Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (IL OSHA) has collaborated with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, Illinois Fire Service Institute, Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, and Mutual Aid Box Alarm System-Illinois to create a sample standard operating guideline (SOG) for structure fires. This guideline focuses on incident command, accountability, and mayday procedures.

Though IL OSHA mandates that fire departments involved in interior firefighting maintain these policies, adoption of this particular SOG is not required. The new guideline is designed to be straightforward and easy to implement, offering a model for departments lacking such procedures. It can also serve as a benchmark for reviewing existing policies.

IL OSHA Chief Erik Kambarian emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, "I am thankful for the time and effort the working group took to put together this sample SOG. During IL OSHA inspections, we continue identify fire departments that lack these safety-critical guidelines. These sample guidelines fill that gap."

State Fire Marshal James Rivera highlighted the importance of collaboration in enhancing firefighter safety: "The collaboration between these groups is a crucial step in ensuring that firefighters across Illinois are united in their efforts and equipped with the tools they need to respond safely and effectively... By strengthening this partnership, we are not only enhancing efficiency in fire response but also prioritizing the safety of our firefighters during emergency situations."

James Keiken, Director of the Illinois Fire Service Institute, remarked on the alignment of agencies: "This statewide collaboration is a great example of affiliate agencies aligning to support firefighters and departments across Illinois... This partnership will deliver best practices that prioritize operational effectiveness and firefighter safety."

Chad Hoefle, President of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, outlined the adaptability of the new policy: "By working with IL OSHA, we've created a simple, adaptable policy that keeps firefighters safe and helps manage fireground activities, ensuring the best outcomes for every fire and protecting our communities."

The guideline is accessible at osha.illinois.gov/fire. Enforcement of occupational safety and health standards in Illinois is carried out by the U.S. Department of Labor for private sectors and IL OSHA for state and local government workplaces.