Fire Command

Question 1

The incident commander is called upon to —— and ——-the manual labor required to produce an —- and ——-incident outcome, so the command functions must (if they are to be effective) be closely connected to all ——– that make up the incident response

Answer 1

Orchestrate and support
Effective and standard
Moving parts

Question 2

The plain and simple objective of the incident commander is to always perform whatever amount of command (no more, no less) it takes to

Answer 2

Produce safe, effective action and continually adjust to match the changing needs of a dynamic incident

Question 3

What type of incident commander does the operation require?

Answer 3

A lucid, competent incident commander, actively in attendance, who can pull the trigger at the right time and aim the command cannon in the right direction.

Question 4

The upfront section is arranged and three basic clumps:

Answer 4

1) what changes – what doesn’t
2) The incident commander
3) The IMS package

Question 5

Actively coaching the troops through the change process is

Answer 5

A major role of good bosses. Sensibly sorting out what has, from what hasn’t, changed house workers use current capabilities as the launching pad for developing new skills that match what hasn’t he changed

Question 6

IMS development has created the capability to proactively – ahead of the event – build a set of standard operating procedures that creates a consistent

Answer 6

Organizational command plan

Question 7

Forms a simple, doable plan that outlines the moves and formations of the incident commander and the command team

Answer 7

The Eight standard command functions

Question 8

Why was that the lack of pre-incident planning really a problem in the beginning of the event?

Answer 8

1) We had no standard starting point for command and operations
2) Front and confusion typically produced an out of control beginning
3) we spent the rest of the incident trying to catch up to being under control

Question 9

The “nonsystem”(before IMS developed) produced and a lot of breakdowns that occurred over and over – one old sage called it

Answer 9

Practicing mistakes

Question 10

Operational problems are—– and —–

Command problems are

Answer 10

Operational problems are physical and tactical; command problems are organizational based leadership problems.

Question 11

What IMS has changed is how the IC and the command/ops team will —— themselves when they respond at the timeless stuff that all comes together to cause an incident to be an incident.

Answer 11

Manage

Question 12

What is BIMS and AIMS?

Answer 12

Before IMS and after IMS
A practical and accurate way for us to observe what IMS has changed is to compare a series of old BIMS snapshots with those of a new AIMS response

Question 13

Before ICS(BIMS) there was no such phrase as “incident commander”.BIMS used the term

Answer 13

Fire ground commander(FGC)

Question 14

An important IMS change involves the IC developing an

Answer 14

Incident action plan
The capital IAP provides the plan for how our action will make contact with the incident problem – this engagement becomes the essence of why we are in business

Question 15

What standard strategies are the foundation of the incident action plan

Answer 15

The standard offensive/marginal/defensive

Question 16

The incident action plan creates what type of connection between the incident commander and the operational team?

Answer 16

Predictable, dependable, and very practical

Question 17

When the incident commander arrives on scene (after we start operations) what standard set of briefing questions do they ask?

Answer 17

1) waddaya got?
2)Waddaya doin?
3)whatsit doin?
4)waddaya need?
5) Is everybody okay?
The IAP provides a quick answer to #2; The ongoing answers to #1 and #4 will describe how waddaya doin will answer #3. The answer to #5 will indicate if we should keep fighting a run

Question 18

As we trudge through the eight command functions, we must continually connect the IC doing his/her job with the

Answer 18

actual physical labor that quickly solves the customers problem

Question 19

The basic objectives for command assumption is for command to always

Answer 19

Start in a standard way upon our arrival at the incident

Question 20

It is important to have the initial arriving officer to assume command from their arrival because

Answer 20

The first arrived is really the only person who can directly evaluate conditions and use the observable information to develop on scene decisions

Question 21

The term command refers to

Answer 21

Jointly to the person, the functions, and the location of command, and provides a standard identification tag for the incident commander

Question 22

Within and affected IMS system function replaces

Answer 22

Rank and hopefully displaces ego

Question 23

The basic agreement among the response team that keeps IMS going is that the first arriver becomes the IC and responders, who arrived after command is established, doing the following three things:

Answer 23

1) following staging SOP’s (Park/announce position/listen/look/waiting for orders)
2) staged units receive and acknowledge orders from the incident commander
3) go to work on the incident commanders order/work under the incident commanders command

Question 24

Assuming command at the very beginning of operations eliminates the

Answer 24

Zero impact command. (ZIP) caused by initial commanded confusion, roving, multiple commanders, or free enterprise or all of the above

Question 25

The fast action mode should be concluded rapidly with one of the following outcomes:

Answer 25

1) The situation is quickly stabilized (incident problem is solved) by fast offensive of action
2) command is transferred from the fast action company officer IC to a later arriving company/command officer
3) for whatever reason the situation is not stabilized, the fast action company officer IC moves to and exterior (stationary) command position and is now in the command mode

Question 26

When a company officer assumes the command mode, he/she has several options with regard to crew assignments. The initial company officer IC may:

Answer 26

1) move up and acting officer within the company
2) A sign company personnel to staff (aide) functions to assist the IC
3) A sign company personnel to another company

Question 27

The standard initial arriving report should include:

Answer 27

unit designation, arrival, assumption of command, conditions, and the name and location of that command post

Question 28

Regular operating units/officers arriving at an incident with an in place IC must fall under one of the following four standard status categories

Answer 28

1) use regular arriving procedures (staging), receive an assignment from the incident commander, and then work under the incident commanders command
2) transfer and take command, if you out rank the current incident commander
3) if requested, take command from the incident commander by virtue of having higher rank/qualification, following standard procedures, or agreement/request (“Please take command”)
4) join the incident commander and become part of the command team

Question 29

Describe the standard command position/location

Answer 29

A stationary one, inside a command vehicle or a piece of response apparatus that is then, called the “command post”

Question 30

The command post should be situated in a standard and predictable location that affords the incident commander a good view of the scene and surrounding area. Ideally, it would also offer a vantage/viewpoint of

Answer 30

Two sides of the situation generally the front and most critical side

Question 31

Effective control by the IC equals

Answer 31

Worker safety

Question 32

Size up is a systematic process consisting of the rapid, yet deliberate, consideration of –– —- —- which lead to the development of a rational –

Answer 32

Critical incident factors

Action plan based on these critical factors

Question 33

The incident commander uses a combination of these for basic information forms:

Answer 33

1) previous experiences
2) Visual
3) reported/reconnaissance
4) pre-incident planning and familiarity

Question 34

What is the most common information form that the incident commander uses?

Answer 34

Visual, is the most common factor used for initial and ongoing incident valuation by the incident commander and the most natural factor for action oriented responders

Question 35

Information from past experiences create the ability to better no tactically

Answer 35

What to do and how to do it, and personally how to act in that situation

Question 36

The five basic tactical priorities

Answer 36

1) Life safety
2) incident stabilization
3) property conservation
4) responder/worker safety
5) customer service

Question 37

The initial evaluation for each incident begins

Answer 37

At the time the alarm is received

Question 38

Some of the exterior conditions at typically are easily identifiable visually include:

Answer 38

1)Area arrangement – streets, alleys, buildings, potential exposures, access obstacles
2)Hazard evaluation – fire, EMS, hazmat, special rescue, etc.
3)Hazard size – what is the scale of the actual and forecasted problem
Incident building detail – building type, size, height, layout detail, occupancy, name, type of construction, age and general condition, and structural stability
4) fire conditions – what’s burning, size, location, products of combustion, amount and color of fuel smoke, run off
5) status of humans – condition, location, sanity, behavior, and general welfare of those visible to the incident commander – which way are the people running?
6) physical threats – bad guys, violence, disorder, weapons, gang activity, crime scenes
7) resource status – placement, use, and if Effectiveness of apparatus and activities of personnel
8) effects of operational action – what impact are incident operations having on solving the incident problem

Question 39

While the incident is underway, the critical information factor management challenge for the incident commander is to create a system that effectively gathers reported information from

Answer 39

Owners/occupants, workers, managers

Question 40

Decentralized units and sectors must be used as

Answer 40

Recon/information centers

Question 41

Pre-incident plans are drawn under the best conditions but generally used

Answer 41

Under the worst conditions

Question 42

A starting point for occupancy pre-– incident planning is in a valuation of the operational and outcome potential associated with buildings in and around the incident in terms of

Answer 42

Size, arrangement, hazards, built in fire protection

Question 43

Particular emphasis with the pre-incident planning should be placed on

Answer 43

Serious potential life safety hazards, problems that are hidden, obstructions to access, and safety

Question 44

Time moves forward in a

Answer 44

Predictable way

Question 45

Standard conditions keep changing in predictable ways that are connected to that changing timeline. Using the standard scale of both where we are now, and what will happen in the future, becomes the basis for moving from

Answer 45

Reactive to proactive

Reactive = surprise, proactive = plan

Question 46

Structure fires progress through fairly standard stages. The three standard parts of “standard” are

Answer 46

1) conditions = Critical factors
2) action = SOP’s/training/application/critique/revision
3) outcome = result action has on conditions

Question 47

Virtually everything at the incident occurs along a timeline. The ——– must serve as the focal point to manage and Mark time for everyone else operating at the incident

Answer 47

Incident management team

Question 48

Incident factors provide a checklist of the major topics involved in

Answer 48

Size up, decision-making, initiating operations, and review and revision

Question 49

Incident factors are a list of the basic items that the incident commander must consider when evaluating tactical situation. Name them

Answer 49

Customer profile, fire, time, occupancy, non-fire hazards/problems, action, special circumstances, life hazard, exposures, building, arrangement/access, resources, personnel safety

Question 50

Critical factors are critical because of their physical and tactical consequences. Therefore, a basic commands job is for the incident commander to first figure out

Answer 50

What is critical and what is not

Question 51

Generally, the longer a critical factor goes without attention,

Answer 51

The more dangerous and difficult it becomes

Question 52

Certain types of information have a much higher bearing and effect on incident outcomes, especially as they pertain to firefighter safety and survival. These significant pieces of information are best described as

Answer 52

Red flags

Question 53

The inseparable partner of affected information management is simple, clear,

Answer 53

Balanced communications

Question 54

The critical unknowns must become information targets for the incident commander, and many times obtaining that piece of unknown information becomes a specific assignment for

Answer 54

Operational/recon company or sector

Question 55

The incident commander requires good information to make effective safety decisions. Good information emerges out of consistently starting operations with a standard evaluation system to determine the

Answer 55

Critical incident factors that are present

Question 56

The incident commander must continually compare and balance –—
—–against possible benefit of current operations

Answer 56

Responder safety

Question 57

The incident commander must continually operate in a manner that connects a standard response to a standard condition that attempts to create a

Answer 57

Standard outcome

Question 58

The incident commander should be able to deal with how many pieces of info

Answer 58

5-6 pieces

Question 59

Buildings that present huge life safety and fire problems that would create a major fire fight/rescue/hazmat/collapse, involving much of an areas resources for an extended period of time. Major loss in these places can have a significant community effect

Answer 59

Super weight

Question 60

Large buildings that present significant fire and rescue problems requiring a long term, greater alarm, campaign length. Of operation for control. Examples include large open where houses, high-rises, Mills, and commercial occupancies

Answer 60

Heavyweight

Question 61

Medium size buildings that present a low level fire/physical problems requiring routine first of arm tactics with predictable occupancy load outcomes, such as smaller stores, commercial, industrial, older strip malls, and garden apartments with connected multiple units

Answer 61

Middleweight

Question 62

Single-family and small commercial risk risks typically controlled by small standard group of 3 to 4 units of responders. They present a relatively low fire problem but must always be approached in a manner that includes standard safety practices.

Answer 62

Lightweight

Question 63

The majority of our repeating working incident business occurs in these buildings

Answer 63

Lightweight

Question 64

Lightweight structures are controlled by how many units usually

Answer 64

3 to 4 units

Question 65

This would be useful for a place that is not typical and could present a dangerous surprise to responders

Answer 65

Pre-incident plan

Question 66

Effective commo procedures provide us with a practical set of

Answer 66

How to communication guidelines

Question 67

An extremely effective training approach we use to develop effective communication skills is through

Answer 67

Tactical simulation

Question 68

The fall guy for organizational problems often becomes

Answer 68

Communications

Question 69

Multiple radio frequencies gives the incident commander the capability to maintain an ——- and to stay ahead of a changing incident

Answer 69

effective span of control

Question 70

While the communication system involves lots of hardware and software, the most critical element continues to be the —— the humans who actually make the system operate

Answer 70

liveware

Question 71

The major communication players include

Answer 71

1) dispatch
2) incident commander
3) command support staff
4) operating units
5) other agencies

Question 72

Every command function depends upon effective

Answer 72

Communications

Question 73

The incident commander operates on the strategic level in deals with instant valuation, decision-making, assignments, operational control, and revision to manage the overall

Answer 73

strategy and the action plan

Question 74

The incident management system generally gives the first arriving company officer IC the option, based on incident conditions of operating outside the command post in an —– or —–or selecting a ——–position and staying inside the command post from the beginning of operations

Answer 74

investigation or fast action mode

command mode

Question 75

The fast action mode gives the incident commander the capability to combine both – and – by using his/her portable radio to move around the incident site and still stay connected and in command

Answer 75

Action and command

Question 76

Four basic forms of incident communications:

Answer 76

1) Face to face
2) Radio
3) electronic support
4) Standard operating procedures

Question 77

To ensure that the message is completely and properly received by the receiver, the – model should be used. Before the messages sent the receiver must indicate that he/she is ready

Answer 77

Commo order

Question 78

Sometimes just giving the occupancy name of well-known local places adequately describes all four (-, -, -, -) to homey responders, i.e. Ajax theater, North high, City Hall

Answer 78

size, height, exposures, occupancy

Question 79

These procedures describe the communication rolls, functions, and approach of every operational level. These become the basis for the standard planning/training/doing/critiquing package that consistently creates both operational effectiveness and continuous improvement. Effective communication procedures provide us with a practical set of “how to” communication guidelines

Answer 79

SOP’s(Standard communication system element)

Question 80

What personal communication techniques have a very direct effect on the quality of communication?

Answer 80

Voice levels, word choice, timing, tone, level of excitement, and degree of patience

Question 81

Simply, if you can’t move important information (communications) or create effective action, don’t

Answer 81

push the button

Question 82

Fast action command operations should not last long and are generally limited to the incident commander coordinating only how many units?

Answer 82

2 to 3 units

Question 83

Standard communications between the incident commander and the sector officer are used initially to establish the sector and generally include a

Answer 83

location, function, objective, and the resources assigned to that sector

Question 84

What type of communications usually occur among workers, team members, and sector officers within the work site?

Answer 84

Face-to-face communications

Question 85

When should a different agencies decide how they will operate together at Showtime?

Answer 85

It is essential that all area resources get together way ahead of the incident

Question 86

What is the best form of communications?

Answer 86

Face-to-face

Question 87

This is the best communications form because the participants can combine a variety of verbal and nonverbal interpersonal methods. This form of communication is necessarily limited to the range of direct, up close, personal contact

Answer 87

Face-to-face

Question 88

The advantage of this form of communication is speed and the ability to communicate with many different people located over a large area. The main disadvantage is it’s one dimensional characteristic – only voice

Answer 88

Radio

Question 89

This form of communication creates a high level of predictability and confidence, eliminate a lot of routine traffic, and free communication space and time for more critical traffic

Answer 89

SOP’s

Question 90

Describe the communications order model

Answer 90

To ensure that the message is completely and properly received by the receiver, the commo order model should be used. Before the message is sent, the receiver must indicate that they are ready. After a message is sent, the receiver must briefly restate the message to verify understanding

Question 91

Sector radio reports to command should include:

Answer 91

1) position (where are you?)
2) progress (how are you doing?)
3) needs (resources and support) (what you need?)
4) PAR (are you OK?)

Question 92

Radio messages sent to operating units must be

Answer 92

Task oriented, location-based, and indicate the operational objective

Question 93

Once responders have received their initial assignment, e.g. “open the roof”, there is little need for them to initiate additional transmissions unless they

Answer 93

are faced with unexpected operational or safety problems, or barriers, or until the assignment is completed

Question 94

Command/sectors must realize that the ability of working units to communicate is directly proportional to their

Answer 94

operating position

Question 95

The incident commander should talk enough to support the current command function, trust the troops to do their jobs, and then

Answer 95

be quiet

Question 96

Basic techniques that will improve fire ground communications:

Answer 96

1) Be sure, specific, and clear
2) listen critically
3) maintain self-control
4) avoid distracting mannerisms
5) prioritize messages
6) keep Messages task oriented
7) be supportive
8) follow the order model