10-01 Emergency Incident Response - Definitions

Question 1

Access means:

Answer 1

the approach or point of entrance to the scene.

Question 2

Command Post means:

Answer 2

a place near the scene of an emergency incident where members report for instructions and information. The command post should be located at a safe distance and near other emergency services command posts.

Question 3

Egress means:

Answer 3

the exit or way out of the scene.

Question 4

Emergency means:

Answer 4

a situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident or an act whether intentional or otherwise.
(Source: Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, S. 1).

Question 5

Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) means:

Answer 5

a facility operated by the City of Toronto specifically established to conduct the overall management of an emergency. The Toronto Police Service is one of many agencies represented. The Toronto EOC is located at 703 Don Mills Road, 6th Floor.

Question 6

Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC)-

Answer 6

s a committee, chaired by the Staff Superintendent – Public Safety Operations, comprised of subject matter experts from every command pillar within the Toronto Police Service (Service). The EPC focus is on mitigation, preparedness planning, response and recovery; ensuring appropriate planning, investigative and response capabilities are available within the Service.

Question 7

Hold and Secure means:

Answer 7

that all movement in and out of the school is restricted and external doors locked, however, movement within the school is not restricted as the external danger near the school poses no immediate threat to the students or staff unless they leave the building.

Question 8

Incident Commander means:

Answer 8

the police officer who has taken charge of the incident and who is in charge at the Command Post and, in conjunction with other emergency services commanders, is responsible for coordinating and managing police response at an incident.

Question 9

Incident Commander Cadre (ICC) means:

Answer 9

Toronto Police Service Senior Officers who have been trained as incident commanders and are available 24/7 on an on–call basis and may be activated through the Inspector – Emergency Management & Public Order (EM&PO).

Question 10

Incident Management System (IMS) means:

Answer 10

the model of police on–site response to emergencies and disasters based on the Incident Command System, adopted by the Province of Ontario. The IMS provides the functional infrastructure necessary for the appropriate and efficient use of police resources.

Question 11

Incident Management Team (IMT) means:

Answer 11

Service members trained in IMS whose responsibilities are to attend the command post and manage site operations for Level 2 – Major Incidents and Level 3 – Disaster Incidents. Emergency Management & Public Order maintains a list of qualified team members.

Question 12

Level 1 – Emergency Response means:

Answer 12

the general response activities and resources to mitigate the situation of any incident. Members respond quickly to the report of an emergency situation to gather information, assess the situation, and determine whether additional members and specialized response is required. Many emergency incidents are resolved within a short period of time, using resources available at the divisional level.

Question 13

Level 2 – Major Incident means:

Answer 13

an emergency incident which exceeds a division’s normal operational resources and requires additional support, or multiple agency co–ordination at the site and some degree of external support. Level 2 - Major Incidents may continue for an extended period of time and require a site Command Post and/or the Major Incident Command Centre (MICC).

Question 14

Level 3 – Disaster Incident means

Answer 14

an incident that may affect a significant portion of the population, may continue for a long period of time and may require an extensive recovery period. Response to a disaster may require the activation of the Major Incident Command Centre (MICC), the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), political direction and support, and the official declaration of a disaster in accordance with Municipal Code 59 and the provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

Question 15

Lockdown means:

Answer 15

that all movement in and out of the school and within the school is restricted as the danger is inside the school or is on school property and poses an immediate threat to the students or staff.

Question 16

Major Incident Command Centre (MICC) means:

Answer 16

the facility specifically established to coordinate the Service’s operational response to a major event or emergency. Emergency Management and Public Order (EM&PO) – Public Safety is tasked by Public Safety Operations with the care, maintenance and oversight of the MICC during operational periods. The MICC is located at Toronto Police Headquarters, 40 College Street, 12th Floor. However, it may be temporarily located offsite pending the unique circumstances of the major event or emergency.

Question 17

Material means:

Answer 17

a member of Corporate Communications who has been authorized by the Unit Commander – Corporate Communications to release information to the media.

Question 18

Senior Management Team (SMT) includes-

Answer 18

the Chief of Police, Command Officers, Staff Superintendents and Directors, and any other member as determined by the Chief of Police.

Question 19

Shelter in Place requires-

Answer 19

that people enter and remain in a building with the doors and windows closed due to an external environmental threat. Fans, including heating and air conditioning units, should be turned off to prevent air from outside entering the building. Normal operations may continue within the building.

Question 20

Staging means:

Answer 20

a determined off–site location where responding personnel and appropriate equipment initially report to await details before entering the emergency site itself.

Question 21

Toronto Emergency Management Program Committee (TEMPC) means:

Answer 21

a committee comprised of the Mayor and key representatives from local boards, city agencies, and other agencies and organizations, responsible for the overall management of Level 3 – Disaster Incidents. During these emergencies, this group is collectively responsible for the direction and co–ordination of emergency response operations within the City.

Question 22

Unified Command means:

Answer 22

a team of people representing involved agencies with responsibility for the incident, which jointly provide management direction to an incident through a common set of incident objectives and strategies established at the command level. [Source: U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)].

Question 23

Police Explosive Technician means:

Answer 23

means any police officer who has completed the appropriate training as approved by the Chief of Police to maintain the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities to perform their work.

Question 24

ETF Tactical Commander means:

Answer 24

a member of Specialized Emergency Response – Emergency Task Force (ETF) who has completed an Incident Commanders Hostage/Barricaded Persons course at the Canadian Police College, or other recognized Police training agency.

Although the Incident Commander has control over all police response at an incident, the Supervisor – ETF will have control of all aspects of ETF tactical operations. In relation to a bomb threat and/or explosion, the Supervisor–Emergency Management & Public Order – Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) will have control of all aspects of EDU operations.

Question 25

Scene means:

Answer 25

the entire area of the incident, including both the inner and outer perimeters.

Question 26

Terrorism means:

Answer 26

the criminal use of violence, intimidation or coercion, or the threat of such violence to influence the behaviour of others by a terrorist activity.