What must personnel do when reporting for duty regarding their PATs?

• A. Place one PAT on each company passport.
• B. Place all PATs on a single clipboard.
• C. Leave PATs at the station.
• D. Wear PATs on clothing.

Answer: (A)

Maintaining immediate and accurate accountability is essential as personnel report for duty. Personnel Accountability Tags are used to show exactly who belongs to each company, so the incident commander can quickly verify who is assigned and track movements in and out of the area. Placing one PAT on each company passport creates a clear, one-to-one link between the individual and their crew, allowing rapid checks and reliable updates as personnel respond, rotate, or enter and exit the scene.

If all PATs were kept on a single clipboard, it would be harder to identify who each tag belongs to, slowing accountability and increasing the risk of confusion or miscounts. Leaving PATs at the station defeats on-scene accountability entirely. Wearing PATs on clothing can lead to loss, snag hazards, or interference with PPE. Therefore, the practice is to place one PAT on each company passport so accountability is immediate and maintainable.