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PREVENTION OF FIRE – METRO INSPECTIONS

1. REFERENCES

1.1 Metro Fire/Life Safety Line Bulletin, #2013-01, Metro Rail Facility Inspections.

2. POLICY

2.1 Inspection Schedule

2.1.1 Inspections shall be performed twice each year on all Metro facilities.

2.1.1.1 These inspections must be scheduled in advance through the Special Operations Battalion Fire Chief – Metro Liaison.

2.1.1.2 Inspections may be facilitated by Metro escorts.

2.1.2 Informal familiarization of Metro facilities does not count as a formal inspection.

2.2 Notification Procedures

2.2.1 Notification must be made to the Metro Rail Operations Center (ROCC) Fire Liaison Officer (RFL) prior to performing Metro inspections.

2.3 Scheduling Times

2.3.1 Metro inspections should be completed between 09:00 and 15:00 hours.

2.3.2 These hours are considered "off-peak" for Metro operations, minimizing interference with passenger flow.

2.4 Station Manager Coordination

2.4.1 Permission must be obtained from the Station Manager prior to performing a station inspection.

2.4.2 Informal familiarization of Metro stations also requires permission from the respective Station Manager.

2.5 Scope of Inspections

2.5.1 Metro rail facility inspections include inspections of stations, vent shafts, fan shafts, and egress shafts.

2.5.2 Inspections of the roadway, power facilities, and rail yards require specific coordination and an escort from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
2.5.3 These inspections should be scheduled through the Special Operations Division Metro Liaison.

2.6 Components of a Station Inspection

2.6.1 Station layout - Inspect the overall physical layout of the station for safety and preparedness.

2.6.2 Knox Box locations and accessibility - Check the positioning and accessibility of these essential emergency access points.

2.6.3 Metro keys - Access using Metro keys does not allow entry to all rooms. Rooms typically off-limits include:

  • Police

  • Automatic Train Control

  • Communication

  • High Voltage Power

  • Revenue rooms

2.6.4 Ancillary rooms - Inspection of utility and ancillary spaces connected with the station layout.

2.6.5 Standpipes - Note that standpipes will not be charged during inspections.

2.6.6 Radio communication capabilities - Assess the station's radio communication facilities to ensure operational effectiveness.

2.7 Safety Protocols

2.7.1 Personnel must not go beyond the platform end gate without a Metro escort.

2.8 Passenger Flow Consideration

2.8.1 Every effort will be made to conduct inspections in a manner that does not impede passenger flow.

2.9 Familiarization with Procedures

2.9.1 Prior to Metro inspections, all staff must be familiar with procedures as outlined in Metro Fire/Life Safety Line Bulletin F/LSL #2013-01, Metro Rail Facility Inspections.

2.10 Reporting Deficiencies

2.10.1 Any deficiencies found in the Metro system must be entered into the ESO system and reported immediately to the Station Manager.

2.10.2 Deficiencies identified as immediate safety hazards should also be reported to the on-duty Special Operations Division Battalion Fire Chief and the Fire Operations Center (FOC).

2.10.3 If deficiencies are identified during the radio test, these must be reported immediately to:

  • Fire Liaison Officer (FLO) at the Office of Unified Communications (OUC)

  • RFL

  • Battalion Fire Chief – OUC
    A follow-up email with these details should be sent utilizing distribution groups contained in ESO.

2.11 Documentation of Results

2.11.1 Inspection results must be documented in the ESO system using the Panasonic CF-33 Toughbook.

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1 Peak Hours

Peak hours are defined as the times during which the Metro system experiences the highest volume of passengers. This typically occurs:

  • Monday through Friday

  • From 0630 to 0830 hours

  • From 1600 to 1800 hours.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 Company Officers Responsibilities

4.1.1 Company Officers must complete and submit Metro inspection results before leaving the Metro facility.

4.1.2 Company Officers are responsible for making necessary notifications regarding any issues or concerns identified during inspections or emergencies.

4.1.3 Prior to completing inspections, Company Officers must review previously submitted ESO reports relevant to the facility to check for outstanding deficiencies.

4.2 Fire Liaison Officer Responsibilities

4.2.1 The RFL must handle appropriate notifications to facilitate the rectification of issues reported to them.

4.3 Special Operations Battalion Fire Chief Responsibilities

4.3.1 The Special Operations Battalion Fire Chief – Metro Liaison (or designee) is responsible for notifying WMATA in advance of any Metro inspections when feasible, typically by providing a schedule ahead of the semi-annual inspection cycle.

4.3.2 This same official or their designee must review completed inspections within the ESO system and coordinate with Metro to address any reported deficiencies.