Guys,  My Dept is implementing this procedure when using the overhead garage doors in the Station.  Look over it real quick and give your opinion, give special attention to the part in RED.  

Section x.xx                         Overhead Apparatus Doors Purpose·         The purpose of this General Operating Guideline is to provide for a safe working environment for employees of the Greensboro Fire Department. The procedures set forth are to prevent the potential for personnel injury, damage to apparatus doors and/or damage to apparatus/equipment.   Procedure·         Remote control devices that activate apparatus doors shall be located on the apparatus as follows o       The remote for the front apparatus door shall be located at the apparatus driver's position and operated only by the apparatus driver o       The remote for the rear apparatus door shall be located at the Captain’s position and operated only by the Captain ·         On emergency responses, the apparatus driver may utilize the remote control device to open and close the apparatus door ·         Upon return to the facility a fire fighter shall be placed at the apparatus door control buttons to maintain an awareness of the position and any movement associated with the apparatus door. The fire fighter shall be in a position to press the stop button and/or notify the apparatus driver should the apparatus door start to move. The other fire fighter shall position themselves to attach the Plymovent hose to the apparatus exhaust system. As some apparatus may have only three personnel assigned, the Captain will insure that there is personnel in position to monitor the door controls and connect the Plymovent hose ·         Should the apparatus door malfunction, become jammed, damaged, or in any way become inoperable, personnel shall not make an attempt to lower or in any way attempt to repair the overhead apparatus door. The Captain shall make the appropriate notification so that the problem can be handled by professional maintenance technician

Just to add a technical note;
The majority of our stations have drive through bays, so when returning, you pull around to the back and drive into the station.  Only one or two have to back into the station, and we do use spotters when backing.

It pretty much looks like the way the FD in my city does it. Soon as they return from a call, one guy jumps off, mans the door, and also puts on the exhaust vaccum. No need for two guys to do it though. One can do both.

I'm not an expert in garage door opening, but that seems like a bit of bureaucratic overkill.

Do you guys use backup men? If so the guy can back you up and watch the door. I think the acting officer should open and close the door. Your driver should be concentrating on your truck and traffic. I would not want my driver looking into the side mirrors to make sure the door closed while engaging crossing traffic while pulling out of the station. I can see it now. Why did you pull out and hit the car? I was making sure the door closed! NOT.

Looks good to me, but one man can handle opening the door and the Plymovent upon returning. The more people off the truck and in the area  creates more of a hazard of being backed over and adds to what the driver must beware of. I'd stick with one man at the rear....and make sure he knows to stay in the mirror so the driver can see him.

Its up to the driver to look and make sure the door is open fully before backing in or driving out.

I drive a ladder truck and before I release the maxi brake or back up, I glance up at the door to make sure its fully open as clearance is less than a foot.

Ditto what Tommygun 2000 said about personnel on the ground around a moving truck. That's just one more thing the driver has to worry about while backing into the bay. I'd rather hit a door than back over a man.  Is this some knee jerk reaction to somebody hitting a door?

Stay safe.

Just to add a technical note;
The majority of our stations have drive through bays, so when returning, you pull around to the back and drive into the station.  Only one or two have to back into the station, and we do use spotters when backing.

Speaking as someone who's driven through a door...

Your policy sounds a little bit on the overkill side. IMHO, the backup spotter can (should be able to) do both jobs. We've got cheater stripes on the floor, so the backup man is more of a safeguard against the random idiot factor.

What about installing the "kiddie sensors" (photocells) at the appropriate height for your rigs, instead of 6" off the ground?

In actuality, our backup man protocol was initiated after we had a guy back into a POS nissan PU while 3-pointing the rig at a fire call. My only backup incidint involved a chain link fence getting lost in the mirror - no damage to the rig, but the post got keeled pretty good. Our department had been pretty good in terms of accidents before that, but a few of the safety folks jumped on this as an issue .

You know, the same folks who complain about exhaust noise from the engines, but fire up the saws for morning checks inside the bays w/o muffs...

And the "through the door" incident? In the time it took for my officer to climb on board the rig and put us in route after I opened the door (about 30 seconds), the door catch failed and the door dropped 2 panels - just the right height to get snagged by the bucket of the tower.

Luckily, one of the officers on another shift had seen the door drop before, and had flagged the door on the "repairs needed" note sheet, so Tango wasn't out the deductible for a new door.

Quoted: I'm not an expert in garage door opening, but that seems like a bit of bureaucratic overkill.

+1

We just hit the buttom, make sure the door is open, and back in.

It is really not that hard, hell the department has done it that way for 50 years.

IR eyes just like on home doors, mounted high enough to detect the truck if it is in the way of the door?

Quoted: Quoted: I'm not an expert in garage door opening, but that seems like a bit of bureaucratic overkill. +1 We just hit the buttom, make sure the door is open, and back in. It is really not that hard, hell the department has done it that way for 50 years.

This is pretty much the way we do it............  'cept we have a spotter/back up man!
In the truck, open with remote....in the bay open with door button!
We also have the IR eyes!

More Osha Bullshit turning the fire serivce into a bunch of p$$ys.  Ive been backing trucks and engines into my bays with no spotter for 10 years, and if Im not driving I refuse to put on the exhaust vaccum until the apparatus stops.  How stupid is standing next to a moving vehicle trying to attach a hose on the exhaust pipe hoping the driver slows down for you?

From the policy post: Upon return to the facility a fire fighter shall be placed at the apparatus door control buttons to maintain an awareness of the position and any movement associated with the apparatus door. The fire fighter shall be in a position to press the stop button and/or notify the apparatus driver should the apparatus door start to move. The other fire fighter shall position themselves to attach the Plymovent hose to the apparatus exhaust system. As some apparatus may have only three personnel assigned, the Captain will insure that there is personnel in position to monitor the door controls and connect the Plymovent hose.

As some apparatus may have only three personnel assigned, the Captain will insure that there is personnel in position to monitor the door controls and connect the Plymovent hose.

That is justed an f'ed up sentence.

"there are personnel in position"

Plus it might be proper to say "ensure" not insure.

Next, change it from "personnel" to "officer" I bet you get some other way to get into the barn, w/o having to have a "switchmaster.

A switch that stops all doors from moving? IR beams? Just getting the truck in there before the door goes down, if you have an automatic door closer set up?  

I'm lucky. If I'm driving the engine, I have 30 feet of brow to back up into once i pull off the street; our house doesn't directly abut the street. Also, I have no problems backing up, unless of course I have someone backing me out of a bad driveway or into the street or something. Putting a man out while backing into the station puts people in harms way. And when I get in, I check my truck and put the plymovent back on myself. I'm the driver, that's one of my responsibilities.

Bump for the insomniacs.
OH, PLEASE CAST A VOTE UP TOP IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY.

It's been a month.... BTT