Kent County Chiefs Association

Standard Operating Guidelines &

Standard Operating Procedures

Subject: Fire & EMS Emergency Response Policy

SOG # 1-1-23

Approved

September 2021

Approved by: President James L. Price, Jr.

Revised

August 2026

I.   Purpose

To establish a standard guideline for Fire/EMS/Rescue unit responding to an emergency call for service.

III.  Definition

1. S.O.G. – Standard Operating Guideline

2. S.O.P. – Standard Operating Procedures

3. E.F.D. – Emergency Fire Dispatch

4. E.M.D. – Emergency Medical Dispatch

5. Cold Response – A non-emergency response without the use of any audible or visual warning devises.

6. Hot Response – A emergency response with the use of audible and visual warning devise.

III.  Policy

A.    It shall be the policy of the Volunteer Fire/EMS/Rescue Companies of Kent County, Maryland to respond to emergency calls for service using the response code assigned by the Kent County Office of Emergency Service and in accordance with Kent County Chief’s Association S.O.G. 1-1-23.

IV.  Kent County Office of Emergency Services

1. The Kent County Office of Emergency Services shall screen emergency calls for service using the National Academy Emergency Dispatch Priority Dispatch System.

1.      E.F.D. – Emergency Fire Dispatch

2.      E.M.D. – Emergency Medical Dispatch

2. Based on the information received, the Kent County Office of Emergency Service personnel shall assign an emergency fire dispatch or emergency medical dispatch response code and dispatch appropriate unit(s).

3. Once the emergency call for service is dispatched, and units respond, the dispatcher shall provide the E.F.D. or E.M.D. response code to each unit.

V.  Emergency Fire Dispatch Response Codes

1. The following emergency fire dispatch response (EFD) guidelines shall be adhered to by all units when responding to any Fire/Rescue emergency call for service.

1.      OMEGA – An OMEGA response is classified as the lowest priority response.  All units shall respond COLD.

2.      ALPHA – An ALPHA response is classified as a low priority non-emergency response.  All units shall respond COLD.

3.      BRAVO – A BRAVO response is classified as a low priority emergency response.  The First Due (Host) Company shall respond HOT and mutual aid units shall respond COLD.

a.       Due to vast coverage area the of three County ALS Chase Unit, they shall consider responding HOT, at least until the first due BLS ambulance makes a response.

b.      If the county ALS Unit responds HOT and they will be the first unit to arrive on location, they shall continue to respond HOT even when the first due BLS Ambulance make a response.

4.      CHARLIE – A CHARLIE response is classified as a moderate priority emergency response.  All units shall respond HOT.

5.      DELTA – A DELTA response is classified as a high priority emergency response.  All units shall respond HOT.

6.      ECHO – A ECHO response is classified as the highest priority emergency response.  All units shall respond HOT.

VI.  Emergency Medical Dispatch Response Codes

1. The following emergency medical dispatch response (EMD) guidelines shall be ad-here to by all units when responding to any medical emergency call for service.

1.      OMEGA – An OMEGA response is classified as the lowest priority response; transport request to a hospital, interfacility transfer or just an assistance call.  All units shall respond COLD.

2.      ALPHA – An ALPHA response is classified as a low priority non-life threating emergency response where time will not affect patient care outcome.  All units shall respond COLD.

3.      BRAVO – A BRAVO response is classified as a low priority non-life threating emergency response where time may affect patient care outcome .  BLS ambulance and/or first due (host) company shall respond HOT and mutual aid units shall respond COLD.

a.       Due to vast coverage area the of three County ALS Chase Unit, they shall consider responding HOT, at least until the first due BLS ambulance makes a response.

b.      If the county ALS Unit responds HOT and they will be the first unit to arrive on location, they shall continue to respond HOT even when the first due BLS Ambulance make a response.

4.      CHARLIE – A CHARLIE response is classified as a potentially life-threating emergency response where time may affect patent care outcome.  All units shall respond HOT.

5.      DELTA – A DELTA response is classified as life threating of the high priority emergency response.  All units shall respond HOT.

6.      ECHO – A ECHO response is classified as life status is questionable emergency response.  All units shall respond HOT.

VII.  Notes

1. Regardless of response code provided, all personnel shall respond in a manner which follows all applicable laws dictated under Maryland Motor Vehicle Laws.

2. An Incident Commander, or highest-ranking officer from the first due response jurisdiction, may use their discretion and either upgrade or downgrade the response of any unit.

3. Once the first EMS crew on location has patient contact, they can have other units that are responding, changing their response to either COLD or HOT.

4. Based on the information received, the dispatch supervisor may use their discretion and upgrade the response for any unit.

5. Since E.F.D. does not recommend a response code for establishing a medivac landing zone (LZ) the decision as a level of the response shall be at the discretion of the Officer- In-Charge based on circumstances and E.T.A. of the helicopter.

6. During times the Kent County Office of Emergency Services activates the “Emergency Rule” (communications center overwhelmed with calls) or requests initiated by Law Enforcement, or other circumstances where limited information is available and they are not able to assign a response determinant , it shall be the discretion of the responding unit officer and/or operator to determine the most appropriate response mode based on the information provided, observed conditions, and the safety of personnel and the public.

Betterton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Renny Grapes

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief John Darling

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Community Volunteer Fire Company of Millington, Inc.

Chief Vince Baxter

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Galena Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Jeffrey R. Haley

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kennedyville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Chief James L. Price, Jr.

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent & Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad, Inc.

Chief Jason Lobley

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Mike Pinder

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent County Emergency Service Board

Chair Lynn Sutton

Submitted for Emergency Service Board Approval on __September 14th, 2026___________

Compliance Date _____October 14th, 2026_________________________________________

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