“THE PORTABLE COMMAND POST: “”COMMANDER-FRIENDLY”””

THE PORTABLE COMMAND POST: “COMMANDER-FRIENDLY”

Photos by author.

The portable command post (PCP) is a tool developed, refined, and placed in service by the City of New York (NY) Fire Department in each of our 11 divisions to assist the incident commander (IC) in implementing the incident command system (ICS) at the scenes of fires and other emergencies. The ICS is the latest buzzword in the fire service. Along with management by objectives (MBO) and total quality management (TQM), the ICS has become the focus of much attention. Before one can understand the ICS, it must be put in proper perspective.

Many people think that the ICS is a recent invention, but a Currier and Ives lithograph of a fire scene from the early 1800s depicts the ICS in all its glory. The incident commander, in those days called the “chief,” is in charge, bellowing out orders and directions—and maybe even a profanity or two — through his speaking trumpet to his foremen who are directing teams of firefighters who are pumping the brakes of the hand pumpers, directing hose streams, or rescuing children and damsels in distress. Actually, very little has changed since those days. The pumpers may have progressed from hand pumpers to steamers to gasoline-driven and finally to diesel-driven engines and the speaking trumpet may have evolved into the modern day portable radio, but it is still the small groups of dedicated firefighters advancing a hoseline into a burning building who extinguish most fires.

In reality, the ICS uses age-old management principles in fire and emergency operations to attain a specific goal or objective. Some of these principles are the Scalar Principle (organizational chart), unity of command, delegation of authority, parity of authority and responsibility, span of control, and communications.

The goal or objective to be attained is “the best possible outcome,” which I define in the following manner: “Once an alarm is received, the least number of injuries and deaths occur to civilians and firefighters and the least amount of property damage occurs due to the fire or firefighters.” To help implement the ICS and use these principles effectively, the IC needs the appropriate tools. One such tool is the portable command post, developed by the City of New York Fire Department and refined during the past few years.

THE FUNCTION OF A PCP

FDNY has used field communications units (FCUs) to assist the IC at fire and emergency operations for many years. In addition to the sophisticated communications and recording equipment, desk space and seating, planning and reference materials, and electricity-generating capability this air-conditioned and heated vehicle provides, it also has a portable command board that can be removed from the vehicle and set up at the most advantageous location for use by the IC as the command post. Some authorities believe in isolating the IC in a command vehicle, but in New York City, the command vehicle may be quite a distance from the incident due to traffic and street conditions.

The number of available field communications units was reduced from two to one during the 1975 budget crisis, and the eliminated unit was never restored. Operating with one FCU increased the remaining FCU’s response time to many parts of the city. In addition, some incidents to which the FCU normally would have been assigned had to be handled without such a unit because the sole FCU was operating at another incident. Incident commanders in these instances had to function without the FCU’s sophisticated command and communications equipment as well as the expertise of the FCU staff.

During the 1980s, FDNY began to develop portable command posts for each of our 11 divisions. The posts were to provide some of the advantages of the FCU in situations where the FCU was delayed in response or unavailable to respond or in situations where only a command post—but not the other capabilities of the FCU — was needed.

The first FCF prototype was the size of a small hot dog wagon, was carried by the FCU, and was designed to test certain features, such as the availability of the display radio at the CP and the built-in lighting for illuminating the CP. The design of the original prototype was refined in each of two succeeding prototypes that preceded the final design now in use.

THE PCP DESIGN

The PCP consists of an aluminum case 20 in. x 28 in. x 8 in. that fits on a set of folding aluminum legs. The case contains two white enameled steel sheets (20 in. x 28 in.), which are used as writing surfaces and bases for magnetized unit and sector identifiers. One aluminum sheet is mounted in the lid and the other on the top of the bottom half of the case. The lid has a built-in 12-volt automotive light and a 25-watt, six-frequency VHF radio to contact any of our five borough communications offices. Low-wattage portable radios cannot be used for this purpose because of the limited number of and distance between pickup antennas. The lid also contains holders for dry marking pens, an eraser, and a command post flag. On top of the lid is a large 18-inch department logo and the words command post in four-inch-high letters to facilitate agency recognition.

The base contains a 12-volt, 12amp-hour, maintenance-free sealed gel cell battery to power the radio and light, as well as a charging socket so that the battery can be charged in its case. In addition, there is storage space in the base for forms and additional supplies useful in operating the PCP. Each PCP contains magnetic identifiers of the units each division most likely will send to respond to its incidents. A number of blank identifiers are supplied in case the division is operating outside its normal response area. These identifiers are made of aluminum and are ⅛ in. x Vi in. x 2 in. The bottom has ‘/2-inch magnetic tape and the top ‘/2-inch plastic label tape with the unit’s identification embossed on it. Black tape is used for engine companies, red for ladder companies, gold for chief officers, and blue for specialized units, such as rescue, mass services, and haz mat. In addition, purple identifiers are supplied for various sectors that might be established, such as nx)f, lobby command, operations, safety, water supply, and public information officer (PIG).

All hardware is heavy duty and made from aluminum or stainless steel to reduce corrosion problems. The bottom of the case has four holes drilled in it to allow water from rain or firefighting operations to drain out. A clear vinyl rain cover can be placed over the PCP and attached to the top and bottom with Velcro® to keep it dry. The entire unit weighs about 50 pounds.

The PCP is a compromise of many factors. Its size had to be large enough to provide adequate work space to keep track of all units operating at the scene; to accommodate identifiers and diagrams large enough to be easily visible to the people operating it, even under adverse conditions; to contain radio, lighting, and an adequate power supply; and to be easily visible and identifiable as the command post to all operating at the scene. The PCP had to be compact enough to fit in the trunk of the division automobile with other equipment carried, such as SCBAs and preplans.

PLACING THE PCP IN OPERATION

Proper placement of the PCP is paramount to its effective utilization. It should be placed in front of the fire building, if possible, in a location that gives a view of at least two sides of the building and the results of the fire attack, such as whether there’s any change in the color of the smoke. Its presence should not block the movement or operation of apparatus, interfere with the activities of firefighters, or be in a possible collapse or danger zone. It also should be easily visible and identifiable to all firefighters and agency personnel at the scene.

One of the design criteria for the PCP was ease of setup and operation. To set it up, all that has to be done is to unfold the legs, place the case on top of the legs, open the case, remove the antenna and place it on a ferrous surface at least three feet away from all people, turn on the radio, and flip the light switch. It takes only about 15 seconds. You do not have to make any connections or locate power sources.

The IC’s aide or another officer— not the IC —should set up the PCP. Hie IC should focus on the developing fire situation and confer with the previous IC on the fire condition. actions taken, unit locations, and assigned duties to mentally develop an operating plan.

After the PCP has been set up, the following should be done:

• Draw a diagram of the fire building or fire area on the work space with a dry marking pen.
• If available, place predrawn plans on the work space and consult them as needed.
• Remove from the lid and place on the work space all of the magnetic unit identifiers of all of the units at the scene. If necessary, the dispatcher can identify these units over the radio mounted in the PCP.
• Ascertain from the former 1C the fireground assignment or location of all units at the scene. Place their unit identifiers on the diagram to develop a visual picture of the locations of all units. If the location of a unit is not known, contact that unit by radio on the tactical fireground frequency to ascertain its location and the duties it is performing. As each unit’s duties, location, or status changes, move its identifier to the proper location. The work surface has designated areas for units standing by in the staging area or out on rest breaks. In addition, the work surface has space to list the names of the officials in charge of other agencies at the scene, such as the police department, emergency medical services, utility companies, and Environmental Protection Agency.

The PCP can be used to help develop the fireground organization. The IC determines the sectors to be activated according to the prevailing conditions and the sector leaders. The purple sector identifier then is removed from the lid and placed in its proper location on the diagram. The sector commander identifier (gold) is placed under the sector identifier along with the identifiers of the units assigned to that sector.

At any given time, the PCP should give a clear picture of the fireground operation with the location and status of all fire department units at the scene, the fireground organization, and the names of the officials in charge of all outside agencies on scene.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PCP

• The main advantage of the PCP is that it verifies that the fire department is on the scene and in command. It is like the placing of the U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima during World War II. It left no doubt in anyone’s mind who was in command. This may seem like a trivial point, but during the 18 months that the PCPs have been in the field in each of our 11 divisions, this advantage has been the one most often cited.

Many times at major incidents, where numerous municipal agencies, utility companies, and private agencies (the Red Cross, for example) are operating, it is difficult for members of the news media or the city government or affected civilians to determine who is in charge of the incident.

The highly visible PCP marked with its fluorescent flag immediately identifies for all on the scene the agency in command as well as the location of the command post.

• It enables the IC to track the locations and status of all units operating at the scene. This is extremely important for the safety of all units. For example, if a dangerous situation-such as a collapse, backdraft, or flashover —develops, the IC immediately knows which units are in the danger area and which units can best assist the units in need.
• It allows the IC to determine from a quick look at a graphic depiction of the incident if all areas that need to be covered are properly covered.
• It enables the IC to develop the foreground organization by establishing the sectors necessary to effectively handle each specific incident. The sector commander and units assigned to each sector are immediately identifiable.
• It enables the IC to keep track of representatives of other agencies at the scene.
• It acts as a magnet for fire department units and representatives from other agencies reporting to the scene.
• If manned and operated by someone other than the IC, it enables the IC to move away from the PCP to focus on the incident, develop strategies for handling the incident, and discuss necessary actions with the concerned people without being interrupted by people reporting to the PCP.
• It aids in transferring command from one IC to another by having an accurate, graphic depiction of the incident and the up-to-the-minute status and location of each fire department unit assigned to the operation.
• It easily can be carried in any chief’s vehicle or apparatus, and the IC can establish a command post without waiting for specialized apparatus to arrive at the incident.
• It has its own lighting for night operations.
• It has a 25-watt radio to communicate directly with the central communications dispatch office.
• It can be set up in locations other than in the street —in the lobby or on the upper floors of a high-rise building, in a mall, on the platform of a subway or railroad station, or in a control room of a chemical or utility plant, for example.
• It has a clear vinyl rain cover to keep the working surfaces dry.
• It has enough room to install a cellular telephone, laptop computer, modem, portable fax machine, and other equipment that can be powered by the same battery generating power for the light and radio.

NFPA 1500, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, and SARA Title III recommend or require that a command post be set up at various incidents, but they do not give specifics pertaining to the design or construction of the command post. This PCP should meet the intent of these standards and laws and should be used not because a command post is required, but because it assists the IC in attaining the “best possible outcome” in any fire or emergency operation.