Also known as a PAR (Personnel Accountability Reporting)
system. A method of tracking
personnel in emergency,
large-scale situations such as
fires,
plane crashes,
etc. Differs from department to department, but
regardless of the method, the
National Fire Protection
Agency requires they have one in place.
The standard use is as follows:
- Each fire fighter is assigned a PAR number
(Generally their badge number).
- They are given a card or identifying item of
some sort with their name, and this PAR number.
- These are kept on a keyring with a card
identifying the unit the fire fighter is attached to
(Ex: Engine Company, Brush Truck, etc.)
- Upon arrival of a major incident, the keyring is
given to the incident commander, who then assigns the
company to a specific part of the incident.
- Upon arrival of their working location, the keyring
is passed to the person in charge of that sector, who
has the responsibility of assigning that crew out.
- If the crew is split up for their assignments, they
take their respective card with them, and give it to
wherever they report.
- When they leave the sector (and when they leave the
incident) the card is given back to them.
This method is supposed to ensure that
command is able
to locate personnel in a timely fashion, such as the
case of an
imminent collapse, or a missing
firefighter. Command would call for a PAR check, at
which point each sector commander would report where
their personnel they have marked are at.