15 FAM 820
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS following incidents affecting u.s.
GOVERNMENT-OCCUPIED PROPERTY ABROAD
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
(Office of Origin: OBO)
15 FAM 821 Policy on Reporting ALL
INCIDENTS
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
The post management officer must report to the Office of
Fire Protection, in the Directorate for Operations, in the Bureau of Overseas
Buildings Operations (OBO/OPS/FIRE),
within 24 hours all incidents affecting the structural integrity or life-safety
factors of U.S. Government property, using the fire reporting procedures in 15 FAM 823.
Reports of incidents involving tenant agency space must also include the
affected agencys headquarters as an addressee. OBO/OPS/FIRE will assist post as needed.
15 FAM 822 Incidents Affecting U.S.
Government Property
(CT:OBO-28; 03-20-2012)
Incidents that might affect U.S. Government-held property
include, but are not limited to: fires; earthquakes; floods; heavy snow or ice
that damages roofs; settlement of ground beneath buildings; cave-ins; sink
holes; trees or other natural or man-made items that fall on roofs or intrude
into buildings; use of heavy equipment within or on a building that damages
roofs or load-bearing walls; and bombings or other explosions that affect U.S.
property directly or indirectly.
15 FAM 823 Fire Reporting
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
All fires that occur at post must be reported immediately
to OBO/OPS/FIRE, regardless of the extent
of the fire or resulting damage. Report all major incidents using the
procedures outlined in 15 FAM 823.1
and report all other incidents using the web form procedure described in 15 FAM 823.2.
Unclassified photos of the probable cause must also be attached to the report
or emailed to OBO/OPS/FIRE. (See also Tab
H-1 in the OBO Fire Protection Guide in the OPS/FIRE
Publications on the OBO/OPS/FIRE site,
for fire-incident management and reporting OBO/FIRE
Publications.
15 FAM 823.1 Reporting by Telephone
and Cable
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. Post must report a fire immediately by telephone to
the Department of States Operations Center (S/ES-O) and follow-up with a
cable. Refer to Tab H-1 of the OBO Fire Protection Guide under any of the
following circumstances:
(1) Injuries or deaths;
(2) Damage to non-U.S. Government-held property (from
a fire occurring on U.S. Government property);
(3) Adverse impact on post operations; or
(4) A fire of suspicious or deliberate origin.
b. The cable report must include the caption line For OBO/OPS/FIRE and use the following TAGS: ABLD, AMGT,
ASEC, and KSAF (including country designator). Cable reports involving tenant
agency space must include the affected agencys headquarters as an addressee.
c. Include the following data in telephone calls and
cables concerning fires:
(1) Date and time of the incident;
(2) Property identification number as identified in
the Real Property Application (RPA) (e.g., X01001, K09875, P01234, etc.);
(3) Property name (chancery, office annex, warehouse,
residence, etc.);
(4) Property address;
(5) Identification of the probable cause of the fire
(known, unknown, or of suspicious origin) and circumstances relating to the
fire;
(6) Chronological events of the fire incident
including all actions by involved U.S. and locally employed (LE) staff
personnel;
(7) Estimated dollar loss of U.S. Government property;
(8) Description of damage to non-U.S. Government
property from fires originating on U.S. Government property, identifying the
other persons or parties affected;
(9) Estimated dollar loss of non-U.S. Government
property;
(10) Description of interruptions to post operations
caused by the fire, including which areas are affected, how long operations
will be disrupted, and what resources will be needed to reestablish usual
activities;
(11) Statements from witnesses;
(12) Number and extent of injuries and deaths;
(13) Report whether the installed fire alarm system
activated for occupant evacuation (for residences, report whether the
residential smoke alarm activated for occupant evacuation in the residence);
(14) Report whether a portable fire extinguisher was
used to combat the fire (identify if more than one was used); and
(15) Report whether host-country fire service responded
and whether they extinguished the fire. (Provide an evaluation of their
actions and any reports they provide translated into English.)
15 FAM 823.2 Reporting by Web Form
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
Post must report all other fires, no matter how small, by
web form located on the OBO/OPS/FIRE website
under fire reporting. Photos should be attached to the form or be sent to
OBO/OPS/FIRE via a separate email.
15 FAM 824 Securing and Protecting the
Fire Scene
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. Immediately after a fire has been extinguished, post
officials must fully secure the entire fire scene. Absolutely no access is
permitted into the main fire area until OBO/OPS/FIRE
has been contacted and authorizes release of the scene to the chief of
mission/principal officer (COM/PO), U.S. representative to an international
organization (when PO), or designated officer. In the interest of the
security, safety, and integrity of the fire scene, a post official must be
present until the area is secured. The area must remain secured until
examination of the fire scene is completed and verification of the cause has
been confirmed by Washington DC-based investigators.
b. Until authorized by OBO/OPS/FIRE, post must not disturb or remove fire
debris, including the remains of room contents. Any disturbance may hinder the
investigation and delay the determination of cause.
c. Post officials should take a large number of
photographs of the fire itself (if safely able to do so), the fire scene, or
damage to neighboring property and forward them to OBO/OPS/FIRE at the earliest opportunity.
15 FAM 825 Fire investigations
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. As soon as possible after being notified of a fire,
OBO/OPS/FIRE, will dispatch a team of
trained fire/arson investigators to fires that resulted in serious injury or
death; those where the cause is arson or is of a suspicious nature; those
causing extensive damage or significant disruption to official activities; or
those deemed to be of special interest to the Department of State.
b. Fire-related mishaps involving injury, illness, or
death that meet criteria for Class A or B mishaps under Department of State
policy will be investigated and reported using 15 FAM 964
requirements. An Office of Fire Protection official, in OBO/OPS/FIRE, will be assigned to any Class A or B board
conducted by OBOs Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management, in
the Directorate for Operations, (OBO/OPS/SHEM). In addition to addressing the
root causes of the fire event, the mishap board report must evaluate the impact
of Department of State organizational systems, procedures, or policies on the
fire event. The report also could contain recommendations for specific
modifications to such procedures and policies. Both OBO/OPS/FIRE and OBO/OPS/SHEM receive copies of the
report, and OBO/OPS/SHEM coordinates with the Department of States Designated
Agency Safety and Health Official (DASHO) to meet 15 FAM 964
requirements. OBO/OPS/FIRE reports
findings and recommendations for corrective action to the Director of OBO, who
informs the Accountability Review Boards Permanent Coordinating Committee.
(See 12 FAM 032.)
c. OBO/OPS/FIRE will
investigate Class A fire-related mishaps involving property loss. OBO/OPS/FIRE may investigate Class B fire-related
mishaps involving property loss, or delegate them to post.
d. For fires of suspicious origin, OBO will notify the
Bureau of Diplomatic Securitys Office of Special Investigations (DS/DO/OSI).
If necessary, DS/DO/OSI will conduct a criminal investigation into violations
of U.S. Government extraterritorial laws concerning the destruction of U.S.
Government property.
e. DS/DO/OSI may refer cases to the appropriate office
of the Department of Justice if the investigation reveals the fire may be the
result of a criminal or negligent act.
15 fam 826 THROUGH 829 unassigned