Emergency Incident Rehabilitation » Overview

The physical and mental demands associated with firefighting and other emergency operations, coupled with the environmental dangers of extreme heat and humidity or extreme cold, create conditions that can have an adverse impact upon the safety and health of the individual emergency responder. Members who are not provided adequate rest and rehydration during emergency operations or training exercises are at increased risk for illness or injury, and may jeopardize the safety of others on the incident scene. When emergency responders become fatigued, their ability to operate safely is impared. As a result, their reaction time is reduced and their ability to make critical decisions diminishes. Rehabilitation is an essential element on the incident scene to prevent more serious conditions such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke from occuring.

The need for emergency incident rehabilitation is cited in several national standards. Recent studies have concluded that a properly implemented fireground rehabilitation program will result in fewer accidents and injuries to firefighters. Moreover, responders who are given prompt and adequate time to rest and rehydrate may safely reenter the operational scene, which may reduce the requirement for additional staffing at an incident.

An emergency incident rehabilitation program can be established in any department with a minimal impact on human, fiscal, and equipment-related resources. A successful rehabilitation program will improve the morale of the department and increase the level of productivity. It fits into the framework of the incident management systems (also known as incident command systems or ICS) used by fire departments, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response teams, and special rescue teams across the country.

This SOP outlines the responsibilities of incident commanders, supervisors, and personnel; identifies the components of Rehabilitation Area establishment; and provides Rehabilitation guidelines. A sample Emergency Incident Rehabilitation Report form is also included.

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