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SOG-120Command & SafetySOG

Fireground Accountability

Tracking every member on scene, from dispatch to termination.

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This is a template. It is not your department's policy.

Tailboard templates are drafted as generic starting points aligned to national standards. They are nota substitute for your department's own review or for adoption through your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). For topics carrying significant exposure (use of force, medical scope, civil rights), route through qualified counsel before adoption.

Every placeholder marked [BRACKETED] must be completed before adoption. Every section must be reviewed against your department's staffing, apparatus, water supply, EMS scope, geography, and the specific laws of your state. What applies to a career department in a city may not apply to a volunteer department in a rural jurisdiction, and vice versa.

Standards, regulations, and best practices are updated regularly. Verify the current edition of every standard cited before adopting this document. Once adopted, this document becomes your department's responsibility — not Tailboard's.

Safety-critical topic.

This template covers a life-safety topic. Content draws from NFPA, OSHA, and post-incident investigation findings (NIOSH FFFIPP). Review carefully with operational officers before adoption — errors in policies of this type are the most common finding in firefighter fatality reports.

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Open it in the Policy Builder. Answer a few questions about your staffing, apparatus, and conditions — we'll adapt every section to match.

Number

SOG-120

Version

1.0

Last reviewed

2026-01-01

Next review

2027-01-01

Summary

This guideline establishes how [DEPARTMENT NAME] tracks every member operating at an incident — where they are, what they are doing, and whether they are accounted for. Accountability is not a checkbox; it is a continuous process that begins at dispatch and ends when the last unit returns to quarters.

Definitions

Passport / Accountability Tag
A physical tag, card, or unit-level passport identifying each member assigned to a riding position or an assignment at an incident.
PAR (Personnel Accountability Report)
A confirmed count of all assigned personnel, called by the IC at mandatory benchmarks or whenever conditions warrant.
Accountability Officer
A member assigned by the IC to manage and maintain accountability at the Command Post or entry point.
CAN Report
Conditions, Actions, Needs — the structured progress report company officers provide to Command.

Purpose

To provide a consistent system for tracking every member at every incident, enabling rapid detection of a missing member and timely initiation of rescue or search operations.

Scope

Applies to all members of [DEPARTMENT NAME] at every emergency incident and training evolution involving more than one company. Mutual aid resources operating under [DEPARTMENT NAME] Command are integrated into this system.

System Components

  • Riding list / staffing roster updated at the beginning of each shift or duty period.
  • Passport tags for each member, carried on their PPE or issued at the apparatus.
  • A unit-level passport collected at the point of entry by the Accountability Officer or a designated member.
  • Crews operate with positive voice or visual contact at all times inside the IDLH atmosphere.

On Arrival and During Operations

  1. The first-arriving unit establishes Command and begins accountability by announcing its assignment and riding position by radio.
  2. As additional units arrive, each reports to Command or Staging and provides accountability information (crew, assignment).
  3. Members operating in the hazard area do so as a crew — minimum two members with voice or visual contact.
  4. Company officers are responsible for the accountability of their crews and report crew changes, entries, and exits.
  5. Passport tags are collected at the entry point for crews entering an IDLH atmosphere.

Personnel Accountability Report (PAR)

A PAR is a confirmed, by-unit count of all members. Each company officer counts their own crew and reports to Command, typically by radio, in the form: "Engine 1, PAR."

  • PAR is conducted at each of the following benchmarks: 20-minute mark on the incident clock, on report of primary search complete, on report of fire under control, on any change of strategy, on declaration of a Mayday, and on termination of the incident.
  • Dispatch announces elapsed-time notifications at the interval set by department standard (typically 10 or 20 minutes) to prompt Command to consider PAR.
  • If a unit fails to respond to PAR, Command treats the unit as unaccounted for and initiates rescue protocols.

Mayday and Missing Member

  1. On declaration of Mayday or on a failed PAR for a unit, Command declares a Missing Firefighter emergency.
  2. RIT is deployed per the RIT SOG; additional alarms are struck per the department's Mayday matrix.
  3. Dispatch begins a continuous elapsed-time announcement at shorter intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes).
  4. Accountability does not relax after the incident is resolved — a final PAR is conducted at termination.

Responsibilities

Incident Commander

  • Establish and maintain accountability from arrival.
  • Call PAR at mandatory benchmarks and any time conditions warrant.
  • Assign an Accountability Officer on any incident expected to exceed three units.
  • Announce all PARs and results.

Accountability Officer

  • Collect and display unit passports at the Command Post or entry point.
  • Track unit locations, assignments, and estimated air status.
  • Provide Command a running account of all personnel on scene.
  • Assist with PAR coordination.

Company Officers

  • Know where every member of their crew is at all times.
  • Announce entry and exit from the IDLH atmosphere.
  • Provide prompt, accurate PAR on request.
  • Deliver CAN reports on request or when conditions change.

Members

  • Carry your passport tag on your PPE.
  • Remain with your assigned crew.
  • Respond to your officer's accountability checks.
  • Report air status, injuries, or change of assignment to your officer immediately.

Training Requirements

  • All members trained on the accountability system at onboarding and annually thereafter.
  • Training includes passport use, PAR response, CAN reporting, and the accountability-to-Mayday transition.
  • Officer-level training includes managing accountability at complex incidents and integrating mutual-aid companies.

References

  • NFPA 1561Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System and Command Safety
  • NFPA 1500Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program
  • FEMA NIMSNational Incident Management System — accountability principles

Adapt this template

Before this template becomes your department's policy, review the following items and adjust accordingly. Anything else that does not match your operation should be updated as well.

  • Choose and document the specific passport or tag system your department uses.
  • Confirm and document the PAR benchmarks relevant to your response profile — add additional benchmarks for specialized operations (hazmat, technical rescue, wildland interface).
  • Align this guideline with your Incident Command and Mayday SOGs — the three must reference each other.

Adoption signature

Adopted by (Name, Rank)
Signature
Effective date
Next scheduled review

Before adoption checklist

  • ☐Replace [DEPARTMENT NAME] throughout the document.
  • ☐Complete every [BRACKETED] placeholder.
  • ☐Confirm the current edition of every cited standard.
  • ☐Check against your state statutes and state fire marshal rules.
  • ☐Route for chief review. Topics with significant exposure (use of force, medical scope) also go through qualified counsel.
  • ☐Confirm alignment with any mutual-aid agreements.
  • ☐Schedule a training plan for the new policy before effective date.
  • ☐Announce adoption in writing to all members. Archive the prior version.
  • ☐Set the next review date — annually at minimum.