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ALARMS B-160. FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: PANIC, SMOKE, AND FIRE ALARM RESPONSE NO: B-160 FILE: ALARMS EFFECTIVE DATE: 4-29-91 REVISED: 06-04-95, 09-01-99, 06-01-19 AUTHORITY: Sheriff M. Mims APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie REFERENCE: California Code of Regulations, Title 8 (CaIOSHA), Section 6184 and Title 15, Section 1029; and Fresno County Sheriffs Office Policy and Procedure Sections 103 and 201. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain parameters for the use and response to panic, smoke, and fire alarms located in the Jail facilities. POLICY: It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that all panic, smoke, and fire alarm activations will be handled as emergency situations that will interrupt normal facility operations. Officers will be dispatched to all alarms to assist in resolving the emergency. It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that panic alarms shall be used only to summon assistance as needed in the event of an escape attempt, assault, or other incident that threatens personal safety and/or security of the facility. It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that correctional staff shall be the first responders to panic alarms and/or disturbances in the North Annex Jail court holding area. It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that when North Annex Jail courtroom panic alarms are activated, correctional staffs primary responsibility shall be to establish a secure perimeter around the outside of the affected courtroom. PROCEDURES: I. PANIC ALARM ACTIVATION A. Panic alarms are available for use by correctional officers, civilian staff members, and persons with access to contact interview areas. Page 1 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: PANIC, SMOKE, AND FIRE ALARM RESPONSE NO: B-160 FILE: ALARMS B. Panic alarms shall only be activated when in the opinion of the officer, civilian staff member, or person conducting professional visits with inmates, that there is a serious emergency and assistance is immediately required. II. RESPONSE TO PANIC ALARMS All alarm activations are to be treated as actual emergencies until proven otherwise. A. When a panic alarm is activated, the officer assigned to monitor the panic alarms (e.g., Central Control or Security Officer) shall dispatch additional officers to the area of the alarm's origin in order to complete a visual assessment of the situation and assist in resolving the emergency. NOTE: For obvious reasons, contacting personnel in the area of an activated panic alarm via radio, intercom, or telephone and asking for a verbal acknowledgment that "everything is okay" is not an acceptable response to a panic alarm activation. B. The first officer arriving on the scene shall be responsible to: 1. Complete a visual assessment of the situation and relay the reason for the panic alarm activation back to the dispatching officer. 2. Notify if additional assistance is needed. 3. False alarms are to be announced Code 4 immediately, to prevent unnecessary staff response. C. The officer assigned to monitor the panic alarms shall: 1. Take action that is appropriate to the situation, per established emergency policies and procedures. 2. Notify the appropriate sergeant of every alarm activation, including false or accidental alarms. D. The sergeant shall ensure that an incident report is written on each occasion when a panic alarm is activated, including false or accidental activations. The staff member who initiated the alarm will be responsible for writing the report, unless the sergeant directs otherwise. Page 2 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: PANIC, SMOKE, AND FIRE ALARM RESPONSE NO: B-160 FILE: ALARMS III. NORTH ANNEX JAIL COURT HOLDING AND COURTROOM PANIC ALARMS A. When a duress alarm (either stationary or mobile) is activated in the bailiff court holding area, the North Annex Jail Central Control Officer shall follow the directions on the computer printer as follows: 1. Dispatch two correctional officers to court holding. It will be necessary to open the doors for them. 2. Alert the North Annex Lobby Security Station Deputy (XXX-XXXX). 3. Alert the Superior Court (#95) Bailiff(XXX-XXXX). 4. Alert the Superior Court (#96) Bailiff(XXX-XXXX). 5. Notify the Court Services Sergeant via Court Dispatch (XXX-XXXX). 6. Notify the North Annex Jail Sergeant (XXX-XXXX). B. When a duress alarm is activated in a courtroom, bailiff staff shall be the first responders to the disturbance. The North Annex Jail Central Control Officer shall follow the directions on the computer printer as follows- 1. Alert the North Annex Lobby Security Station Deputy (XXX-XXXX). 2. Alert the North Annex Court Holding Deputy (XXX-XXXX). 3. Notify the North Annex Jail Sergeant(XXX-XXXX). The Sergeant shall be responsible to station officers as necessary to establish a secure perimeter around the outside of the effected courtroom. The officers' primary responsibility shall be to evacuate the vicinity and to keep unauthorized persons clear of the area. a. If the emergency involves a deadly weapon, additional assistance shall be procured from bailiff/deputy personnel. b. If the emergency does not involve a deadly weapon, additional assistance may be requested from correctional staff. 4. Notify the Court Services Sergeant via Court Dispatch (XXX-XXXX). Page 3 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: PANIC, SMOKE, AND FIRE ALARM RESPONSE NO: B-160 FILE: ALARMS IV. ACTIVATION OF SMOKE/FIRE ALARMS A. The Jail facilities have a fire alarm system which is designed to provide automatic notification of the presence of fire (by detecting heat or smoke) in the building. When a detector is activated, its location is shown on the fire indicator panel in Central Control, and the fire bell commences to ring continuously until it is reset. B. The fire alarm system can be manually activated by pulling the handle down on a wall-mounted fire alarm pull station. The fire alarm manual pulls may be found throughout all stairwells and in the following locations: FIRE ALARM MANUAL PULLS Basement On the wall next to the security station. • There are two manual pulls in the Lobby;one on the back wall behind the Lobby Officer,and one next to the pay phones. 1 st Floor • On the wall next to the Booking security station door. • One at the 1 st floor security station. • Two in the Records hallway;one next to the Fingerprint door,and one on the wall next to the restrooms. Main Jail • There is one fire alarm manual pull in the Administrative hallway. • One in the Briefing hallway. 2"d Floor . One in the vestibule of the Southwest stairwell. • One on the wall next to the security station. • One in the medical office (near the Al and B1 cells). • There is one fire alarm manual pull in each security station. Floors 3-6 . One on each security control panel. • One located at the foot of the security station stairs. Basement Located in the vestibule to the court access door. North Annex 1st Floor There is one next to each entrance door. Jail Floors 2-5 . One located in the security station. • One in the gym security station. • In the tunnel, next to the elevators leading to the Mental Health offices Tunnel (old kitchen area). • On the wall behind the Tunnel security station (Inmate Supplies Coordinator's Office). South . On the wall behind the Court Holding security station. Annex . In the Inmate Programs Room(inside the old cafeteria security station). Jail Basement • In the Laundry Room on the wall next to the bulk storage cellar and in the bathroom vestibule by the rear entrance door. 1st Floor Inside the Attorney Lobby and`M' Street security stations. Floors 2-4 There is one fire alarm manual pull located in each security station. Page 4 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: PANIC, SMOKE, AND FIRE ALARM RESPONSE NO: B-160 FILE: ALARMS V. RESPONSE TO SMOKE/FIRE ALARMS A. When a smoke/fire alarm is activated, the Central Control Officer shall contact an officer in the area of the alarm's origin and request that a visual assessment be conducted. B. The investigating officer shall be responsible to: 1. Complete a visual assessment of the situation and relay the reason for the smoke/fire alarm activation back to Central Control. 2. Notify if additional assistance/equipment is needed. C. The officer assigned to monitor the smoke/fire alarms shall: 1. Take action that is appropriate to the situation, per established emergency policies and procedures. 2. Notify the appropriate sergeant of every alarm activation, including false or accidental alarms. D. The sergeant shall ensure that an incident report is written on each occasion when a smoke/fire alarm is activated, including false or accidental activations. Page 5 of 5