Module 21: Briefings

Safety

Module Objective: To know the important aspects to include when briefing personnel prior to a prescribed burn.

Why conduct a pre-burn briefing?

The aim of a briefing is to ensure that all personnel are adequately prepared to undertake their role in the burn and understand the wider objectives and plan for the burn. By providing key information about the conditions and operating environment they are being asked to work in, everyone is aware of the situation they will be facing, how this may change throughout the burn, and what actions they can take to keep themselves and others safe.

Briefings should be undertaken on the morning of the burn, and each member of the team needs to be briefed and a check made before light up that they feel adequately informed and confident to carry out their role in the burn. Effective briefings help to reduce uncertainty and promote co-ordination amongst the team. The aim of a briefing helps ensure:

• That only people who are properly prepared for the task are involved in the burn.
• That the tasks allocated to a person are within their competence level
• That personnel understand what is expected of them
• That the instructions given are clear, and are understood by all members of the crew
• That personnel can recognise potentially dangerous situations or hazards and know how to communicate these to others if they occur, to avoid entering these or sending others into these situations.

[Could note here a case study about landowners who have been prosecuted due to inadequate briefing or using those personnel not adequately equipped or trained for the task]

How to conduct a briefing

Before the burn is started the entire crew should be told how the burn is to be carried out: the lighting pattern, individual responsibilities and duties, the probable hazard areas, the expected fire behaviour given the weather and fuels present, and the sequence of events to undertake to achieve the burn objectives.

Plan the briefing

• Clearly define what the team need to know about the burn to prepare people to participate in the operation, such as:
  • What is to be achieved by the end of the burn (the objective)
  • How it will be tackled (the burn strategies including equipment, light-up patterns and various team roles)
  • Safety measures in place (communication devices; escape routes and safety zones; PPE)
  • How each team member will need to operate to achieve their tasks (the tactics and individual roles)

Conduct the briefing

• Gather all team members before light up and brief them together, so everyone hears the same messages
• A good briefing to all personnel helps to avoid accidents.
• Those receiving a briefing should also be encouraged to ask questions for clarification or to seek additional detail, to ensure they have a full understanding of what is required of them.
• Ensure the briefing covers:
  • Relevant details of the burn plan, including the light up pattern
  • What is required from the crew members, both as a team and individual roles.
  • The key safety measures
  • Communications
  • Go through a checklist to confirm all aspects have been covered (SMEACS)
  • Check in with each crew member that they are ready to burn (have the correct skills and equipment and feel adequately briefed).
• Ensure warm clothing and refreshments are made available to personnel at the briefing to prevent exposure to cold once the fire is out and high levels of physical exertion are no longer required.
• Outline communications and escape routes.
  • There should be communication measures put in place before burning commences. Communication methods should be decided for communications between individual crew members; and between the crew and outside emergency services. The most common communication methods are hand signals; voice signals; radios; sounds (whistle or airhorn); and cell phones. Be aware that relying on cell phone coverage may require a secondary method if coverage fails.
  • Communications are critical in every planned burn. It is vital that all personnel involved have visual and vocal contact with at least one, preferably two, other members. One person must be in charge for the entire burn.
  • It’s essential to communicate any changes to the fire to all personnel on site to ensure safety of the resources and surrounding public and to be able to respond to break-outs or spot fires outside the burn perimeter.
  • Always have planned escape routes. Make sure everyone knows the safe paths around the fire and escape routes, in case the fire doesn’t go as planned. Highlight safe zones.
• Read through key safety measures card and LACES to remind the team about safe practices
• Ensure all items on the pre-burn briefing checklist are covered

Activity: Identify the roles for the crew required for your prescribed burn. What specific briefings will each crew member require? What communication protocols will you need and how will you brief the crew on these?

Learning outcome

Know why it is important to perform a briefing prior to burning, and how to brief personnel involved in a prescribed burn.

Pre-Burn Briefing Checklist

Review the burn plan and make sure everyone understands it.

• Burn objectives:
  • Why are we burning?
  • What do we hope to accomplish (objectives)?
  • Review Burn Unit features and Map
  • Explicitly identify burn boundaries.
  • Point out important hazards.
  • Identify anticipated fire movement/behaviour related to terrain and fuels.
  • Identify which direction smoke will be travelling.
  • Point out safe zones, critical holding points, and escape routes.

Make crew assignments.

• Hand out lists with the names of all crew members.
• Define everyone’s role during the burn.

Review the weather forecast.

• Review current forecast.
• Point out approximate time of anticipated wind changes.
• Describe expected fire behaviour.

Communications

• Assign communication devices.
• Demonstrate hand or other signals and their meanings.

Operations

• Describe ignition plan and sequence.
• Assign crew locations.
• Assign vehicle locations and operation parameters (lights).
• Review required PPE.
• Point out known hazards: terrain, wildlife, smoke.
• Review contingency plan.
  • Location of safe zone/escape routes.
  • Crew member responsible for summoning assistance (escapes and injuries).
  • Crew member responsible for leading attack on escaped fire.
  • Crew member responsible for directing crew on original fire.
  • Review suppression strategy for escaped fire.

Key safety messages

The rule for the buddy system is that you work as a pair – entering, working and leaving the fire ground together. The purpose of the buddy system is that you look out for one another, maintain contact all the time and if that contact is lost, the buddy must take immediate action to re-establish contact, provide assistance or call for help.

Be aware of the location of your safety zone and ensure they have two options for an escape route to the safety zone. Where possible all personnel should walk or drive the safety zones and escape routes to familiarise themselves.

It’s essential to communicate any changes to the fire to all personnel on site to ensure safety of the resources and surrounding public and to be able to respond to break-outs or spot fires from outside the burn perimeter. Check that your communications equipment is working correctly.

Before entering the fire ground ensure you are wearing all your personal safety equipment and that you have adequate drinking water. Do NOT let anyone participate without appropriate personal safety equipment.

Don’t tuck clothing in, create layers so hot material you come into contact with doesn’t catch in your clothing. For example, don’t tuck the bottom of trousers into socks, let the trouser leg fall over the outside of your boot. When working close to the fire, use heavy leather gloves to protect your hands from radiant heat and hot material.

Make sure you get a full briefing.

Remember to ask questions if things are not clear to you.

Fire intensity increases abruptly when two fires burn together, and the increase is greater when fires converge along a line rather than at a point.

It takes a disciplined ignition crew to recognise that some ignition patterns require considerable patience and that it’s wiser not to force the fire but allow it to develop and achieve the fire behaviour sought for the burn.

Keep a close eye on the fire and alert your crew leader to any changes or unexpected fire behaviour.

Successful management of a heading fire requires that no individual strip of fire can develop to a high intensity before it reaches either a firebreak or another burned out strip.

Be aware that a large number of small fires burning simultaneously can produce the same kind of explosive convective energy as a single large fire because too much heat energy is released too rapidly.

When working around fire never underestimate the effects of radiant heat. The damaging effect of heat on your body builds up with the more time spent working in the heat.

Know your dangerous situation watch outs (see below) and LACES.