THE ART OF INCIDENT COMMAND

THE ART OF INCIDENT COMMAND

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

BY GARY P. MORRIS

Incident management is serious business. Firefighter safety and the civilian lives and property are at risk. The following “Rules of Engagement” will allow more effective management of incident operations.

1. Incident command. The first fire officer on the scene must assume and an-nounce command. A single incident commander (IC) must direct all other responding agencies. Few incidents have only a fire department response. The incident command system (ICS) creates an organization that allows all players to participate in a controlled, organized manner. Freelancing by anyone, including other agencies, should be strictly prohibited.

2. Passing command. Passing command creates a gap in the command process and compromises firefighter safety. There is no one in a better position to know what`s going on at the incident and its current needs than the first-arriving officer currently on the scene. It is far more effective for the first officer to assume and retain command using a portable radio. Once another company or chief officer arrives, command can be transferred to that officer.

3. Transfer of command. The fact that a senior officer has arrived on the scene does not mean automatically that he is now ready to assume command. That arriving officer must first be briefed by the officer currently in command through a formalized command transfer process. The incident command transfer usually is between the first-arriving company officer and the first-arriving chief officer and usually takes place over the radio. The chief officer, who has been monitoring the incident radio traffic, obtains a brief radio report on conditions, progress, and needs from the current commander. Usually, this is early in the incident, when few units are committed, and the incident is not too complex. Command transfer over the radio is acceptable in these circumstances. However, later-arriving senior officers must assume command face-to-face at the command post. Face-to-face command transfer with a more detailed briefing is absolutely essential in complex operations. All transfers must be acknowledged between the officers in-volved.

4. Command organization. The IC must develop a command organization that quickly catches up with and stays ahead of incident needs. The IC develops this organizational structure by using sectors, divisions, or groups. Sectors should be assigned to the first companies assigned to each geographic area (e.g., north sector) or function (e.g., ventilation sector). Delaying command organization development compromises effective operations. Additional companies are assigned to and work for the various sector officers, who must have portable radios.

5. Span of control. The number of sectors the IC can effectively supervise and control depends on several factors. Complex and fast-moving incidents may require a tight span of control (of no more than five sectors) before the incident is further divided into branches. Newly promoted or acting officers may have limited experience and require close supervision. Slow-moving, noncomplex operations, such as a haz-mat spill and cleanup, can be managed effectively using a greater number of sectors without going to a branch operation. Two or more distinctively different situations at the scene (e.g., a plane crash with fire and injured persons) may require an early branch division (fire branch and medical branch).

6. Radio codes. Effective and concise communications are critical. Radio codes have no place on the fireground. If you have something to say, say it in plain old English.

7. Communications order model. The fact that a company used a “10-4” on the radio to acknowledge receiving an order does not mean the company received and understood the order and is taking correct action. The communications order model requires a brief repeat of the order to allow command to confirm that it is fully understood. If the repeat-back is inaccurate or confused, the IC can intercede and restate the order before the company is committed to the wrong position or action.

8. Strategy, plan, and objectives. The IC must quickly determine a strategy–offensive or defensive–to manage operations. A plan to resolve the emergency quickly follows. The IC communicates the plan to various sectors by assigning specific objectives for each sector to accomplish. Objectives are the pieces to the puzzle that must be completed to achieve success on the fireground.

9. Progress reports. The incident always starts with little, often inaccurate information about the emergency. The IC cannot make effective decisions without good and accurate information. Command obtains information from the various sectors and other sources through progress reports. Progress reporting should be ongoing throughout the incident, occurring frequently in the early stages of the incident and less so as the incident stabilizes. Critical progress reports from sector officers (or company officers) should occur when progress is achieved, or when progress cannot be achieved, or when there are any safety concerns. All progress reports should be brief and concise.

10. Staging. All major incidents should use staging to control scene access and allow the IC time to make effective decisions before committing fire companies. All major incidents should have resource reserves in a staging area (sector).

11. Command post. Once a chief officer assumes command, a stationary command post in a vehicle, such as a battalion car, must be established and the location announced. The IC must remain at that location. A “mobile” IC roving the fireground is not in complete control of the incident. A stationary command post allows representatives from all responding agencies a means to quickly locate the incident commander and to be appropriately integrated into the command organization. The command post also permits the development of a command team of section chiefs and the use of liaison officers. Using special command post vehicles also enhances command post operations. The command team can operate in a climate-controlled environment with adequate lighting, table space, seating, communication systems, and so forth. Command post vehicles also control entry to the command post.

12. Tactical worksheets. Even the best IC can only retain so much information in mental memory. Firefighter safety requires that the IC have complete and accurate knowledge of where all firefighters and companies are operating. A preprinted tactical worksheet permits an organized and standard approach to documenting incident activities. The worksheet should list companies en route or in staging, companies committed, an organization chart showing which sector each company is working in, and space to sketch the fireground and note where companies are located at the incident scene. Tactical worksheets also allow a more effective transfer of command when the information is written down and listed at the same location on the form. The worksheet must be initiated very early in the incident and maintained and updated throughout.

13. Resources. Additional resources must be called as early as first indicated–even prior to arrival on the scene if necessary. The first-arriving officer must have full authority to request additional resources.

14. Plan revision. The IC must continually reevaluate and revise the incident plan and site activities as needed. Conditions are constantly changing, and changes affect the plan. The incident plan, strategy, and objectives must stay ahead of or at least match these changes.

15. Safety. Firefighter safety is everybody`s responsibility. Command must ensure a safe operation and assign a safety officer. The safety officer (or any other firefighter) should have full authority to intervene and correct safety concerns without delay (e.g., order crews out of the buildings). Any interventions that affect the incident plan or strategy must be immediately reported to the incident commander.

16. Chief officers. As the incident escalates, the IC should attempt to fill all sector positions held by company officers with chief officers. Using chief officers enhances the command organization and allows company officers to return to supervising their crews. A special call for additional chief officers should be requested in the same manner that you request additional alarms or mutual aid.

17. Rapid intervention company. All significant incidents should have a designated rapid intervention company (RIC) standing by at the incident. The RIC can respond quickly to reports of lost or injured firefighters. More than one RIC may be needed for large or complex incidents.

18. Accountability. All operations must be conducted with a firefighter accountability system in place. The IC, sector officers, and accountability officers must have a constant and accurate knowledge of where every member is operating and the ability to detect delays in their exiting the building. Roll calls of fireground personnel must be conducted at major milestones in incident management (e.g., after evacuation or after reports of fire control) to ensure all firefighters are accounted for.

19. Emergency signals. The IC must be able to communicate emergencies to all firefighters on the fireground. An emergency signal that gets everyone`s attention is needed. A special tone on the radio channel is the most effective signal. Other signals include various apparatus horn blasts or sirens. Once the signal sounds, a radio message describing the emergency should follow. When it`s time to evacuate the building, the troops need to know about it in a hurry!

20. Decommitment. The decommitment of companies and other resources must be managed in an organized fashion. Crews may require rehabilitation and decontamination, and equipment must be collected. Effective incident management does not end with a declaration of fire under control. n

Use of command vehicles can benefit the command operation. Climate control, table space, improved communications, and space to collect the command team staff enhance the incident commander`s ability to command. (Photos by Jack Jordan.)

(Top) Tactical worksheets permit a standardized approach to document where companies are working on the fireground and must always be used. (Bottom) A “mobile” incident commander will compromise his ability to command. A stationary command post in a vehicle should be established early in the incident.

GARY P. MORRIS, a 32-year veteran of the fire service, is deputy chief of the Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department. He directs the Emergency Services Institute, the department`s regional training academy.