THE BALTIMORE METRO-CHIEFS (BM-C), A COMMITtee of Baltimore City and surrounding counties, began planning for the implementation of Type IV and Type III Incident Management Teams (IMTs) in June 2003. The jurisdictions include Annapolis City, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County. The BM-C produced a preliminary training plan for the regional departments. The intention was to include law enforcement, health, public works, and other appropriate agencies in the training plan.
NIMS ICS and IMT Training Program
Part 1
The Committee delineated the need to provide a basic understanding of the concepts, principles, and use of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) for firefighter-level personnel as well as personnel from other disciplines. It recommended that all basic firefighting education-e.g., Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) (University of Maryland) Fire Fighter I, EMT, and so forth-be modified to include an introduction to NIMS. Additionally, recruit training programs for career firefighters should include a six-hour (minimum) block of training in NIMS.
Part 2
This training plan was designed for supervisors; it required the National Fire Academy (NFA) course “NIMS-Incident Command System (ICS) for the Fire Service.” An equivalent program could be taken as a Web-based self-study program on the NFA Virtual Campus site. Each jurisdiction would have to establish mechanisms that provide accountability relative to members’ participation and successfully completing the training. The NFA Virtual Campus is available at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/training/nfa/independent/.
Part 3
This training plan was directed at individuals who have the responsibility of commanding/controlling multiple groups of employees. This would be the command level. The NFA’s “Introduction to Unified Command for Major and Catastrophic Incidents” (“IUCMCI”) would be a prerequisite for the course. Multiple NFA basic training programs are available for personnel with command-level responsibilities. They are listed below and are provided in regional deliveries or as on-campus resident programs:
- “Command and Control of Fire Department Operations at Multi-Alarm Incidents,”
- “Command and Control of Fire Department Operations at Natural and Man-made Disasters,”
- “Command and Control of Fire Department Operations at Target Hazards,” and
- “Command and Control of Incident Operations.”
Part 4
This section of the training plan was directed at personnel who would operate as a Type IV IMT. This level of training requires the completion of the NFA courses “IUCMCI” and “Command and General Staff Functions in the Incident Command System” (“CGS”). The NFA Virtual Campus courses Q-462, “ICS-100, Introduction to ICS for Operational First Responders,” and Q-463, “ICS-200 for Operational First Responders,” are now prerequisites for the “CGS” course.
Part 5
This training plan is directed at the Type III IMT members. This level of training requires the student to take the NFA “Introduction to Command and General Staff and All Hazards Incident Management Team” (“AHIMT”) seven-day course. The BM-C personnel exceeded this requirement by having all team members take the full “CGS” course.
Reference Book
We used the FIRESCOPE Field Operation Guide, ICS 420-1, as the reference book for the NIMS. The following clarifications were made: Several terms are slightly different in NIMS and FIRESCOPE-notably, public information officer is used in NIMS in lieu of information officer, and there is an Information and Intelligence function in NIMS.
COLLABORATIVE FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM
According to Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Deputy Director Russell Strickland, “The success of the Maryland IMT training program is due to the positive collaboration of the MEMA, Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute (MFRI), Baltimore Urban Area Security Initiative (BUASI), and Baltimore Metro Chiefs committee.” The three primary funding sources, MEMA, MFRI, and BUASI, provided monies from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Grant Program (DHS-SGP), the National Fire Academy State Grant Program, and the DHS UASI Grant Program.
The resultant collaboration and single-mission attitude for the IMT training is helping to develop in personnel skills that will enable them to effectively manage large, complex incidents.
MFRI, COORDINATION OF TRAINING
The key factor, according to MFRI Director Steven Edwards, “is the fact that the various Maryland state agencies and local jurisdictions have had a close working relationship for various types of multidiscipline training. This includes, but is not limited to, the MEMA, the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMMS), the Maryland Department of Homeland Security (MDHS), local jurisdiction multidiscipline training agencies, and the private sector.”
States that failed to develop those interrelationships have found themselves playing catch-up, and the emergency response services of those states have had to work extremely hard to bring themselves up to speed to properly support and have funded the desired IMT training.
MEMA provided money to MFRI from the U.S. DHS Grant program to produce the student manuals and pay all costs for the “CGS” course and the “AHIMT” course, including instructor costs. MFRI also used monies from the NFA State Grant Program it had received during that period.
The coordination provided by MFRI has been invaluable in ensuring that the necessary number and type of classes required for the IMT-level training were available. MFRI has provided more than 200 NIMS-ICS and “IUCMCI” courses for multidiscipline audiences. This level of training has enhanced the capability and understanding of multiagency response personnel throughout the state.
NFA REFINING THE PROCESS
The NFA and the National Fire Programs Divisions are refining this step-by-step educational process. In an effort to eliminate redundancy, enhance standardization, and facilitate the progress of the student from base line NIMS ICS through IMT training, the “CGS” and the “AHIMT” courses are being adjusted. For example, additional learning objectives are being added to the “CGS” course to make it equivalent to ICS 300 and 400 and will continue to be a prerequisite for IMT training. This does two things: It allows students taking IMT training to complete the NIMS 300/400 requirement without having to take the individual courses, and it allows the 300/400 material to be removed from the IMT course; it will be replaced with more relevant team-oriented information. These changes will not create additional course requirements or conflict with existing versions of these courses; instead, they will make it easier for the student to obtain the required training regardless of whether the end goal is to be part of an IMT or just meet the ICS training requirements.
Significant confusion exists regarding the differences between the NFA’s Q-462 and Q-463, the Emergency Management Institute’s IS100 and IS200, and the wildland community’s I-100 and I-200. Are they not all ICS? Are they interchangeable? What is the difference? The ICS 100 through 400 courses presented by all three of these agencies were developed using the same learning objectives and have basically the same “core” information. However, there is a critical difference among the courses in the application portion. The foundation material is the same, but each agency adjusted the application of that material to better fit its target audience.
The NFA’s “Q” courses are designed for operational first responders. It doesn’t mean they wouldn’t benefit other disciplines or that operational personnel would not derive any benefit from the “S” or “I” courses, but the “Q” courses are designed to fit with the other NFA Command and Control curriculum and better prepare students to move through those courses.
The NFA has approved an additional seven-day “AHIMT” course for the BM-C’s “CGS” students held in Fall 2006. Three additional “CGS” courses were scheduled for 2007.
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Personnel from the BM-C region interested in participating in the training programs were directed to take the prerequisite courses needed to prepare them for the NFA “CGS” six-day course.
The first “CGS” course was held in January 2004. The chiefs of six of the seven jurisdictions participated as well as many deputy chiefs and division chiefs and some battalion chiefs. The class, based on the students’ comments, was a great success. Having the chiefs in the first course set the tone for the emphasis that would be placed on the assembly of sufficient personnel to fully implement the various levels of IMTs desired by the BM-C.
An additional “CGS” course was held in September 2004. The NFA “AHIMT” seven-day course was held in January 2005. Only participants from the “CGS” course were permitted to attend. These personnel also met all the prerequisite requirements for this level of training. The course costs and backfill for overtime costs were approved by the DHS from the DHS Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program. The instructors who taught the first “CGS” course taught this one. The BM-C wants to maintain continuity of instruction, since it is critical to their personnel’s having a full and consistent understanding of the functional duties and responsibilities.
The BM-C completed a refresher-training program for its “CGS” and “AHIMT” graduates in November 2005. This training consisted of specific exercises for the various IMT functions, to provide additional hands-on practice to hone the skills developed during the original “CGS” course and the NFA “AHIMT” seven-day course.
Additional “CGS” courses were held in October 2005 and January 2006. The January course was held for personnel of the Anne Arundel County Emergency Operations Center, the Health Department, Public Works, and the County Finance Office. Special simulation exercises were developed for this course to provide meaningful learning for the diverse student body.
An additional “CGS” course was held in March 2006 and two courses in Fall 2006. The NFA approved a second “AHIMT” seven-day course for the November 2006 class. The BM-C region was able to completely fill that course with 42 students who have had all the prerequisites for this level of training.
The local and regional IMTs have held a number of exercises to hone their skills. Some of the exercises have dealt with simulated events; others were for planning future events and participating at these events from the emergency management standpoint.
The regional departments have begun working on pocket cards and certificates for IMT members who have satisfactorily achieved the desired levels of training.
THE TYPE IV IMT- ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT
The most efficient and effective way to build skills, confidence, and trust in the expanded application of the ICS is through practice. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department uses the Type IV IMT concept to provide greater opportunities to exercise the system, enhance the use of the managers, and to target officers who can be developed for the Type III Team. Prior to implementation of the Type IV Team concept, chief officers were used as division or group supervisors. After receiving the concepts employed in the “CGS” program, it became apparent that the more efficient use of chief officers would be at the General Staff level. This change in policy and procedure made better use of resources and reduced the likelihood of a breach of unity of command by allowing only company officers to fill the supervisors’ roles.
When an “All Hands” incident (this falls between first and second alarm) is dispatched, a second battalion chief (BC) is dispatched along with additional resources. On arrival, the second BC is assigned as the Logistics Section chief and begins performing the logistics functions to support the incident commander (IC). It should be understood that it is always the option of the IC to build a command structure based on the situation; but in the absence of a unique situation, the Type IV structure is used.
When a second alarm is dispatched, a division chief is on the assignment. On arrival, the division chief assesses the situation for the effectiveness of the current command structure and the progress of the Logistics Section chief, assumes the responsibilities of the Planning Section chief, and begins to perform the planning functions to support the IC.
The duty deputy chief is dispatched on the third alarm; as before, the deputy chief receives a briefing from the Planning Section chief, assesses the effectiveness of all emergency scene functions, and decides whether to monitor the progress or take command. Once the deputy takes command, the first-in BC is assigned as the Operations Section chief. A safety officer and a public information officer are dispatched to the working incident on the “All Hands.” By the arrival of the third alarm, the fire department has the command and general staff functions (except for the Liaison Officer and Finance Section chief) filled and operating.
To assist the chiefs with the functional responsibilities of the Logistics Section chief and Planning Section chief, laminated cards are placed in the pockets of the section chiefs’ vests. On one side are the responsibilities as defined by the FIRESCOPE Field Operations Guide; on the reverse is a listing of specifics germane to the function.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Logistics Section Chief
Locate staging or base location and drop points (deliveries, supplies), ascertain if resources are sufficient and that the location is secure and safe. Is staff at the command post sufficient? Determine the locations of the Command and Communications vehicles.
Locate Accountability. Is the board in a convenient “gatekeeper” position, away from the command post? Transition Accountability from autopilot to full-function mode. Is the rehab area established and functioning properly? Is the two-in/two-out crew in or the rapid intervention crew in place and properly equipped? Consider breathing air management, firefighter work/rest cycles, and lobby control and services support. Ground Support should coordinate Stairwell Support.
Evaluate scene accessibility-place unnecessary apparatus in base and unused personnel in Staging. Develop a traffic plan in coordination with law enforcement. Evaluate communications needs. Are mutual-aid companies equipped with Anne Arundel radios? Develop a communications plan for additional tactical channels to isolate functions that support operation-staging, water supply, and so on.
Develop a plan to move personnel long distances when Base and Staging are remote. After surveying the entire scene, evaluate and coordinate with the IC’s need for additional resources. Also, assess the need for special resources: Gas & Electric, Fire Investigation, responder food and drink, and Public Works. Assess the need for a building inspector to assess structural stability. Interview apparatus operators, and evaluate the need for fuel or the maintenance of vehicles operating on-scene. Assist in gathering information for the Brief Progress Report.
Planning Section Chief
Review the action plan developed by the IC. Review the prefire plan, material safety data sheets, and other relevant documents. Receive and evaluate information from the Logistics Section chief concerning commitment of on-scene resources, as well as the resources available in Staging/Base. Develop information for a progress report.
Review the need for specialized resources-heavy equipment, aircraft, or activation of Emergency Operations or the Department Operations Center, Homeland Security, Intelligence/Information.
Examine the current action plan, and proactively develop a Plan B (see below). This plan should be specific and designed to be placed into effect immediately. Establish a rotation cycle or operational periods for the incident. Develop a demobilization plan, with input from Operations and Logistics.
Ascertain the need for technical specialists, Homeland Security, and Intelligence/Information; coordinate their activities. Ascertain the need for other resources: water maps, gas line maps, or a site map. Ascertain the need for environmental specialists; coordinate their activities. Collect information from the incident: CAD notes, maps, available resources, and blueprints.
Plan B: State the problems, the objectives to solve the problems, pretactical requests, a summary of operations to solve the problems, and a new ICS organizational chart. Prepare for briefing with additional responding chiefs, involving Command and general staff, agency administrator (elected officials), and the chief. Include the following items: safety message, incident objectives, strategy, tactics, a communications plan, division assignments, a medical plan, forecasting strategy/tactics/weather, technical/hazmat issues, demobilization, a report from Command and general staff, and agreements/accidents.
DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER
In 2004, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, with grant monies received through the county’s Emergency Management Bureau, remodeled the area formerly occupied by the department’s communication (911) center. In keeping with the NIMS, the new area was named the Department Operations Center (DOC). This concept is being expanded to include similar areas in public works, health, and the police department. State-of-the-art technology provides a video conferencing link among all the DOCs, the county Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and the state EOC, as well as various agency administrators.
The DOC is separated into five pods: Command, Operations, Planning/Intelligence, Logistics, and Finance. There are five wall-mounted televisions that allow the monitoring of countywide highway cameras and a variety of television-based media. Each pod has built-in electronics that provide each person with connectivity to phone, person-to-person communications, and intranet and Internet access. There is also a glassed area in which the IC is in close proximity to team members but that affords privacy and reduced noise. Another feature is a smart board that can project images (maps are most often projected) that can be sectored or otherwise modified to illustrate need, printed, and distributed to essential personnel; they can also be saved for future reference.
The purpose of the DOC is to provide an area for developing incident action plans for large-scale events, preparing for potential natural and man-made disasters, and area command. In area command situations, when simultaneous incidents compete for resources, team members assemble and staff the Planning and Logistic sections, ensuring that one incident does not rob precious limited resources from another. The DOC is also used daily for planning. Every morning, the department’s four shift battalion chiefs assemble and adjust human resources, ensuring that firefighters, paramedics, and officers are properly placed to staff the department’s 30 stations. An additional benefit of this area is that it provides space for training and continuing education for Anne Arundel County and the Baltimore Region command and general staff team members.
BURTON W. PHELPS, deputy chief (ret.) of Anne Arundel County (MD) Fire Department, has been a National Fire Academy instructor since 1978, where he has focused on the Command and Control curriculum since 1982. He is one of the most experienced Command and General Staff Functions in the Incident Command System course lead instructors. He was a developer of the course and has completed three revisions.
JOHN M. SCHOLZ is the deputy chief of operations for the Anne Arundel County (MD) Fire Department. He has a bachelor of science degree in fire protection technology from the University of Maryland, University College, and is an instructor for the National Fire Academy and the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute.
