Chapter 5 Incident Management

Student Notes Incident Management 5-1 Chapter 5 Incident Management Lesson Goal After completing this lesson, the student shall be able to describe the priorities of all incidents, describe various incident management systems, and identify correct communications procedures and guidelines for haz mat incidents. Objectives Upon successful completion of this lesson, the student shall be able to: 1. Describe incident priorities. 2. Discuss various incident management systems. [NFPA 472, 5.2.2(6), 5.4.1(5)(a-b), 5.4.3(3), 5.4.3(4)(a-b), 5.4.3(5), 5.4.3(7)] 3. Identify communication procedures and guidelines for use at hazardous materials incidents. [NFPA 472, 5.5.2(1)] Estimated Total Time: 4 hours Classroom teaching/written evaluation: 4 hours Time Section/Activity Outline Pages Text Pages 10 min. Section I: Introduction to Chapter 5 15 min. Section II: Incident Priorities 5-5 5-6 233-234 120 min. Section III: Incident Management Systems 5-7 5-30 235-255 20 min. Section IV: Communications 5-31 5-34 250-251 15 min. Section V: Summary and Review 15 min. Chapter 5 Quiz 45 min. Chapter 5 Test Section I: Introduction to Chapter 5 5 min. I. INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 5 A. Lesson Goal 1. Chapter 5 lesson goal After completing this lesson, the student shall be able to describe the priorities of all incidents, describe various incident management systems, and identify correct communications procedures and guidelines for haz mat incidents. B. Objectives

Student Notes Incident Management 5-2 1. Describe incident priorities. 2. Discuss various incident management systems. 3. Identify communication procedures and guidelines for use at hazardous materials incidents. Section II: Incident Priorities II. INCIDENT PRIORITIES 10 min. Ask Students: What incident management elements should be included within predetermined guidelines or procedures on how to manage a haz mat incident? Briefly discuss answers with students. Explain that most haz mat incidents contain the following incident management elements: Priorities Management structure Problem-solving process pp. 233-234 Objective 1 Describe incident priorities. A. Incident Priorities for All Haz Mat Incidents 1. Life safety a. Safety of emergency responders and civilians b. Must be consideration from incident report until termination 2. Incident stabilization a. Only if no immediate threats to responders or civilians b. Can minimize environmental and property damage 3. Protection of property and the environment B. Variables in Weighing Life Safety of Responders vs. Life Safety of Public 1. Risk to rescuers 2. Ability of rescuers to protect themselves 3. Probability of rescue 4. Difficulty of rescue 5. Capabilities and resources of on-scene forces 6. Possibilities of explosions or sudden material releases 7. Available escape routes and safe havens 8. Constraints of time and distance Review Question: What are the priorities for haz mat incidents? See page 233 of the manual for answers. Section III: Incident Management Systems 120 min.

Student Notes Incident Management 5-3 III. INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS pp. 235-255 Objective 2 Discuss various incident management systems. A. Incident Management Systems 1. Form the framework for a control and coordination structure that enables emergency personnel to turn chaos into order and effectively manage any emergency incident 2. When coupled with SOPs, provide a predetermined set of procedures to follow at every haz mat incident 3. Enable first responders to quickly establish control of haz mat incidents 4. Advantages a. Modular organization Direction from the top down b. Manageable span of control Between 3 to 7; optimally 5 c. Organizational facilities d. Position titles Distinct titles using standard terminology to identify individuals and their assignment e. Incident Action Plan (IAP) Provide the means to communicate overall incident strategies, tactics, and tasks f. Organization resources g. Integrated communication h. Accountability 5. Required by NFPA 1561, Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management System a. All emergency services organizations must adopt an incident management system to manage all emergency incidents b. Details of IMS must be incorporated into the organization s SOPs 6. Mandated by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 B. U.S. NIMS 1. Implemented and adopted after September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks 2. Designed to be applicable to small, single-unit incidents that may last only a few minutes as well as complex, large-scale incidents involving several agencies and many mutual aid units that could last for days or weeks 3. Builds from the ground up 4. The basic operating system for all incidents within each facility or agency 5. Can grow from a small-scale organization to a large-scale organization depending on the needs of the incident 6. Incident Commander (IC) a. May delegate responsibilities and assign personnel to subordinate management roles b. If not delegated, retains responsibilities and must ensure that all requisite functions are completed as part of the IAP C. National Response Framework (NRF) 1. Explains how, at all levels, the U.S. effectively manages all-hazards response

Student Notes Incident Management 5-4 2. Incorporates best practices and procedures from the following incident management disciplines: a. Homeland security b. Emergency management c. Law enforcement d. Fire fighting e. Public works f. Public health g. Responder and recovery workers h. Health and safety i. Emergency medical services j. Private sector organizations 3. Integrates disciplines into a unified structure 4. Forms the basis of how the federal government coordinates with state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector during incidents 5. Can be partially or fully implemented in the context of a threat, anticipation of a significant event, or the response to a significant event 6. Basic premise Incidents are generally handled at the lowest jurisdictional level possible 7. Command and coordination structures a. Incident Command Posts (ICPs) on-scene using the Incident Command System (ICS)/Unified Command b. Area Command (if needed) c. State/province, local, tribal, and private-sector Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) d. Unified Coordination Group Responsible for coordinating Federal assistance and supporting incident management activities locally e. Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) and Homeland Security Operations Center (HSOC) Serve as regional and national-level multiagency situational awareness and operational coordination centers f. Interagency Incident Management Group (IIMG) Serves as the national headquarters-level multiagency coordination entity for domestic incident management g. Homeland Security Council (HSC) and other White House organizations Advise and assist the President on homeland security and other policy issues 8. Primary mission in the case of a catastrophic terrorist attack a. Save lives b. Protect critical infrastructure, property, and the environment c. Contain the event d. Preserve national security 9. Resources a. Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Teams (WMD-CST)

Student Notes Incident Management 5-5 i. Support civil authorities at a domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive incident site by identifying CBRNE agents/substances ii. Duties (a) Assess current and projected consequences (b) Advise on response measures (c) Assist with appropriate requests for state support (d) Provide an extensive communications capability b. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) Groups of professional and paraprofessional medical personnel c. Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) i. Teams that work under the guidance of local authorities by providing technical assistance and personnel to recover, identify, and process deceased victims ii. Composed of private citizens, each with a particular field of expertise, who are activated in the event of a disaster d. National Medical Response Team-Weapons of Mass Destruction (NMRT-WMD) i. Specialized response forces designed to provide medical care following a nuclear, biological, and/or chemical incident ii. Four teams geographically dispersed throughout the U.S. iii. Provide the following services: (a) Mass casualty decontamination (b) Medical triage (c) Primary and secondary medical care to stabilize victims for transportation to tertiary-care facilities in a hazardous material environment e. Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Task Forces i. Highly trained teams that provide search-and-rescue operations in damaged or collapsed structures and stabilization of damaged structures ii. Provide emergency medical care to the injured iii. Federal and state teams iv. Partnerships among the following entities: (a) Local fire departments (b) Law enforcement agencies (c) Federal and local governmental agencies (d) Private companies f. Incident Management Teams (IMT) i. Teams of highly trained, experienced individuals who are organized to manage large and/or complex incidents ii. Provide full logistical support for receiving and distribution centers Review Question: What are the advantages of an incident management system? See pages 235-236 of the manual for answers.

Student Notes Incident Management 5-6 What incident management system is used in the U.S.? See page 236 of the manual for answers. D. IMS Operational Functions 1. Command a. Function of directing, ordering, and controlling resources by virtue of explicit legal, agency, or delegated authority b. Strategic level Entails the overall direction and goals of the incident c. Tactical level Identifies the objectives that the tactical level supervisor/officer must achieve to meet the strategic goals d. Task level Describes the specific tasks needed to meet tactical-level requirements, and assigns those tasks to operational units, companies, or individuals e. Incident commander i. Officer at the top of an incident chain of command ii. In overall charge of the incident iii. Ultimately responsible for everything that takes place at the emergency scene iv. Primarily responsible for formulating the IAP and coordinating and directing all incident resources to implement the plan and meet its goals and objectives v. Must make it known to the telecommunicator and other responders when command is assumed or transferred vi. Functions at haz mat incidents (a) Establish a site safety plan (b) Implement a site security and control plan to limit the number of personnel operating in the control zones (c) Designate a safety officer (d) Identify the materials or conditions involved in the incident (e) Implement appropriate emergency operations (f) Ensure that all emergency responders wear appropriate PPE in restricted zones (g) Establish a decontamination plan and operation (h) Implement post-incident emergency response procedures Review Question: What structures are included in the NRF? See pages 240-241 of the manual for answers. What are the five major operational functions of most incident management systems? See page 243 of the manual for answers. f. Safety officer i. Responsible for monitoring and identifying hazardous and unsafe situations and developing measures for ensuring operational and personnel safety ii. Must be trained to the level of operations conducted at the incident iii. Duties

Student Notes Incident Management 5-7 (a) Obtain a briefing from the IC (b) Review IAPs for safety issues (c) Identify hazardous situations at the incident scene (d) Participate in the preparation and monitoring of incident safety considerations, including medical monitoring of entry team personnel before and after entry (e) Maintain communications with the IC, and advise the IC of deviations from the incident safety considerations and of any dangerous situations (f) Alter, suspend, or terminate any activity that is judged to be unsafe (g) Conduct safety briefings iv. Ensures that safety briefings are conducted for entry team personnel before entry; should include: (a) Identification of hazards (b) Description of the site (c) Tasks to be performed (d) Anticipated duration of the tasks (e) PPE requirements (f) Monitoring requirements (g) Notification of identified risks (h) Additional, pertinent information v. At incidents involving potential criminal or terrorist activities, safety briefing should also cover: (a) Being alert for safety devices (b) Not touching or moving any suspicious-looking articles (c) Not touching or entering any damp, wet, or oily areas (d) Wearing full protective clothing, including SCBA (e) Limiting the number of personnel entering the crime scene (f) Documenting all actions (g) Not picking up or taking any souvenirs (h) Photographing or videotaping anything suspicious (i) Not destroying any possible evidence (j) Seeking professional crime-scene assistance g. Command post i. Designated location to which information flows and from which orders are issued ii. Establishment is vital to a smooth operation iii. Ideally located where the IC can observe the scene, although not absolutely necessary iv. Location relayed to telecommunicator/dispatcher and emergency responders v. Needs to be readily identifiable 2. Operations section a. Responsible for the direct management of all incident tactical activities, the tactical priorities, and the safety and welfare of personnel working in the Operations Section

Student Notes Incident Management 5-8 b. Operations Section Chief i. Reports directly to the IC ii. Responsible for managing all operations that directly affect the primary mission of eliminating a problem incident iii. Directs the tactical operations to meet the strategic goals developed by the IC 3. Planning section a. Responsible for gathering, assimilating, analyzing, and processing information needed for effective decision-making b. Serves as IC s clearinghouse for incidents c. Compiles information for use by command d. Units i. Resources Unit ii. Situation Unit iii. Documentation Unit iv. Demobilization Unit 4. Logistics section a. Support mechanism for the organization b. Provides services and support systems to all the organizational components involved in the incident including: i. Facilities ii. Transportation needs iii. Supplies iv. Equipment v. Maintenance vi. Fueling supplies vii. Meals viii. Communications ix. Responder medical services c. Branches i. Support Branch Supplies, facilities, and ground support ii. Service Branch Medical, communications, and food services 5. Finance/Administration a. Established on incidents when agencies involved have a specific need for financial services b. Units i. Time Unit ii. Procurement Unit

Student Notes Incident Management 5-9 iii. Compensation Claims Unit iv. Cost Unit Review Question: What is the function of the Incident Commander? See page 244 of the manual for answers. What are the duties of a safety officer? See pages 245-247 of the manual for answers. 6. Staging area a. Where personnel and equipment awaiting assignment are held b. Keeps responders and their equipment a short distance from the scene until they are needed c. Minimizes confusion at the scene 7. Resources a. All personnel, equipment, and major pieces of apparatus on scene or en route on which status is maintained b. Considered to be available when they have checked in at the incident and are not currently committed to an assignment c. Status must be tracked so that they can be assigned when and where they are needed without delay E. Incident Command Establishment and Transfer 1. First person on scene or ranking individual of the first company on the scene assumes command of the incident 2. Individual maintains command until higher ranking or more extensively trained responder arrives on the scene and assumes command 3. Before command is transferred, the person accepting it must be capable of assuming command and be willing to accept it 4. If the transfer cannot take place face to face, it can be accomplished over the radio, but command can only be transferred to someone who is on scene 5. Person relinquishing command must provide person assuming command with as clear a picture of the situation as possible 6. Update can be accomplished by giving a briefing or situation status report 7. Person assuming command acknowledges receipt of information by repeating it back to the other person 8. When complex emergency occurs, command may be transferred several times as the organization grows 9. When command is transferred, the former IC must announce the change to avoid any possible confusion caused by others hearing a different voice acknowledging messages and issuing orders 10. THERE IS ONLY ONE IC 11. One person issues all orders through the chain of command to avoid the confusion caused by conflicting orders.

Student Notes Incident Management 5-10 F. Unified Command 1. Accomplishes control of an incident involving multiple agencies with overlapping authority and responsibility 2. All agencies that have a jurisdictional responsibility at a multijurisdictional incident contribute to the process by taking the following actions: a. Determine overall incident objectives b. Select strategies c. Accomplish joint planning for tactical activities d. Ensure integrated tactical operations e. Use all assigned resources effectively 3. Memorandum of understanding for unified command a. Written agreement defining roles and responsibilities within a unified command structure b. Ideally established by jurisdictions and other agencies with authority and responsibility for target hazards in their area c. Signed by lead officials of the agencies d. Becomes policy governing the personnel within those agencies 4. Agencies that may be involved in controlling hazardous material incidents a. Fire service b. Law enforcement c. EMS d. Private concerns e. Government agencies with mandated interests in health and environmental issues f. Privately contracted cleanup and salvage companies g. Specialized emergency response groups, organizations, and technical support groups h. Utilities and public works 5. Responsible or lead agency a. Should be identified before incident happens b. Should document the identities and capabilities of nearby support sources during preincident coordination 6. When organizations work together to develop haz mat pre-incident surveys, they can meet the following objectives: a. Share vital resource information b. Develop rapport among participating emergency services organizations c. Identify and pool needed resources G. IMS Haz Mat Positions Review Question: Discuss the steps in transferring command. See page 250 of the manual for answers.

Student Notes Incident Management 5-11 1. Hazardous Materials Branch Director/Group Supervisor a. Manages the resources assigned to the branch or group b. Directs the primary tactical functions 2. Entry Leader a. Supervises all companies and personnel operating in the hazardous area b. Directs all tactics and controls the positions and functions of all personnel in the hazardous area 3. Decontamination Leader a. Supervises operations in the scene control zone where decontamination is conducted b. Ensures that all rescued citizens, response personnel, and equipment have been decontaminated before leaving the incident 4. Site Access Control Leader a. Controls all movement of personnel and equipment between the control zones b. Responsible for isolating the control zones and ensuring proper routes c. Responsibility for the control, care, and movement of people before they are decontaminated d. May appoint a Safe Refuge Area Manager 5. Assistant Safety Officer (Hazardous Materials) a. Responsible for the overall safety of assigned personnel within the Hazardous Materials Group b. Reports directly to the Safety Officer c. Must be appointed at hazardous materials incidents and have the requisite knowledge to function as the Assistant Safety officer at a haz mat incident 6. Technical Specialist (Hazardous Materials Reference/Science Technical Specialist) Responsible for providing technical information and assistance to the Hazardous Materials Group and the Planning Section using various sources 7. Safe Refuge Area Manager a. Responsible for evaluating and prioritizing victims for treatment, collecting information from the victims, and preventing the spread of contamination by these victims b. Recommended that this person have an EMS background Review Question: What are the standard IMS positions particular to hazardous materials incidents? See pages 253-255 of the manual for answers. Section IV: Communications IV. 20 min. COMMUNICATIONS pp. 255-258 Objective 3 Identify communication procedures and guidelines for use at hazardous materials incidents.

Student Notes Incident Management 5-12 A. Communications 1. Effective communication Vital for incident management and mitigation efforts 2. Radio procedures a. Use plain language b. Transmit only essential information when sending information and orders c. Use appropriate channels to communicate with both the IC and the telecommunicator d. Use appropriate number of channels for the size and complexity of the incident i. Routine, day-to-day incidents are usually handled on a single channel ii. Large incidents may require using several channels to allow for clear and timely exchanges of information iii. Separate channels may be needed for command, entry, decontamination, research support, tactical, and support functions 3. Requesting additional help a. Know what types of additional help are available b. Identify these items in the local emergency response plan 4. Emergency radio traffic a. Make the urgency clear to the telecommunicator b. Wait while the telecommunicator gives an attention tone, advises all other units to stand by, and advises the caller to proceed with the emergency message c. Resume normal or routine radio traffic when the emergency communication is complete after the telecommunicator notifies all units to do so 5. Evacuation signals a. Broadcast a radio message ordering evacuation b. Sound audible warning devices on the apparatus at the incident scene for an extended time period c. Broadcast the message several times 6. External communication system a. Facilitates communication between onsite and offsite personnel b. Primary means of external communication i. Cell phones ii. Telephone iii. Radio iv. Computers 7. Internal communication a. Information regarding the incident received and shared among emergency responders once they arrive on the scene b. Examples i. Alerting team members to emergencies ii. Passing along safety information

Student Notes Incident Management 5-13 iii. Communicating changes in the action plan iv. Maintaining site control c. Internal communication devices i. Radios ii. Cell phones iii. Pagers iv. Noisemakers v. Visual signals Review Question: What are some guidelines for using communications equipment correctly? See pages 255-257 of the manual for answers. Section V: Summary and Review 15 min. V. SUMMARY AND REVIEW A. Chapter Summary 1. Emergency response to haz mat incidents must be conducted with a certain management framework and structure to ensure successful mitigation of the incident. 2. IMS must be implemented at all incidents. B. Review Questions 1. What are the priorities for haz mat incidents? (233) 2. What are the advantages of an incident management system? (235-236) 3. What incident management system is used in the U.S? (236) 4. What structures are included in the National Response Framework (NRF)? (240-241) 5. What are the five major operational functions of most incident management systems? (241) 6. What is the function of the Incident Commander? (244) 7. What are the duties of a safety officer? (245-247) 8. Discuss the steps in transferring command. (250) 9. What are the standard IMS positions particular to hazardous materials incidents? (253-255) 10. What are some guidelines for using communications equipment correctly? (255-257)