B-136 Incident Command Procedures Flashcards
Span of control is defined as the number of subordinates one supervisor can manage effectively. In emergency situations, the accepted limit is ____
five (5).
The organization’s staff builds from the top down with the responsibility and performance placed initially with the IC. As the need exists, four separate sections can be developed, each with several units, which may be established. These sections are identified as:
- Operations – All activities directed toward hazard reduction and control.
- Planning – Collection, evaluation, and dissemination of information.
- Logistics – Provides support needs to the incident.
- Finance/Administration – Responsible for all costs incurred at the incident.
In addition to the four sections, Command Staff may include the following:
- Safety Officer.
- Public Information Officer.
- Liaison Officer.
- IC Aide
The Command Sequence consists of four parts:
- Incident Priorities
- Size up
- Goals and Objectives
- Tactical Operations
Divisions – Are assigned to specific ____. Structural situations will be designated by the ____ and ____ shall be used for floors
- geographic areas
- letter system for the sides of the buildings with Division “A” being the front of the building (or legal street address side of the building),
- numbers (i.e. Division 5 for the fifth floor).
Groups – Are functional units that are identified by ____. Unit officers will report to the Division/Group Supervisor and receive orders prior to deploying their company to task work.
the function they perform (i.e. Salvage Group, Triage Group, etc.)
The first arriving unit activates the Command process by giving an initial radio report. This report should include:
- Unit designation of the Company/unit arriving on scene.
- A brief description of the incident situation (i.e. building type and dimension, hazardous materials release, mass casualty incident, etc.).
- Obvious conditions (working fire, vapor release, multiple patients, etc.).
- Brief description of action taken.
- Declaration of Strategy (this applies to structure fires, i.e. fast attack mode).
- Any obvious safety concerns.
- Assumption, identification and location of Command
a. Identification and location of Command shall be by geographical location or well-known landmark. Unit numbered command locations shall not be used. Example: “Engine 9 will be Palm Avenue Command”, “Engine 2 is establishing Courthouse Command”, “Battalion 10 is establishing Airport Command”.
Nothing Showing Mode / Investigation Mode
These situations generally require investigation by the initial arriving company while other units remain in a staged mode. The officer should go with the company to investigate while utilizing a portable radio to Command the incident. Example: “Engine 18 arrival at a two story office complex, nothing showing from three sides. Engine 18 establishing Rock Island Command and going to Nothing Showing Mode”.
Fast Attack Mode
Situations that require immediate action to stabilize and require the Company officer’s assistance and direct involvement in the attack. In these situations, the Company officer goes with the crew to provide the appropriate level of supervision.
Fast Attack Mode - Examples of these situations include:
a. Offensive fire attacks.
b. Critical life situations which must be achieved in a compressed time.
c. Any incident where the safety and welfare of firefighters is a major concern.
The fast attack mode should not last more than a few minutes and will end with one of the following:
d. The situation is stabilized.
e. The situation is not stabilized and the Company officer must withdraw to the exterior and establish an ICP. At some point, the Company officer must decide whether or not to withdraw the remainder of the crew, based on the crew’s experience.
f. Command is transferred to another ranking officer.
Defensive Mode –
The defensive mode is utilized when conditions or hazards preclude direct entry into the hazard zone. The Company officer’s declaration of a defensive mode signals to all responding units that complex operations will be involved. The Company officer assumes Command and directs initial operations from a safe distance until Command is transferred to a higher-ranking officer.
Command Mode –
Certain incidents by virtue of their size, complexity, or potential for rapid escalation, require immediate, strong, direct, overall Command. In such cases, the Company officer will initially assume an exterior, safe, effective and visible Command position and will maintain that position until Command can be assumed by a higher ranking officer. Due to the Company officer’s distraction of having to run Command, the balance of the crewmembers shall not be assigned any perilous duties until the officer can rejoin them. Example: “Engine 92 is on scene of an overturned chemical tanker with a large vapor cloud travelling east. Engine 92 is in the Command Mode and is establishing Sawgrass Expressway Command”.
Transitional Mode –
Transitional operations are those operations conducted as the incident strategy is switched from offensive to defensive or defensive to offensive. Any change in operational strategies shall be carefully communicated to all firefighters on the fire ground.
____ shall be conducted anytime an incident strategy goes from offensive to defensive attack mode (or vice versa).
A personnel accountability report (PAR)
