M.A.B.A.S. for Telecommunicators

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• M.A.B.A.S. for Telecommunicators
• Presented by
• Tammy Kleveno, M.A.B.A.S. Coordinator
• Tkleveno_at_geneva.il.us
• Tri-Com Central Dispatch
• 630-232-4739
• www.geneva.il.us/tricom/tri_com

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Presentation Objectives

• What is M.A.B.A.S.?
• Responsibilities of Communications
• Emergency Traffic Procedure/ R.I.T. Teams
• What is I.F.E.R.N.?
• Box Cards and Modifying Your Resources
• Initiation Dispatch Procedures

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What IS MABAS ?

• Mutual Aid Box Alarm System
• Pre-determined systematic response of man power
  equipment to the scene of any fire department
  emergency that has potential to exhaust the
  resources of a stricken community.

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What Can MABAS Provide?

• Immediate assistance of personnel equipment to
  the scene of an emergency.
• Access to specialized equipment, manpower
  antidotes.
• Standardized policies, procedures and terminology
  for mutual aid responses.
• A single contractual agreement covering
  responsibilities and liabilities for all its
  members.

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M.A.B.A.S.
is not intended to relieve a community of its
responsibility to provide an adequate first line
of defense for all local emergencies. This is
known as the 80/20 Rule.
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History of M.A.B.A.S

• 1968 Elk Grove Fire Department modified Chicago
  Fire Departments Box Card system for suburban
  areas.
• MABAS expanded to include departments of
  southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
• Currently agencies from Illinois, Wisconsin,
  Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Kentucky participate
  in MABAS.
• (750 Illinois and 78 Wisconsin Fire
  Departments, EMS Departments Fire Protection
  Districts, and Emergency Management Agencies)
• Participating departments are organized into
  Divisions. Currently there are 42 Divisions.

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Division Communications

• Each MABAS division is assigned a primary
  dispatch center and a back-up dispatch center.
• Fire Departments - Know which MABAS Communication
  Center to contact for a Box Alarm request.
• Local Communication Centers Know which MABAS
  dispatch center to contact if asked by Incident
  Command.
• MABAS Communication Centers Know which fire
  departments your agency or Communication center
  is responsible for.

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Incident Communications

• Coordinated by MABAS Dispatch Center
• Incident Command / On-Scene Communications
• Simple Language
• NO Codes or Agency Specific Terminology
• Remember Interacting with multiple departments -
  identify using department name, type of
  apparatus, and unit number.

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Mayday and Emergency Traffic

• The terms EMERGENCY TRAFFIC and/or MAYDAY will be
  used to clear radio traffic immediately. These
  terms are used for EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS,
  FIREFIGHTER DOWN, MISSING or TRAPPED.
• The Dispatch Center will clear the air with a
  distinct tone to allow for the Emergency Traffic.
  
• These terms are currently being defined by the
  MABAS Executive Committee for future uniform use.

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Rapid Intervention Teams (R.I.T.)

• Teams used to initiate rescue action plans in the
  event of a Firefighter Emergency.
• Minimum of 4 rescuers.
• Members assigned to R.I.T. shall remain in a
  state of readiness for rapid deployment and not
  engage in routine firefighting activities.
• Additional members shall be assigned as a R.I.T.
  in the event 1st team is used by Incident
  Command.

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I.F.E.R.N

• Interagency Fire Emergency Radio Network.
• Previously known as N.I.F.E.R.N.
• Designated for INTER-DEPARTMENTAL use during fire
  emergencies with the inception of the MABAS
  program (1968).
• Name was changed with expansion of MABAS and the
  move to make MABAS a State-Wide program.
• Purpose To allow multiple departments access
  to a common radio channel for communications.
• Frequency - 154.265 MHz

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Box Alarm Flow Chart
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Fire Department Box Card
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New Box Card Format for Dispatch

• Batavia Fire Department Box Alarm Number
  3910
• Incident SOUTHEAST- Raddant Rd East South
  of Wilson
• 1st Box
• Agency Equipment/Personnel
  Destination Rd.)

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Interdivisional Box Cards

• Your MABAS Division should have pre-designated
  Interdivisional Box Cards.
• Each card should be designed to assist in sending
  the closest equipment needed to surrounding MABAS
  Divisions.
• The dispatcher will need to use common sense in
  sending the closest departments to the incident.
  Advise Command which units are responding.

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How is M.A.B.A.S. initiated

• Local Fire Department
• Arrives on scene
• Establishes Incident Command
• Staging Location
• Assesses situation
• Asks for mutual aid
• Incident Command
• Select MABAS Box
• On IFERN, contacts MABAS
• Communications Center
• MABAS Communications Center
• alerts local departments

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MABAS Response for
Local Communications Centers

• LISTEN to MABAS dispatch.
• ACKNOWLEDGE request.
• DISPATCH local department(s) due.
• VERIFY correct response.
• ADVISE units to switch to IFERN

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Dispatch Procedures

• Be sure to obtain the following information
• Name of Department requesting the Box
• Location of Incident
• Box Number and Level
• Type of Incident
• Staging Area/Command Post

Mr. 911
Locate the appropriate Box Card and Fill Out Your
Dispatch Procedure Form (Mad-Lib)
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Dispatch Procedure Form a.k.a.(Mad-Lib)

• MABAS Dispatch Procedure Form
• Info to obtain for box alarm
• Requesting Agency________________________________
  ________
• Box Alarm Number_________________________________
  ________
• Box Level________________________________________
  ________
• (1st, 2nd, etc.)
• Type of Incident_________________________________
  __________
• (Structure Fire, Chemical Spill, etc.)
• Location_________________________________________
  ________
• 
  (Address/Business Name, Intersection, etc.)
• Staging Area/Command Post________________________
  ________________
• THIS IS MABAS DIVISION 13 TO ALL LOCALS. THE
  ____________FIRE
• (Agency)
• DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING MABAS BOX
  NUMBER___________TO
• THE______________LEVEL, FOR A____________________
  _____________ (1st,2nd,etc.) (Incident Type)
• AT_________________________________.
• (Location)

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Dispatch Procedures
THE TONES
The MABAS Tones must be activated for each
level increase and when the box is struck.
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Equipment Move Ups

• Local Communications Center should notify you
  A.S.A.P. if equipment is unavailable.
• Equipment that is unavailable to respond on the
  box will generally be replaced. (check
  local protocol)
• Notify Incident Command if equipment cannot
  respond. Command may reassess and not need
  replacement.
• Replacement equipment must be moved up from the
  next level.

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Strike Out Procedure

• MABAS Dispatch Strike-Out Form
• Select on the IFERN Frequency.
•       Transmit MABAS tone.
• Announce the following
• THIS IS MABAS DIVISION 13 TO ALL LOCALS. THE
  ______________FIRE
• (Agency)
• DEPARTMENT HAS STRUCK OUT MABAS BOX NUMBER
  ____________,
• ON THE AUTHORITY OF ______________________.(Repea
  t Message)
• (Name, or Incident Command)
• (Your Call Sign)
• Note Equipment or Personnel who may be en route
  to the incident at the time of the strike-out are
  still due to respond and should not be returned.

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The most current resources available were used to
prepare this program. While every effort was
made to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained in this presentation, errors and
omissions are possible. Neither the presenters
nor the MABAS organization, Illinois Fire Chiefs
Association, or State of Illinois offices (IEMA,
OFSM, IDPH) are responsible for the accuracy of
the material. Because MABAS is continuously
expanding, the list of participating agencies and
dispatch centers should not be considered
all-inclusive.
Special Thanks to Chief Jay Reardon, Northbrook
Fire Department MABAS Division 13 Chiefs and
participating departments Illinois Homeland
Security Terrorism Preparedness Report Rich
Carlson www.n9jig.com Tri-Com Central Dispatch
Personnel Pete Collins, City of Geneva And anyone
else we forgot to recognize that helped make this
presentation possiblewe thank you!