DFRS

POLICES & PROCEDURES
Department Of Fire & Rescue Services
Montgomery County, MD

ASSIGNMENT AND USE OF DFRS ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT VEHICLES


 
 
No. 602
Jan. 9, 1998

PURPOSE
1.0 To establish policy and procedure for the assignment and use of County owned administrative and support vehicles to uniformed and non-uniformed department personnel.

APPLICABILITY
2.0 This policy and procedure applies to all Department of Fire and Rescue Services personnel who drive or operate County-owned fire, rescue, and emergency medical services vehicles assigned to the Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
2.1
This policy was developed in cooperation with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1664.

DEFINITIONS
3.0 Administrative Vehicle - Vehicle used to provide transportation in support of administrative/non-emergency purposes.
3.1 Agency Assigned Vehicle - A passenger vehicle assigned to an employee or agency for regular duty use or authorized Department activities use. Agency assigned vehicles will not be taken home on a regular basis. For the benefit and convenience of the Department, an employee may be authorized to park a vehicle at an approved location within Montgomery County that is convenient to work sites and/or areas of responsibility.
3.2 Agency Assigned Take-Home Vehicle - A passenger vehicle assigned to an employee whose job-related assignments and responsibilities require the vehicle to be taken home during off-duty hours in order to be used for governmental purposes. This vehicle cannot be used for non-department activities outside of the normal duty hours.
3.3 Assigned Emergency/Administrative Vehicle - A passenger vehicle assigned to an employee whose job-related assignments and responsibilities require the employee to be within emergency radio and/or telephone communications contact on a 24-hour, 7 day a week basis. This vehicle cannot be used for non-department activities outside of the County.
3.4 Assigned Emergency/Public Safety Vehicle - A passenger vehicle assigned to a Department of Fire and Rescue Services employee whose job-related assignments and responsibilities require the employee to be within emergency radio and/or telephone contact on a 24-hour, 7 day a week basis. This vehicle can be used by the employee during off-duty hours with specific written approval of the Director.
3.5 Motor Pool Vehicle - A motor pool vehicle normally assigned for one day or less. Procedures concerning the use of vehicles governed by County Administrative Procedure 5-2, Motor Pool Operation, are made part of this Policy and Procedure by reference.

POLICY
4.0 Assignment of County-owned, Department of Fire and Rescue Services assigned vehicles, may be made to those employees whose duties mandate it. Such assignment of vehicles will be the decision of the Director.
4.1 Only authorized Department of Fire and Rescue Services personnel associated with Department business will travel in Agency Assigned or Agency Assigned Take Home vehicles.
4.2 Assigned vehicles may be utilized by an employee who, in a designated acting capacity, is performing the function for which the vehicle was assigned.
4.3 Employees will not install or have installed any items of equipment on County owned vehicles without prior written approval of the Director or his designee. The cost of installation and removal of approved personal equipment will be at the employee's expense.
4.4 Two-way radios and/or cellular telephones required for performance of duties will be installed under the coordination and supervision of the Department's Division of Technical Resources Management.
4.5 All Department of Fire and Rescue Services employees are prohibited from using County-owned vehicles while engaging in or attending any political or partisan activities. Such activities include rallies, caucuses, promotional events, political speeches, and fund raisers, driving people to the polls for a candidate or party, etc. Employees may use County-owned vehicles to attend official government activities, or while on official Department business.
4.6 The Director will periodically reassign or rotate vehicles for better utilization of fleet resources.
4.7 Off-duty use of Assigned Emergency/Public Safety vehicles will be permitted to ensure constant two-way communications capability providing that the employee is subject to 24-hour emergency call-back or functions in a Public Safety capacity. Such vehicles will not be taken outside the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) unless approved by the Director.
4.8 Assigned Emergency/Administrative vehicles can be justified only if the employee is subject to 24-hour a day, 7 days a week call back to respond to emergencies.
4.9 Agency Assigned vehicles can be justified for an employee if:

  1. the employee's job related duties and responsibilities require that the major portion of each work day be spent in field activities;

  2. the employee's job related duties and responsibilities require that a vehicle be available at all times during each work day so as to maintain the efficiency of the employee.
4.10 Agency Assigned Take Home vehicles can be justified for an employee if:

  1. the employee regularly, and on a continuing basis, is subject to be called for emergencies during the off hours;

  2. the employee's position requires frequent after hour travel to meetings to represent the Department interests, or to provide service delivery to the Fire and Rescue Commission and/or Fire and Rescue Corporations;

  3. documented increases in an employee's job efficiency provides a clear benefit to the Department by the operation of an Agency Assigned Take Home vehicle;

  4. the employee frequently visits multiple Department work sites on the way to or from their regularly assigned office location.

4.11 No provision in this policy shall be interpreted as precluding the Director from authorizing the temporary use of a vehicle on a take home basis for employees whose duties include emergency stand-by or call-back status.
4.12 Employees are prohibited from placing any bumper sticker, decal, placard, banner, or insignia, unless approved by the Director, on any County-owned vehicle.
4.13 Operators of emergency response vehicles who are certified in accordance with the Fire and Rescue Commission's Emergency Vehicle Driver Training/ Certification Policy and the Integrated Emergency Command Structure, may operate vehicles in an emergency response mode.
4.14 All occupants must wear seat belts when the vehicle is in motion. Vehicle operators of any County-owned vehicle must stop and assist any citizen who requests or appears in need of assistance.
4.15 Off-duty or non-uniformed vehicle operators must wear appropriate attire to project a favorable image of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
4.16 All employees are prohibited from operating a County-owned vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic beverages or with the odor of alcohol on the breath or after having ingested any substance that may impair their ability to operate the vehicle.

RESPONSIBILITIES
5.0 DFRS Bureau Chiefs are responsible for completing the Department Vehicle Assignment Request Form and submitting it to the Department of Fire and Rescue Services Division of Technical Resources Management for processing and forwarding to the Director.
5.1 Division of Technical Resources Management is responsible for:

  1. a. reviewing all submitted Department Vehicle Assignment Request Forms for accuracy and completeness;

  2. b. providing the Director with management or technical information to assist in the development of sound vehicle utilization decisions.

5.2 The Director is responsible for approving or disapproving requests for vehicle assignments.

ATTACHMENTS
6.0 Vehicle Assignment Request


Policy & Procedure Manual


DFRS
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND
VEHICLE ASSIGNMENT REQUEST


Name: __________________________________ SSN:____________________ 

                 Last                                              First                               MI

Driver's License #: ______________________________ State: _____________

Duty Assignment: _________________________________________________

                                               Bureau                                          District                Shift                           Station

Rank/Title: ____________________________ Date: _____________________

Vehicle Type Requested

o Automobile o Carryall o Jeep o Station Wagon

o Pickup Truck o Marked o Unmarked

Vehicle Assignment Requested

o Agency-Assigned o Agency-Assigned Take Home o Motor Pool

o Agency-Assigned Administrative o Assigned Emergency/Public Safety

o Assigned Emergency/Administrative Vehicle

Vehicle Assignment Justification

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Recommendations

o _______________________________________________ Date: ________

Bureau Chief's Signature

o _______________________________________________ Date: ________

Division of Technical Resources Management

Approval

___________________________________________________ Date: ________

Chief Jon C. Grover, Director, Department of Fire and Rescue Services

AD 98066