N.J. Admin. Code § 5:75-2.9

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 5:75-2.9 - Medical unit/responder rehabilitation (rehab)

(a) Incident commanders shall ensure that the physical and mental condition of emergency responders operating at the scene of an emergency does not deteriorate to a point where it affects the safety of each member or it jeopardizes the safety and integrity of the operation.

(b) Responder rehabilitation (rehab) shall be used to evaluate and assist personnel who may be suffering from the effects or sustained physical exertion during emergency operations.

(c) Command officers should consider the need for rehab during the initial planning stages of an emergency response. Climatic or environmental conditions (for example, high or low temperatures) shall not be the sole justification for establishing rehab. Any activity or incident that is large in size, long in duration, and/or labor intensive will rapidly deplete the energy and strength of personnel and therefore merits the establishment of rehab.

(d) All supervisors shall maintain an awareness of the condition of each member operating within their immediate span of control and ensure that adequate steps are taken to provide for each member's safety and health. The command structure shall be used to request relief and the reassignment of fatigued crews.

(e) When the circumstances dictate it, responder rehabilitation shall be the responsibility of a medical unit under the logistics section.

(f) A medical unit shall provide a specific area where personnel will assemble to receive:

1. A medical assessment;

2. Nourishment and re-hydration;

3. Treatment for injuries;

4. Monitoring of physical condition;

5. Transportation for those requiring treatment at medical facilities; and

6. Initial critical incident stress debriefing.

(g) Critical components of a rehab operation shall include:

1. Nourishment and re-hydration;

2. Rest;

3. Recovery;

4. Medical evaluation and treatment; and

5. Accountability.

(h) Fire departments shall develop and utilize written standard operating procedures/guidelines for rehab. Each of the elements in (g) above shall be included when developing standard operating guidelines or procedures for carrying out rehab operations.

(i) Rehab shall be responsible to identify resources that have been cleared from rehab and ready for re-assignment through staging or released from the incident.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:75-2.9

New Rule, R.2008 d.142, effective 6/2/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 1554(a), 40 N.J.R. 2684(a).