Parking Safely on Slopes
In 2005, three fireline fatalities related to improper parking on slopes occurred. One involved a
water tender, another a fire engine, and the third was a command vehicle. In wildland fire
operations, we frequently exit vehicles quickly, but it is imperative that anytime a vehicle is left
unattended, time is taken to assure it is parked safely and will not present a hazard to ourselves
or others. Standard operating procedures for parking vehicles safely on slopes are:
- Turn the front wheels up hill or into the inside/embankment.
- Firmly set the emergency brake.
- Put the vehicle in park (if automatic transmission) or in forward gear (if manual transmission);
- do not leave it in neutral.
- Turn off the engine.
- Chock the wheels. When utilizing chocks, make sure they are on the correct side in reference to the slope. Assure the chocks are approved to hold the weight of the vehicle and will grip on the road surface.
in using engines in pumping operations along a roadway -- it is very easy to get complacent
with procedures or not even realize that you are on a slightly different slope which would
require placing chocks differently. It is the driver's responsibility to assure not only that the
vehicle is operated safely, but is positioned and parked safely
Source: NIFC: Parking Safely on Slopes.
