ASTM F2047-00(2006)

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Designation:F2047–00 (Reapproved 2006)
Standard Practice for
Workers’ Compensation Coverage of Emergency Services
Volunteers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2047; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope for the services itself within the jurisdiction of the agency, and
no authority to provide them without acting under that of the
1.1 This practice defines the application of insurance ben-
agency.
efits for emergency services volunteers and units in the manner
2.2.1 Discussion—The auxiliary unit is typically organized
and extent as provided for under the workers’ compensation
as a division of an agency (as defined in 2.12), or as a
statutes of the state in which the volunteer or unit provides
non-profit corporation as defined in IRS Section 501(c)3, and
services.
which has a command structure that enables it to fit within the
1.2 This practice identifies the basic types of emergency
incident command system of a requesting agency. Such a unit
service volunteer, and the types of activities that should be
is expected to adopt a training program sufficient to maintain a
covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
skill level equal to or greater than recognized national stan-
1.3 Thispracticeincludesbothemergencyserviceunitswho
dards or as acceptable to the agency requesting their services,
operate as organized resources to a public authority legally
and will typically engage in community education programs.
responsible for the provision of search and rescue and other
Some examples of an AU are volunteer search and rescue
emergencyservices,aswellasthosevolunteerswhorespondto
resources, air search squads, emergency managers, search dog
a general request to the public for their services.
specialists, ambulance squads, fire fighters, disaster service
2. Terminology workers, and communication specialists who are asked to
respond to assist another state, county, or national park to
2.1 activity period—The period during which the emer-
provide their services to augment those available to the
gency services volunteer, unit, or auxiliary is exercising the
authorized requesting agency in that other state or jurisdiction.
skills for which it has been requested.
2.3 call-out—the notice and request to activate an ESU or
2.1.1 Discussion—This activity period may include a wide
ESV by an agency for the purpose of providing emergency
variety of functions, including but not limited to: a search and
services on behalf of the requesting agency.
rescue team member searching or climbing a cliff, a dog team
2.3.1 Discussion—If members are requested to respond
handler following a scent; a firefighter engaged in suppressing
directly, through radio paging, for example, then each member
a fire or rescuing a person from a burning building; an
is considered to be called-out and responding as of that time.
ambulance driver or medic providing medical assistance; a
2.4 check-in—the process by which one party notifies a
trackerleadingatrackingteam;adisasterworkerinacollapsed
second of being in-service or responding to a request for
building; a pilot engaged in an air search flight; or emergency
services, and the second party acknowledges, typically by
communicationspersonnelprovidingcommunicationsduringa
voice and entry in a formal log.
time of need.
2.4.1 Discussion—Check-in occurs when an individual
2.2 auxiliary unit (AU)—an individual, or a collection of
ESV contacts the responding ESU, or when the ESU or ESV
individuals, forming a unit called to respond by a legal
contacts the requesting legal authority. Members of an ESU
authority responsible for an emergency response function,
will typically be checked-in by the ESU upon first verification
which otherwise has no standing as a formal division or
of their response to the call-out, either in person at a rendez-
resource of that authority. For the purposes of this practice, the
vous point or search base, by radio, or other means dictated by
auxiliary status of an ESU means it has no legal responsibility
the type of response. The ESU will typically check-in with the
legal authority either at the incident site or search base, or by
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F32 on Search and
radio once it is mobilized appropriately to establish itself as
Rescue and is the direct responsibility of F32.02 on Management and Operations.
ready for deployment to the incident. A GPEV is required to
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2006. Published August 2006. Originally
check-in at the response place designated for such volunteers,
approved in 2000. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as F2047 – 00. DOI:
10.1520/F2047-00R06. and to be marked as in service on the personnel log.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F2047–00 (2006)
2.5 check-out—the process by which one party notifies a rescue units, volunteer emergency medical squads, volunteer
second that it is concluding its on-site services, and the second firefighters,ordesignatedcivilianvolunteerswhohaveformed
party acknowledges, typically by voice and entry in a formal organized and trained groups and who serve their city, county,
log. or state agency in the performance of their services.
2.5.1 Discussion—Check-out occurs when contact is made
2.10 emergency services volunteer (ESV)—an individual
between the on-site agency and the ESV or ESU to notify
who volunteers his/her services to, and whose services are
either entity that their services are being withdrawn from the
accepted by, an agency in response to a request for an
activity. Members of an ESU will typically be checked-out by
emergency function for which no substantive monetary benefit
the ESU upon the termination of the individual’s service
is expected or received. The legal authority incurs workers’
pursuant to their response to the call-out, either in person at the
compensation insurance responsibility for emergency services
point of demobilization, at a rendezvous point or search base,
volunteers(ESVs)whiletheESVisactivelyprovidingservices
by radio, or other means dictated by the type of response. The
to the agency as defined in Section 5 of this practice. This
ESU will typically check-out with the legal authority either at
period of activity shall be considered to be employment as
the incident site or search base, or by radio once it is prepared
defined by the workers’ compensation statutes in the state in
appropriately to establish itself as ready for check-out and
which the agency exists.
demobilization from the incident. A GPEV is required to
2.10.1 Discussion—Emergency services volunteers are pre-
check-out at the same check-in place for designated for such
sumed to be requested irregularly to provide special skills or
volunteers, and to be marked as out of service on the incident
assistance on behalf of the agency. As such, these volunteers
personnel log.
actaspart-timeemployeesoftheagencyandareempoweredto
2.6 community education—activities generated by the ESU
act to provide these services when specifically requested to do
to contact the public to increase the awareness and prepared-
so, or pursuant to an approved plan or schedule, or under the
ness of the public in areas of preventative search and rescue
supervision of a full-time employee.
(PSAR), fire prevention, medical and disaster preparedness,
2.10.2 search and rescue volunteer—an individual who
and survival.
volunteers his/her services in the performance of searches
2.7 demobilization—the activity of an ESU or ESV as
and/or rescues, with the accompanying training proficiency. In
required to return from a call-out to the point of origin or to a
addition to those specifically described in this practice, this
non service-related stop enroute home or to the point of origin
definition may be applied to air, ground, or water search
of the ESU or ESV after having been relieved of duty by the
volunteers, search dog specialists, and emergency managers,
requesting legal authority.
and others not included by specific reference.
2.7.1 Discussion—Demobilization typically includes equip-
2.10.3 volunteer firefighter—an individual who volunteers
ment retrieval, mission debriefing, personnel review, and travel
his/her services in the performance of fire suppression activi-
from the incident site or search base to an equipment cache,
ties, with the accompanying training proficiency.
station, or vehicle readiness area to return the vehicles and
2.10.4 emergency medical services (EMS) volunteer—an
equipment to a condition of readiness for the next call-out.
individual who volunteers his/her services in the performance
2.8 emergency services—anyactivityrequiringanincreased
of emergency medical services, with the accompanying train-
level of urgency in the rendering of assistance to the entity
ing proficiency.
requesting such assistance.
2.10.5 disaster services volunteer—an individual who vol-
2.8.1 Discussion—For the purposes of this practice, emer-
unteers his/her services to an agency upon a request for
gency services are defined as those related to search and
services upon the occurrence of an emergency or disaster,
rescue, fire suppression, medical and disaster services.
under the direct supervision of the agency, and with the
2.9 emergency services unit (ESU)—an individual, or a
appropriate training activity.
collection of individuals forming an association, organization,
2.11 general public emergency volunteer (GPEV)—an indi-
group, team, or similar resource organized or volunteering to
vidual who volunteers his/her services, and whose services are
provide search and/or rescue, fire or other emergency service
accepted, in response to a request to the public for emergency
activity for a responsible agency.An individual or other single
assistance.
resource may be considered a unit if the service can be
2.11.1 Discussion—A GPEV is typically not a member of
appropriately rendered (for example, a dog handler or tracker,
an organized emergency services unit, nor responding to a call
air search volunteer, or emergency manager).
for such organized units. An example of a GPEV is an
2.9.1 Discussion—An emergency services unit operates
individual who is contacted pursuant to a radio or television
within a formal division of the legal authority as a recognized
broadcast for the assistance of the general public with instruc-
unit of the legal authority or agency, and is organized and
tions to respond to a search base to assist in a search operation.
recognized by that agency as a resource of its emergency and
disaster services general plan. Such a unit is expected to adopt 2.12 legal authority (agency)—the individual or govern-
a training program sufficient to maintain a skill level equal to ment agency given responsibility and authority for search,
or greater than recognized national standards or as acceptable rescue,fire,andotheremergencyordisasterservicesbystatute.
to the agency requesting their services, and will typically Where multiple, concurrent or overlapping authorities exist,
engage in community education programs. Other examples of the term is used to refer to the legal authority ultimately
an ESU include, but are not limited to, volunteer search and empowering and accepting responsibility for the volunteer
F2047–00 (2006)
unit. For the purposes of this practice, the terms legal authority 3.6 Responsibility for workers’ compensation for members
and agency shall bear the same definition of terminology and of emergency services units shall be the same as outlined in
3.1, and shall be provided by the agency normally directing the
meaning.
activities of the ESU.
2.13 mobilization—the activity of an ESU or ESV as
required to respond to the call-out in an equipped and prepared 3.7 Responsibility for workers’ compensation for members
of emergency services auxiliary units shall be the same as
manner.
outlined in 3.1, and, unless provided for by other statute or
2.13.1 Discussion—Mobilization typically includes travel
agreement, shall be provided by the agency requesting the
to an equipment cache or vehicle readiness area to obtain
services and directing the activities of the AU.
equipment or to unite the ESU for responding as a unit, and the
3.8 To provide an agency with trained personnel who are
travel of the unit to the incident site or search base.
able to work in a safe and effective manner, it is generally
2.14 training—a curriculum of classroom education and
required that the emergency service volunteer engage in
field exercises designed to create a level of competence
training activity with the emergency service unit.
meeting national standards for such activity, or as acceptable to
3.8.1 A training plan is considered essential in establishing
the agency requesting the services of such a volunteer.
the basis for workers’ compensation insurance coverage during
2.14.1 Discussion—Training will typically include equip-
training. The plan serves as both prior notice to the responsible
ment familiarity and maintenance, both at the storage and
legal authority and documentation of training done to support
readiness facility, at areas removed from the facility, and as
the level of service provided.The training plan is considered to
further defined in 3.8 of this practice.
be a dynamic document, reflecting necessary changes due to
2.15 workers’ compensation insurance—insurance required
weather, unit participation, newly identified skills, and rear-
by law of employers for the medical expenses and loss of
ranged priorities.As changes are made to the training plan, the
wages incurred by an employee by reason of a job-related
revised plan is to be submitted to the agency.
injury, illness, or death.
3.8.2 The training plan may be required by the agency,
municipality, or government entity providing coverage and
3. Significance and Use
benefits in accordance with its contract for services or merely
3.1 It is presumed for the purposes of this practice that the
as a convenience to define activity periods.
legal authority (agency) having responsibility for emergency
3.8.3 The training plan should establish goals and list
services in a given jurisdiction also has a legal responsibility to
measurable objectives. These goals provide a basis for a
provide workers’ compensation Insurance coverage for regular
relationship between training and the incident response ser-
paid employees.
vices provided. The plan should list all planned activity of
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