P-051 Volunteer Members- Meal Purchase

Issued By: ADMINISTRATION (S.Nearing)
Approved By: Fire Chief Doug Trussler
Date of Issue: 2012/02/09


PURPOSE: 

To provide criteria for obtaining meals for volunteer members attending training or at emergency scene operations. 

OBJECTIVE:

To ensure our members are provided nutrition during rehabilitation at emergency scenes that are long in nature and where the Logistics Division are unable to provide meals. To ensure that meal purchases outside of training and emergency operations fall within policy guidelines.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to volunteer members of HRFE. 

POLICY: 

The importance of keeping our members nourished during training and emergency operations is paramount to their health and safety, during physically demanding and stressful situations. Every effort will be made by Training Instructors and Incident Commanders to make available meals to all persons under their direction/command in accordance with this policy. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in the member(s) being personally responsible for the costs of meals charged.

Emergency Operations:
The Incident Commander (IC) will ensure members receive nutritious meals at scenes of four (4) hours or more that span normal meal hours: 


•    The IC shall contact Logistics to see if they are capable of providing the meals. 
•    If Logistics cannot provide the meals the IC will contact the appropriate District Chief to have meals brought in.
•    If the pertinent District Chief cannot be reached the IC shall contact the appropriate Zone Chief, who will ensure the meals are brought in.

Training Events:

Instructors and Coordinators of approved training events will ensure members receive nutritious meals during training events that span normal meal hours. Courses must have a minimum of six (6) personnel, including the instructors, for the meals to be approved. The Instructor or Coordinator of a training event shall contact the Divisional Chief of Training for approval of meal costs no later than five (5) business days in advance of the scheduled training. The Divisional Chief of Training will approve or deny the request for meals, sending written documentation that the meals were approved or denied to the proper Account and General Ledger numbers included. A copy of the approval document must be attached to the receipt for the meals when it is sent into Fire Administration Office to the attention of the Financial Assistant.

The following points are to be adhered to when purchasing meals:

•    The cost of meals is to be kept as low as possible.
•    Meals should be of a high nutritional content whenever possible.
•    No meals are to be purchased through petty cash accounts.
•    Purchase cards and cheque requests must be administered in accordance with corporate policy in regard to meals.
•    Meals that are purchased for emergency operations must be charged to F140 – GL 6918, clearly identifying the Incident Number.
•    Meals purchased outside of training and emergency operations must have prior approval from the Office Manager of HRFE, five (5) business days in advance.  The Office Manager will provide Cost Centre and General Ledger numbers with approval. A copy of the approval document must be attached to the receipt for the meals when it is sent into the Administration Office to the attention of the Financial Assistant.
•    “After Purchase Approval” of meals will be limited to extraordinary situations; if approval is not received in advance or guidelines of this policy are not adhered to, members may be personally responsible for the costs of meals. Gratuities for meals are a standard tip of 15% or if the caterer/vendor specifies a percentage other than 15% on their invoice that may also be used within reason.

POLICY REVIEW:

This policy shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments to the criteria for obtaining meals for volunteer members attending training or at emergency scene operations