Standard Operating Guidelines
B.U.R.T. STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES MANUAL
STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES
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Members Responsibilities
While family, employment, and other commitments will be taken into consideration, members are expected to attend as many monthly meetings, trainings, bingos, fund raisers and other BURT activities as is reasonably possible.
According to the BURT constitution, regular members are required to attend eight (8) BURT events during any consecutive eleven (11) month period to maintain membership in BURT. These eight (8) events do not include the Christmas Party and annual picnic.
If a member knows that priority commitments will prohibit regular participation for several months or any extended period of time, he or she should request a leave of absence by filling out a Leave of Absence form and submitting it to the Chief. BURT expectations and requirements will be suspended during the leave period. Notification of a desire to return to active status should also be made to the Chief.
Permanent members are expected to attend a minimum of four (4) water trainings and four (4) classroom trainings per year. Probationary members are expected to attend a minimum of six (6) water trainings and (6) classroom trainings. Attending training activities will prepare members to participate effectively on rescue/recoveries. Members are expected to attain proficiency in several areas which may include: running the air compressor and generator, line tending, diving, operating the radios, van and boat driving, handing out equipment, spotting, detailing, carrying/setting up gear, and stowing gear, etc.
Members are expected to return phone calls to Lieutenants and officers within 24 hours, if at all possible.
Members are expected to notify their Lieutenant of any change in address, phone numbers or pagers as soon as possible.
Members are expected to do their fair share of building/grounds maintenance at the BURT building. This is generally expected during their respective squad's duty month but can be done whenever it is most convenient for the member. Refer to Building Workday Checklist for specific activities.
Members are expected to report any safety considerations to their Lieutenant, Safety/Training Officer, or officer on scene.
There is a sign-in, sign-out list on the door to the meeting room. Member using the building are asked to indicate the condition of building upon arrival and departure and to indicate supplies needing replenished.
Captain's Duties
It is the duty of the Captain to perform the duties of the Chief in his/her absence and any other duties assigned by the Chief.
It is the duty of the Captain to supervise the activities of the three Lieutenants. This includes keeping records of the Lieutenants' participation in BURT activities and ensuring that the Lieutenants are keeping accurate records of their squad's activities. Accurate record keeping is essential for determining participation of members to maintain membership and to provide necessary activity data on probationary members.
It is the duty of the Captain or his/her designee to keep accurate records regarding Collinsville Bingos and Collinsville kitchen. He/she shall be responsible for passing out Bingo sign-up sheets at regular monthly meeting and informing the three Lieutenants of needed workers so they can solicit Bingo workers from their respective squads.
It is the responsibility of the Captain to keep an up-to-date call-out list with current phone/pager numbers for all regular active members.
It is the responsibility of the Captain to provide the Secretary with current information regarding members who are on leave of absence.
It is the responsibility of the Captain to keep the Chief informed of any problems or changes.
Lieutenant's Duties
Get to know your team members.
Encourage team members to participate in team activities, instill team spirit, and cohesiveness among team members. A little competition among teams is healthy.
Know when squad members are out of town.
Delegate specific duties to specific people along with time lines for completion, i.e., filling tanks, vacuuming the meeting room, keeping windows clean, replenishing supplies in building.
Keep accurate and current records of work assigned, completed and not completed. Use Lieutenant worksheets and/or your own system. Your Lieutenant worksheets and records of team participation need to be available on demand by Captain or Chief.
Each Lieutenant will be assigned Building/Grounds duties each month on a rotating basis. The rotation will follow the sequence: squad 1, squad 2, squad 3.
Building duties include: keeping building scrupulously clean (windows, vacuuming, dusting, making sure ash trays are clean and put away, bathrooms are clean, kitchen is clean and neat, garage area is clean and swept, etc.). It is each team's responsibility to replenish drink supplies, coffee, toilet paper. This can be repaid for out of petty cash if it is accompanied by a signed receipt or submit a receipt to transfer for reimbursement.
Refer to the list for replenishing supplies as well as what you see is needed.
Keep your building workdays short. Have a specific agenda along with time approximation for each task.
Lieutenants contact squads to inform and remind of upcoming activities.
Secretary Duties
It shall be the responsibility of the Office of Secretary, or appointee, to publish a monthly newsletter. It shall be mailed to every member and received seven days prior to the next monthly meeting. It shall include reports on all monies that are available, meetings, any motions from the previous meeting and any general information deemed necessary to keep all BURT members informed of all BURT business and/or commitments.
He or she shall maintain a record of changes in the Constitution and By-Laws, as well as maintain an updated copy of the BURT Constitution.
He or she shall send notification of changes of officers to any necessary organization.
He or she shall provide the Chief and Captain with a copy of the minutes of a regular meeting within ten days of said regular monthly meeting.
He or she shall keep a current and up-to-date record of names, addresses, team status, and phone numbers of all team members.
He or she is responsible for making sure ballots are at every meeting at which voting will take place.
He or she shall keep records of who attends regular monthly meetings.
He or she shall provide all new probationary members with a copy of the BURT Constitution and By-Laws, Standard Operating Guideline Manual, and patches.
He or she shall keep records of probationary members' election dates, and inform the Chief and Captain two months in advance of vote for permanent membership.
He or she shall order BURT jackets for members who have completed one year's probation and have been voted on and accepted as permanent members.
He or she will type all necessary correspondence relating to BURT.
Reasons for Non-Acceptance as Permanent Member to BURT Team
Member has not met minimum number of BURT events during his/her probationary year.
Member has not demonstrated satisfactory level of commitment to the team as indicated by poor attendance at trainings, fund raisers, and not doing his/her fair share of work at the BURT building.
Known abuse of controlled substances or alcohol that has negatively affected his/her performance at BURT events.
Difficulty resolving differences among team members in an appropriate manner.
Difficulty taking and following orders from command personnel.
Theft of BURT property or property belonging to another BURT member.
Reasons for Instituting Expulsion Procedures Of Permanent Member
Misappropriation of BURT funds. This includes embezzlement of BURT monies and failure to turn in fund raising monies at the appropriate time.
Theft of BURT property or property belonging to another BURT member.
Unauthorized use of BURT equipment.
Difficulty/inability to take and follow orders.
Difficulty/inability resolving differences among team members in an appropriate manner.
Known abuse of controlled substances or alcohol that has negatively affected his or her performance at BURT events.
Failure to attend eight BURT events during eleven consecutive months.
Appropriate Behavior on a Recovery Scene or Water Training
Following orders of scene commander. He or she will designate specific duties. If you do not have something specific to do, stay away from line tenders and keep others away from line tenders.
Keep busy by removing used tanks, filling tanks, keeping area neat, making sure extra weight belts are ready, if needed. Keep alert and anticipate needs of the situation.
Get name of victim and only refer to him or her by name.
Under no circumstances are you to talk to or distract a line tender tending a submerged diver. If you have information you think the line tender needs to know, tell the scene commander.
Remember, we are trying to project a professional image of competence, integrity, and sensitivity.
Upon arrival on the scene, spread tarp on the ground and begin setting up tanks, weight belts, tenders' lines, bail-out bottle, etc. Keep equipment organized for each diver. Get air compressor out and ready for use. At night, start up generator and hook up BURT 1 flood lights. Set up warm-up tent in cold water.
What Constitutes a B.U.R.T. Event
BURT events include: Monthly BURT meetings, working bingos and the Collinsville kitchen, working fund raisers, attending classroom trainings, attending water trainings, responding to call-outs, rescues/recoveries, attending scheduled workdays, and any other membership approved activity such as attending public safety diving seminars, helping with the annual Special Olympics at SUIE and the Shriner's Parade, etc, While BURT building maintenance is not an official BURT event, we do have records of members' unscheduled building use and time spent working at the building. These will be taken into consideration when evaluating member participation.
Upon Returning To Building After Training/Recovery
( ) Get all personal gear out of BURT 1.
( ) Pressure gauge all tanks and fill immediately if at all possible.
( ) Fill all gas tanks: BURT 1, BURT 2, BURT 3, and small tank in BURT 1 for generator.
( ) Complete gas log and incident log.
( ) Properly stow all BURT equipment in BURT 1, 2, and 3.
( ) Hose down gear, BURT 2 and 3.
( ) Sweep out BURT 1.
Possible Personnel Assignments on a Shore Dive
Scene Commander: The scene commander shall make decisions and interview witnesses, preferably in presence of line tender. He or she is in charge of the scene and responsible for the organization and coordination of the entire team.
Safety Diver: He or she shall be suited up and ready to enter the water before the primary diver enters the water with all but face mask. He or she shall be kept warm or cool (as the weather dictates).
Primary Diver: The diver will be suitably equipped for weather and water conditions. In the river he or she shall wear at least 40 lbs. of lead on weight belt.
Line Tender: It is the responsibility of the line tender to assist the diver with his or her gear and provide a safety check of all equipment prior to putting the diver in the water. He or she will provide the record keeper with necessary information regarding length of dive, time in, time out, amount of weights, depth, length of line out at end of dive, air consumption. Responsible for making sure diver is making good patterns.
90% Ready Diver: Tank/harness ready with belt set up and regulator on and ready to go in within one minute. (Ready to fill in as safety diver in one minute.)
Line Tender Assistant: He or she will keep lines unencumbered, make sure no one steps on lines and provide assistance to primary line tender in case diver pulls very hard on the rope throwing the line tender off balance.
Record Keeper: He or she shall keep accurate records of each dive. This will include names of diver, safety diver, line tender and line tender assistant. Records will also include weather conditions, shore/boat dive, beginning and ending air levels, amount of lead on weight belt, water temperature, length of dive, time in, time out, depth to bottom, length of line out at termination of dive, and any reported problems.
Detailer: Sketch, make sure correct amount of line is out and adds up at end of sweeps. Responsible for making sure no area is missed and that overlapping is not excessive when tender/diver moves to new area.
Van Equipment Person: Responsible for handing out gear upon arrival at scene. He or she will maintain order of equipment inside BURT 1 and put gear away at termination of dive activity.
Radio Person: This person shall monitor radio transmissions from BURT 1.
Spotters: People at each end of a pattern to let line tender know diver is at end of pattern. These personnel assignments are a guide to be used on both training and recovery dives. Assignments may/will vary depending on the situation and number of personnel available.
Gofer: He or she shall transport equipment as necessary to and from dive scene/shore and any other errands the safety officer or scene commander authorize.