OG 4004 Response to Imperial Oil Refinery

Issued By: OPERATIONS (S. Thurber)
Approved By:  Fire Chief William H. Mosher 
Date of Issue: 1997
Revision Date:  1998/11/17; 2009/05/13

PURPOSE: 

The Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency (HRFE) will respond to all emergency calls at Imperial Oil Refinery. The level of response will be determined by the nature of the incident.

OBJECTIVE:

Emergency calls from Imperial Oil Refinery will be responded to by HRFE, in which the level of response shall be determined by the nature of the incident.  

SCOPE:

This operating guideline applies to career and volunteer firefighters with HRFE. 

PROCEDURE: 

•    When the refinery alarm sounds, their security personnel will call 911 Dispatch and request assistance if required. (It is understood that Imperial Oil’s own fire crews will be involved in the initial response).

•    First arriving apparatus will be met at the Main Gate by refinery personnel. They will then be escorted to the refinery command post where the Officer will be met by the Shift Chief for Imperial Oil.

•    All other responding apparatus will be directed to a specific staging area depending on the location of the incident. If necessary, the Officers on these units should prompt the incident commander to have this site determined.

•    HRFE Company Officer will confer with the Shift Chief of the refinery and then will advise responding personnel of conditions found and actions that they will take. 

•    HRFE Incident Commander under the direction of the Shift Chief of the refinery will coordinate our crews utilizing the incident command system. (Unified command)

•    It is understood that the employees of Imperial Oil have the technical knowledge of the refinery; as such that knowledge will be utilized to its utmost.

•    All emergencies other than refinery fires (hydrocarbons) such as ship fires, structural fires, hazmat incidents, high angle, confined space and medical calls will be handled by HRFE fire crews with the outside support/ resources of Imperial Oil.

•    The steamer connections on the hydrants at this location have a different thread size. Adaptors are on Engine 13, Engine 15 and there is a spare one on the first responding unit at Imperial Oil. The 2 1\2" outlets are compatible with our hose.

NOTE: The water supply on the east side of Pleasant Street (refinery property) has fresh water and the west side of Pleasant Street (refinery property) has salt water.

RELATED POLICIES/OPERATING GUIDELINES:

•    OG 4003 Use of Fire Hydrants
•    OG 3012 Standpipe Hose Removal

OPERATING GUIDELINE REVIEW:

This operating guideline shall be reviewed when/if there are changes/amendments to the procedure utilized for a response to calls from Imperial Oil Refinery.