Communicate the Hazard

Once the presence of a PV system is confirmed, the incident commander should notify the dispatcher, who will then sound a designated alert tone followed by a pre-scripted notification on all relevant operating frequencies. Many jurisdictions require crew leaders to acknowledge this notification. Communicating the presence of a PV system is essential for maximizing everyone’s safety at the incident scene.

Here is a sample notification about the presence of a PV system:

“Attention all personnel operating at 346 Northwest Road. A photovoltaic solar system has been identified at your location. The array is located on Side C of the structure. Be advised to use caution when operating at this incident.”

(Please note that some jurisdictions use numbers instead of letters to indicate sides of a structure. If yours follows this convention, the alert would say “Side 3” instead of “Side C.”)