Policy 2602 Incident Scene Photos

YAKIMA COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 12

10000 ZIER ROAD

YAKIMA, WA 98908

POLICY # 2602

COMMISSION CHAIR SIGNATURE s/b Marshia Goss, Chair

EFFECTIVE DATE: 10/13/09

REVISED DATE:

POLICY TITLE: INCIDENT SCENE PHOTO’S

REFERENCE: YCFD12 POLICIES 1104, 1105, 1108, 1109, 1110, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1115, 1116 & 2101

PURPOSE:

It is the policy of Yakima County Fire District #12 to protect information in relation to emergency scenes and patients. The purpose of this policy is to identify parameters for taking photos during emergency scene operations and the security of such photos.

1.0 Who is permitted to photograph the scene:

All personnel are permitted to photograph an incident scene so long as the photograph is taken with a Department issued camera.

a. Personal devices: cell phone cameras, video cameras, digital cameras and film cameras are not permitted to take on scene photos at any time by any member.

2.0 What scene content is permissible to photograph with Department equipment:

a. Mechanism of Injury at a motor vehicle collision.

b. Patient care procedures without identifiable features.

c. Rescue situations.

d. Fire scene photography.

3.0 Where is scene photography permissible:

a. Public scenes.

b. Homes & Businesses with proper permission from IC or homeowner.

c. Photo’s inside the patient compartment of a rescue or ambulance are NOT permitted.

4.0 When is scene photography permissible:

a. Motor vehicle collisions.

b. Rescue situations.

c. Fire Scenes.

5.0 Why scene photography is valuable to the District:

Photographs of an incident scene are used by the District in the following ways:

a. Training: Photos of specific on scene situations, conditions and equipment use are a valuable resource for teaching firefighters techniques and methods.

b. Investigation: Photos are used to help fire/accident investigators determine what happened and how.

c. Patient Care: Mechanism of injury photos can be valuable to the receiving emergency room doctor.

d. Incident Documentation: Photos are taken to document the progression of an incident.

e. After Action Reviews: Photos are taken to assist in re-creating the incident and timeline for training purposes.

OWNERSHIP

1.0 Yakima County Fire District 12 owns all images taken on scene.

2.0 U.S. Copyright law states that copyright protection is granted to the creator except work created by an independent contractor and work prepared by an employee within the scope of their employment.

IMAGE CONTROL

1.0 Images taken with a film camera may remain on the camera until the “roll” has been used up, at that time the camera must be securely forwarded to the administrative office for processing.

2.0 Images taken with a digital photographic device must be removed from the memory card of said device on the next regular business day; all images must be cataloged and stored in a secure department data base.

3.0 Incident photos may be recorded to a compact disc and placed in the incident report file.

4.0 No personnel shall copy and/or retain electronic photos of an incident scene.

6.0 Photos may be used on the official District web page so long as they do not expose identifying patient features.

7.0 Incident scene photos are not permitted on member’s My Space, Facebook or other personal web pages.

8.0 Release of photos are subject to HIPAA laws as well as the Districts Access to Public Records Policy.

DISCIPLINE

1.0 Any member of the District shall be subject to discipline (up to and including dismissal from the District) for any violation of, dereliction of, or indifference to the District’s policies and rules, for actions which jeopardize the safety and well being of any other member, or for any other inappropriate action. Generally, discipline should be imposed according to the nature and aggravation of the offense, but other factors such as the frequency and severity of prior violations should be considered.