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Definition

Ballistic Vest includes the vest and plates.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to identify Ballistic Vests as a practical safety measure that should be used to reduce some of the occupational risks and hazards our personnel encounter as part of an incident response.

Scope

This document provides guidance to department members on the use of Ballistic Vests during potentially dangerous, unstable, or hostile situations, incidents, and/or scenes.

Procedure Personnel should don Ballistic Vests when assigned to violent incidents. Examples of these types of incidents may include but are not limited to:

• This list is not all inclusive, but are the minimums that should be considered on when to wear Ballistic Vests.
  
  
  • Shootings
  • Stabbings
  • Other violent incidents at the Officer’s discretion.
  • During times of civil unrest at all times outside of quarters.
  • Crews are encouraged to wear the Ballistic Vest any time they feel it is necessary. It is expected that when one person wears Ballistic Vest the whole crew will do so.
    
    
• The decision to wear the Ballistic Vest will be made by the fire official in charge of the scene, which may be the Incident Commander or Company Officer.
  
  
• Body armor shall not be removed until conclusion of the incident and away from the incident location.
  
  
• When required, Ballistic Vest shall be donned prior to leaving the fire station or staging area.
  
  
• If unit is out of quarters upon receipt of an alarm where body armor is required, the Ballistic Vest shall be donned before arriving at the incident location.
  
  
• A Ballistic Vest shall be worn externally, over clothing, except in foul weather conditions which will permit the use of rain gear over the body armor.

Care and Maintenance of Body Armor

• Ballistic Vests shall be inspected in conjunction with fire gear inspections as well as after each use.

• Ballistic Vests should never be stored for any period of time in an area where environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, light, humidity) are not reasonably controlled (e.g., normal ambient room temperature/humidity conditions), such as in automobiles or automobile trunks.

• Ballistic Vests should not be exposed to any cleaning agents or methods not specifically recommended by the manufacturer, as noted on the armor panel label. If there is a need to clean or decontaminate the Ballistic Vests, contact the Special Operations Bureau for further instructions.

• Ballistic Vests may wear out from the plates rubbing against the material, and these will be replaced as needed. If ballistic PPE is compromised by either penetrating or blunt force trauma, it will be evaluated per the manufacturer’s guidelines and either repaired or replaced by the department.

Inventory

There is a Ballistic Vest for every seated position on our front-line fleet.

Ballistic Vests are adjustable and will fit a wide range of body sizes and shapes. As with all PPE, personnel are responsible to assure the body armor vest is properly adjusted for proper fit prior to use.

All TFRD Ballistic Vests shall be included in the apparatus’ inventory.

TFRD Ballistic Vests shall be carried on the designated apparatus at all times, in a location that is readily accessible. All TFRD Ballistic Vests shall be kept in the storage bags provided.

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