OMS 003 - Incident Sectors

Question 1

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
ACTIONS 1
When to establish sectors

Answer 1

Establish incident sectors with appointed Sector Commanders at incidents where the scale and complexity is likely to limit the Incident Controller’s situational awareness, particularly where:
- Operations are taking place in more than one location, or remotely from the Incident Control Point
- The span of control on the fireground exceeds 1:5
- Technical operations are taking place.

Question 2

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
How to establish sectors in low, mid and high rise structure fires

Answer 2

Low: Designate the front of the structure as Sector 1, and allocate additional sectors progressing clockwise in sequential numbers.

Mid/High: Establish vertical sectors for incidents involving mid and high rise structures. Adopt the attached photo model where vertical sectors are to be designated. (evac, fire, ops, lobby)

Ensure Sector Commanders allocated to individual fire floors are situated on the allocated floor of operations, close to the stairwell exit where possible.

Question 3

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
Where should you place the Ops point and who should be there?

Answer 3

Establish an Operations Point with an appointed Operations Officer below the Fire Sector for high rise structure fires, preferably two floors below where possible, to manage all appointed Sector Commanders

Question 4

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
Where is the Lobby Sector and the Lobby Sector Commander?

Answer 4

Designate the Lobby Sector to include the GROUND FLOOR to the OPERATIONS POINT floor.
Appoint a Lobby Sector Commander to be positioned at the main entrance to the building.
Ensure the Lobby Sector Commander assists with the movement of firefighting personnel up and down the structure, and the evacuees.

Question 5

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
What and where is the Fire Sector

Answer 5

The floor below the lowest reported floor of fire, and up to two floors above the highest reported floor of fire is the Fire Sector.
The area above the Fire Sector is the Evacuation Sector.

Question 6

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
What and Where is the Evacuation Sector?
Where is the Evac Sector Commander?

Answer 6

The area above the Fire Sector is the Evacuation Sector.
The Evacuation Sector Commander should be positioned at the EWIS

Question 7

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
Structures with Sub Levels

Answer 7

See the attached image.

All floors below, and two floors above the Fire Sector are the Evacuation Sector.

Evacuation Sector Commander should be positioned at the Incident Control Point or Operations Point.

Lobby Sector should be exterior to the building’s main entrance.

Question 8

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
Bushfires and Non-Structure Fires

Answer 8

Sectorise bushfires and NS fires involving large geographical areas according to Fire Behaviour, Geographical Location, Topographical Boundaries and other safety factors.
Identify sectors utilising a physical feature such as a road, town, aspect, geographical area, or consider utilising the operational function (HAZMAT, Rescue, etc)
- Ensure that clear, delineated sector borders/boundaries are established and understood with fires/incidents spread across large geographical areas.

Question 9

OMS 003 - Incident Sectors
Bushfires, NS Fires
Sector Command Point locations should meet the following conditions:

Answer 9

• Easily identifiable using a geographical or physical feature, such as cross roads, parking areas or bridges/tracks
• Enables the Sector Commander to capture oncoming sector resources and allocate tasks
• Provides for clear communications
• Provides a good overview of the sector
• Allows for enough parking room for staging of oncoming appliances
• Is safe from the fire/incident and allows quick and easy access to safe zones
• Is safe from road traffic