Traffic control at fires, car crashes, mass casualty incidents (MCI) emergencies, drills and other fire department operations which would include:
- protecting firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS) personnel.
- protecting bystanders and crowd control at emergencies.
- protecting each other's safety while on post.
- protecting fire department equipment.
- assisting with police investigations.
- routing responding emergency vehicles to their assigned locations.
- rerouting non-emergency traffic away/around emergency operations.
Often first on scene, fire police are able to report status, suspicious cause & origin and mark the location of the structure, driveway, apartment entrance, etc. for first due companies. Included in this are:
- Locate and mark downed energized electric service or other hazards to first responders.
- Utilize their department/county team apparatus as command posts to relay radio communications to/from IC.
- Utilize their department/county team apparatus to distribute equipment, gear, portable radios, etc. to posts.
- Deploy their department/county team apparatus utilizing lights and equipment at road blocks.
- Conduct, those authorized by the IC, through fire lines.
- Turn, back-in & stage ambulances, tankers, etc.when required by space limitations.
In addition they may also establish and maintain:
- a clear unblocked entrance and egress to & from an incident scene for use by apparatus.
- fire lines & outer haz-mat zones.
- a fire police officer at the IC to deploy arriving fire police units & advise of incoming mutual aid or equipment so they can be directed to their assigned locations.
- a fire watch for as long as required.
- a unbroken chain of evidence until it can be surrendered to PD or Fire Marshall.
- FD control of a possible crime scene enabling an immediate PD investigation.
- staging areas for apparatus, triage, Red Cross, news media, etc.
- security at a fire house, department event, carnival, PD investigation, etc.
- a pool of trained reserve officers to relieve first due company's fire police or PD.
- a safety watch at fire police posts beyond the immediate emergency area affording the IC with additional reliable information otherwise unobtainable.
- a crowd-watch for suspicious spectators, drive-bys, etc.
- a written record of personnel, witnesses, evacuees, observations, etc.
- the privacy and dignity of victims and their families.
- custody of valuables and personal property and assist with salvage & communication with police, highway and other support agencies.
- a department photographic/video record of an incident for reference and training.
- a fire police boat for search, rescue & recovery.
