Manage incidents involving animals
Overview
This standard is about your ability to work as a team member to attend and control incidents involving animals. This standard includes using personal protective equipment and safely operating equipment to control animals and to keep you safe at incidents involving animals.
Animals can have unpredictable behaviour that can change very quickly, therefore you will need to understand the key areas which may affect animal behaviour at fire and rescue incidents. Throughout this standard, it is important that you communicate effectively in order to keep yourself and others informed and safe.
This standard is recommended for firefighters who attend incidents involving animals.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- confirm with relevant others your tasks and duties in relation to incidents involving animals in line with your role, responsibilities, ability and experience
- position yourself at incidents involving animals in line with the requirements of your role
- identify factors affecting animal behaviour at fire and rescue incidents
- report any changes in animal behaviour to relevant others at incidents involving animals in line with your organisation’s communication procedures
- operate safely at incidents involving animals in line with organisational procedures
- use recognised methods and techniques to deal with incidents involving animals in line with organisational procedures
- maintain effective communication with relevant others at incidents involving animals in line with your organisation’s communication procedures
- use resources, equipment and personal protective equipment at incidents involving animals in line with their limitations, safety and operating instructions
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the importance of maintaining the safety and welfare of yourself and others at incidents involving animals
- factors affecting personnel safety and welfare during response to animal incidents
- safe working practices of your organisation when responding to incidents involving animals
- measures available for maintaining welfare at incidents involving animals including rest areas, food, water and first aid support
- hazards and risks of incidents involving animals affecting people, property and the environment
- how to use risk assessment information
- how to use risk assessment information to make decisions
- how to apply decisions based on the assessment of risk
- your organisation’s control measures to mitigate risk
- personal protective and operational equipment used at incidents involving animals including their capabilities, limitations and safe use
- requirements of your role at incidents involving animals including;
policies and procedures to be followed
up to date legislation to be followed - relevant protocols operational guidance
- roles, responsibilities and limits of authority for self, others and other agencies in relation to incidents involving animals
- methods and techniques for communicating with others
- lines and methods of communication and reporting in the workplace
- the importance of effective communications with others during incidents involving animals
- how to treat others with respect and consideration, taking account of and accepting diversity
- information available to inform your understanding of incidents involving animals and how to access it
- how to use appropriate techniques to move and position yourself and others at incidents involving animals
- rescue tactics and methods for controlling and extricating animals
- how to maintain situational awareness at incidents involving animals
- how to react to different types of animal behaviour
- the resources are available to you, and when to select them, for dealing with incidents involving animals
Scope/range
1. Sources and types of information
1.1 specialist animal rescue information
1.2 location, use and transportation data
1.3 local and national capability registers
1.4 local, strategic and major incident fire and rescue plans and strategies
1.5 historical incident information
1.6 national, regional and local animal rescue strategies
1.7 polices, guidance, standard operating procedures and risk assessments relevant to incidents involving animals
1.8 relevant software and tools
2 Characteristics of incidents involving animals
2.1 animal behaviour
2.2 human behaviour
2.3 control of animals (including physical and chemical control)
2.4 trigger points
2.5 Generic risks take on a dynamic nature where animals involved
3 Risks
3.1 health and safety risks to people
3.2 property, economic and commercial risk
3.3 environmental risk
3.4 risk management plans, such as Integrated Risk Management plans and Community Risk Registers
4 Others
4.1 BARTA (British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association)
4.2 CFOA ARPF (Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum)
4.3 colleagues
4.4 owners/responsible persons
4.5 vets
4.6 RSPCA, SSPCA, USPCA
4.7 Trading standards
4.8 DEFRA
4.9 emergency services
4.10 utility companies
4.11 media
4.12 members of the public
4.13 transport services
4.14 Search and Rescue Teams
4.15 Local and National Authorities
4.16 Research agencies
4.17 voluntary agencies
4.18 other agencies
5 Resources
5.1 internal resources
5.2 external resources
5.3 personnel and their capabilities
5.4 veterinary/specialist support
5.5 equipment
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Links To Other NOS
It is expected that this NOS will be used and applied in conjunction with other NOS which apply to your role in fire and rescue
External Links
'Fire & Rescue Operational Guidance - GRA 2.5 – Large animal rescues’ is available, and has been developed to provide UK Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) personnel with additional understanding and awareness of incidents involving large animals.