Policies your crews can follow and your department can defend.
We help fire chiefs and administrators audit, rewrite, and maintain their SOPs and SOGs. Your manual ends up matching current standards, matching how you actually operate, and staying current after we leave.
Respiratory Protection Program
- Effective
- March 2011
- Last reviewed
- Not recorded
- References
- NFPA standard, superseded edition
- Approved by
- Former chief
Audit finding: high priority
Cites a superseded standard and has no review history. Revise, re-adopt, and document member acknowledgment.
Most SOP manuals have the same four problems
None of them mean your department is doing anything wrong. They mean nobody has had the time to keep the manual current.
Nobody’s sure which version is current
Policies live in a binder, a shared drive, and someone’s inbox, and the three copies don’t match.
It was copied from another department
Borrowed policies describe someone else’s staffing, apparatus, and mutual aid agreements.
It cites standards that have since changed
NFPA standards and OSHA requirements get revised on a regular cycle. Most manuals never catch up.
It says one thing and crews do another
A written policy that isn’t followed can create more exposure in an investigation or lawsuit than having no policy at all.
Three ways we help
Most departments start with an audit. It tells you exactly where you stand before you commit to anything else.
SOP and SOG Audit
Best for departments that want to know where they stand
We review your full manual against current standards, your state’s requirements, and how your department actually operates on the street.
- Gap report with every policy rated by risk
- List of policies you should have but don’t
- Prioritized action plan
- Findings briefing with your chief and officers
Rewrite and Update
Best for manuals that are outdated or inconsistent
We draft or revise your policies in one consistent format, built around your staffing, apparatus, and response area. Your chief reviews and approves every one.
- Every policy in a standard template
- Clear SOP and SOG designations
- Citations to current standards
- Revision history and approval records
Manual Management
Best for keeping the manual current year after year
Ongoing support so your policies don’t drift out of date again: scheduled reviews, updates when standards change, and a secure online portal where your members read and sign off on current policies.
- Annual review calendar
- Version control and secure online storage
- Member acknowledgment tracking
- Updates when standards are revised
Pricing: every department is different, so we quote each project based on the size of your manual and the scope of work. You’ll get a clear, fixed quote after the free consultation, before any work begins.
How it works
You send us what you have, in whatever shape it’s in. Binders, scans, and half-finished drafts are all fine.
Free consultation
A 30-minute call about your department, your manual, and what’s driving the review.
Document review
We read every policy and compare it against current standards and your operations.
Findings briefing
We walk you through the gap report and agree on what to fix first.
Rewrite and adoption
We draft, you approve, and we help you roll the policies out to your members.
Ongoing review
Optional support to keep the manual current as standards and your department change.
What we review your policies against
Compliance is the floor. We also look at whether each policy is clear enough to follow under stress and realistic for your staffing.
We provide compliance and best-practice guidance, not legal advice. When a question needs an attorney, we’ll tell you.
- NFPA standardsThe current editions that apply to your department’s services and staffing model
- OSHA regulationsIncluding respiratory protection, two-in/two-out, and state-plan requirements where they apply
- State requirementsFire marshal, training, and certification rules in your state
- ISO and accreditation criteriaPPC rating factors, and CPSE accreditation criteria for departments pursuing it
- DefensibilityWhether each policy is clear, followed in practice, and documented
Written by someone who’s worked under these policies
Michael Cox founded Fire SOP Advisors after more than 15 years in the fire service, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief and working with both career and volunteer departments.
In his own departments, he saw how badly SOPs and SOGs needed updating, and how tedious and time-consuming it is to do that work right while also running a department. Fire SOP Advisors exists to take that work off the chief’s desk and do it properly.
We work with fire departments and emergency service organizations across the United States.
Book a free consultation
Tell us a little about your department. We’ll reply within one business day to set up a 30-minute call.
- Service area
- Nationwide, United States