Incident Management Guide

Transcription

1 ..... I NCIDENT C OMMAND T ACTICAL A CCOUNTABILITY A CTION P LANNING C OMMUNICATIONS S OLUTIONS Grant County, Washington Incident Management Guide June 2008 ADAPTED FROM PROCEDURES PRODUCED BY Whatcom County Fire Chiefs Association modeled after California FIRESCOPE Edited by Kyle Foreman, Grant County Emergency Management and Assistant Chief Brett Bastian, Moses Lake Fire Department

2 The National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health regularly lists problems with Incident Command as an associated cause of firefighter on-scene traumatic deaths. ICS was either not applied was applied incorrectly, leading to a disaster on the incident. After teaching numerous Incident Command-series courses, the frustration most students express is the curriculum does not adequately address how to use and apply ICS. If agencies are not able to properly apply ICS to manage their incidents, we can expect more firefighters to be hurt or killed. For 2008 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week, we have prepared this manual to assist agencies apply the Incident Command System to help improve incident safety. You can use it as a guide for developing your agency s ICS training, as well as apply ICS to incidents. Incident Command should not be equated with checklists and vests, and it s definitely not tactics or strategy. ICS is a way to organize the fireground or incident. It is a thought process that can become second nature. ICS must be used and practiced over and over. Practice can include training, simulations, and its use at smaller scaled incidents. Practice your arrival reports, progress reports and command transfers. This everyday practice will make it comfortable and easy to use when it really counts. 1. Initiate / Establish ICS early in your incident and keep it simple. This will be the foundation upon which your incident will rest. If you get off to a disorganized start, you ll only be chasing the incident. Remember, an incident can grow smoothly to major proportions if you re using a workable ICS. And it s only workable if it s known and practiced by everyone involved. Understand that there is a legal difference between initiating and establishing command. Initiating command means mobile and informal, once command has been established and named the IC must designate a command post and function from the command post. 2. Think of ICS as a toolbox full of tools that you may or may not choose to use. Only take out the tools you need for the incident you have. And if you pick the right tools for the job at hand, everyone s work will be so much easier. 3. Practice ICS at every incident. Period. You ll have a much better chance of it working correctly when it matters most at the BIG ONE. Contact us if you ever have any questions. Stay safe and do your part to make sure everyone goes home! Kyle Foreman Grant County Emergency Management kforeman@co.grant.wa.us Brett Bastian Moses Lake Fire Department bbastian@ci.moses-lake.wa.us 2

3 Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction Preface Integrated Tactical Accountability and Communications System (ITAC ) Copyright Provisions Standard Terminology...5 Section 2 Risk Management Standard Terminology Risk Management Principles Risk Management General Guidelines Risk Assessment Ten Rules Of Engagement for Structural Firefighting Risk Assessment/Rules of Engagement Decision Making Matrix General Fire Ground Risk Management Guidelines Fireground Time Management...12 Section 3 Incident Command System Standard Terminology Preface Integrated Incident Management Systems National Incident Management System (NIMS) Multiagency Coordination System (EOC) Area Command Incident Command System (ICS) Command Procedures Command Responsibility General Incident Command Position Roles and Responsibilities ICS Command Structure Command Structure Divisions or Groups Command Structure Expanding the Organization Organizational Hierarchy Expanding the Organization Sections Operations Section Command Structure Command Staff Unified Command Fully Expanded ICS Organization...41 Section 4 Incident Management Standard Terminology

4 4.2 Ten Commandments of Intelligent & Safe Incident Operations Incident Equilibrium Command Status (IEAT) Incident Management Designators Resource Management Park, Staging, Base Passport Accountability System Personnel Accountability Roll Call for Numbers Tactical Accountability...62 Section 5 Incident Action Planning Standard Terminology Incident Action Planning (IAP) Incident Size-up First Unit Arrival Incident Action Plan - Components IAP Orientation From and On Operational Modes TRIPOD Operational Mode Decision Making Matrix Incident Action Plan Process Incident Action Plan Managing Assignments Incident Action Plan Implementation Incident Action Plan Templates Incident Action Plan Structure Fire Template Incident Action Plan Motor Vehicle Accident Template Incident Action Plan Hazardous Materials Template Step by Step Use of Passport Accountability

5 Section 1 Introduction 1.1 Preface The purpose of this manual is to help Grant County public safety agencies establish a standard, systematic approach to managing all emergency incidents involving fire department operations. The procedures contained herein are established for the specific purpose of promoting standardization and interoperability between Grant County fire departments. This guide was adapted from guidelines established by Whatcom County Fire Chiefs. This guide is part of the Incident Management Improvement portion of a US Homeland Security grant funded-project to assist Grant County public safety agencies comply with requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). In 2007, the same project funded incident management boards, vests and other ICS equipment for all Grant County fire departments. It is hoped that this guide will be quickly adopted by all public safety agencies as the incident management standard for Grant County. 1.2 Integrated Tactical Accountability and Communications System (ITAC ) The incident management procedures incorporated in this manual are primarily based on the Integrated Tactical Accountability and Communications (ITAC ) system developed by Fire Command Incorporated. The ITAC system incorporates competent Incident Command with a process for selecting appropriate tactical and support objectives, while ensuring tight personnel accountability, and a methodology for professional emergency scene radio communication. The ITAC system unites previously separate components: the Incident Command System (using NIMS as a foundation), strategic and tactical action planning, resource management, Passport Accountability System hardware, and emergency scene communications. All of these components have been integrated into a single, seamless system. 1.3 Copyright Provisions The ITAC system is trademarked and is copyright protected by Fire Command Seattle LLC. The Passport Accountability System is trademarked and copyrighted by the City of Seattle Fire Department. 1.4 Standard Terminology Words have important meaning. Therefore the use of standard terminology conveys common understanding. This manual establishes many standard terms which play a crucial role in supporting effective communications. Effective communications makes for effective incident management. Each section of this manual begins with a list of standard terms and their abbreviated definition. In addition, an index is provided at the end to cross-reference standard terms to their relevant section. 5

6 Section 2 Risk Management 2.1 Standard Terminology Benefit The actual presence of value based on the realistic ability to rescue savable people, prevent further property loss, and/or prevent further environmental harm. Risk The expectation of loss, viewed as an expression of combined probability and severity of loss. Specifically, how probable is it that a loss will occur and how severe are the potential consequences if the loss does occur. Risk Assessment A systematic evaluation of incident conditions and/or circumstances specifically to identify the hazards responders may be exposed to and to calculate potential severity. Assessment includes, estimating the potential for harm or loss, calculating the degree of probability of occurrence, and for what tangible benefit. Risk Management Accounting for the expectation of loss, based on the probability and severity of loss. Risk management includes: Factoring the passage of time and the affects it has on potential risk; The identification and evaluation of hazards; Establishing an incident action plan that minimizes risk to responders; Ensuring that personnel are accounted for; Providing for responder rehabilitation; Assigning an Incident Safety Officer; Providing traffic work zone safety measures; Stabilizing utilities; and Ensuring that incident operations comply with applicable mandates and standards. 2.2 Risk Management Principles The basic premise to risk management is that once a risk is identified, the risk can be managed. There is no doubt that typical fire department operations involve an element of risk. However, the exposure to this risk can be managed in a manner that minimizes the potential for harm. Incident managers are ultimately responsible for determining and managing the level of risk assumed by those operating on the incident scene. Incident safety officers, division supervisors, fire officers, as well as individual firefighters and paramedics, all play an integral role in managing risk in the workplace. The following section serves to define acceptable and unacceptable positions and functions on the incident scene. This section is also meant to provide direction and guidance to the Incident Commander when factoring risk management strategies into the incident action planning process. 6

7 All firefighting and rescue operations involve an inherent level of risk to firefighters. But the level of risk assumed, must be calculated and managed in a controlled manner. The concept of risk management shall be utilized on the basis of the following principles: Activities that present a significant risk to the safety of members shall be limited to situations where there is a potential to save endangered lives. Activities that are routinely employed to protect property shall be recognized as inherent risks to the safety of members, and actions shall be taken to reduce or avoid these risks. No risk to the safety of members shall be acceptable when there is no possibility to save lives or property. Responders may take significant risk within a structured plan and tenable conditions when there is a realistic potential to save a life. Responders will take minimum risk within a structured plan to save savable property. Responders will risk nothing to save what has already been lost. 2.3 Risk Management General Guidelines The following general guidelines should be incorporated, to the extent applicable, within the incident management practices associated with all emergency responses. Incident Commanders The Incident Commander s role and responsibility is to: Conduct a risk/benefit analysis before engaging crews Establish and manage operations based on an Incident Action Plan (IAP) Establish and maintain an adequate management structure using the ICS Integrate risk management principles within the IAP, specifically to include: IDLH assignments based on teams of two or more Two-in/two-out provisions for rescue Stand-by, back-up, RIT Effective procedures for personnel accountability Effective procedures for maintaining control of communications Provisions for the rotation and rehab of personnel Assign an Incident Safety Officer Establish hazard, collapse, and exclusion zones Continually evaluate the appropriateness of the selected operating mode Maintain an adequate reserve of available resources Remain calm, objective, decisive, realistic, and flexible 7

8 Fire Officers/Team Leaders Fire officers must assume many roles Fulfill your role as a supervisor by: Ensuring that emergency vehicles are operated safely Keeping assigned teams intact and continually accounted for Ensuring assigned teams protected with the appropriate PPE Fulfill your role of safety officer within your assigned work area by: Evaluating risk/benefit of each tactical assignment Establishing egress/escape plans prior to engaging teams Fulfill your role as a communicator by clearly communicating: To your assigned teams - their assignments, hazards, limitations, etc. To your supervising ICS position Periodic status reports (PACT) Progress Tactical or support objective; is it complete, in-progress, your need for assistance, your recommendations, etc. Air Percent of team leader s remaining air supply Conditions Increasing/decreasing heat and/or smoke conditions, hazard extension, unsafe/unstable conditions, recommendations, additional needs, etc. Team Personnel accountability, verify accountability, and location Fulfill your role as a risk manager by: Reporting signs of potential hazard Anticipating the need to request exchange teams Rotating your teams to manage fatigue Remain calm, objective, decisive, realistic, and flexible Firefighters and all Emergency Responders Effective risk management begins with the individual responder. We must all do our part to: Respond safely Ensure that we are entered into the accountability system Maintain team integrity by maintaining contact with team members Receive assignment before engaging so that we are not freelancing Know who our assigned leader is and follow their direction Operate with a sensible level of aggression 8

9 Ask or call for help when we need it Remain calm, objective, decisive, realistic, and flexible 2.4 Risk Assessment It is the responsibility of the incident commander to assess the level of risk in every situation. Risk assessment shall include an evaluation of the presence, survivability, and potential to rescue occupants. When there is no potential to save lives, firefighters shall not be committed to operations that present an elevated level of risk. The incident command system shall be established at the scene of every incident, beginning with the arrival of the first fire department member. The incident commander must conduct an initial risk analysis to consider the risk to firefighters in order to determine the strategy and tactics that will be employed. Risk assessment is a continuous process for the entire duration of each incident. The incident commander shall continually reevaluate conditions to determine if the level of risk has changed and a change in strategy or tactics is necessary. Incident commanders are ultimately responsible for incident safety, serving as the default safety officer. The Incident Commander must acknowledge their limited capacity to function as the Incident Safety Officer. Therefore, they should give early consideration to assigning one or more incident safety officer(s) commensurate with the needs of the situation. Risk Assessment - Structure Fires (Sample) a. Building Characteristics Construction type and size Structural condition Unusual loads - specifically heavily loaded roofs Occupancy and contents/fire load b. Fire Growth Factors 1. Location, phase, and magnitude of fire 2. Estimated time of involvement 3. Smoke conditions c. Risk To Civilian Occupants 1. Compelling evidence of viable occupants 2. Risk/viability assessment d. Operational Capability 1. Available resources 2. Operational capabilities and limitations 9

10 e. When available, pre-incident plan consultation. Risk/Benefit decision making should be value driven Value is based on the realistic ability to rescue savable people, prevent further property loss, and/or prevent further environmental harm. Attempting to salvage what has already been lost has no value the damage is done. Fire Ground Factors That Kill Fire Fighters Fire officers must monitor the following three fire ground situations that represent increased risk. The Three That Kill have killed and injured scores of fire fighters. 1. Fire fighters working below a structure fire 2. Firefighters working in areas with rapid fire growth/flashover potential 3. Firefighters working above a structure fire 2.5 Ten Rules Of Engagement for Structural Firefighting 1 Acceptability of Risk 1. No building or property is worth the life of a firefighter. 2. All fireground operations involve an inherent level of risk. 3. Some risk is acceptable, in a calculated and coordinated manner. 4. No level of risk is acceptable when there is no potential to save lives or to conserve property. 5. Firefighters shall not be committed to interior offensive fire fighting operations in abandon or derelict buildings. Risk Assessment 6. All feasible measures shall be taken to limit or avoid risks through risk assessment by a qualified officer. 7. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to evaluate the level of risk in every situation. 8. Risk assessment is a continuous process during all fire ground operations. 9. When conditions change and risk increases, strategy and tactics will be modified accordingly. 10. No building or stuff is worth the life of a firefighter. 1 Adapted from the IAFC 10 Rules of Engagement for Structural Fire Fighting 10

11 Value driven decision making Make decisions with a mindset that starts from a safe place to first find the value of entering, rather than inside by default, wondering if we should be outside. The question should be: Can we save anything of value and how do we do so safely? Even when there is value, we need to employ methods and tactics that enable us accomplish the task, but at the same time reduce the amount of risk involved. Work smart, not recklessly. 2.6 Risk Assessment/Rules of Engagement Decision Making Matrix 2 Personnel Risk Level High Probability Of Success Marginal Probability Of Success Low Probability Of Success Low Risk When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; continually monitor risk factors When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; continually monitor risk factors. When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; continually monitor risk factors Medium Risk When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; continue to monitor risk factors; employ all available risk control options. When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; continue to monitor risk factors; prepare for defensive transition. When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation; reduce risk to fire fighters and actively pursue risk control options. High Risk When appropriate, initiate an offensive operation only when there is compelling evidence of a civilian life safety problem. Do not initiate an offensive operation that will put firefighters at risk. Defensive operation only. Offensive Benefit from a Defensive Position Informed, intelligent fire officers always seek offensive benefit from a defensive position. Fire fighters should never be part of the fire load. 2.7 General Fire Ground Risk Management Guidelines 1. Firefighters operating in hazardous areas shall operate in teams of at least two personnel. 2. Team members operating in hazard areas shall be in communication with each other through visual, audible, physical, safety guide rope, or by other means in order to coordinate their activities. Team members shall be in close proximity to each other to provide assistance in case of emergency. 2 Adapted from the IAFC 10 Rules of Engagement for Structural Fire Fighting 11

12 3. Teams operating in buildings with active fire should have a charged and functional hose line with them. While in the hazard area, physical contact with the hose line should be maintained at all times. Physical contact may be maintained through the use of ropes, utility straps, or physical contact with a partner. 4. While operating within a hazard area, Team leaders shall account for all team members upon entry, while operating within, prior to exiting, and immediately upon exiting the hazard area. 5. Teams shall not operate under or above lightweight structural members that have become part of the fire load in fire. 2.8 Fireground Time Management During unstable and/or high-risk incidents such as a working structure fire, technical rescue, or drowning, the fire dispatcher should start an incident timer that begins from when the first unit arrives at the scene. The fire dispatcher should convey the passage of time to the Incident Commander at 10-minute intervals. 3 The Command Post will acknowledge each 10-minute notification and affirm (verbally) or transition the operational mode. Example One: Example Two: MACC: Basin Street Command from MACC. IC: Basin Street Command. MACC: Basin Street Command, your first 10-minute timer notification. IC: Basin Street Command received, 10-minutes, Basin Street Command is still Offensive from Side-A, on Floor-2. MACC: MACC received, Basin Street Command Offensive, Side-A, Floor-2. IC: Affirmative MACC. MACC: Basin Street Command from MACC. IC: Basin Street Command. MACC: Basin Street Command your second 10-minute timer notification IC: Basin Street Command received, 20-minutes, Basin Street Command transitioning to Defensive. MACC: MACC received, Basin Street Command is now Defensive. IC: Affirmative MACC. 3 NFPA 1561: Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System, 2005 ed., NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 2007 ed. 12

13 Division/Group Supervisors should track the on-air time within an IDLH atmosphere for each of their assigned teams. Once the incident is no longer in an Offensive mode, the Incident Commander may opt to discontinue the 10-minute notifications. To do so, the Incident Commander notifies: Example One: IC: MACC from Basin Street Command MACC: Go ahead Basin Street Command IC: Basin Street Command is now in overhaul, cancel the 10-minute clock. MACC: Received, Basin Street Command is in overhaul; cancel the 10-minute clock. IC: Affirmative MACC. 13

14 Section 3 Incident Command System 3.1 Standard Terminology Abandon An emergency order for all teams operating inside of a structure or hazardous atmosphere to immediately leave the structure by the most expedient route possible. Area Command Area Command is established to manage multiple Command Posts. (Example: large scale disaster requiring a regional response). Multiple Area Commanders could report to an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Assignments Tasks given to resources to perform within a given operational period that are based on operational objectives defined in the Incident Action Pan (IAP). Chain of Command A series of command, control, executive, or management positions in hierarchal order of authority. Command The act of directing, ordering, or controlling by virtue of explicit statutory, regulatory, or delegated authority. Command Function Refers to the five major activities in the ICS: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The term function is used to describe the primary activity. Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) A plan developed and maintained by the local Department of Emergency Management (DEM) that identifies how first response agencies respond to events within the local community. Emergency Communications Center (ECC) See Area Command Emergency Operations Center (EOC) The physical location at which the coordination of information and resources to support domestic incident management activities normally takes place. An EOC may be temporary or may be located in a permanently established facility. Evacuate The removal of civilians from a structure or area. Incident Command Post (ICP) The field location at which the primary tactical-level, on-scene incident command functions are performed. Incident Management Team (IMT) The Incident Commander and appropriate Command and General Staff personnel assigned to an incident. Liaison A form of communication for establishing and maintaining mutual understanding and cooperation. Mitigation The activities designed to reduce or eliminate risks to persons or property or to lesson the actual or potential effects or consequences of an incident. Multiagency Coordination Systems Provides the coordination system for incident prioritization, critical resource allocation, communications systems integration, and information coordination. The components include facilities, equipment, EOCs, specific 14

15 Multiagency coordination entities, personnel, procedures, and communications. These systems assist agencies and organizations to fully integrate the subsystems of the NIMS. Multijurisdictional Incident An incident requiring action from multiple agencies that each have jurisdiction to manage certain aspects of an incident. In ICS, these incidents will be managed under a Unified Command. Operational Period The time scheduled for executing a given set of operational action as specified in the IAP. Operational periods vary in duration up to 24 hours. Resources Personnel and major items of equipment, supplies, and facilities available or potentially available for assignment to incident operations and for which status is maintained. Resources are described by kind and type and may be used in operational support or supervisory capacities at an incident or at an EOC. Span of Control The number of individuals a supervisor is responsible for, usually expressed as the ratio of supervisors to individuals. Unified Command (UC) An application of ICS used when there is more than one agency with jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions. Agencies work together through the designated members of the UC, to establish a common set of objectives and strategies and a single IAP. Unit The organizational element having functional responsibility for a specific incident planning, logistics, or finance/administration activity. Unity of Command The concept by which each person within an organization reports to one and only one designated person. The purpose of unity of command is to ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander for every objective. Withdraw An order to teams operating inside of a structure or hazard area to immediately withdraw from the structure or area, bringing tools and equipment with them. 3.2 Preface This section is limited to providing an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and how it interfaces with incident mitigation efforts managed at the local level. This section will focus on the Incident Command System (ICS), a subsystem of the NIMS. The ICS is based on five major functions of command referred to as Sections: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. This section will specifically address incident command principles, the Incident Commander s role and responsibilities, and subordinate positions within the Operations Section. It is not intended to address the ICS in its entirety. The other functions of command are addressed by the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), maintained by the Grant County Department of Emergency Management (GCEM). 15

16 3.3 Integrated Incident Management Systems The following flow chart illustrates the relationship, roles, and organizational hierarchy of the various subsystems established within the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Provides the framework for integrating a national response by federal agencies with, state, and local government agencies) National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Federal Jurisdiction / Response) Coordinates response to regional incidents by state agencies, mobilization, and/or federal agencies and/or resources. Multiagency Coordination System (EOC) (State Jurisdiction / Response) Coordinates incidents that affect multiple jurisdictions and/or require a regional response by local resources. Multiagency Coordination System (EOC) (County DEM) Management of multiple Command Posts (and Incident Commanders). Area Command (AC) (Local jurisdictions) In the field management of a single incident by local jurisdictions. Incident Command System (ICS) (Local Jurisdiction / Response) 3.4 National Incident Management System (NIMS) The National Incident Management System provides a consistent, flexible and adjustable national framework within which government and private entities at all levels can work together to manage domestic incidents, regardless of their cause, size, location or complexity. This flexibility applies across all phases of incident management: prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. The NIMS provides a set of standardized organizational structures including the Incident Command System, Multiagency Coordination Systems, and public information systems as well as requirements for processes, procedures and systems to improve interoperability among jurisdictions and disciplines in various areas. The NIMS expands local incident management, based on the Incident Command System - a component of NIMS, to a level that interfaces with State and National agencies. The NIMS recognizes that the overwhelming majority of emergency incidents are handled on a daily basis by local jurisdictions utilizing the Incident Command System. The purpose of NIMS is to augment the capabilities of local entities for those incidents that extend beyond their local capacities 16

17 and/or jurisdictions. The NIMS provides an interface between local agencies when successful domestic incident management operations depend on the involvement of emergency responders from multiple jurisdictions, as well as resources from other states and the federal government. These instances require effective and efficient coordination across a broad spectrum of organizations and activities. 3.5 Multiagency Coordination System (EOC) An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) represents the physical location at which the coordination of information and resources to support incident management activities normally takes place. Whatcom County and the State of Washington both maintain an EOC in a permanently established facility. For complex incidents, the EOC may be staffed by personnel representing multiple jurisdictions and functional disciplines and a wide variety of resources. For example, an EOC established in response to a bioterrorism incident would likely include a mix of law enforcement, emergency management, public health, and medical personnel. The principal functions and responsibilities of an EOC, while operating within the chain-of-command, typically include the following: ensuring that each agency involved in incident management activities is providing appropriate situational awareness and resource status information; establishing priorities between incidents and/or Area Commands in concert with the IC or UC(s) involved; acquiring and allocating resources required by incident management personnel in concert with the priorities established by the IC or UC; anticipating and identifying future resource requirements; coordinating and resolving policy issues arising from the incident(s); and providing strategic coordination as required. AREA COMMAND should not be confused with the functions performed by an EOC. An AREA COMMAND oversees the management of the multiple Command Posts, while an EOC coordinates each Area Commander as well as regional logistical functions. 3.6 Area Command An Area Command (AC) is established when the incident complexity and/or span-of-control considerations so dictate. Generally, the agency administrator having jurisdictional responsibility for the incident makes the decision to establish an AC. Area Command is managed by a designated Area Commander. The purpose of an AC is either to oversee the management of multiple incidents that are each being handled by a designated Command Post. This type of command is generally used when there are a 17

18 number of incidents in the same area and of the same type, such as two or more HAZMAT spills or fires. These are the type of incidents that may compete for the same resources. When incidents are of different types and/or do not have similar resource demands, they are usually handled as separate incidents or are coordinated through an EOC. If the incidents under the authority of the AC span multiple jurisdictions, a Unified Area Command should be established. This allows each jurisdiction involved to have appropriate representation in the AC. An AC is particularly relevant to widespread public health emergencies, given that these events are typically not site specific, not immediately identifiable, geographically dispersed, and evolve over time ranging from days to weeks. Such events as these, as well as acts of biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear terrorism, call for a coordinated intergovernmental, private-sector, and nongovernmental organization response, with large-scale coordination typically conducted at a higher jurisdictional level. An AC is to be activated, managed, and operated in accordance with the Department of Emergency Management s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. Responsibilities The Area Command does not have operational responsibilities. For the incidents under its authority, the Area Command: sets overall agency incident-related priorities; allocates critical resources according to the established priorities; ensures that incidents are properly managed; ensures effective communications; ensures that incident management objectives are met and do not conflict with each other or with agency policies; identifies critical resource needs and reports them to the interagency coordination system (generally EOCs); ensures that short-term emergency recovery is coordinated to assist in the transition to full recovery operations; and provides for personnel accountability and a safe operating environment. 3.7 Incident Command System (ICS) The Incident Command System (ICS) serves as a subsystem of the National Incident Management System. The Incident Command System (ICS) is an all-risk management system designed to enable effective and efficient incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure. ICS 18

19 is to be used as the means to organize both short and long-term field-level operations for a spectrum of incidents from small to complex. ICS is to be used by all agencies involves with the incident. The purpose of the Incident Command System (ICS) is to provide for a systematic development of a complete, functional Command organization designed to allow for single or multi-agency use, which increases the effectiveness of incident management and responder safety. Key Elements of the Incident Command System are: ICS is organized based on five major functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. ICS is the management system for incidents requiring the integration of multi-agencies. Therefore, ICS organizational terminology must be standardized. ICS is designed to be the basic, everyday operating system for all incidents. Therefore, the transition to large and/or multi-agency operations requires a minimum of adjustment for any of the agencies involved. The ICS organization builds from the ground up, with the management of all major functions initially being with the responsibility of one or just a few persons. Functional units are designed to handle the most important incident activities. As the incident grows in size and/or complexity, functional unit management is assigned to additional individuals in order to maintain a reasonable span of control and efficiency. ICS is based on the premise that jurisdictional authority of the involved agencies will not be compromised. Each agency having jurisdiction is assumed to have full command authority within its jurisdiction at all times. Multi-jurisdictional incidents should be managed under a Unified Command structure involving a single Incident Command Post and a single Incident Action Plan applicable to all agencies involved in the incident. ICS is to be staffed and operated by qualified personnel from any agency, which means it can involve personnel from a variety of agencies. ICS should be expanded and contracted organizationally, based upon the needs of the incident, and span-of-control recommendations are to be followed closely, so the organizational structure is never larger than required. 3.8 Command Procedures Fire departments respond to a wide range of emergency incidents. The ICS establishes standard operating procedures for establishing and managing command. The system provides for the effective management of personnel and resources providing for the safety and welfare of personnel. It also 19

20 establishes procedures for the implementation of all components of the Incident Management System for structural/fire operations. Command Procedures are designed to: Fix the responsibility for command on a specific individual through a standard identification system, depending on the arrival sequence of members, companies, and fire officers. Ensure that a strong, direct, and visible command will be established from the onset of the incident. Establish an effective incident organization defining the activities and responsibilities assigned to the Incident Commander and to other individuals operating within the Incident Management System. Provide a system to process information to support incident management, planning and decision-making. Provide a system for an orderly transfer of command to subsequent arriving officers. 3.9 Command Responsibility The ICS is used to facilitate the completion of the tactical priorities. The Incident Commander is the person who drives the ICS towards that end. The Incident Commander is responsible for building an organizational structure that effectively manages the operational needs of the incident in order to achieve the incident s action plan (IAP). Specifically, the Incident Commander is responsible for: Ensuring that incident command is competent; Ensuring that life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation problems are addresses with appropriate tactical and support objectives; Ensuring that personnel are accounted for at all times; Ensuring that communications are clear, concise, and disciplined; Providing for the safety, accountability, and welfare of responders; Addressing each of the ITAC Ten Commandments during incident operations; Managing strategy, resources, and risk potential in order to solve incident-related problems intelligently and safely; To ensure that appropriate customer assistance occurs in a timely fashion. 20

21 3.10 General Incident Command Position Roles and Responsibilities Incident Commander - The Incident Commander will always use the full command designation and not simply.command. (i.e..red Hook Command.). Command Staff - Command Staff function as the Incident Commander s assistants; Command Staff perform key activities that enhance the Incident Commander s ability to manage strategy, resources, and risk. Command Staff positions are not considered part of the Incident Commander s span of control. Command Staff include: Command Post Aide - The Command Post Aide will answer the radio as COMMAND POST (i.e. BASIN STREET COMMAND POST). Incident Safety Officer(s) - The Incident Safety Officer is assigned the designator SAFETY. Should there be more than one Incident Safety Officer, radio designators such as SAFETY SIDE ALPHA, SAFETY SIDE CHARLIE, etc. will be utilized. Should there be multiple incidents and multiple command posts, the safety officer may be called the same name as the command post (i.e. BASIN STREET SAFETY). Public Information Officer - Using the name of the command post, the Information Officer will be designated PIO. (i.e. BASIN STREET PIO). Liaison Officer(s) - Again using the name of the command post, the Liaison Officer will be designated LIAISON. (i.e. BASIN STREET LIAISON). General Staff A group of incident management personnel organized according to function and reporting to the Incident Commander. The General Staff normally consist of the Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, and the Finance/Administration Chief. Section Chief - A Section Chief is a high-level strategic resource, assigned to assume functions of command. A Section Chief is needed for one of three reasons: 1. Maintain span of control (for example the need for multiple Branch Directors); 2. Section plan development; 3. Strategically complicated/overwhelming incident. Sections Include: Planning Logistics Operations Administration/Finance Branch Director - A Branch Director is responsible for the strategic direction of Division and Group Supervisors. The Branch Director s radio designator will be their Branch designator (i.e..medical BRANCH. or.north BRANCH.) 21

22 Division Supervisors - Strategic supervision of five (two to seven) Team Leaders, Strike Team Leaders, or Task Force Leaders performing multiple tactical and/or support objectives from or at a specific geographic location. A Division Supervisor s scope of responsibility is meant to encompass the supervision of all activities with in a specific geographic area (i.e. all activities on the 2nd floor, the roof, east of Center Street, etc.) Or it may encompass the supervision of all activities originating from a geographic location (i.e. fire attack, rescue, and salvage efforts originating from side Alpha). Group Supervisors - Strategic supervision of five (two to seven) Team Leaders, Strike Team Leaders, and/or Task Force Leaders performing a single tactical or support objective responsible for a specific functional assignment. Team Leaders - Tactical-level leadership of a Company or Team. Generally, Team Leaders communicate with Division/Group Supervisors or, early in an incident, with the Incident Commander. Team Members - Task-level resources who report directly to their Team Leaders. Staging Area or Base Manager designator: STAGING. The Staging Area Manager reports to the individual with Operations Section responsibility, Command or when assigned, the Operations Section Chief. Incident Rehabilitation designator: REHAB. Technically, responder rehabilitation is a function of the Logistics Section. However, during small-scale incidents (square feet rather than square miles; hours rather than days); Rehab will be co-located with Staging. Thus co-located, the Staging Area Manager will be responsible for arranging for REHAB, including the assignment of a Rehab Unit Leader ICS Command Structure It will be the responsibility of the Incident Commander to develop an organizational structure utilizing standard operating procedures as soon as possible after arrival and implementation of initial tactical control measures. The scope and complexity of the emergency will determine the size and complexity of the organizational structure. The design of the incident command structure should be based on functional needs rather than the number of Chiefs at the scene. Command Organization The command organization must develop at a pace that stays ahead of the tactical deployment of personnel and resources. In order for the Incident Commander to manage the incident, they must first be able to direct, control, and track the position and function of all operating companies. Building a command organization is the best support mechanism that the Incident Commander can utilize to achieve the harmonious balance between managing personnel and incident needs. Simply put, this means: Small scale and simple incidents = Small and simple ICS organization Large scale and complex incidents = Large ICS organization The Incident Commander should have more people working than Commanding. 22

23 . GRANT COUNTY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT GUIDE 2008 The Basic Configuration of Command Includes Three Levels. Strategic Level - Overall direction of the Incident Tactical Level - Assigns operational objectives Task Level - Specific jobs assigned to teams Strategic Level - The Strategic level involves the overall command of the Incident. The Incident Commander is responsible for the strategic level of the command structure. The action plan should cover all strategic responsibilities, all tactical objectives, and all support activities needed during the entire operational period. The Action Plan defines where and when resources will be assigned to the incident to control the situation. This plan is the basis for developing a command organization, assigning all resources, and establishing tactical objectives. Strategic level responsibilities include: Determining the appropriate strategy. Establishing overall incident objectives. Setting priorities. Developing an incident action plan. Obtaining and assigning resources. Predicting outcomes and planning. Assigning specific objectives to tactical level units. Tactical Level - The Tactical Level directs operational activities toward specific objectives. Tactical level officers include Branch Directors, Division, and Group Supervisors who are in charge of grouped resources. Tactical level officers are responsible for specific geographic areas or functions and supervision of assigned personnel. A tactical level assignment comes with the authority to make decisions and assignments, within the boundaries of the overall plan and safety conditions. The accumulated achievements of tactical objectives should accomplish the strategy as outlined in the Incident Action Plan. 23

24 Task Level - Task Level refers to activities normally accomplished by individual companies or specific personnel. The task level is where work is actually done. Task level activities are routinely supervised by Company Officers. The completion of task level activities should accomplish tactical objectives. Command Structure - Basic Organization The most basic Command structure combines all three levels of the command structure. The Company Officer on a single engine response to a dumpster fire determines the strategy and tactics, and supervises the crew doing the task. Tactical Strategy COMMAND Engine 1 Task The basic Command structure for a routine incident, involving a small number of companies, requires only two levels of the command structure. The role of Command combines strategic and tactical levels. Companies report directly to Command and operate at the task level. COMMAND Strategic/Tactical ENGINE COMPANY Task ENGINE COMPANY Task ENGINE COMPANY Task 3.12 Command Structure Divisions or Groups The terms Divisions or Groups are tactical level management units that group companies. Divisions represent geographic operations, and groups represent functional operations. The following examples illustrate the use of these terms. Tactical Level Officers Divisions & Groups As an incident escalates, the Incident Commander should group companies to work in Divisions or Groups. A Division is the organizational level having responsibility for operations within a defined geographic area. To effectively use the Division terminology, a department must have a designated method of dividing an incident scene. 24

25 Strategy Tactics Tasks Division ALPHA (ENGINE 1 Lieutenant) COMMAND ROOF Division (ENGINE 2 Lieutenant) ENGINE 1 ENGINE 3 ENGINE 2 LADDER 5 Command Structure Division/Group Basic Operational Approach. The use of Divisions or Groups in the command organization provides a standard system to divide the incident scene into smaller subordinate management units or areas. Complex incidents often exceed the capability of one officer to effectively manage the entire operation. Divisions or Groups reduce the span of control to more manageable smaller-sized units. Divisions or Groups allow the IC to communicate principally with these organizational levels, rather than multiple, individual officers providing an effective command structure and incident scene organization. Generally, Division or Group responsibilities should be assigned early in the incident, typically to the first Company assigned to a geographic area or function. Early assignment of Divisions provides an effective organization framework that can be filled as resources arrive. The number of Divisions or Groups that can be effectively managed by the IC varies. Normal span of control is 3-7. In fast-moving, complex operations, a span of control of no more than 5 Divisions or Groups is indicated. In slower moving less complex operations, the IC may effectively manage more Divisions or Groups. Where the number of Divisions or Groups exceeds the span-of-control that the IC can effectively manage, the ICS organization can be expanded to meet incident needs by assigning a Branch Director or Operations Section Chief. Branch Directors assume responsibility for up to five Divisions or Groups. The Operations Section is responsible for any assigned Branches. (Refer to the Branches and Operations Sections.) Division or Group procedures provide an array of major functions that may be selectively implemented according to the needs of a particular situation. This places responsibility for the details and execution of each particular function on a Division or Group. When effective Divisions or Groups have been established, the IC can concentrate on overall strategy and resource assignment, allowing the Divisions or Groups to manage their assigned units. The IC determines strategy and assigns tactical objectives and resources to the Divisions or Groups. Each Division or Group Supervisor is responsible for the tactical deployment of the resources at their disposal, in order to complete the tactical objectives assigned by the IC. Divisions or Groups are also responsible for communicating needs and progress to Command. Divisions or Groups reduce the overall amount of radio communications. Most routine communications within a Division or Group should be conducted face-to-face between officers and 25

26 their Division or Group Supervisor. This process reduces unnecessary radio traffic and increases the ability to transmit critical radio communications. The safety of response personnel represents the major reason for establishing Divisions or Groups. Each Division or Group must maintain communication with assigned companies to control both their position and function. The Division or Group must constantly monitor all hazardous situations and risks to personnel. The Division or Group must take appropriate action to ensure that companies are operating in a safe and effective manner. The IC should begin to assign Divisions or Groups based on the following factors: Situations which will eventually involve a number of companies or functions, beyond the capability of Command to directly control. Command should initially assign a Division or Group responsibilities to the first companies assigned to a geographic area or function until Chief Officers are available. When Command can no longer effectively cope with (or manage) the number of companies currently involved in the operation. When companies are involved in complex operations (large interior or geographic area, hazardous materials, technical rescues, etc.). When companies are operating from tactical positions which Command has little or no direct control over (i.e., out of sight). When the situation presents special hazards and close control is required over operating companies (i.e., unstable structural conditions, hazardous materials, heavy fire load, marginal offensive situations, etc.). When establishing a Division or Group, the Incident Commander will assign each Division or Group: 1. Tactical objectives. 2. A radio designation (Roof Division, Division Alpha, Division 3, etc.). 3. The identity of resources assigned to the Division or Group. Division or Group Guidelines - Divisions or Groups will be regulated by the following guidelines: It will be the ongoing responsibility of Command to assign Divisions or Groups as required for effective emergency operations; this assignment relates to both geographic Divisions and functional Groups. Command shall advise each Division or Group of specific tactical objectives. The overall strategy and action plan should be provided; (time permitting) so the Division or Group has a boarder picture and how their assignment fits into the overall plan. The number of companies assigned to a Division or Group depends on conditions within that Division or Group. Command will maintain an awareness of the number of companies 26

27 operating within a Division or Group and their capability to effectively direct operations. If a Division or Group cannot control the resources within the Division or Group, they should notify the Incident Commander so that Division or Group responsibilities can be split or other corrective action taken. In most cases, 3-7 companies represent the maximum span of control for a Division or Group. The incident scene should be subdivided in a manner that makes sense. This should be accomplished by assigning Divisions to geographic locations (i.e., Roof Division, Division 3, Division Alpha, etc.) and assigning functional responsibilities to Groups (i.e., Ventilation Group, Salvage Group, etc.). Divisions or Groups will use the Division or Group designation in radio communications (i.e.,.command from ROOF DIVISION ). Divisions or Groups will be commanded by Chief Officers, Company Officers, or any other Fire Department member designated by Command. The guideline for span-of-control with Divisions or Groups is five. This applies to Operational Divisions or Groups. Many of the functional responsibilities (P.I.O., Safety, etc.) are preassigned to certain individuals and are driven by standard operating procedures. These types of functional responsibilities should operate automatically and as such should not be included in the Incident Commander s span of control. Standard Transfer of Command procedures will be followed in transferring Division or Group responsibility. In some cases, a Division or Group Supervisor may be assigned to an area/function initially to evaluate and report conditions and advise Command of needed tasks and resources. The assigned Officer will proceed to the Division or Group, evaluate and report conditions to the Incident Commander, and assume responsibility for directing resources and operations within his/her assigned area of responsibility. The Division or Group Supervisor must be in a position to directly supervise and monitor operations. This will require the Division or Group Supervisor to be equipped with the appropriate protective clothing and equipment for their area of responsibility. A partner shall accompany Division or Group Supervisors assigned to operate within the IDLH hazard one. Division or Group Supervisors will be responsible for and in control of all assigned functions within their Division or Group. This requires each Division or Group Supervisor to: 1. Complete objectives assigned by Command. 2. Account for all assigned personnel. 3. Ensure that operations are conducted safely. 4. Monitor work progress. 5. Redirect activities as necessary. 6. Coordinate actions with related activities and adjacent Divisions or Groups. 7. Monitor welfare of assigned personnel. 27

28 8. Request additional resources as needed. 9. Provide Command with essential and frequent progress reports. 10. Re-allocate resources within the Division or Group. The Division or Group Supervisor should be readily identifiable and maintain a visible position as much as possible. The primary function of officers working within a Division or Group is to direct the operations of their individual crews in performing assigned tasks. Company Officers will advise their Division or Group Supervisor of work progress, preferably face-to-face. All requests for additional resources or assistance within a Division or Group must be directed to the Division or Group Supervisor. Division or Group Supervisors will communicate with COMMAND. Each Division or Group Supervisor will keep Command informed of conditions and progress in the Division or Group through regular progress reports. The Division or Group Supervisor must prioritize progress reports to essential information only. Command must be advised immediately of significant changes, particularly those involving the ability or inability to complete an objective, hazardous conditions, accidents, structural collapse, etc. When a company is assigned from Staging to a Division or Group, the company will be advised what Division or Group, and the name of the Supervisor they will be reporting to. The Division or Group Supervisor will be informed of which companies or units have been assigned by the Incident Commander. The Division or Group Supervisor is responsible for contacting the assigned company to transmit any instructions relative to the specific action requested. Division or Group Supervisors will monitor the condition of the crews operating in their Area. Relief crews will be requested in a manner to safeguard the safety of personnel and maintain progress toward the Division or Group objectives. Division or Group Supervisors will ensure an orderly and thorough re-assignment of crews to Rehab. Crews must report to Rehab intact to facilitate accountability Command Structure Expanding the Organization As a small incident escalates into a major incident, additional organizational support will be required. The Incident Commander can become quickly overwhelmed and overloaded with information management, assigning companies, filling out and updating the tactical worksheets, radio communications, requesting additional resources, planning, long range forecasting, and fulfilling all the other functions of Command. The immediate need of the Incident Commander is support. As additional ranking officers arrive on the scene, the 28

29 Command organization may be expanded through the involvement of Officers and staff personnel to fill Command and General Staff Positions. Section and Unit level positions within the Incident Management System will be activated only when the corresponding functions are required by the incident. Expanding the Organization Operations Section The Operations Section is most often implemented (staffed) as a span-of-control measure. When the number of Branches, Divisions or Groups exceeds the capability of the IC to effectively manage, the IC may staff the Operations Section to reduce the span-of-control and thus transfer direct management of all incident mitigation activities to the Operations Section Chief. The IC is then able to focus his attention to managing the entire incident rather than concentrating on tactical activities. The Operations Section Chief is responsible for the direct management of all incident mitigation activities, the tactical priorities, and the safety and welfare of the personnel working in the Operations Section. The Operations Section Chief uses the appropriate radio frequency to communicate strategic and specific objectives to the Branches and/or Divisions or Groups. When an Operations Section is established, the assignment of Staging and Base is transferred from Command to the Operations Section. The Operations Section Chief radio designator is the same name as Command (i.e. BASIN STREET OPERATIONS.). Should the Operations Section Chief acquire an Aide, the Aide will answer the radio as OPERATIONS AIDE. (i.e. BASIN STREET OPERATIONS AIDE). Expanding the Organization Branches As previously discussed, Divisions or Groups identify tactical level assignments in the command structure. As the span-of-control begins to be excessive, the incident becomes more complex, or has two or more distinctly different operations (i.e., Fire, Medical, Evacuation, etc.), the organization can be further sub-divided into Branches. Branches may be established on an incident to serve several purposes. However, they are not always essential to the organization of the Operations Section. In general, branches may be established for the following reasons: 1. Span of Control 2. Functional 3. Multi-Jurisdictional 4. When the number of Divisions or Groups exceeds the recommended span of control for the Operations Section Chief. The Incident Commander or Operations Section Chief should designate a Multi-Branch structure, and allocate the Divisions or Groups within those Branches. 29

30 In the following example, the Operations Section Chief has one Group and four Divisions reporting to him and two additional Divisions and one Group being added. At this point, a two-branch organization was formed, as reflected here: Before Multi-Branch Structure COMMAND DIVISION ALPHA DIVISION BRAVO DIVISION CHARLIE ROOF GROUP DIVISION DELTA GROUP (New) GROUP (New) GROUP (New) Two-Branch Organization COMMAND BRANCH BRANCH DIVISION ALPHA DIVISION BRAVO DIVISION CHARLIE VENT GROUP DIVISION DELTA GROUP (New) GROUP (New) GROUP (New) Branches should operate their area of responsibility on separate radio channels and communicate to Operations on a different channel if possible. The radio designation of Branches should reflect the objective of the Branch, when designating functional branches, (i.e., Haz-Mat Branch, Multi-Casualty Branch, etc.). Tactical Branches may be designated numerically (i.e., Branch I, Branch II, Branch III, etc.). When Operations implements Branch Directors, the Division or Group Supervisors should be notified of their new supervisor. This Information should include: 1. What Branch the Division or Group is now assigned to. 2. The radio channel the Branch (Division or Group) is operating on. Radio Communications should then be directed from the Division or Group Supervisor to the Branches - instead of Command or Operations. Branch Directors will receive direction from Command or Operations, which will then be relayed to Divisions or Groups. 30

31 COMMAND TACTICAL CHANNEL 1 FIRE BRANCH TACTICAL CHANNEL 2 TACTICAL CHANNEL 3 EMS BRANCH HAZ MAT BRANCH Depending on the situation, Branches may be located at the Command Post or at operational locations. When located at the Command Post, Branches can communicate on a face-to-face basis with the Operations Section Chief and/or Incident Commander. When an incident encompasses a large geographic area, it may be more effective to have Branches in tactical locations. When Branches are sent to tactical positions they should immediately implement Command and control procedures within their Branch. In these situations Operations must assign someone to monitor a Command Channel. Branches are not limited to Operations. Any of the Section Chiefs may recommend the implementation of Branches within their sections with approval of the IC. Organization expands from this: COMMAND EVAC GROUP RESCUE GROUP DIVISION ALPHA DIVISION BRAVO DIVISION CHARLIE HAZMAT GROUP TRIAGE GROUP MEDICAL GROUP To This: COMMAND FIRE BRANCH HAZMAT BRANCH MEDICAL BRANCH EVAC GROUP ENTRY GROUP TRIAGE GROUP RESCUE GROUP DECON GROUP TREATMENT GROUP DIVISION ALPHA ACCESS CONTROL TRANSPORT GROUP DIVISION BRAVO 31

32 Functional Branch Structure When the nature of the incident calls for a functional Branch structure, i.e., a major aircraft crash within a jurisdiction, three departments within the jurisdiction (police, fire and health services), each has a functional Branch operating under the direction of a single Operations Section Chief. In this example, the Operations Section Chief is from the fire department with deputies from police and health services departments. Other alignments could be made depending upon the jurisdiction plan and type of emergency. Note that Incident Command in this situation could be either Single or Unified Command depending upon the jurisdiction. Functional Branches INCIDENT COMMANDER OPS SECTION CHIEF (FIRE) LAW ENFORCEMENT BRANCH FIRE BRANCH MEDICAL SERVICE BRANCH Multi-Jurisdictional Incidents When the incident is multi-jurisdictional, resources are best managed under the agencies that have normal control over those resources. Branches should be utilized at incidents where the span of control with Divisions or Groups is maximized, incidents involving two or more distinctly different major management components (i.e., a large fire with a major evacuation, a large fire with a large number of patients). The Incident Commander may elect to assign Branches to forward positions to manage and coordinate activities, as illustrated below. Multi-Jurisdictional Incidents COMMAND FIRE BRANCH MEDICAL BRANCH DIVISION/ GROUP DIVISION/ GROUP DIVISION/ GROUP MEDICAL GROUP TRANSPORT GROUP 32

33 Air Operations Branch When the incident requires the use of aircraft, such as for the transportation of victims from a multi-casualty incident, high-rise roof top rescue, swift water rescue, or wildland fire, the Operations Section Chief should establish Air Operations organization. Its size, organization, and use will depend primarily upon the nature of the incident, and the availability of aircraft. OPERATIONS AIR OPS BRANCH AIR ATTACK AIR SUPPORT HELIBASE Expanding the Incident Command Organization As the organization expands to deal with a major incident, the Incident Commander will need additional Command Post support. The Operations Section Chief position is one of the first to be implemented. The following organizational chart is an example of how the Incident Management System can expand to fit the size and complexity of various types of incidents. Command Procedures - Expanding the Organization - Structure Fire COMMAND OPERATIONS COMMAND 13 STAGING E-2111 Officer ENG 1313 FIRE BRANCH MEDICAL BRANCH LAW ENF. BRANCH SEARCH & RESCUE GROUP E2111 OFFICER TRIAGE GROUP EMT R2141 TRAFFIC CONTROL GROUP VENT GROUP LADDER 2195 OFFICER TREATMENT GROUP EMT R2141 INVESTIGATION GROUP DIVISION ALPHA E2112 OFFICER TRANSPORT GROUP EMT M54 33

34 3.14 Organizational Hierarchy The Incident Command System organizational structure develops in a modular fashion based upon the kind and size of an incident. The organization s staff builds from the top down with responsibility and performance placed initially with the Incident Commander. As the need exists, four separate Sections can be developed, each with several Units that may be established. The specific organizational structure established for any given incident will be based upon the management needs of the incident. If one individual can simultaneously manage all major functional areas, no further organization is required. If one or more areas require independent management, an individual is named to be responsible for that area. For ease of reference and understanding, personnel assigned to manage at each level of the organization will carry a distinctive organizational title: Command - Refers to the Incident Commander. Officer - Refers to Command Staff members (Public Information Officer, Incident Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer). Section Chiefs - Refers to General Staff members (Planning Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief, and Logistics Section Chief). Directors - Refers to the positions of Branch Director, which is in the Operations Section, or Logistics Section and lies between the Divisions or Groups and the Operations Section Chief (Branch Directors, Air Operations Branch Director, and Service Branch Director). Supervisors - Positions of Division or Group Supervisor, which is in the Operations Section and lies between the Branch Director and Strike Team/Task Force Leader. Unit Leader - Refers to a position with supervision and management responsibility of either a group of resources or a unit, such as Ground Support, Medical, Supply, etc. Managers - Refers to the lowest level of supervision within the Logistics Section: Equipment Manager, Base Manager, and Camp Manager. The only exception to this is the Staging Area Manager who reports directly to the Operations Section Chief. Single Resources - Engine company, truck company, with a company officer and crew Expanding the Organization Sections Until such time as a Section or Unit is activated, all functions associated with that Section or Unit will be the responsibility of the Incident Commander or the appropriate Section Chief. 34

35 It is recommended that two or more units NOT be combined into a single unit. However, an individual may be assigned responsibility for managing more than one unit. This method of organization allows for easy expansion and demobilization of the system. Command structure defines lines of authority, but is not intended that the transfer of information within the Incident Management System be restricted to the chain of Command. An individual will receive ORDERS from a superior, but may give information to positions in other areas of the organization within the guidelines specified in the operational procedures for each position. The majority of positions within the Incident Management System will not be activated until the initial response is determined to be insufficient. When this occurs, additional Chief Officers should be requested to fill the required positions by way of MACC. As specifically requested, MACC will dispatch all available District Chief Officers or dispatch additional Chief Officers from neighboring districts. If it is later determined that a specific position is not needed, the request can be canceled. The transition from the initial response to a major incident organization will be evolutionary and positions will be filled, as the corresponding tasks are required. During the initial phases of the incident, the Incident Commander normally carries out these four section functions. Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Administration These comprise the General Staff within a fully expanded incident organizational structure Operations Section As a small incident escalates into a major incident, the span of control may become stretched as more divisions/groups are implemented. Under these circumstances, the Incident Commander must expand the organization in order to maintain an effective span-of-control. Section level positions can be implemented at any time based on the needs of the incident. One of the first sections typically implemented is the Operations Section Chief. This is generally done to delegate the operational aspects of the incident so that the Incident Commander can more effectively address long term and complex planning and logistical support issues. Operations Section Chief The Incident Operations Section Chief is responsible for the direct management of all incident tactical activities and should have direct involvement in the preparation of the action plan for the period of responsibility. Roles and Responsibilities 1. Manage incident tactical activities. 35

36 2. Coordinate activities with the Incident Commander. 3. Implement the Incident Action Plan. 4. Assign resources to tactical level areas based on tactical objectives and priorities. 5. Build an effective organizational structure through the use of Branches and Divisions or Groups. 1. Provide tactical objectives for Divisions or Groups. 2. Control Staging and Air Operations. 3. Provide for life safety. 4. Determine the incident needs and request additional resources. 5. Consult with and inform other Sections and the Incident Command Staff as needed. Operations Section Chief COMMAND OPERATIONS STAGING BRANCHES (Up to 5) DIVISIONS/GROUPS (Up to 25) RESOURCES TASK FORCES STRIKE TEAMS SINGLE RESOURCES Staging Area and Base Staging and Base are locations designated within the incident area which are used to temporarily locate resources which are available for assignment. In this expanded organizational structure Staging and Base report to the Operations Section Chief. The Operations Section Chief may establish, move, or discontinue the use of Staging or Base. All resources within Staging or Base are under the direct control of the Operations Section Chief and should be immediately available. Staging or Base will request logistical support (e.g., food, fuel, sanitation, etc.) from the Logistics Section. 36

37 When Operations is established, Staging reports to Operations. OPERATIONS STAGING AREA(S) BASE Command Structure Command Staff Incident Commander Roles and Responsibilities: 1. Review and evaluate the plan, and initiate any needed changes. 2. Provide on-going review of the overall incident (The Big Picture). 3. Select priorities. 4. Provide direction to the Command and General Staff Officer. 5. Review the organizational structure, initiate change or expansion to meet incident needs. 6. Establish additional Command and General Staff functions as necessary. 7. Establish liaison with other internal agencies and officials, outside agencies, property owners and/or tenants. INCIDENT COMMANDER INCIDENT SAFETY OFFICER AGENCY LIAISON OFFICER PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FUNCTIONAL AREAS Command Staff Command staff positions are established to assume responsibility for key activities which are not a part of the line organization. Three specific staff positions are identified: 37

38 Public Information Officer Incident Safety Officer Liaison Officer Additional positions might be required depending upon the nature and location of the incident or requirements established by Incident Command. Public Information Officer (PIO) The Public Information Officer s function is to develop accurate and complete information regarding incident cause, size, current situation, resources committed, and other matters of general interest. The PIO will normally be the point of contact for the media and other agencies that desire information directly from the incident. In either a single or unified Command structure, only one Information Officer would be designated. Assistants may be assigned from other agencies or departments involved. Incident Safety Officer The Safety Officer s function at the incident is to assess hazardous and unsafe situations and develop measures for assuring personnel safety. The Safety Officer has emergency authority to stop and / or prevent unsafe acts. In a Unified Command structure, a single Safety Officer would be designated. Assistants may be required and may be assigned from other agencies or departments making up the Unified Command including the need for Responder Rehabilitation assessment. Liaison Officer The Liaison Officer s function is to be a point of contact for representatives from other agencies. In a Single Command structure, the representatives from assisting agencies would coordinate through the Liaison Officer. Under a Unified Command structure, representatives from agencies not involved in the Unified Command would coordinate through the Liaison Officer. Agency representatives assigned to an incident should have authority to speak on all matters for their agency Unified Command A Unified Command structure is called for under the following conditions: The incident is totally contained within a single jurisdiction, but more than one department or agency shares management responsibility due to the nature of the incident or the kinds of resources required; i.e., a passenger airliner crash within a national forest. Fire, medical, and law enforcement all have immediate but diverse objectives. An example of this kind of Unified Command structure is depicted below. 38

39 Unified Command Structure - Multi-Department FIRE LAW EMS COMMAND STAFF FUNCTIONAL AREA FUNCTIONAL AREA FUNCTIONAL AREA The incident is multi-jurisdictional in nature; i.e., a major flood. An example of this Unified Command structure is shown below. Unified Command Structure - Multi-Jurisdictional AGENCY A AGENCY B AGENCY C COMMAND STAFF FUNCTIONAL AREAS 39

40 Command Structure Multiagency Coordination System (Sample) WASHINGTON STATE EOC GRANT COUNTY EOC MOSES LAKE AREA COMMAND STRATFORD RD COMMAND EASTLAKE COMMAND EPHRATA AREA COMMAND SAGEBRUSH FLATS COMMAND BASIN STREET COMMAND MATTAWA AREA COMMAND DESERT AIRE COMMAND GOVERNMENT ROAD COMMAND 40

41 3.20 Fully Expanded ICS Organization INCIDENT COMMANDER INCIDENT SAFETY OFFICER PIO LIAISON OPERATIONS SECTION PLANNING SECTION LOGISTICS SECTION FINANCE/ ADMIN SECTION STAGING AIR OPERATIONS BRANCH Resources Unit Support Branch Service Branch Time Unit Air Support Group Air Attack Group Situation Unit Supply Unit Communications Unit Procurement Unit Fixed Wing Bases Helicopter Coordinator Documentation Unit Facilities Unit Medical Unit Compensation/ Claims Unit Helibases Air Tanker Demobilization Coordinator Unit Ground Support Unit Cost Unit Helispots Technical Specialists BRANCHES (Up to 5) Divisions/Groups (Up to 25) Task Forces Strike Teams Single Resources 41

42 Section 4 Incident Management 4.1 Standard Terminology Alphabet A common phonetic alphabet for reducing confusion between letters which may sound alike (i.e. B, C, D, E, etc.). The National Fire Academy teaches the standard military phonetic alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu. Assuming Command Established Command can be transferred from one officer to another in either direction. Assuming Command announces the transfer. Base A designated area, removed from the incident scene, where units (apparatus) standby until they are assigned to the incident scene or released. Establishing Command Used to indicate the presence of a dedicated Incident Commander who is in position to manage strategy, resources, and risk from a stationary and formal Command Post. Incident Equilibrium The balance between tactical activities and strategic activities. Incident Management Designators Division or Group designators used to orient the incident geographically and to organize areas of responsibility within the command structure. Initiating Command Used during the initial stages to indicate that the responsibility of command has been assumed but is still informal and mobile. PAR (Personnel Accountability Report) An acknowledgment given by supervisors during a roll call to indicate that all of their assigned personnel are accounted for. Park The act of temporarily holding units just short of the incident scene during the initial stages of an incident. Personnel Accountability The process of ensuring that the location, status, and welfare of each team member operating within the incident scene is monitored. Roll Call A head count of all team members at an emergency incident to account for all personnel at that incident. There are two types of roll calls, Emergency Roll Call and Roll Call for Numbers. Emergency Roll Call addressed in Section 7, Emergency Procedures. Staging Area A designated area where resources (people, tools, & equipment) are assembled for immediate assignment as required by the Incident Commander. Tactical Accountability Accounting for team activities to ensure there is purpose for their actions and that every action falls within and supports the Incident Action Plan. Temporary Staging A temporary location designated at the incident scene at or near the Command post where available resources are pooled for ready deployment. 42

43 Terminating Command Indicates that Command Responsibility is no longer necessary because the incident is complete, meaning the management of strategy, resources, and risk is no longer necessary Ten Commandments of Intelligent & Safe Incident Operations Intelligent and safe incident operations are the result of sound incident management and prudent operating principles. It is understood that operating at an emergency scene involves a level of risk. But most all of these risks are manageable so that their potential for consequence can be significantly minimized. The following Ten Commandments provide the basis for the scene discipline required for safe and efficient incident operations. At every incident, thou shall: 1. Have ONE competent Incident Commander 2. Maintain Teams of at least TWO personnel 3. Not ignore THREE situations that kill firefighters 4. Ensure that FOUR sides are seen and compared 5. Not exceed a Span-of-Control of FIVE 6. Establish one of SIX strategic modes TRIPOD 7. Perform the SEVEN-Step Action Plan Process 8. Make EIGHT assignments early 9. Consider NINE Primary Phase Tactical Objectives 10. Evaluate the Situation and Strategy every TEN minutes Commandment One: Have ONE competent Incident Commander Fire departments exist specifically to solve problems. The Incident Commander s role is to make sure that their fire department solves these problems intelligently and safely. The One Incident Commander is ultimately responsible for competently managing: Incident Commander s thoughts and actions must remain centered on these two principles. When they become a secondary Risk Resources Strategy priority and/or a collateral duty, competent incident management fails to exist. Competent Incident Commander s assume their role throughout the incident with serious intent, and remain clearly focused on their responsibility to competently manage strategy, resources, and risk. 4 BC Mark Emery, Woodinville Fire & Life Safety 43

44 Effective Incident Commanders execute their duties by first modeling competent communications. Competent communication is disciplined, crisp, concise, and clear. Competent radio communications requires Incident Commanders to control communications and to model the 4-C Communication Cycle. Connect Convey Confirm Concur Connect: Convey: Confirm: Engine 1 from Command... Engine 1, go ahead. Report to Division Alpha for assignment Received, Engine 1 report to Division Alpha Concur: Affirmative Engine 1 The Incident Commander s communication should remain strategic, never task-level. Incident Commanders establishes overall incident strategy, communicates strategic objectives to fire officers, leaving task-level communications to the supervising officer. Command competency also requires the Incident Commander to maintain Incident Equilibrium, a balance between strategic capacity and tactical activities. A competent Incident Commander maintains the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to sudden changes which may upset the balance between strategic capacity and tactical activities. In other words, when given a tactical problem, the Incident Commander is able to manage the situation with a strategic solution. This will be discussed further in the next section. Commandment Two: Maintain Teams of at least TWO personnel Maintaining teams of at least two means that freelancing is not tolerated. Every assignment and every action must have a direct connection back to the Command Post. Freelancing occurs when team leaders fail to establish and maintain team integrity. Team integrity requires both personnel and tactical accountability. Personnel accountability means that team members maintain contact with each other. Tactical accountability simply means that the team s activities keep them operating within the Incident Commander s Incident Action Plan. Commandment Three: Do not ignore THREE situations that kill firefighters Case studies of fire ground deaths prove time after time that there are three high risk situations that kill firefighters. Incident Commander s must first recognize when these situations and/or their potential exists. Secondly, they must be diligent in their efforts to minimize the potential for a negative consequence. 44

45 Three fire situations that kill firefighters: 1. Working above a structure fire 2. Working below a structure fire 3. Rapid fire growth (Flashover) Competent fire officers monitor and report these conditions. They require Incident Safety Officers and Division/Group Supervisors to monitor and report the status of the basement, fire growth, and the attic. Before entering a structure, or area within a structure, team leaders should check the overhead and to continually monitor for signs of flashover. This means that fire officers should minimize the distraction of performing task-level stuff, be the supervisor and let firefighters perform the tasks. Commandment Four: Ensure that FOUR sides are seen and compared Even if the Incident Commander can t access all four sides, make sure that someone does. Send a runner or require Divisions to report their conditions. Alpha + Bravo + Charlie + Delta = 4 sides seen for a complete perspective A size-up that is not based on all sides the building or dimensions of the incident, is incomplete. An incomplete size-up sets the stage for an incomplete Incident Action Plan and unwanted surprise. Commandment Five: Do not exceed a Span-of-Control of FIVE There are reasonable limitations to what an Incident Commander can effectively manage within the fast paced time constraints of an emergency scene. It is essential that Incident Commanders remain competent by maintaining an effective span-of-control not to exceed five. 5 Team members per Team Leader 5 Teams, Strike Teams, or Task Forces per Division/Group Supervisor 5 Division/Groups per Branch Director Commandment Six: Establish one of SIX strategic modes Contemporary incident management requires precise strategic decision making and management of tactical activities. Six operational modes (TRIPOD) describe the conditions, resource capacity, and the Incident Action Plan (IAP) currently in play. 45

46 Transitional Rescue Investigating Preparing Offensive Defensive Exterior fire attack is underway; as soon as adequate resources arrive, the IAP will transition to an Offensive mode. Offensive Benefit from a Defensive Position An obvious rescue exists; the two-in/two out exemption will be exercised long enough to perform the rescue Investigating More information is required; an IAP and assignments will be forthcoming. More information is required; an IAP and assignments will be forth coming. No fire attack is underway, only set-up; as soon as adequate resources arrive, an offensive IAP will be implemented. Risk is manageable and benefits are tangible; adequate resources are on scene to initiate an interior attack. Risk is not manageable and/or benefits are not tangible; operations will be restricted to an exterior attack. Further description of TRIPOD is contained in Section 5, Incident Action Planning. Commandment Seven: Perform the SEVEN-Step Action Plan Process All incidents should be managed based on an Incident Action Plan (IAP). All incidents can be effectively managed with an IAP that is based on the following seven key components: 1. Identify and classify incident problems strategically; 2. Perform a quick risk/benefit assessment; 3. Establish an operational mode; 4. Determine if adequate resources are available; 5. Select and prioritize appropriate tactical and support objectives; 6. Initiate command and begin managing span-of-control; 7. Assign selected objectives to companies and teams. Further description of Incident Action planning is contained in Section 5, Incident Action Planning. 46

47 Commandment Eight: Make EIGHT assignments early Commandment eight establishes a framework for managing command responsibility and for expanding the management system should the incident not quickly stabilize. The Incident Commander should give early consideration to addressing the following eight assignments: 1. Standby Team (2-out, required until a RIT team is established) 2. Backup Team (Important protection of the egress for the 2-in) 3. Rapid intervention (A 2-in/2-out capability that must be maintained) 4. Base (A designated apparatus assembly area) 5. Staging (A reserve of people, tools, and equipment ready for assignment) 6. Division (A supervisor of multiple teams performing multiple objectives) 7. Incident Safety officer (Important insurance) 8. Rehabilitation (Important provisions for rest, fluids, medical evaluation, nutrition, sanitation, etc.) Making these assignments early establishes a support system that provides an important minimum standard of care for the firefighters operating within the hazard area. Commandment Nine: Consider NINE Primary Phase Tactical Objectives All Incident Action Plans shall address three strategic priorities and, during the Primary Phase, should account for nine tactical objectives. The three strategic priorities applicable to any emergency incident are: 1) Life Safety, 2) Incident Stabilization, and 3) Property Conservation. The Primary Phase is defined as the portion of an incident before it is brought under control and stabilized. Incident Phase: Strategic Objectives: Tactical Objectives: Life Safety 1. Rescue 2. Search & Rescue 3. Primary Search Primary Phase Incident Stabilization 4. Evacuate 5. Exposures 6. Confine 7. Ventilate 8. Extinguish Property Conservation 9. Primary Salvage Support objectives are those activities needed to support the tactical objectives. Examples include water supply, forcible entry, securing utilities, scene lighting, SCBA refill, etc. 47

48 Commandment Ten: Evaluate the Situation and Strategy every TEN minutes When an Incident Commander loses their perspective of time, they begin to fail in their duty to effectively manage risk. As time passes, the instability of incident hazards dramatically increases, often exponentially. Beginning with the first unit s arrival, dispatchers should begin providing ten-minute notifications 5. Upon receipt of a ten-minute notification, the Incident Commander must critically evaluate the risk/benefits of the situation, acknowledge the notification, and confirm or change the operational mode. (You may want to purchase a stopwatch and keep track of ten-minute intervals at the Command Post). The sole purpose of the ten-minute notification is to prompt the Incident Commander to objectively assess the appropriateness of the current operational mode. Is the current operating mode still appropriate given the progression of time and its affect on benefit viability and the level of risk to responders? 4.3 Incident Equilibrium The purpose of Command is to ensure that problems are solved intelligently and safely. In order to accomplish this, the overall responsibility of Command is to manage strategy, resources, and risk. By managing strategy, resources, and risk, the Incident Commander will work to achieve incident equilibrium. Incident equilibrium refers to a balance between firefighter (tactical) activities and fire officer (strategic) activities. Overemphasis on firefighter activities will destabilize the incident. Destabilization occurs when activities are not being done strategically. In other words, when firefighters are performing activities without purpose, they are either outside of the action plan (freelancing), or there is no Incident Action Plan. Conversely, overemphasis on officer activities will also destabilize the incident. If too much emphasis is placed on managing the incident, there is no one getting the work done. In either case the incident is out of balance and must be brought into equilibrium. In general, an incident that is out of balance tactically will require a strategic intervention to achieve equilibrium. Likewise, an incident that is out of balance strategically will require a tactical intervention to achieve equilibrium. 4.4 Command Status (IEAT) Declaring the Command Status describes certain factors related to how the function of command is being filled. Command Status terms are used to describe to responding units, the level of dedication to the command function. Command Status indicates whether the Incident Commander is being filled by a dedicated, sole responsibility fire officer, or a fire officer with collateral duties such as Standby or supervising a team, and whether the command post is formal or informal. 5 NFPA 1561: Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System, 2005 ed. 48

49 During the course of ALL multi-unit incidents, the status of Command will be in one of the following four modes: Initiate Command Initiating Command is an acknowledgement of Command responsibility; it indicates that the officer is mobile and that command responsibility will be managed without a formal Command Post. Command that is Initiated is mobile and informal (i.e. when Transitional, Preparing, Investigating, Rescue, etc.). Initiating Command indicates that the Incident Commander is: Functioning as a team leader to assist with task completion, Mobile in order to investigate further, or Serving as a Standby Team member. Example One: Engine 1 Initiating Command is used when the Engine 1 officer must continue functioning as a working member of Engine 1, rather than as a dedicated Incident Commander at a Command Post. The radio designator will continue to be Engine 1. No other officer is on-scene. Example Two: Battalion 1 Initiating Command. Used when Battalion 1 will be mobile, in order to conduct a secondary size-up. Battalion 1 will soon Establish Command and manage the incident from a formal Command Post. Single Unit Responses: Because the officer remains as the functional team leader, it will be automatic that Command has been Initiated for single unit responses (i.e. BLS incidents, automatic fire alarm activations, smoke investigations, etc.). Use unit designator while command status is Initiated, until status changes to Established. Establish Command Command that has been Established means there is an Incident Commander managing strategy, resources, and risk from a formal Command Post. Command that has been Established is stationary and formal. As a general guideline, the second officer to arrive or a chief officer will relieve the officer who has Initiated Command by Establishing Command. Doing so allows the first officer to return to supervising their company, to be assigned to a Division Supervisor position, etc. Based on the situation and available resources, the first arriving officer may decide to Establish Command. Example: the first arriving officer to a well involved commercial structure fire may not be able to engage in a meaningful way. Therefore, the better choice may be to opt for Establishing Command and direct arriving units so that they are set-up for a defensive operation in a coordinated manner. 49

50 When a single resource arrives and chooses to Establish Command, there will be two radio designators at the incident: (1) COMMAND and (2) the remaining company s apparatus designator. By Establishing Command, the officer has relinquished the Company Officer role, assumed the Incident Commander role, and is no longer in position to function as a Company Officer. Example: Engine 3 is the first apparatus to arrive at an incident and the officer decides to Establish Command. This means that there are now two radio designators at the incident: 1. BASIN STREET COMMAND (Engine 3 s company officer functioning as the Incident Commander) and 2. ENGINE 3 (with a remaining Engine 3 member functioning as the Engine 3 Team Leader). Name it and Locate it Establish command by assigning an incident designation to name command and also designate the Command Post Location. Example: MACC from 181; establishing BROADWAY COMMAND, Command Post on SIDE ALPHA. Assume Command - Command responsibility that has been Established can later be Assumed by another Fire Officer. Assuming Command allows for the transfer of command from one officer to another in either direction. This can be done to transfer command to a more experienced officer; to transfer the officer who Established Command to into a newly created Division Supervisor position, to relieve the Duty Chief of command by transferring command to a remaining engine company, and so on. Example One: MACC from Assuming F Street Command. Likewise, the Incident Commander can transfer Command Responsibility to another Fire Officer. Example Two: MACC from 401; assuming Highway 17 Command, Division Alpha is now established. The officer relieved by 401 now transfers from Command to become Division Alpha. Example Three: MACC from Engine 2111; assuming Basin Street Command, is available. Terminate Command - Terminating Command means command responsibility is no longer necessary. Generally, Command Terminated means the incident (case) has been closed; in all cases, Command Terminated means the management of strategy, resources, and risk is no longer necessary. Example: MACC from Dodson Road Command; Command Terminated, Engine 1065 will remain on the scene for fire watch. 50

51 Only used to indicate that incident management is no longer needed but the incident should remain open to account for crews remaining on scene. 4.5 Incident Management Designators Division Designations Division designations are used to orient the incident geographically and to organize assigned areas of responsibility within the command structure. Alphabetical designations identify and orient responders with a building s exterior. Designations start at the front or address side of a building progressing clockwise around the building as illustrated. SIDE ALPHA indicates the front (address) side of the building, SIDE CHARLIE refers to the back of the building. A division supervisor assigned to the back of the building would be designated DIVISION CHARLIE. Corners are referred to by using the two adjoining sides (i.e. ALPHA/BRAVO CORNER). SIDE CHARLIE BUILDING NEXT DOOR = EXPOSURE BRAVO SIDE BRAVO BUILDING ON FIRE SIDE DELTA BUILDING NEXT DOOR = EXPOSURE DELTA SIDE ALPHA Street For clarity of purpose, the International Phonetic Alphabet designations of ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, DELTA, ECHO, and FOXTROT shall be used for radio communications. 6 Example: Division Delta from Command. Strip malls can be designated as illustrated below. SIDE CHARLIE SIDE BRAVO EXPOSURE BRAVO 1 EXPOSURE BRAVO 2 EXPOSURE DELTA 1 EXPOSURE DELTA 2 SIDE DELTA SIDE ALPHA 6 National Fire Academy training standard. 51

52 With multi-story occupancies, divisions are to be designated by floor number (DIVISION 6 indicates 6th floor). For levels below grade such as basements, the designation DIVISION ZERO is used (DIVISION ZERO ONE is the first basement level). ROOF DIVISION DIVISION 4 DIVISION 3 DIVISION 2 DIVISION 1 DIVISION ZERO-ONE DIVISION ZERO-TWO Group Designators Groups are an organizational level responsible for a specific functional assignment at an incident. Groups shall be assigned a designator that describes their assignment. Examples include Rescue Group, Ventilation Group, Salvage Group, Triage Group, Transportation Group, etc. 4.6 Resource Management Park, Staging, Base Resource management provides a systematic process for coordinating the strategic assignment of resources to the incident. The procedures for managing resources should be implemented early and evolve to the extent needed to effectively manage the incident using the following terms and procedural guidelines. The first arriving unit and responding chief officers shall go directly to the incident location, conduct a size-up, Initiate or Establish command, and determine the Incident Action Plan. The Incident Commander directs the placement of responding units at the scene, or should direct units to Park or Base at a given location. Example 1: Engine 3 from Patton Command; report to side Charlie an assume DIVISION CHARLIE. Example 2: Engine 3 from Bong Loop Command; park and report to TEMPORARY STAGING. Example 3: MACC from BROADWAY COMMAND; have all 2nd alarm units BASE at the Safeway parking lot. 52

53 Chief Officers and/or personnel responding in private vehicles may respond directly to the scene by: Placing vehicles well clear of the incident so emergency vehicles still have access. Reporting directly to TEMPORARY STAGING or the INCIDENT COMMANDER to enter the PASSPORT ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. Unless otherwise directed, responding units should automatically Park until direction is received from the Incident Commander. Chief Officers report directly to the scene to support the implementation of command structure. Park The act of temporarily holding units just short of the incident scene during the initial stages of an incident. The IC may Park units as a means to give more time for investigation and decision-making and/or the coordination of assignments. The use of Park implies: PARK PARK Requested units arrive Holding Units a short distance away from the scene during the initial stage. First Unit Arrives Duty Officer/ Chief Arrives Other Units Park Until assigned or Demobed 1. Unless directed into the scene, Staging, or Base, responding units should automatically Park short of the scene. MACC from Engine 1; arrived at park. 2. Parked units should position in a non-committed position that maintains easy egress without obstructing traffic. This allows them to make their final approach into the scene from any direction. (i.e. one block short of the scene, just short of the intersection, at a hydrant, etc.) 3. Team members stay with their apparatus, available for immediate assignment. 4. Parked units may be directed to Park and report to Temporary Staging. 5. When advancing to Temporary Staging, teams are to shut down and secure their apparatus, then report by advancing personnel to Temporary Staging with SCBA, spare cylinders, and any 53

54 applicable small equipment, such as salvage equipment, hand tools, lighting equipment, and so on. Temporary Staging A temporary location designated at the incident scene at or near the Command Post where available resources are pooled for ready deployment. Example 1: Units in PARK from THIRD AVENUE COMMAND; park and report to TEMPORARY STAGING located on SIDE ALPHA. Initial resource pool Teams standby for immediate assignment Near Command Post Replaced by Staging Area Staging Area As the incident evolves a designated Staging Area should be established where resources are assembled for immediate assignment as required by the Incident Commander. Staging provides the Incident Commander with a tactical resource reserve for expanding Name it Locate it and/or sustaining the incident. The Staging Area should be named, located, and implemented to the degree necessary, based on the needs of the incident. The fully expanded staging area also provides a controlled area for managing a reserve resource pool of personnel and equipment. When Based units are directed to advance to the Staging Area, they: 1. Secure their apparatus leaving it at BASE, or at a designated location closer to the scene, and the team moves up to the scene; 2. As they arrive at the scene, the team reports to the STAGING AREA; 3. There, they check-in with the STAGING AREA MANAGER at the CHOKE-POINT; 4. The STAGING AREA MANAGER records the crew as an available resource; 5. The crew then deposits any equipment at the EQUIPMENT AREA and reports to the READY AREA to await assignment. 54

55 Sample Layout of a Fully Expanded Staging Area Fireground Ready Area SCBA Area First Aid Decon Area REHAB Staging Choke Point Equipment Area Air Fill Area Out of service personnel Available/assigned personnel As crews are relieved from the fire ground for rehab, they cycle through a Decon Area for removal of fire suppression debris. Once decontaminated, they check-in with the Staging Area Manager at the Choke Point, drop off any available equipment at the Equipment Area, drop off their used SCBA for service, then report to Rehab. Personnel who need further medical monitoring or medical attention report to the First-Aid Station. Once adequately rehabbed the crew moves to the SCBA area to pick-up a fresh SCBA. They then report to the Ready Area to await assignment. When a second alarm is called BASE should be assigned by name and location. Base A designated area removed from the incident scene where responding units standby until they are assigned to the incident scene. Assignment to Level 2 Staging implies: Unless directed otherwise, teams remain with apparatus until assigned When called-up to Level 1 Staging, teams are to shut down and secure their apparatus either at Base or at a designated location closer to the scene, don appropriate PPE and SCBA, gather spare cylinders and necessary tools, then report to Staging. A BASE MANAGER should be assigned to manage Base. This role initiates with the first arriving officer and is transferred as necessary until a dedicated BASE MANAGER is established. The BASE MANAGER is responsible for: 55

56 1. Placing Based apparatus in a manner that allows for unobstructed egress; 2. Ensuring that crews remain intact and positioned with their apparatus; 3. Maintaining an inventory of available apparatus with their staffing levels; 4. Organizing complete crews for inadequately staffed apparatus; 5. When called for by Command, dispatching units as directed; 6. Securing any apparatus placed out-of-service. 7. Coordinating with the Staging Area Manager to ensure that adequate resources are kept available in Base to meet anticipated resource requests. Resources assigned to Base can be requested for assignment by either Command or the Staging Area Manager. Base Base An area removed from the scene, where units (apparatus) standby until assigned or released Base Manager Staging Area Sequence Park, Temporary Staging, Staging Area, & Base Resource management is essential for efficient coordination. The use of PARK, TEMPORARY STAGING, STAGING AREA, and BASE are methods to facilitate this. Each has a specific purpose and application. The following table describes the purpose, application, and sequence in which Park, Temporary Staging, Staging Area, and Base are applied. 56

57 Initial Stage Park Allows the Incident Commander time to investigate, think, and plan, applicable only during the initial stages of an incident. Replaced with Base once the first alarm units are assigned. Parked units may be directed to: Park and report to Temporary Staging. Temporary Staging Allows the Incident Commander direct access to available teams during the initial stages of an incident. Once initial assignments are made or if incident operations need to be sustained, may be replaced with an assigned Staging Area. Personnel and Equipment Stage Sustained Operation Staging Area Provides the Incident Commander with a tactical reserve of personnel and equipment for sustaining the incident, implemented to the degree necessary, based on the needs of the incident. A Staging Area Manager should be assigned. Base Provides the Incident Commander a designated area, removed from the incident scene, where deployed units standby until they are assigned to the incident. Based units may be directed to: Park and report to the Staging Area. A Base Area Manager should be assigned. Locate it Apparatus Base Locate it 4.7 Passport Accountability System The Passport Accountability System was developed by the City of Seattle Fire Department to provide fire officers with a systematic method for accounting for all of the personnel operating on the incident scene. The Passport System uses personalized name tags, passports, helmet shields, status boards and make-up kits to account for companies and teams and to identify individuals. Passport System Components Name Tags Each responder has a set of Velcro backed name tags engraved with their name. Personnel enter the system by placing their name tags, one each on the primary and back-up passports of their assigned team. Blank name tags are kept in make-up kits for the purpose of assigning outside personnel into the system. Helmet Shields Velcro backed helmet shields, with unit (apparatus) identification numbers, are used to identify what unit (Team) a firefighter is assigned to. Firefighters enter the system by attaching the helmet shield of their assigned unit to the front of their helmet. Blank shields are kept in make-up kits for the purpose of assigning outside personnel into the passport system. Blank shields may also be used to replace lost shields. Passport A Velcro and plastic card that identifies a company or a team, used to attach the name tags of individual responders. Passports serve as a redundant back-up that enables supervisors to account for their assigned teams and to identify individual team members. There are three types of passports used on the incident scene, each distinguishable by construction and/or color.. 57

58 Primary Passport Flexible white passports that hold the name tags of each team member. Some apparatus may be assigned two primary passports (Team A, Team B); piggy backed together with the Team A passport kept over Team B. This allows for a larger team to be split into two teams. The two passports are separated with the name tags of the new team transferred to the Team B passport. Team leaders use their team s Primary Passport to check in & out of their assignments. Primary Passports are to be held by who ever the team is assigned to. The primary passport travels with the team and is used by teams to check-in and out of their assignments, thereby accounting for their movement while operating within an emergency incident perimeter. Passports are transferred to supervisors when a team or company physically reports to the supervisor. The supervisor then returns the passport to the team leader when the team is re-assigned. Back-up Passport - A rigid red passport preprinted with team identification numbers, kept near the officer s seat of the team s apparatus. The back-up passport remains in the apparatus serving as a back-up to the primary passport. If a team is unaccounted for the back-up passport can be used to identify the team members. In addition the back-up may be used as a temporary replacement for a lost primary passport. Make-up Passport - Flexible white passports that are blank on the top and kept in make-up kits for the purpose of creating primary passports in the field. Personnel who arrive from outside agencies or for the formation of a specialized team can be given a make-up passport. Make-up passports are generally assigned by the Staging Area Manager. Make-up teams are assigned team identification by writing the teams designation at the top of the passport. When a team is assigned using a make-up passport a backup passport is maintained by the Staging Area Manager or the commander making the assignment. Status Boards (Command Boards) Used by supervisors to attach the passports of their assigned teams and to track their assignments. The status board can be written on to record information. Primary passports are maintained on the status board until the team is reassigned. In the event an emergency Roll Call, supervisors use the passports on their status board to account for their assigned teams. 4.8 Personnel Accountability The incident commander is responsible for establishing and maintaining personnel accountability throughout the incident s duration. Accountability shall provide for: 1. An accurate accounting of who is there, where they are, what they are doing, when they entered the hazard area, and why they are doing what they are doing where they are doing it. 2. Ensuring a manageable span of control is maintained that can effectively account for personnel by using Passports and nametags. 3. Passports to track the location and function of each team. Passports are to remain outside the IDLH hazard area. 58

59 If you are supervising a team with no Passport, get their Passport immediately. Upon arrival at the incident scene, every individual shall be responsible for ensuring that they are entered into the Passport Accountability System and that they are assigned to a supervisor. Individual team members report directly to their team leader. Team leaders use their team s Primary Passport to check in and out of their assignments. Name Tag Placement Standardize nametag placement visually communicates team member status to the supervisor. Tame tags should be placed as follows: PASSPORT E2111 APPARATUS TAG FF Wallace Given to CKFR IC to manage the Master Board FF Smith CKFR Engine 2111 Team Leader - Placed at the top to quickly indicate their role as the Team Leader, responsible for accounting for assigned team members. Lt. Jensen CKFR E - 51 Team A Passport Engine 2111 Team Members - Placed below Team Leader, operating under their direct supervision. EPHRATA FD TYPE 1 ENGINE E2111 SMITH JONES WALLACE Engine 2111 Driver - Inverted to indicate original assignment to this company but separated, remaining with the apparatus as the pump operator. If the driver is not with the apparatus, operating as a team member, the name tag would be upright. Team A & B Passports Apparatus may have two primary passports (Team A and B), thus allowing a larger team to be split in two. These passports are kept stacked with Team A placed directly over the top of Team B, with all name tags on the Team A passport. When splitting teams, the two passports are separated with the name tags of the new team transferred to the Team B passport, resulting in two teams, with two team leaders. 59

60 Splitting Passports Prior to splitting the passports, this team is one company with one team leader, in this case firefighter Benson, the driver, is assigned to the team, not the apparatus as the pump operator. Therefore, his name tag is placed upright. When the company is split, passports are separated, name tags moved, and a team leader assigned for Team B. Radio designators become Engine 41 Team A and Engine 41 Team B. Piggy Backed Passports Piggy Backing Teams Passports are also piggy backed when two teams are combined to form one team, assigned to one team leader. For example, Engine 41 arrives with two members; one is needed as the pump operator; the remaining lieutenant can not enter an IDLH environment without a partner. Upon Aid 41 s arrival, the two firefighters can be assigned to Engine 41 s lieutenant now giving him an entry team. The passports are piggy backed to form one team of three, lieutenant Jensen as the team leader, and Engine 41 as the radio designator. Separating Team Members - If a team member needs to separate from their team, the team s assigned supervisor should remove their name tag and place it on their status board. Examples would include a firefighter sent for first-aid, a firefighter needing additional time in rehab, etc. If this team member is to be placed out of service 4.9 Roll Call for Numbers A Roll Call for Numbers is used anytime the Incident Commander wants to account for all personnel operating at the incident scene and to check on resource deployment. Roll Call for 60

61 Numbers should be initiated when there is a change from an offensive to a defensive mode or whenever the Incident Commander or command staff member determines a need. The Incident Commander contacts all assigned command staff and/or teams to initiate and manage a roll call as follows: Roll Call When the passport accountability system is in service, the incident commander has the ability to accurately account for all companies, teams, and individual personnel through a roll call. The incident commander is ultimately responsible for conducting and managing all roll calls. There are two types of roll calls, Emergency Roll Call and Roll Call for Numbers. Incident Commander: MACC: MACC and all units from Broadway Command... Standby for a roll call for numbers. All units at Broadway Command... standby for a Roll call for numbers... Emergency traffic only. During the standby time, all personnel are matched to their name tags with the exception of some command staff positions that will be matched-up during the actual roll call. Incident Commander: Incident Safety Officer: All units from Broadway Command... Roll call for numbers... Break... Safety... Roll call. Safety... Zero. When reporting numbers in a Roll Call for Numbers, the number of matched-up name tags is given. As a general rule, name tags of command staff are kept on the Command Board, because they are assigned to the Incident Commander, operating as individuals with no assigned team members to account for. When called: Safety... Roll Call. the Incident Safety Officer replies: Safety... Zero indicating the Incident Safety Officer is okay, accounted for, and has no assigned personnel to account for. Incident Commander: Command Copied, Safety zero... Break... Division Alpha from Broadway Command... Roll call. As numbers are reported, the Incident Commander or Aide checkmarks the Command Board next to the sender s name tag and writes their number of assigned personnel. If the sender s name tag is not with the Command Board, their name shall be written on the board and they shall include themselves in their count. Arrangements should be made to retrieve the individual s name tag. Division Alpha: Command from Division Alpha, we have PAR with Engine 3 and Rescue 4... reporting 10 personnel... all accounted for. 61

62 Incident Commander: Command Copied, Division Alpha reporting Break... Division Bravo from Broadway Command... Roll call. Numbers should always be repeated back to the sender for confirmation. If not accurate, the sender must immediately interrupt and correct the count. Division Alpha: Broadway Command from Division Alpha... Negative... Division Alpha reporting 10. Incident Commander: Command Copied, Division Alpha reporting Break... Division Bravo from Broadway Command... Roll call. Division Bravo: Command from Division Bravo... reporting 8... all accounted for. Incident Commander: Command Copied, Division Bravo reporting 8... Break... Staging from Broadway Command... Roll call. Staging Area Manager: Command from Staging... reporting all accounted for. Incident Commander: Command Copied, Staging reporting Break... MACC from Broadway Command... Roll call complete, all personnel accounted for, total 32 MACC: MACC copied, Broadway Command... Roll call complete, all personnel accounted for, total resuming normal traffic Tactical Accountability Tactical accountability is simply accounting for why teams are doing what they are doing and where they are doing it. There must be a purpose for every action that must fall within and support the Incident Action Plan. If not, supervising officers must immediate intervene and redirect as necessary. Each person involved in an incident whether at the strategic, tactical, or task level must make a strong personal commitment to follow all policies and procedures regarding accountability. Tactical accountability is proactively accounting for team and companies: Who What Where When Why. Who is there, What they are doing, Where they are, When they entered the hazard area, and Why they are doing what they are doing, where and when they are doing it. Incident Commander Provides strategic level accountability by accounting for: All of the teams, divisions, and/or groups assigned to Command by location and function on a tactical worksheet; Knowing who is in charge of each team, division, and/or group, where their assignment is located, and what they are assigned to do; Personnel accountability as a major element in strategy and attack planning, and contingencies for maintaining effective accountability; 62

63 Resource requirements needed to support tactical assignments to include air supply, exchange teams, etc.: Obtaining personal accountability reports (PAR) from general staff positions and any teams assigned to Command; The progress toward successfully completing strategic benchmarks. Division/Group Supervisors - Provide tactical level accountability by accounting for: Presence within their assigned area in order to maintain close supervision of tasks being performed by their assigned teams; The tactical assignments given to each of the teams assigned to their division or group. The location, tasks, and functional activities assigned to each of their assigned teams; Air supply requirements when making tactical assignments to include exchange team provisions for the rotation of teams; Obtain periodic status reports from all their assigned team leaders in order to monitor the effectiveness of their efforts. Monitoring incident Conditions, Progress and Resources. Supervisors account for CPR Conditions: Are fire, heat and/or smoke conditions increasing, decreasing, or becoming unsafe? Is there fire above, below, or is it becoming unstable? What do I need to recommend or request? Progress: What incident phase are we in? Are my assigned objectives being met effectively? How has time been a factor? What assistance and/or resources do I need? Resources: Are communications effective? Are teams adequately accounted for? What do I need to address in terms of rehab, exchange teams, span-of-control, idle or available teams? Team Leaders Provide task level accountability by accounting for: The accuracy and assignment of their team s passport at all times; The status of their assigned team members so that they can immediately report where they are located, what they are doing, and their status; Providing periodic status reports to their assigned supervisor in order to communicate the effectiveness of their team s efforts. PARs for their crews, which is a confirmation that all members assigned to his/her crew are accounted for and have an adequate exit air supply. 63

64 Team Leaders account for PACT Progress: Are we making effective progress in completing our assignments. What do I report (complete, in-progress, need assistance, recommend) Air: Percentage of remaining air supply. Preserve 50% for our withdrawal. Conditions: Are fire, heat and/or smoke conditions increasing, decreasing, or becoming unsafe? What do I need to recommend or request? Team: Is our team staying in contact and adequately accounted for? Tactical Accountability: Who = Engine 2 What = Confine and Extinguish Where = From side-alpha on floor-2 When = Entered the hazard area at 0230 Why = Because Park Command is Offensive from side-alpha on floor-2 64

65 Section 5 Incident Action Planning 5.1 Standard Terminology From and On Terms used to orient the Incident Action Plan by stipulating From what direction to approach and On what floor an assignment is to be executed. To be included in initial and secondary size-up reports. Incident Action Plan (IAP) The decision making process used to establish an incident s operational mode, overall strategic objectives, risk management strategies, and to systematically manage the deployment of resources. Initial Actions While operating alone, those basic set-up tasks performed by the first arriving unit so that incident mitigation can begin as soon as additional units arrive. Initial Size-up Report A short, concise radio transmission that describes to responding units, what the first unit sees as they approach the scene specifically meant to assist responding units in their decision-making during response. Known Rescue A situation where you see, hear, or are directly told of a trapped and viable victim by an occupant who has escaped or a credible witness. Operational Mode (TRIPOD) The strategic mode of operation declared by the Incident Commander based on the incident conditions, viable benefits, resource capabilities, and risk management strategies. The six Operational Modes to choose from are: Transitional, Rescue, Investigating, Preparing, Offensive, and Defensive. Primary Phase The portion of an incident that occurs before it is brought under control and stabilized. Refers to all activities that occur before the incident has been stabilized. Strategic Priorities The incident action planning philosophies used to establish the limitations for acceptable risk, operational priorities, and the order of importance given to tactical decisionmaking. In order of importance, the four strategic priorities are: Life Safety, Incident Stabilization, Property Conservation, and Support Activities. Secondary Phase The portion of an incident that occurs following successful primary phase incident stabilization. Refers to all activities that occur after the incident has been stabilized. Strategy Defines what outcomes the Incident Commander intends to accomplish, communicated in broad terms. Tactics Operational objectives assigned to supervisors with the authority to make decisions and assignments needed to accomplish the incident strategy, communicated in general terms. Tasks Specific activities assigned to individual teams or personnel, communicated in specific terms. Unknown if Occupied A situation where all of the occupants have not been accounted for and/or confirmed as safely clear of the IDLH atmosphere. It conveys there is no compelling evidence of a 65

66 civilian life safety problem and that life safety will be addressed with the tactical objective Primary Search. 5.2 Incident Action Planning (IAP) The Incident Commander (IC) is ultimately responsible for the successful outcome of an incident. To better ensure success, an effective IC must operate with an Incident Action Plan (IAP) that establishes the operational mode, efficiently communicates the incident strategy, systematically manages the deployment of resources, and effectively manages risk. An effective IC uses an IAP to organize and manage their decision making. The process begins when the first unit arrives at the scene, Initiates or Establishes Command, locates a Command Post, and begins to create a down line command structure. The IC establishes the overall strategy, requests the appropriate resources, and manages the level of assumed risk. Division Supervisors manage tactics, team leaders manage task implementation. And all personnel maintain standard-of-care for responders. Incident Priorities Four incident management priorities are used as the basic framework for incident action planning. These priorities establish operating philosophies that govern the order of importance given to tactical assignments. They also establish the limitations for acceptable risk. The four strategic priorities, in order of priority, are: Life Safety (Life safety takes precedence over property) Responder safety, welfare, and accountability Victim rescue Search & rescue Primary search Secondary search Incident Stabilization (Contain the problem first, then mitigate) Evacuation Exposure protection Hazard confinement Ventilation Mitigation and/or extinguishment Overhaul Property Conservation (Once stable, minimize further damage) Environmental considerations Primary salvage Secondary salvage Incident Support Activities Access Water supply & FDC support 66

67 Two-in/two-out Utilities management Air management Scene lighting Decontamination Exchange teams and Rehab Investigation 5.3 Incident Size-up Decision-Making Incident management is all about decision-making. Make poor decisions, the incident goes bad and emergency responders die. Make good decisions, the incident is successfully mitigated and everyone goes home. To make good decisions all responders must fully understand the conditions in which they are operating. Critical decision-making begins with the first arriving unit who initiates the Incident Action Plan. Critical decisions continue throughout the incident, transcending to the individual actions of all involved responders. To make good decisions, responders must deliberately evaluate many size-up factors. Size-up occurs in three phases, Pre-incident, Initial, and Ongoing. Pre-incident size-up Well before the day of an incident, responders have many opportunities for pre-incident size-up. Every company inspection, pre-incident walk-through, or personal trip to the store exposes responders to pre-incident knowledge. This pre-incident size-up arms responders with a valuable level of knowledge, readily available upon arrival at the scene. Armed with this prior knowledge, responders arrive already familiar with such considerations as building access, layout, hazards, construction features and integrity, fuel load and predictable fire behavior, occupant load and expected behavior, and much more. Initial Size-up Upon arrival, the first unit is automatically responsible for incident management. The first unit Initiates or Establishes Command and begins to create a down line command structure. To accomplish this, the individual assuming this role must conduct an initial size-up, completed for two reasons. The first is to communicate a size-up report to responding units. Size-up report serves to relay the information relevant to their response. The second reason is specifically to support the Incident Commander s initial decision-making, which becomes the foundation for incident action planning. On-going size-up Because the conditions at emergency scenes are inherently dynamic, very rarely static, the Incident Commander, Division Supervisors, Team Leaders, and all emergency responders must continually size-up. On-going size-up is simply a matter of continually monitoring environmental conditions and evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. Environmental conditions such as structural integrity will predictably deteriorate over time. Therefore, on-going size-up must critically evaluate the degree of potential compromise to life safety, the adequacy of incident stabilization, and the effectiveness of property conservation efforts. 67

68 Size-up Reports There are a variety of routine size-up communications that promote effective incident management. Size-up reports ensure that appropriate information is disseminated to those who need to know. Responding units need to know what they are about to engage in and what their initial assignment will be. Incident Commanders need periodic situation reports in order to anticipate deteriorating conditions, evaluate the appropriateness of the current operational mode, and to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. 5.4 First Unit Arrival Initial Size-up Report Defined as a short, concise radio transmission that describes to responding units, what the first unit sees as they approach the scene. This information builds upon information already provided by dispatchers at the time of dispatch and through secondary reports provided during response. The initial Size-up report provides information meant to assist responding units in their decision-making during response. This differs from what the Incident Commander needs for IAP decision-making, which at Only information relevant to their response decisions this stage, still requires time to formulate. Until they arrive, responding units only need to know information relevant to managing their response decisions. Before you speak think: Who you are communicating to: (Responding units) What do they really need to know? Is this a working incident? What s being done to manage the incident Are we needed? (Priority, non-priority, divert, or cancel) Where do we go? (Direct assignment, Park, Temporary Staging, or Base) Initial size-up reports should be transmitted to responding units in two transmissions, both can be from the cab as the unit arrives. Keep it short and concise so MACC can accurately repeat the information. Include From and On to link size-up to the mode and IAP assignments. Part One Briefly describe the incident conditions and what s being initiated to manage the incident. Announce: Unit arrival Conditions (Initial size-up report) Operational Mode/From and On (TRIPOD) Other (Only what s relevant to response) Command Status (IEAT) 68

69 Don t waste valuable air time with redundant information but do transmit relevant exceptions. Example 1: MACC from Engine 31; on-scene, medium two-story with flames showing, Transitional from side alpha on floor 1, initiating command. Example 2: MACC from Engine 31; on-scene at Wal-Mart, nothing showing, investigating, initiating command. Example 3: MACC from Engine 31; on-scene, two cars non-blocking, unknown injury, investigating, initiating command. Stop Allow MACC to Repeat Part Two If able, make initial Assignments, request 2nd alarm, etc. Example 1: MACC from Engine 31, have Medic 1 report to command on side alpha, all other units Park and report to Temporary Staging. Example 2: MACC from Engine 31, have all units report to Temporary Staging, request a second alarm, Base will be at Haxton and Slater. Example 3: Medic 56 from Engine 51; continue in, -break- Rescue 31 establish traffic control. Incident Size-up Matrix The following matrix outlines the basic information that can be included in an Initial Size-up Report. The matrix provides examples of the information that can be used to describe what the first arriving unit sees as they arrive at the scene. Avoid redundancy by only including information not already provided during dispatch and response. Keep information relevant to responding units by only communicating what is relevant to their response decision-making. 69

70 Structure Fires Rescue Incidents Fire Conditions Nothing showing, light smoke showing, flames showing, fire in the attic, etc. Building Size Small (< 1,500 sq ft), Med (1,500 to 2,500 sq ft), Large (> 2,500 sq feet) Structure (SFR) story house, detached garage, shed, duplex, etc. Structure (SFC) State the business name, apartment name, etc. Other (Exceptions relevant to response) Incident Status 20 foot embankment, two subjects in the water, machinery has been secured, etc. Patient Status (Number and color code patients) Non-injury, 2 green patients, 1 is entrapped, 1 red patient entrapped, etc. Other (Exceptions relevant to response) Actual location is, patient is contaminated, live power lines down, etc. Access from 11th avenue, live wires down, etc. Vehicle Accidents Haz-Mat Incidents Vehicle Status cars, 1 car over embankment, 1 car on its top, 2 cars head-on, etc. Traffic Impact Blocking, non-blocking, off the roadway, one lane blocked, etc. Patient Status (Number and color code patients) Non-injury, 3 yellow and 2 green patients, 1 green and 1 red patient, entrapment, etc. Other (Exceptions relevant to response) Actual location is, running fuel spill, vehicle fire, etc. Incident Status Vapor cloud showing, oil sheen visible, fuel running into storm drain, etc. Patient Status - Appears Driver exposed, two subjects down, multiple contaminated patients, etc. Other (Exceptions relevant to response) Wind direction is from the south, approach from C Street, etc. Secondary Size-up Following the initial size-up report and any initial assignments, the Incident Commander conducts a secondary size-up to further evaluate incident conditions. Declaring an Investigating mode communicates to responding units that the IC is conducting a secondary size-up, an initial IAP has not been formulated, and the IC needs more time to determine assignments. As a minimum, the IC should view all sides of the incident by either driving or walking around enough of the perimeter to obtain the full picture. Secondary size-up is where the IC gathers more detailed information related to the IAP by evaluating factors such as life safety conditions, fire conditions, structural conditions, staffing deployments, tangible benefits, acceptable level of risk, initial strategy, priority considerations, and so on. 70

71 Initial Actions Responding units typically arrive one at a time, significantly limiting what the first unit can do prior to remaining units arriving. But during this period, the first arriving unit can implement many important initial actions. This should also include basic set-up tasks so that mitigation can begin as soon as additional units arrive, initial mitigation from a defensive position, and so on. Declaring the Operational Mode (TRIPOD) describes these initial actions to responding units so that they know what to anticipate upon their arrival. Arriving Units - Effective incident management requires an IC to take charge, establish an IAP, and make assignments in accordance with the IAP. And, it requires disciplined responders who understand and preserve the IC s role, who will not freelance, and who will only operate in a manner that preserves the integrity of the IAP. Therefore, upon their arrival, units are only brought into the IAP by way of the assignments they receive from the IC. At this point, team leaders and Division/Group Supervisors must conduct their own initial size-up relevant to their given assignment. 5.5 Incident Action Plan - Components The Incident Commander is responsible for incident planning, a process that includes the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information about the development of the incident and status of resources. This information is used to create the Incident Action Plan (IAP). The IAP defines the incident management strategies, prioritization, and the tactical considerations used to mitigate the incident problems. IAP Components include: Operational Mode - TRIPOD Risk management considerations Incident priorities - life safety, incident stabilization, property conservation, support activities Contingency plans Logistical considerations Customer support considerations Contingency Planning There is a significant difference between a reactive tactician and a proactive strategist. An effective IC is proactive rather than reactive. A proactive strategist views incident management from a strategic perspective, meaning they focus on what needs to be done rather than on how to accomplish it. This broader focus enables the IC to better forecast, predict, and anticipate. It is essential for the IC to proactively plan for potential so that contingency preparations can be made before 71

72 they are needed. If you need it and don t already have it in place, it s too late. Contingency planning examples include a RIT, back-up teams, exchange teams, second alarm, decon, rehab, and many more. 5.6 IAP Orientation From and On From and On orients IAP implementation and provides strategic congruency by linking size-up to mode, mode to IAP assignments Primary search from side alpha on floor 2. From orients the direction of approach for offensive mitigation. On indicates the floor on which an assignment is being executed. From and On provide congruency by tracking what strategic, tactical, and/or task assignments have been made, to what teams, and where. They are not a substitute for personnel accountability tracking, which is based on their supervisory assignment within the incident s ICS structure. Scenario: Crews arrive at a two story residential structure with a room and contents fire on the second floor. They enter the structure through the front door (From side Alpha). They advance up the stairs to attack the fire on the second floor (On floor two). The IAP Operating mode is Offensive, oriented From side Alpha, On floor two. All IAP assignments within the IDLH environment should be made using this process. Example: Engine 3 from Command; rescue occupants from side Bravo balcony on floor two. Engine 10 from Command; conduct primary salvage from Side Alpha on floor one. 5.7 Operational Modes TRIPOD Command Responsibility - Upon arrival, the first officer is responsible for Initiating or Establishing Command and initiating the Incident Action Plan. This begins by declaring an Operational Mode (TRIPOD) applicable to the incident, resource capabilities, and the circumstances. The IC may choose from any one of six Operational Modes. Operational Modes are used to establish the overall operating strategy Offensive or Defensive. The modes Transitional, Preparing, and Rescue further refine the Offensive mode to reflect resource limitations and to describe the initial actions of the first arriving unit(s). The Investigating Mode is used to indicate that the full scope of situation is unknown; the Incident Commander needs additional information before an Operational Mode can be declared. Operational Modes may and should be changed as resource capabilities change, circumstances become known, conditions change, or as strategic objectives are met. 72