Kitchener Fire Department
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The History of the Incident Management System
The first vestiges of the incident command system originated in California in the early 1970‘s. At about that time the California forestry service was working on FIRESCOPE. The FIRESCOPE incident command system was used to organize large scale incidents for California‘s wild land fires.
At about the same time Phoenix Fire Dept. was looking at methods to better control and co-ordinate the actions of the department‘s crews at normal incidents. While FIRESCOPE was tailored to serve expansive incidents with hundreds of firefighters and crews and was more formal and structured. Phoenix had tailored its new management system to about a third alarm incident and was more —how to“ based and less formal.
In the late 1980‘s after 10 years of bickering, the International Association of Fire Chiefs asked Chief Alan Brunicini and members of FIRESCOPE camp to get together to see if some areas of commonality could be created. Members of the Phoenix Fire Dept and FIRESCOPE sat down in Phoenix in July 1990. These meetings lasted several days and were moderated by The National Fire Academy.
The result was the Incident Management System that is the accepted practice in the US and Canada. The following outlines the IMS with Kitchener specific content that will make it relevant for KFD personnel.
Model Procedures Guide for Structural Firefighting 2nd edition is the reference material used to produce this document. This is the standard used at the OFC to instruct Fire Dept company officers in Ontario.
PURPOSE:
To provide an effective and functional system of managing resources at operating incidents. This policy describes and identifies the standard operating procedures to be employed in establishing Command and operating a Command Post. It also fixes responsibility for the Command function and its associated duties on one individual at any time during the operations. The process provides a means of uniformity throughout the department utilizing common terminology, a manageable span of control and a modular and expandable structure which lends itself to emergency situations of all sizes and complexity.
POLICY:
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Command Officers will utilize this system of Command at all emergencies using the appropriate organization relating to the size and complexity of the problem faced.
COMMAND PROCEDURES:
The Command Officer is responsible for the command functions at all times. As the identity of the Command person changes, through transfers of command, this responsibility shifts with the title. The term "Command" in this procedure refers jointly to both the person and the function. The term "company" refers to an assigned crew on any emergency response vehicle.
Command Procedures are designed to accomplish the following:
1. Fix the responsibility for Command on a certain individual through a standard identification system depending on the arrival sequence of members, companies and officers.
2. Insure that strong, direct and visible Command is established as early as possible in the operation.
3. Establish an effective operational framework outlining the activities and responsibilities assigned to Command and to all individuals operating within the system.
4. Provide a system to process information to support incident management, planning, and decision making.
5. Provide a system for the orderly transfer of Command to subsequent arriving officers.
Command is responsible for four basic FIRE GROUND OBJECTIVES:
1. Provide for the safety of response personnel.
2. Rescue and remove endangered occupants and treat the injured.
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3. Stop the fire or control the emergency.
4. Conserve property after emergency control is achieved.
Command is responsible for the following ten FUNCTIONS as required by the circumstances of the situation:
1. Assume and confirm Command - take an effective position.
2. Initiate and monitor personnel accountability.
3. Rapidly evaluate the situation (size-up).
4. Initiate, maintain and control the communications process.
5. Identify and communicate the strategy, develop an attack plan and assign units.
6. Develop the appropriate emergency scene organization. Level 1, 2 or 3
7. Provide tactical objectives within the framework of standard operating procedures.
8. Request and assign additional resources as required.
9. Establish and monitor RIT, Safety Officer, Rehab and Staging
10. Provide for the continuity, transfer and termination of command.
All of these functions are responsibilities of Command, whether or not Command is transferred from one individual to another. The first five (5) functions must be addressed immediately from the initial assumption of Command.
ESTABLISHING COMMAND:
The first Fire Suppression unit to arrive at the scene of multiple unit responses shall assume Command. He/she shall remain in command until
1. relieved by a ranking officer.
2. command is transferred
3. the incident is terminated.
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A single unit response automatically places Command with the Officer of that vehicle and does not necessarily require the "In Command" acknowledgement. The purpose of the "In Command" statement is for the information of incoming units and the Communications Centre. All other requirements of an initial report, the handling of the incident and subsequent progress reports shall use the same process as if there were multiple units on scene scaled down to the resources of the single unit.
Initial Report:
The person assuming Command shall transmit a brief initial radio report including:
1. Name, Unit identification on the scene, confirming assumption of Command and location of Command. 2. Brief building or incident description (type of occupancy, size, number of people involved, size of spill, etc.)
3. Visible fire or emergency conditions.
4. Action being taken (brief description).
5. Declaration of the strategy being used. i.e. Offensive, defensive
6. Any obvious safety concerns.
Radio Designation:
The radio designation "COMMAND" will be used
A reference description of the incident location (i.e. King Street Command) may be used with more than one incident on the same channel
This designation will not change through the duration of the incident. No unit number is required in this concept and so no one has to remember which vehicle designation is in command.
COMMAND OPTIONS:
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In cases when the initial arriving officer is a Platoon Chief, efforts should automatically be directed towards establishing a Command Post and fulfilling the listed Command Functions.
An identified Command location remote from a vehicle may be required in specific instances.
When the Incident Commander chooses to be away from the designated command post he/she shall indicate on the air that Command is mobile. When the incident commander returns to the command post he/she should indicate on the radio.
When Command is initially assumed by a Captain, that officer must decide on an appropriate commitment for their company which will usually fall into one of the three general modes listed below:
1. Nothing Showing Mode:
These situations generally require investigation by the first arriving pumper while holding staged companies at a distance. Normally the officer should go with the company to check while utilizing a portable radio to command the incident.
2. Fast Attack Mode:
These situations require immediate action to stabilize the situation; i,e interior fires in residences, apartments or small commercial occupancies and require the officer to quickly decide how to commit his/her company. Where a fast interior attack is critical, utilization of the portable radio will permit the necessary involvement in the attack without neglecting Command responsibilities. This mode should not last more than a few minutes and will end with one of the following.
A. Situation is stabilized.
B. Command is passed to next arriving company.
C. A command officer arrives and Command is transferred.
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D. Situation is not stabilized and the officer must withdraw to the exterior and establish a Command Mode to organize additional assignments and actions.
3. Command Mode:
These situations require an immediate Command by virtue of the size of the fire, the complexity or potential of the occupancy or the possibility of extension and require strong, direct, overall Command from the outset. In such cases, the officer will initially assume a Command position and maintain that position until relieved by a Platoon Chief. The use of a Tactical Work Sheet should be utilized to assist in managing these situations and simplifying transfer of Command.
If a company officer assumes the Command Mode it will generally be in a defensive strategy. The following options are available with regard to the assignment of the remaining crew members.
1. Command will generally direct the company and place the company into action. The individual and collective capability of the crew will regulate this action.
2. The Officer may assign the crew members to another company, to work under the supervision of the officer of that company. In such cases, the officer must communicate with the receiving officer and indicate the assignment of those personnel.
The company officer assuming Command has a choice of modes and degrees of personal involvement in the attack, but continues to be fully responsible for the identified tasks assigned to the Command function. In all cases, the initiative and judgement of the officer are of great importance.
PASSING COMMAND:
The practice of passing command is not a recommended practice. Passing command to an officer not on scene may cause a gap in the command process and compromise the incident management.
In certain situations it may be advantageous for the first arriving company officer to "Pass Command" to the next arriving company officer. This is indicated when the initial commitment of the first arriving company requires a full crew (i.e., a high-rise building or an immediate rescue situation) and the next arriving company or command officer is on the scene or close behind.
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The initial arriving officer will give an initial on scene radio report and advise that Command will be passed. The initial arriving company officer retains responsibility for Command until the next unit arrives and acknowledges the transfer. The Communications Centre will confirm that the next unit assumes Command.
The use of passing command should rarely be used and the formal transfer of command is preferred.
TRANSFER OF COMMAND:
The first Fire Service unit to arrive on the scene shall assume and retain command until relieved by a second officer within the following guidelines:
1. The first arriving Captain will automatically assume Command.
2. The arriving Platoon Chief or Acting Platoon Chief will automatically assume Command after the transfer of command procedure has been completed.
3. In cases of major disasters or complex tactical situations that are beyond the span of control of the Command Officer, a ranking Senior officer may assume the role of Incident Commander after transfer of command procedures have been completed. The (Platoon Chief) Command Officer may continue to be in charge as Operations Officer
4. In all other situations (second or third alarms) assumption of Command is discretionary for the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief.
TRANSFER OF COMMAND PROCEDURE Within the chain of command indicated above, the actual transfer of command will be regulated by the following procedures.
1. The officer assuming Command will communicate with the person being relieved by radio or preferably face-to-face on arrival.
2. The person being relieved will brief the officer assuming Command indicating the following:
Incident conditions œ fire location and extent, haz mat spill, number of patients etc.
Incident action plan œ defensive attack from e-2 and e-3
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Progress towards tactical objectives
Safety considerations
Assignment of resources
3. The person being relieved should review action and progress with the Command officer. This process could utilize a Tactical Work Sheet which will provide the most effective framework for Command transfer as it outlines the location and status of resources in a standard form that should be well known to all members.
4. The officer assuming command will transmit a brief radio message to all on scene that he or she is taking command and include the location of command.
Operational Strategies:
For fire ground operations there are basically only two modes of strategy. These are Offensive or Defensive. The offensive and defensive modes are independent events. Effective fire operations are conducted either inside or outside of the building. Any mixture of the two generally sets the stage for loss of life or property.
Offensive Operation: - Fire Situation
During an offensive operation, fire conditions will allow an interior attack. In this situation, hand lines are extended into the fire area to support the primary search and to control the fire, while related offensive support activities are provided to clear the way for the attack. This mode is aggressive and quickly moves to "blast" the fire from the inside and extinguish it.
Defensive Operation: - Fire Situation
During the defensive operation, fire conditions prevent an interior attack so large exterior fire streams will be placed between the fire and the exposures to prevent fire extension. This mode is a heavy-duty, cut-off oriented approach. It may include operating exterior streams around a large or inaccessible fire area that is essentially burning itself out. During active defensive operations, perimeter control becomes critical since fire fighters should not enter the fire area. The I.C. concedes property to the fire and decides where the cut off will take place.
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Marginal Operation: - Fire situation
Marginal is an offensive strategy when rescue is possible. It is a transitional state of constant monitoring. A difficult and dangerous situation on the fire ground occurs when conditions are near the end of the offensive scale and at the beginning of the defensive scale. The IC may initiate a cautious offensive attack while constantly re-evaluating conditions and the effect the attack is having on the fire. When the I.C. first makes a strategic decision, he/she does so knowing that there may be changes. He/she has to extend, manage and control the entire operation within the context of the basic strategy he/she selects, always prepared for changes.
Other
- Command officers should eliminate all unnecessary radio traffic while responding unless such communications are required to ensure that Command functions are initiated and completed. This allows the person initially in command to give a clear on scene report and continue to give updated progress reports as needed.
- It is the responsibility of all incident commanders to give clear direction to tactical officers. In turn it is the tactical officers‘ responsibility to keep command informed of progress and when tasks are completed through radio updates when appropriate.
- The arrival of a ranking officer on the emergency scene does not necessarily mean Command has been transferred to that officer. Command is transferred only when the outlined communication functions have been completed.
- It is the responsibility of the initial on scene Captain to transfer command to the arriving Platoon Chief or Acting Platoon Chief as soon as possible.
- The response and arrival of ranking officers on the fire ground strengthens the overall command function. All Senior Officers will exercise their Command prerogative in a supportive manner that will insure a smooth and effective operation, often only assuming responsibilities of Strategy Support, Technical Assistance, Planning, Media and Political Relations.
- In all situations the person relieved of Command will be utilized to best advantage by the officer assuming Command.
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COMMAND STRUCTURE:
It is the responsibility of Command to develop an organizational structure using standard operating procedures to effectively manage fire ground operations. The development of the organizational structure should begin with the implementation of the initial tactical control measures and may continue through a number of phases, depending on the size and complexity of the particular situation. The objective must be to develop the command organization at a pace which stays ahead of or even with the tactical deployment of companies.
The basic configuration of a Command structure includes three elements:
-- STRATEGIC - overall incident command
-- TACTICAL - direction of sectors and functions
-- TASK - company activities
Strategic - involves the overall command of the incident and includes establishing major objectives, setting priorities, allocating resources, predicting outcomes, determining the appropriate mode of operations (offensive or defensive) and assigning specific objectives to Tactical Level units.
Tactical - may include Captain level officers directing activities toward specific objectives. Tactical Level officers include sector officers, in charge of grouped resources operating in assigned areas or providing special functions at the scene of an incident. The accumulated achievement of tactical objectives should accomplish strategic level objectives.
Task - refers to those activities normally accomplished by individual companies or specific personnel. Task Level activities are routinely supervised by company officers. The accumulated achievement of Task Level activities should accomplish tactical objectives.
FIRST LEVEL ORGANIZATION: Level 1
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