asthma and bronchitis which may affect the
lungs and become fatal if medical treatment is delayed. Furthermore,
trauma to responders and bystanders may happen if PPEs are not
available.
4.4.2 Bystanders and homeowners may also be at risk. They must not be
permitted to go inside the burning house to retrieve belongings as this
may pose risk to both the trapped person and rescuer.
4.4.3 Immediate reporting of individuals trapped inside the burning structure
can be done to help the responders prepare for any lifesaving intervention.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 5

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Fire Incident Response Flow

Upon receipt of report, the CDRRMO radio/telephone

operator should take note of the following details:
-Exact location of incident
-Possible number of patients and their condition
-Kind of fire (i.e. Grass fire, Structural fire, Residential
-Fire incident occurs
fire)
-The incident will be reported to the
-Extent of fire
CDRRMO or BFP
- Presence of any responsible authority in the incident
site
-Name of caller
-Reassure the caller that emergency responders will be
sent to the area and that they should not panic.

-Upon validation of report and information, the

CDRRMO radio/telephone operator should notify the
BFP and/or PNP about the incident
-The operator should relay the information to the
CESAR team and put the ambulance on standby
-If medical assistance or extrication is required, the
CESAR team (team on-duty) should be dispatched
immediately
-The team leader should ensure the availability of
necessary equipment (i.e first-aid kit, extrication
devices, handheld radio, etc.)

-The team leader should conduct a size-up

-Upon arrival at the scene of incident, the
team leader should check-in and provide
courtesy call to the Incident Commander on
scene
-If they are the first responder to arrive, the
team leader should act as the Incident
Commander until the arrival of a more
competent officer
-The team leader should notify the operator
at the central base about the team's arrival
at the site
and/or attend the briefing (if a Responsible
Official or Incident Commander is present).
Thereafter, the team leader should provide an
initial situation report to the central base
-For large-scale incident involving mass
casualties, the Incident Command System
should be activated
-The personnel who will act as the head of
Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance
Sections as well as, the Public Information
Officer and Safety Officer should report to the
Operation Center once activated

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 6

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

-The Incident Commander should
provide timely update to the
Operation Center and coordinate the
response with the head of each
section.
-The Incident Commander (BFP)
should direct the operation. He/She
should ensure the safety of each
responder and victim as well as, the
availability of necessary equipment
-The CDRRMO's CESAR/EMS team
should establish a staging and triage
area.
-It should be the responsibility of the BFP personnel to
extinguish the fire and evacuate entrapped victims
-Personnel from PNP should be available on the scene to
provide over-all security. Bystanders should not be allowed
to cross the yellow line or enter the burning structure.
-If there are victims that needs to be extricated, the
CDRRMO's CESAR team (those who are trained with
extrication) may assist the BFP if safe to do so
-The CDRRMO's EMS team should provide medical
assistance to the victims especially those who are wounded,
injured, and needs immediate treatment or transfer to
hospital

-In case of Mass Casualty, the patients

should be brought to the temporary triage
area where they will be classified according
to severity of condition and will be treated
accordingly
- Each patient should be assessed for not
more than one minute.
-Those who acquired minor injury should
be tagged as GREEN
-Those whose treatment can be delayed
should be tagged as YELLOW
-Those who needs immediate care or
resuscitation should be tagged as RED
-Those who shows no sign of life should be
tagged as BLACK
-Patients with suspected head, neck, thorax, pelvic,
or spinal cord injury, immobilization with KED or
backboard with security straps should be done.
-Upon delivery of first-aid treatment or stabilization
of the patients' vital signs, they should be
transported to the nearest hospital or hospital of
choice for continuity of care
-Those who will refuse treatment should sign a
waiver stating refusal (Should be done if the patient
still doesn't want to be treated despite being fully
informed about the potential consequences of
his/her decision to refuse treatment)

-Is the incident over?

-Upon declaration of "Fire Under Control" or "Fire Out", the
Incident Commander should evaluate the situation and ensure
that all personnel are safe and and victim are rescued
-The ICS should be deactivated
-Before the Operation Closeout, the Incident Commander should
conduct debriefing to evaluate response
-Document significant information

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 7

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

5 Standard Operating Procedures for Fire

5.1 Receiving of Call/Report

The first response will be triggered by a report of a fire incident either from a
barangay official, personnel from Bureau of Fire (BFP) or concerned citizen. Such
report will be received by the CDRRMO radio/telephone operator who, on the other
hand, will immediately dispatch the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team to the
scene of incident to provide medical assistance when necessary.

The operator should take note of the following details:

-Exact location of incident including the landmark

-Possible number of patients and their condition
-Kind of fire (i.e. Grass fire, Structural fire, Residential fire)
-Extent of fire
-Presence of any responsible authority in the incident site
-Name of caller
-Time of call

The operator should also reassure the caller that emergency responders will be sent to
the area immediately. He/She should also instruct the caller not to panic and take
precautionary measures.

5.2 Notify Bureau of Fire Protection

-Contact Bureau of Fire Protection (Telephone Number: 044-600-56960/044-958-
3701) and provide necessary information about the incident.

5.3 If additional manpower/medical assistance/extrication is needed

-The CDRRMO radio/telephone operator should notify the Cabanatuan Emergency
Search and Rescue - Quick Response Team (CESaR-QRT) about the incident and put
them on standby
-The team leader should make sure that there is enough Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) to ensure the safety of each responder

5.4 Deploy the Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team
(CESAR-QRT)
-The team leader should inform the central base that they have arrived at the
incident site
-The team should check-in and provide a courtesy call to a Responsible Official or
other responder
-In the absence of a Responsible Official, the team leader should act as the Incident
Commander until the arrival of a more competent officer.
-The team leader should provide an initial report about the incident:

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 8

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Extent of fire and potential damage

Estimated number of patient
Presence of Responsible Official at the incident site
-The team leader who act as the temporary Incident Commander should transfer the
command to the Responsible Official (preferably an officer from BFP) upon its
arrival
-The Incident Commander should conduct a scene size up and together with the
available responder develop a suitable action plan. He/She should make sure that
the scene is safe for the responders and they are wearing proper personal protective
equipment (PPE).
5.5 Act accordingly

5.5.1 Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)

“The BFP shall endeavor to respond to all fires before they reach
critical and conflagration stages. The activities that contribute to
high level performance fall into two major categories: Preparation
and Fire Attack” (based on RA 9514 or Fire Code of the Philippines).

The BFP or its personnel should:

-Operate based on their standard operating procedure employing the principles of
Incident Command System (ICS)
-Develop and communicate a search and rescue plan
-Make sure that there is enough water supply to support the operation or if the use
of water alone is sufficient to extinguish the fire
-Perform effective methods to extinguish the fire and evacuate the victims from the
burning structure
-Isolate the area and assure the safety of people by leading them towards the safety
perimeter
- Assume the responsibility of an Incident Commander
The Incident Commander should:
-Secure the scene without entering the immediate hazard area.
-Direct the overall operation.
-Assess needs and request for additional resources

5.5.2 Philippine National Police (PNP)

The PNP should:
-Ensure the overall safety on the incident scene
-Prevent possible criminal acts (e.g. theft, destruction of evidence)
at the scene
-Assist the other fire fighters in ensuring that bystanders and
homeowners will not cross the cordoned or restricted area nor re-
enter the burning structure
-Assist in preserving the incident site. (The incident site may serve
as a crime scene during police investigation

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 9

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

5.5.3 Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team

(CESAR-QRT)
The CESAR-QRT team or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team should:

-Operate under the Incident Commander

-Assist the BFP with extrication only if the scene is safe or
when necessary
-Establish a medical/staging area and provide first-aid
treatment to the injured, wounded, or burn patients.
-Practice universal precautions by using personal protective
equipment (PPE) in treating the patients
-Document or record each person involved
-Establish a triage area and perform START triage in case of mass casualty
incident. Each patient should be assessed within a minute.

Figure 1. Triage

In order to attend to the needs of most victims, their conditions should be

rapidly assessed, classified, and labelled with colors green, yellow, red, or
black.
 Those with minor injuries and can walk should be tagged as GREEN
 Those whose treatment can be delayed should be tagged as YELLOW
 Those who needs immediate care or resuscitation should be tagged as RED
 Those who shows no sign of life should be tagged as BLACK

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 10

FIRE AND HAZMAT INCIDENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

The following parameters should also be evaluated or given consideration:

RESPIRATION, PERFUSION, and MENTAL STATUS

Respiration: If the patient is not breathing or is breathing ineffectively,

his/her mouth should be assessed for any obstruction. The foreign object
should be removed to be able to establish an open airway. Re-evaluate
respiration and if:
 No respiration: Tag with BLACK
 Breathing more than 30 breaths per minute: Tag with RED
 Breathing less than 30 breaths per minute: Proceed to PERFUSION
evaluation

Perfusion: Perfusion status can be evaluated by palpating the radial pulse

and if:
 There’s no palpable radial pulse: Tag with RED
 Radial pulse is present: Proceed to MENTAL STATUS evaluation

Mental Status: To check for mental status, the patient should be given
simple commands to follow such as “Open your Eyes”, “Lightly squeeze my
hand”, etc. If:
 Patient cannot follow simple commands: Tag with RED
 Patient is able to follow simple command: Tag with either YELLOW or
GREEN based on the mechanism of injury.

-Immobilize the patient suspected with head, neck, thorax, pelvic, or spinal
injury to prevent further complications
-Set-up a temporary morgue away from the public view
-Coordinate with hospitals and make necessary arrangement regarding the
transport of patient(s) with life threatening injuries as well as, non-life
threatening injuries requiring treatment in hospital.

5.6 Activate Incident Command System (ICS)

As the situation escalate and mass casualty is likely to be involved, additional
manpower and resources might be needed to appease the operation. Thus, the
Incident Command System (ICS) should be activated. The head of each section
namely; Planning, Operation, Logistics, and Finance should immediately report to the
operation center to come up with a good response.

The ICS structure for fire is shown on Figure 2.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 11

 BFP
INCIDENT COMMANDER

PNP CDRRMO
INFORMATION OFFICER LIAISON OFFICER

BFP
SAFETY OFFICER

BFP BFP CMO

CAO, CBO, CTO
OPERATIONS PLANNING ADMIN & FINANCE LOGISTICS

SEARCH AND MEDICAL TEAM COMMUNICATION SUPPORT TEAM 1. City

TEAM 1. CITY ENGINEER'S Treasurer's GSO DWJJ
RESCUE, SECURITY 1. CESAR TEAM
1. PNP OFFICE Office Resource Unit Documentation
TEAM 2. RED CROSS
1. CDRRMO 3. City Health 2. CDRRMO 2. CMO 2. City Budget
2. PNP Office 3. CITO 3. BDRT Office
4. DWJJ
3. BFP 4. City Hospital 3. City
5. CELCOR
4. BDRT Accountant's
6. CEEPUMO Office
7. CSWDO
8. CCWD

Figure2. ICS Structure on Fire

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office 11

5.6.1 Responsibilities of each ICS staff/members
Incident Commander (IC) - in charge of the emergency response

Command Staff- should provide support to the Incident Commander. The command
staff may consist of Information, Liaison, and Safety Officer.

Information Officer-responsible for keeping the media and public informed

about the updates on the incident.

Liaison Officer-act as the contact person of assisting and cooperating

agencies (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s partner
agencies)

Safety Officer-has the authority to detect and stop unsafe acts/operations

Operations Section Chief-should direct and coordinate all incident and tactical
operations. He/She should make sure that the response activities will be
implemented.

Planning Section Chief- responsible for the collection, evaluation, dissemination

and use of information about the incident and the status of resources. He/She
should also provide input to the Incident Commander and Operations Section Chief
in preparing the Incident Action Plan.

Logistics Section Chief-responsible for providing facilities, services, and equipment

required to support the entire operation.

Finance/Admin Section Chief-responsible for monitoring the incident costs;

maintaining financial records; and administering of procurement contracts.

5.7 Demobilization
-Upon declaration of “Fire under Control” or “Fire Out” by the Bureau of Fire
Protection or Incident Commander, resources that are no longer required should be
released or returned.

-If medical assistance is no longer needed and as directed by the Incident

Commander, the CESAR-QRT or EMS team should return to the base and evaluate the
overall response.

5.8 Documentation
The information of the patients treated as well as, the actions taken throughout the
incident should be entered into the database to serve as reference for future use.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 13

HAZMAT Incident Response Flow
Chemical Spill/Hazmat
Incident
-If the incident was reported to CDRRMO, the radio
operator should notify the BFP and PNP then give
necessary information
-If the incident was reported to CDRRMO through the BFP,
and medical assistance is requested, the operator should
relay the information to the CESAR-QRT/EMS team and
put the ambulance on standby.
-The team leader of CESAR-QRT should ensure that they
have complete first-aid paraphernalia and Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE)

-The on-site Incident Commander should request for

-BFP officer should conduct the size
up, and act as the on-site Incident
Commander (IC)
-The CESAR-QRT/EMS team should
notify the operation center about their
arrival on the site.
-Together with other responders, the
team should check-in and do a
courtesy call. They should be briefed
by the Incident commander
additional resources when necessary
-The IC should direct the operation and together with the
responders should formulate an Incident Action Plan and
tactical strategy. The extent of spill and number of victims
should be considered.
-The BFP should cordone the incident area but only trained
personnel should handle the situation including the
evacuation and decontamination of victims
-The PNP should be responsible for the overall safety within
the area. Bystanders and unauthorized personnel should not
be permitted to cross the cordoned area.

-If the spill is secondary to a fire incident, trained BFP personnel

-The CESAR-QRT/EMS team should
establish a staging or treatment area on a
safe location away from the incident site
-Trained BFP personnel should evaluate
if the scene is already safe for the
conduct of rescue operation. If the
situation involves only a chemical spill
from a vehicle or tanker, the operation
should focus on isolating the vehicle and
ensuring that no unauthorize personnel
can cross the incident site
should exercise extra precaution. Appropriate PPE should be
worn by the responders. Those who are not trained should not be
allowed to enter the area and should only be put on standby
-The BFP should set up a temporary decontamination area where
contaminated victims will undergo decontamination prior to
treatment
-Patients who need immediate resuscitation or treatment should
be given first-aid and should undergo decontamination. Once
stabilized, their contaminated clothes and possesions will be
removed, bagged, and properly labelled. They will be rinsed with
water from head to toe to and wrapped into clean blankets to
prevent spread of contaminants. The patient(s) belongings
should be endorsed to BFP or responsible officials.

-Patients who are decontaminated and given first aid

but needs further treatment should be transported to
the hospital given that the ambulance and equipment
to be used will be adequately protected to avoid
secondary contamination
-The receiving hospital should be notified about the
incident and the patient should be unloaded away -The CESAR-QRT/EMS team should go
from the emergency room or as per hospital protocol back to the base, evaluate their response,
include the incident and patients treated
-If no further medical attention or surveillance is
in the database, make sure that the
required, notify the incident command and get ambulance is not contaminated and
further instructions
disposable articles are properly disposed
-Unnecessary resources should be returned while
unnecessary manpower should be demobilized.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 14

6 Standard Operating Procedure for Hazmat
Response on Hazmat incidents should be the primary responsibility of trained BFP
personnel. The CESAR-QRT/EMS team should only function as support personnel.
Depending upon the available personnel and discretion of the Incident Commander, in
addition to providing patient care the team may also aid in triaging (for mass casualty),
transportation of victims to hospital, and communicating response to other responders.

6.1 Note and validate the report

The CDRRMO might receive a hazmat incident report through a concerned citizen,
PNP or BFP personnel. In that case, the radio operator should take note of the following
details:

-Exact location of incident including the landmark

-Possible number of patients and their condition
-Type of hazmat (if already identified)
-Extent of spill
-Presence of any responsible authority in the incident site
-Name of caller
-Time of call
6.2 Notify Responsible Agencies
The radio operator should notify the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) or Philippine
National Police (PNP) about the incident. He/she should provide all relevant
information regarding the incident.
6.3 Deploy the Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team
If additional manpower is required or if BFP requested for the assistance of
Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team (CESAR-QRT), the
operator should notify the team about the incident.

Prior to deployment, the team leader should brief his/her team members about the
situation and the need to act according to protocol. He/She should make sure that
they have first-aid kit, enough medical paraphernalia, and suitable personal
protective equipment (PPE).

The team leader should notify the operator about the time of their arrival at the
incident site. Upon arrival the team should:
-Check-in and do a courtesy call to the responsible official/Incident Commander on-
scene
-Attend the briefing and receive instructions from the Incident Commander
-Provide a follow-up situation report via radio to the Operation Center
-Establish a staging/treatment area away from the incident site (upon
recommendation of the Incident Commander)
-Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
-Be available to provide medical assistance to the victims

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 15

6.4 Act accordingly

6.4.1 Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)

The BFP or its trained personnel should:

-Operate based on their standard operating procedure employing
the principles of Incident Command System (ICS)
-Develop and communicate a search and rescue plan
-Perform effective methods to isolate the area of spillage and
evacuate the victims without causing further contamination
-Assure the safety of victims by leading them towards the safety
perimeter
-Establish a decontamination area where contaminated patients
will be rinse and with water and their contaminated belongings
will be removed
-Make sure that contaminated victims have undergone
decontamination before turning over to EMS for treatment
- Assume the responsibility of an Incident Commander
The Incident Commander should:
-Secure the scene without entering the immediate hazard area.
-Direct the overall operation.
-Assess the need for additional resources and make necessary
request

6.4.2 Philippine National Police (PNP)

The PNP should:
-Ensure the overall safety on the incident scene
-Prevent possible criminal acts (e.g. theft, destruction of evidence)
at the scene
-Make sure that bystanders will not cross the cordoned or
restricted area
-Assist in preserving the incident site. (The incident site may serve
as a crime scene during police investigation

6.4.3 Cabanatuan Emergency Search and Rescue-Quick Response Team

(CESAR-QRT)
The CESAR-QRT team or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) team should:

-Operate under the Incident Commander

-Act as support personnel
-Establish a medical/staging area and provide first-aid treatment
to the injured or wounded patients.
-Practice universal precautions by using personal protective
equipment (PPE) in treating the patients
-Document or record each person involved
-Immobilize the patient suspected with head, neck, thorax, pelvic, or spinal injury to
prevent further complications provided that, the backboard or other immobilization
devices will be covered to avoid contamination of equipment and of next patient

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 16

 -Set-up a temporary morgue away from the public view
-Coordinate with hospitals and make necessary arrangement regarding the
transport of patients. The receiving medical facility should be notified regarding
the patient(s) exposure to hazardous materials as well, as the decontamination and
initial treatment done with the patient.

6.5 Demobilization
-Upon declaration of “Situation under Control” by the Bureau of Fire Protection or
Incident Commander, resources that are no longer required should be released or
returned.

-If medical assistance is no longer needed and as directed by the Incident

Commander, the CESAR-QRT or EMS team should return to the base and evaluate the
overall response.

6.6 Documentation
The information of the patients treated as well as, the actions taken throughout the
incident should be entered into the database to serve as reference for future use.

7 EMS Protocol on providing first-aid to victims

The Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or first-aiders should promptly
administer pre-hospital care, in an effective and systematic manner to limit the
depths of burns thus, minimizing morbidity. The EMTs should bear in mind that
firefighting is not their job so they must focus on administering first-aid. They should
also protect themselves while providing first-aid to the patient.

7.1 Burn
Although the basic principles of first-aid remain the same for all categories of burns,
the immediate care at the scene of incident depends upon the extent and type of burn.
However, priority should be placed on the patient’s circulation, airway, and
breathing.
If the patient’s airway has been affected in any way, he may have difficulty breathing
and will need urgent medical attention.
The extent of burn will indicate whether or not shock is likely to develop. If large area
of the body is burned, fluid loss will be significant thereby, increasing the risk of
shock.
Burns allow germs to enter the skin and thus carry a serious risk of infection. To
determine the degree of risk, the depth of the burn should be assessed. (Shown on
figure 3 below)

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 17

 Figure 3. Depth of burns
Photo credits to: www.burn-recovery.org

Depth of burns1
Burns are classified according to the depth of skin damage. There are three depths:
superficial, partial-thickness, and full-thickness.
Superficial burn: involves only the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis. This
type of injury usually heals well if first-aid is given promptly and if blisters do not
form.
Partial-thickness burns: destroy the epidermis and are very painful. The skin
becomes red and blistered. These burns usually heal well, but they can be serious if
large areas of the body are affected. If they cover more than 20% of the body, they
may be fatal.
Full-thickness burns: With this type of burn, all layers of the skin are affected; there
may be some damage to nerves, fat tissue, muscles, and blood vessels. Pain sensation
is usually lost, which may mask the severity of the injury. The skin also looks waxy,
pale, or charred. These burns need urgent medical attention.

Rule of Nines
The rule of nines is a standardized method used to quickly assess how much body
surface area (BSA) has been burned on a patient. This rule is only applied to partial

1
First Aid Manual Fully revised and Updated 8th Edition

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 18

 thickness (2nd degree) and full thickness (3rd degree) burns. The figure below shows
the BSA percentages for adults and infants.

Figure 4. Rule of Nines

Photo credits to: nursingpocket.blogspot.com

7.1.1 Thermal burns

-Make the victim lie supine. Watch for the response and assess for CAB
(Circulation, Airway, and Breathing).
-If there is no response and there are no chest movements, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) should be performed.
-Cool the burn. The first objective in the burn wound care is to dissipate the
heat. The subcutaneous temperature continues to rise for a while even after
the heat source has been removed. Thereafter, it takes about 3 minutes for
the tissues to return to body temperature. 2 Immediate active cooling of burn
wounds with cool tap water is effective. Continuous cooling for the first 10
minutes dissipates heat, reduces pain, delays onset and minimizes the extent
of burn edema by decreasing the histamine release from the skin mast cells. 3
-All the burnt clothes should be carefully removed from the victim’s body.
Fabric that has melted and is stuck to the burn wound should be left in place.
Jewelries should also be removed as they can compromise the circulation
once edema sets in.
-The burnt part should be wrapped in a clean, dry cloth to prevent
contamination or infection.
-Recognize associated injuries. Fractures should be immobilized or splinted
and the bleeding should be controlled through compression.

2
Source: Lawrence JC. Burn care-a teaching symposium. Hull:Smith and Nephew; 1986. The causes of burns; pp. 13-26
3
King TC, Zimmerman JM. First-aid cooling of the fresh burn. Surg Gynaecol Obstet. 1965; 120: 1271-3; and
Ofeigsson OJ. Water cooling: First aid treatment for scalds and burns. Surgery 1965; 57:391-400

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 19

 -Withhold oral intake. It is advisable not to give the victim anything to
drink/eat as this may result in vomiting, especially if the TBSA burnt is
>25%.
-If the victim is pale (pallor), confused, unconscious, or has cold and clammy
skin fast and shallow but weak pulse, the EMT should treat the patient for
shock.
-Treat shock:
-Manage threat to airway, breathing, and circulation
-If the patient is not suspected with spinal cord injury, or has no
fracture, he/she should be placed in Trendelenburg’s position to
assist with perfusion
-Give supplemental oxygen and assist with ventilation when
necessary
-Arrange transport to medical facility
7.1.2 Chemical burn
Chemical burn injuries are caused by contact, ingestion, inhalation of noxious
fumes of acids, alkalis, or organic materials. The process of tissue damage in
chemical burns stops only when the chemical is either neutralized by the
tissues or washed away by irrigation with water.

-Rescuer must wear protective gloves, mask, eye protectors, etc., to avoid
coming in contact with the chemical. They should not become a victim
themselves by contamination.
-The affected area should be thoroughly irrigated with running water to flush
away the chemicals. Thorough irrigation of the affected areas with copious
amount of water significantly reduces the size and severity of the injury. 4
-Victims in contact with the hazardous materials (Hazmat) should be
removed from the zone of immediate danger and then decontaminated.
-Chemical burns of the eye are potentially serious. Immediate copious
irrigation of the involved eye with normal saline or water should be done.
Eyelids should be widely separated manually to allow flushing away of the
chemical. Tilt the head of the victim towards the side of the affected eye to
prevent the chemical from entering the nasolacrimal ducts.
-Irrigation of the affected eye should be continued during the transport.

*Note: Decontamination and initial treatment of victims in contact with

hazardous materials (hazmat) should be the responsibility of BFP or other
trained personnel.

4
Leonard LG, Scheulen JJ, Munster AM. Chemical burns: Effect of prompt first aid. J Trauma. 1982; 22:420-3; and
Sykes RA, Mani MM, Hiebert JM. Chemical burns: Retrospective review. J Burn Care Rehabil. 1986; 7:343-7

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 20

 7.1.3 Electrical burns
Electrical burns occur due to contact with live electric wires or lightning.
These injuries are classified under major burns and the victim needs to be
transported to a medical facility.

-Remove the victim from the source of electric supply.

-Once the area is safe, check Response, Circulation, Airway, and Breathing. If
there is no response or respiration, the victim most likely has suffered
cardiac arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) should be started
immediately at the scene.
-Assess for associated injuries. Cervical spine should be started immediately
at the scene.
-If the victim has been given first-aid but needs additional treatment, he/she
should be transported to the hospital.
7.1.4 Inhalation burns
-Inhalation injury is caused by inhalation of smoke and other irritating
products.
-Inhalation injury should be suspected in any patient with history of being
burned/trapped in an enclosed smoke-filled space. The suggestive features
include head and neck burns, nasal singe, agitation/anxiety, hoarseness of
voice, wheezing, dyspnea, dizziness, tachypnea, and tachycardia.
-The victim’s Circulation, Airway, and breathing should be assessed and
stabilized.
-The victim should be given 100% oxygen as soon as available, even during
transport
-Arrangement with receiving facility should be made. The condition of the
patient and the first-aid treatment provide should be properly endorsed.
7.1.5 Triage guideline for burn patient
In the event of a burn disaster, the initial effort is to sort out and classify the
patients according to extent of injury and resuscitative needs to determine
priority. The principle is to identify those victims who are likely to benefit the
most from the treatment.

-Patients with minor burns should be discharged after given first-aid.

-Patients with extensive burns or inhalation injury should be given
supportive oxygen and transported to the hospital first.
-Initial stabilization should be obtained at the primary hospital; however, it
should be remembered that the burn victims tolerate movement best during
the early period following injury, and undue delay may complicate the
transfer.5

5
Source: Moylan JA. First aid and transportation of burned patients. In: Artz CP, Moncrief JA, Pruitt BA, editors.
Burns-A team approach. Philadelphia WB: Saunders Company; 1979. Pp. 151-8.

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 21

7.2 Decontamination
Once life-threatening matters have been addressed, the patient should be
decontaminated. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should
be worn by the responders while attending to the victims.
Decontamination should be performed by the BFP or other trained
personnel.
During decontamination:
-Make sure that the contaminated clothing and belongings of the patient are
removed, bagged, tagged, and properly endorsed to responsible authority.
-Decontaminate the patient systematically from head to toe using water
-Rinse the contaminated area gently under a stream of water, and
scrub with surgical sponge along with soap
-Wrap the patient in blanket to prevent the spread of any remaining
contaminants
-When transporting a contaminated patient by ambulance, special care
should be exercised to prevent contamination of the vehicle and subsequent
patients
-The receiving hospital should be provided with necessary information about
the patient, the initial treatment given, and the additional treatment
required.

7.3 Panic attack

A panic attack is a sudden bout of extreme anxiety. Being entrapped in a burning
structure may be traumatic to a victim and may cause him/her to panic. A victim with
panic attack may experience hyperventilation, palpitation, and distress.
The first-aider or EMT should:
-Accompany the patient in a quiet and safe place away from the burning structure
-Reassure him/her and explain that he/she is having a panic attack.
-Encourage the patient to breathe more slowly. If he/she is hyperventilating, advise
him/her to breathe into a paper bag to control the symptoms.
-Stay with the patient until he/she has recovered

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 22

8 List of agencies, available resources, and personnel
In case additional resources are needed, the following department may be contacted:

Table 1. List of agencies, available resources, and personnel

FOCAL PERSON/CONTACT
AGENCY/DEPARTMENT RESOURCES
NUMBER
Personnel: Thirty (30)
CITY DISASTER RISK Ambulance: Three (3)
Mr. Ronnie Punzal Rescue Truck: Three (3)
REDUCTION AND
09165051322 Rescue Van: One (1)
MANAGEMENT OFFICE
Equipment: Medical Equipment

BUREAU OF FIRE Capt. Roberto Miranda Personnel: Forty two (42)

PROTECTION-CABANATUAN 09224982291 Fire trucks: Seven (7)
Personnel: One Hundred Sixty-Six (166)
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL P/SUPT. Ponciano P. Zafra
PNP Vehicles: Fifteen (15)
POLICE-CABANATUAN 0916-552-6645
Radio: Fifteen (15)
Personnel: Fourteen (14) Nurses
Evelyn Garcia
CITY HEALTH OFFICE Ambulance Driver: One (1)
09228306773
Ambulance: One (1)
Ms. Idrolina Rufino
(044)-806-5725 Personnel: Thirty (30)
CITY MAYOR’S OFFICE
Mr. Bernardo Legaspi Service Vehicle: Two (2)
09261210613
Personnel: Twenty (20) Trained
PHILIPPINE RED CROSS Elena Ladignon
Rescuers
NUEVA ECIJA CHAPTER (044)463-1280
One (1) Ambulance
Personnel: Eight (8) Nurses
MV GALLEGO CABANATUAN Emma Villaroman
Ambulance Drivers: Two (2)
CITY GENERAL HOSPITAL (044) 958-9774
Ambulance: Two (2)
Personnel: Twenty four (24)
Dump trucks: Twenty Two (22)
Mini dump truck: (1)
Engr. Lauro Pangilinan Back Hoe (wheel): Two (2)
CITY ENGINEER’S OFFICE
09999958342 Back Hoe (Crawler): Three (3)
Pay loader: One (1)
Grader: Two (2)
Water trucks: Three (3)
Francis Aldwin Balaria
DWJJ Personnel: Ten (10)
09177079909
Engr. Don Dagamac
CELCOR Personnel: Ten (10)
09189246315
Mr. Mario Villasan
CCWD Personnel: Ten (10)
(044) 940-2222

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 23

 Appendices

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 24

 Appendix A. Fire Classification and Types of Fire Extinguisher
Fire Classification
CLASS TYPE OF FIRE PICTURE SYMBOL
A ORDINARY COMBUSTIBLES
(wood, paper, rubber, fabrics, and many plastics)

B FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS AND GASES

(gasoline, oils, paint, lacquer, and tar)

C FIRES INVOLVING LIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

D COMBUSTIBLE METALS/METAL ALLOYS

K FIRES IN COOKING APPLIANCES THAT INVOLVE

COMBUSTIBLE COOKING MEDIA
(Vegetable oil, Animal oils, and Fat)

Types of Fire Extinguisher and their usage

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 25

 Appendix B. How to use Fire Extinguisher

© www.barrierefire.com

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 26

 Appendix C. List of available force multipliers
CITY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OFFICE
FOCAL PERSON Ronnie N. Punzal
CONTACT NO. (044) 940-0161/ 09165051322
Disaster Monitoring RESOURCES TOTAL
and Reporting/ Search HUMAN RESOURCES 30 Personnel
and Rescue Team VEHICLES 3 Ambulance
1 Elf Rescue Van
3 Rescue Trucks
EQUIPMENT Medical Equipment

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE

FOCAL PERSON P/SUPT. Ponciano P. Zafra
CONTACT NO. (044) 600-4506/ 09255025801
Safety and Security/
RESOURCES TOTAL
Search and Rescue
Team HUMAN RESOURCES 189 PERSONNEL
SUBSTATION 11 SUBSTATIONS
VEHICLES 15 RESCUE PATROL CARS
EQUIPMENT 15 RADIOS

BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION

FOCAL PERSON Capt. Roberto Miranda
CONTACT NO. (044) 600-5696 / 09224982291
RESOURCES TOTAL
HUMAN RESOURCES 50 BFP PERSONNEL
17 FIRE AIDES
VEHICLES 11 FIRE TRUCKS
12 NOZZLES
2 WATER TANKERS
SUBSTATIONS 5 SUBSTATIONS
CITY HEALTH OFFICE
FOCAL PERSON Dr. Gilbert Embuscado
CONTACT NO. (044) 463-5900/ 0917-568-3536
RESOURCES TOTAL
HUMAN RESOURCES 63 PROFESSIONALS
Medical Team
6 DOCTORS, 28 NURSES
18 MIDWIVES
4 DENTISTS
1 MEDTECH
6 INSPECTORS
VEHICLES 1 AMBULANCE

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 27

 PHILIPPINE REDCROSS N.E CHAPTER
FOCAL PERSON Elena Ladignon
CONTACT NO. (044) 463-1280/ 0918-9203-289
RESOURCES TOTAL
HUMAN RESOURCES 9 STAFF OFFICIAL
6 DETAILED VOLUNTEERS
Medical Team
16 VOLUNTEERS
VEHICLES 2 SERVICE VEHICLES
1 BLOOD MOBILE
1 AMBULANCE
EQUIPMENT 1 GENERATOR
ROPE

CITY INFORMATION AND TOURISM OFFICE / DWJJ

FOCAL PERSON Francis Aldwin Balaria
Communication/ 09177079909
CONTACT NO.
Documentation/
Information RESOURCES TOTAL
HUMAN RESOURCES 4 PERSONNEL (CITO), 10 PERSONNEL (DWJJ)
EQUIPMENT CAMERAS, RADIO

BDRRMC/ BDRT/ACDV
FOCAL PERSON Sergio Tadeo
CONTACT NO. 09266552577
RESOURCES TOTAL
HUMAN RESOURCES BDRT PER BARANGAY/ACDVs
VEHICLES 79 Service Vehicles
CELCOR
Support Group FOCAL PERSON Engr. Don Dagamac
CONTACT NO. 09189246315
RESOURCES
HUMAN RESOURCES 10-man rescue team
CCWD
FOCAL PERSON Mr. Mario Villasan
CONTACT NO. (044) 940-2222
HUMAN RESOURCES 36 Personnel

Cabanatuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Page 28