Safety Procedures

Safety Procedures

The safety and physical well-being of all disaster site responders in and around the crime scene is the first priority.  The first personnel arriving at the scene should attempt to identify and control any dangerous situations or persons.

The first personnel on the scene should:

• Ensure that there is no immediate threat to others by scanning area for sights, sounds, and smells that may present danger to personnel (e.g., hazardous materials).
• If there are indicators of biological, radiological, or chemical threats, contact the appropriate response personnel/agency prior to entering the scene.
• Approach the scene in a manner designed to reduce the risk of harm to self while maximizing the safety of victims, witnesses, and others in the area.
• Notify supervisory personnel and request assistance.

Suggested Safety Checks (not all-inclusive)

Before entering the scene:

• Make sure you have the proper safety equipment.
• Check all machinery and equipment you will be using for signs of tampering.
• Report any suspicious problems immediately to your supervisor.
• Do not attempt to investigate the problem yourself.
• Check with officer in charge for any safety concerns or threats.

Upon entering the scene:

• Survey the site visually (this should be ongoing throughout the operation).
• Upon arrival at the work assignment, again report anything suspicious to your supervisor.
• Know where to go for cover in the event of an attack.
• If potential evidence is found, do not disturb it but contact the Officer-in-Charge.

Emergency Care

After controlling any dangerous situations or persons, the next responsibility is to ensure that medical attention is provided to injured persons while minimizing contamination of the scene.

The responder should provide medical attention, or ensure others provide attention, with minimal contamination of the scene.

The first arriving personnel should:

• Assess victims for signs of life and medical needs and provide immediate medical attention.
• Call for medical assistance.
• Guide medical personnel to the victim to minimize contamination/alteration of the crime scene.
• Point out potential physical evidence to medical personnel:
• Instruct them to minimize contact with such evidence (e.g., ensure that medical personnel preserve all clothing and personal effects without cutting through bullet holes, knife tears, etc.).
• Document movement of persons or items by medical personnel.
• Instruct medical personnel not to “clean up” the scene and to avoid removal or alteration of items originating from the scene.
• Obtain the name, agency, address, and telephone number of medical personnel, as well as the name and location of the medical facility where the emergency services personnel take the victim.

If the victim or suspect is transported to a medical facility, send a law enforcement official with the victim or suspect to document any comments made and preserve evidence. (If no officers are available to accompany the victim/suspect, stay at the scene and request medical personnel to preserve evidence and document any comments made by the victim or suspect.)

NOTE: Assisting, guiding, and instructing medical personnel during the care and removal of injured persons will diminish the risk of contamination and loss of evidence.

Psychological Consequences

Disaster site workers and rescue workers are the most vulnerable to psychological stress as anybody in a disaster area.  This stress is the result of the intensity of the work, the long duration of the response campaigns, the multiplicity of risks, the horrifying outcomes of the attacks, and a lack of knowledge about all of the hazards. 

Key to preventing traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress is recognizing the symptoms and early intervention.  A mass disaster need not paralyze the community.  Mental health assistance is a vital tool in all phases of a disaster operation and plans for this type of assistance should be incorporated in all disaster plans.

Contain, Control, and Establish Boundaries

Controlling, identifying, and removing persons at the crime scene and limiting the movement and number of persons who enter the crime scene are important functions of the initial responders in protecting the scene.  Defining and controlling boundaries provides a means for protecting and securing the scenes. 

Persons should not smoke, chew tobacco, use the telephone or bathroom, eat or drink, move any items including weapons (unless necessary for the safety and well-being of persons at the scene), or adjust the thermostat or open windows or doors (maintain scene as found).  Do not touch anything unnecessarily (note and document any items moved), reposition moved items, litter, or spit within the established boundaries of the scene.  The establishment of boundaries is a critical aspect in controlling the integrity of evidentiary material.

Incident Command System

Disaster site workers will function within the Incident Command or Unified Command structure as they attend to their assigned tasks.  It might be in the area of security, evidence, procurement of materials, or any other areas that are addressed as disaster site operations progress.

ICS is “the model tool for command, control, and coordination of a response and provides a means to coordinate the efforts of individual agencies as they work toward the common goal of stabilizing the incident and protecting life, property, and the environment.”  Knowing about ICS helps the disaster site worker understand how the operation is managed and the reason things are done a certain way.  

No matter what the incident, if it involves a number of different jurisdictions or organizations, there has to be some mechanism to maintain order for operation management.  Incident Command or Unified Command is this mechanism.  ICS provides for an overall person in charge, a division of responsibility to ensure the completion of tasks, procurement of equipment, and even financial accountability.