Ch. 11: Triggers, Traps, and Working Within Incident Command Systems Flashcards
What is the element that tips the scale toward making a difference?
The ability to communicate clearly and appeal to the safety sense tat can be sidestepped during working incidents.
The failure to work in harmony with the IC is also a failure in:
firefighter safety.
The basic approach of an ISO to help firefighters work more safely.
Work safe triggers
Basic guidelines for ISOs working alone:
- Always be in sight of another responder.
- Always be within shouting distance of another responder.
- Let somebody know where you are going if you are taking a tour of the incident scene.
- Don’t walk into, or breathe, smoke.
an intervention to make crews, command staff, and general staff aware that a hazard or injury potential exists.
soft intervention
Safety issues requiring intervention can be classified as:
imminent threats or potential concerns.
What is required if a threat is imminent?
Immediate intervention
Often a _______ ________ is all that is needed to prevent an injury.
simple reminder (soft intervention)
What is the use of humor, subtle reminders, information sharing, and “peer-talk” examples of?
soft interventions
What should not be used to stop, alter, or suspend actions or operations?
soft intervention
An intervention to immediately stop, alter, or suspend an action or operation due to an imminent threat.
firm intervention
An activity, condition, or inaction that will most certainly lead to an injury or death.
imminent threat
What should the ISO immediately do anytime a firm intervention is used?
Immediately relay the concern to the incident commander.
Matching the intervention to the degree of concern is essential to achieving buy-in with the person or crew in question.
Matching the intervention to the degree of concern is essential to achieving buy-in with the person or crew in question.
Trigger safe behaviors.
- Visibility
- Example
- Soft intervention
- Firm intervention
ISO “traps” that can wreck the program.
- The Bunker Cop
- The CYA Mode
- The Worker
The ISO who spends too much time looking for missing, damaged, or inappropriate use of personal protective equipment.
The Bunker Cop
The SIO who spends an inordinate amount of time ensuring that they are not held personally accountable for incident scene actions.
The CYA Mode
How can the ISO avoid the CYA label?
Practice “good intent” and “personal concern.”
Which trap approach is the ISO who is constantly citing CFRs, standards, and other numbered requirements as the reasons for bringing up safety concerns?
The CYA Mode
The ISO who pitches in and helps crews with their tasks falls into which trap?
The Worker trap
Who holds the responsibility for the safety of responders in virtually all incident management systems?
The Incident Commander
What key concepts should the ISO embrace to avoid trouble with the IC and to work toward a safe incident scene?
authority, communications, and a solution-driven approach
The assigned ISO must yield to the IC’s authority
Not pursue any argumentative approach to correcting tactics or strategies that the IC has implemented.
The IC-ISO relationship should be dynamic,
just like the progression of the fire or incident.
A vast majority of multifirefighter fatality incidents fault communication failure, most of which fall into one of three categories:
1) not enough communication
2) incomplete or fractured communication
3) a lack of communication prioritization (too much “chatter”)
What are the two primary means of communication typically used by the ISO?
Radio and face-to-face.
What should radio use be limited to for the ISO?
The communication of significant safety messages, hazards, and firm interventions.
While radio communication is often essential, which method is most effective in communicating with the IC and outside crews?
face-to-face
As a rule, the ISO should have face-to-face communication with the IC:
every 15 minutes at routine incidents and more frequently if conditions or factors change.
What approach should ISOs embrace, not only to present themselves as partners to the incident commander, but also to enhance their credibility?
the solution-driven approach
What communication steps does the standard solution-driven approach consists of?
1) Here’s what I see (factual observation)
2) Here’s what I think it means (your judgment about the hazard)
3) This is what I would do (your solution)
4) What do you think?
A trained overhead IMS team with specific expertise and organized to deploy to incidents for management functions that exceed those available at the local level.
incident management team (IMT)
IMT Types
Type 5: Local, agency, or jurisdiction specific Type 4: Multiagency or jurisdiction Type 3: Regional Type 2: State Type 1: National
What should the ISO do when they are involved in unusual, prolonged, or a technically complex incident arises and become overwhelmed?
Request the assignment of an assistant safety officer (ASO).
What is the manageable span of control for the ISO?
A ration of five ASOs to one ISO.
Technically competent incident safety officers are only as effective as their ability to trigger safe behavior.
These triggers can be classified as passive or active.
Which unit can be created for the ISO that contains
specialists with the training, certification and/or
expertise to help address responder safety issues?
Technical safety
What title should be given to the assistant safety officer
at a confined space incident?
ASO-rescue tech
Which type of intervention is used to make crews, command staff and general staff aware that a hazard of injury potential exists?
Soft
What type of approach should the ISO strive for to avoid
trouble with the IC?
Solution-driven
What element tips the scale toward the ISO making a
difference?
Communication ability
Who should the ISO relay the concern to anytime a firm
intervention is used?
Incident commander
Which would have the greater capability under the classic wildfire typing system?
Type 1 widget
What is the basic approach of an ISO to help firefighters
work more safely?
Work safe triggers
How often should the ISO have face to face communication with the IC at routine incidents as a rule?
15 minutes
What is useful when making soft interventions?
Interjecting humor
Which IMT type includes automatic and mutual aid
responses?
Type 4
Which IMT type is on a state level?
Type 2
What is presented to the IC that is a factual observation?
Here is what I see.
What is the last step in the solution-driven approach of
communicating a concern to the IC?
What do you think?
Which is NOT a correct statement of guidelines following
the ISO when working alone?
Walk quickly if you must be in smoke
What should be used to identify the ISO during radio
communication?
“Safety”
Which type of intervention is used to immediately stop an
action or operation due to an imminent threat?
Firm
Which IMT type is capable of functioning in an IMS that
involves the utilization of significant numbers of federal
level resources?
Type 1
What is the hands-on responder management part of NIMS?
ICS
Which did Albert Schweitzer say?
Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.
What trap is the ISO avoiding by staying mobile and
observant?
The worker
What should be used when a soft intervention is not
effective in bringing about change?
Stern advisory
How many assistants is considered a manageable number for
the ISO?
5
After what amount of time on scene should the ISO make
sure he eats something?
2 hours
What purpose does the wearing of a safety vest serve on
the incident scene?
Visibility
Which trap causes the ISO to miss the big picture?
Bunker cop syndrome
Which is one of the more common methods of communication
between the ISO and IC?
Radio
Which is NOT something the ISO should be very concerned about?
Skill issues
Which is considered to be the most effective method for
the ISO to communicate with the IC and outside crews?
Face to face
Which corner of the incident scene should the ISO start
from if no partner is available when performing
reconnaissance?
Bravo-Charlie
What should the ISO practice to avoid the CYA label?
Personal concern
Organizationally who does the ISO typically report to?
Incident commander
Who should the ISO request an ASO from when he is not able
to perform all of the safety functions at an incident?
Incident commander
Which should NOT be done by the ISO when making a concern
known to the IC?
Argue his point continuously
Which IMT type is on a regional level?
Type 3
Which IMT type is local, agency or jurisdiction specific?
Type 5
