The document discusses incident management systems and the incident command system (ICS). It describes how ICS was developed in response to wildfires in southern California in 1970. ICS provides a standardized framework for managing emergency incidents and allows different agencies to work together. It has specific components including common terminology, a modular organization structure, integrated communications, and comprehensive resource management. The document also discusses the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and how it was established by the Department of Homeland Security.

1. Strategic and Tactical
Considerations on the Fireground
4th Edition
Chapter 2 — Management Tools

2. Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
2.1 Understand the origin of the incident command system (I
CS).
2.2 Understand the implementation of the National Incident
Management System (NIMS).
2.3 Understand the positions of an incident management
system.
2.4 Discuss the position of Command.
2.5 Know the different types of status reports and the
information required in each type of report.

3. Incident Scene Management (1 of 29)
‣ Questions to ask students:
‣ Does your fire department use an incident
management system?
‣ How does the use of an incident management system
assist in achieving firefighter safety at an incident
scene?

4. Incident Scene Management (2 of 29)
‣ The variety of emergencies that confront firefighters daily
demands that fire departments have and use an incident
management or incident scene management.
‣ The incident command system (ICS) was developed as a
consequence of fires that consumed large portions of wild
land areas and structures in southern California in 1970.

5. Incident Scene Management (3 of 29)
‣ ICS is a result of a federally funded project called FIRESC
OPE.
‣ The group consisted of federal and state forestry service
personnel along with city and county fire departments.
‣ FIRESCOPE ICS is primarily a command and control
system.
‣ It was originally developed for wild land incidents.

6. Incident Scene Management (4 of 29)
‣ Its flexibility in being able to manage catastrophic
incidents involving thousands of emergency response and
management personnel led to its being used in day-to-day
fire and rescue operations.
‣ This system is often referred to as the National Fire
Academy Model Incident Command System.

7. Incident Scene Management (5 of 29)
‣ National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIM
S)
‣ A modified version of FIRESCOPE ICS including minor
terminology, organizational, and procedural
modifications

8. Incident Scene Management (6 of 29)
‣ Spearheaded by federal agencies
‣ Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
‣ Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
‣ US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
‣ US Forest Service (USFS)
‣ National Association of State Foresters (NASF)
‣ National Park Service (NPS)

9. Incident Scene Management (7 of 29)
‣ Adaptable to a wide range of situations or an all-
hazards environment, including floods, hazardous
materials incidents, earthquakes, and aircraft crashes
‣ Consists of five major subsystems that collectively
provide a total systems approach to risk management

10. Incident Scene Management (8 of 29)
‣ Subsystems are:
‣ ICS
‣ Standardized training
‣ Qualification and certification system
‣ Publications and management of NIIMS materials

11. Incident Scene Management (9 of 29)
‣ Supporting technologies, such as orthophoto
mapping and infrared photography and Multiagency
Coordinating Systems (MACs)
‣ In ensuing years, FIRESCOPE and NIIMS were blended.

12. Incident Scene Management (10 of 29)
‣ The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) was
chartered to coordinate fire management programs of
the various participating federal and state agencies.
‣ FIRESCOPE agencies and the NWCG have worked
together to update and maintain the ICS Operational
System Description. This document would later serve as
the basis for the NIIMS ICS.

13. Incident Scene Management (11 of 29)
‣ Incident command system
‣ ICS is a management system designed to control
personnel, facilities, equipment, and communications
throughout an emergency operation.
‣ Intended to begin from the time an incident occurs
until the conclusion of operations.
‣ Structure can be expanded or contracted dependent
upon the changing conditions of the incident.

14. Incident Scene Management (12 of 29)
‣ Can be used for any type or size of emergency,
ranging from a minor incident to a major emergency.
‣ Allows agencies to communicate using common
terminology and operating procedures.

15. Incident Scene Management (13 of 29)
‣ The ICS has management capabilities for:
‣ Single jurisdiction/single agency involvement
(single Incident Commander)
‣ Single jurisdiction/multi-agency involvement
(Unified Command)
‣ Multi-jurisdiction/multi-agency involvement (Unified
Command)

16. Incident Scene Management (14 of 29)
‣ The incident command system provides emergency
responders:
‣ An adaptable organizational structure
‣ A system applicable across the United States
‣ A system adaptable to new technology
‣ The ability to expand in a logical manner
‣ Implementation with little disruption to existing
systems
‣ Effectiveness in fulfilling all management requirement
costs

17. Incident Scene Management (15 of 29)
‣ Incident command system
‣ The ICS is intended to be staffed and operated by
qualified personnel from any emergency services
agency and may involve personnel from a variety of
agencies.

18. Incident Scene Management (16 of 29)
‣ Components of the incident command system
‣ The ICS has eight interactive components.
‣ Common terminology
‣ Modular organization
‣ Integrated communications
‣ Unified command structure
‣ Consolidated action plans
‣ Manageable span of control
‣ Designated incident facilities
‣ Comprehensive resource management

19. Incident Scene Management (17 of 29)
‣ Common terminology
‣ Common terminology is essential.
‣ The Command is named to prevent confusion.
‣ Common names are established and used for all
personnel, equipment, and resources.
‣ When new units are designated a function, they will
adopt their new designation for all communications,
i.e., Engine 1’s officer assigned as Division 1 Supervisor
will then use Division 1 for all radio communications
and not Engine 1.

20. Incident Scene Management (18 of 29)
‣ Modular organization
‣ ICS organizational structure develops in a modular
fashion from the top down at any incident.
‣ The specific ICS organizational structure for any
incident is based on the incident’s management needs.

21. Incident Scene Management (19 of 29)
‣ The functional areas, which are implemented as the
need develops, include the following:
‣ Command
‣ Operations
‣ Logistics
‣ Planning
‣ Finance/administration

22. Incident Scene Management (20 of 29)
‣ Integrated communications
‣ This involves managing communications at an incident
through the use of a common communications plan.
‣ Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) should be
established using common terminology and clear text.

23. Incident Scene Management (21 of 29)
‣ Unified Command
‣ Used when incident is within one jurisdictional
boundary but more than one agency shares
management responsibility.
‣ Also used when an incident is multi-jurisdictional in
nature, and more than one agency needs to share
overall management responsibility.

24. Incident Scene Management (22 of 29)
‣ Incident Action Plan
‣ Every incident needs an Incident Action Plan (IAP).
Written IAPs usually are required when:
‣ Multiple jurisdictions are involved.
‣ The incident is of a long duration, involving multiple
operational periods.
‣ A number of ICS organizational elements are activated
(i.e., all General Staff sections).
‣ It is required by agency policy.
‣ Hazardous materials are involved in the incident.
‣ Special operations

25. Incident Scene Management (23 of 29)
‣ The plan should cover all incident objectives,
strategies, tactics, and support activities needed during
the operational period.
‣ In prolonged incidents, it is beneficial to develop IAPs
covering specific operational periods.
‣ An operational period is usually a set period of time
that an Incident Management Team will be supervising
an incident-a 12-hour time period is typical.

26. Incident Scene Management (24 of 29)
‣ Manageable span of control
‣ Span of control refers to the number of personnel
reporting to any given individual.
‣ Optimum span of control in the ICS is five, with an
acceptable spread of two to seven.
‣ Span of control is driven by a number of factors.
‣ Training/experience level of subordinates
‣ Complexity of the incident
‣ Type or time frame of the incident

27. Incident Scene Management (25 of 29)
‣ Command officers must anticipate span-of-control
problems and prepare for them.
‣ Effective management is difficult if too many people
are reporting to one supervisor.

28. Incident Scene Management (26 of 29)
‣ Designated incident facilities
‣ A Command Post (CP) and Incident Base, or a Staging
Area, can be established based on the requirements of
the incident.
‣ The Incident Commander (IC) determines when these
facilities are established and where they are located.
‣ The CP is the location from which all incident
operations are directed.
‣ Only one CP should be established per incident (this is
especially critical when operating with multiple
agencies).

29. Incident Scene Management (27 of 29)
‣ The Incident Base is an area where primary logistics
functions are coordinated and administered. (It should
be a safe distance from the incident scene, and units
are not readily deployable.)
‣ Staging is a location from which units can be rapidly
deployed.

30. Incident Scene Management (28 of 29)
‣ Comprehensive resource management
‣ Single resources include individual engines, squads,
ladder trucks, rescues, crews, etc.
‣ A task force is a group of any type, or a kind of
resource, with common communications and a leader,
temporarily assembled for a specific tactical mission.
‣ Example: Two engines, a truck, and a chief officer
formed as a task force for a specific assignment.
‣ A strike team is a set number of the same kind and
type of resources, with common communications and a
leader.

31. Incident Scene Management (29 of 29)
‣ Example: Five engines and a chief officer would form a
strike team of engines.
‣ Use of the ICS improves safety by providing proper
supervision, accountability, coordinated efforts, and
improved communications.
‣ The ICS minimizes “freelancing” and can reduce the
department’s or jurisdiction’s liability.

32. US Department of Homeland Security
(1 of 13)
‣ The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created
by the President and Congress after the September 11,
2001, attacks on the homeland.
‣ The DHS’s responsibility includes the coordination of all
emergency responses.
‣ The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is
part of DHS as of March 1, 2003.

33. US Department of Homeland Security
(2 of 13)
‣ Homeland security presidential directives
‣ Five issued on February 28, 2003, directing the
Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and
administer a National Incident Management System
(NIMS)
‣ All federal departments and agencies are required by
the DHS to adopt the NIMS and to make NIMS
adoption by state and local organizations a condition
for federal preparedness assistance.

34. US Department of Homeland Security
(3 of 13)
‣ NIMS has six components.
‣ Command and management
‣ Preparedness
‣ Resource management
‣ Communications and information management
‣ Supporting technologies
‣ Ongoing management and maintenance

35. US Department of Homeland Security
(4 of 13)
‣ Command and management
‣ NIMS standardizes incident management for
all hazards and across all levels of
government. The NIMS-standard incident
command structures are based on three key
components.
‣ Incident command system (ICS)

36. US Department of Homeland Security
(5 of 13)
‣ Multiagency Coordination System (MAC)
‣ Deals with large- or wide-scale emergencies
that require higher-level resource management
or information management.
‣ MAC is a combination of resources that are
integrated into a common framework for
coordinating and supporting domestic incident
management activities.

37. US Department of Homeland Security
(6 of 13)
‣ The primary functions of the MAC is to:
‣ Support incident management policies and
priorities
‣ Facilitate logistics and support, and resource
tracking
‣ Make resource allocation decisions based on
incident management priorities
‣ Coordinate incident-related information
‣ Coordinate interagency and intergovernmental
issues regarding incident management policies,
priorities, and strategies

38. US Department of Homeland Security
(7 of 13)
‣ MAC includes emergency operations centers (EOC
s), and in certain multi-jurisdictional or complex
incidents, Multi-agency Coordination Entities.
‣ The Public Information Officer (PIO) is a member
of the command staff and operates within the
parameters established for the Joint Information
System (JIS).

39. US Department of Homeland Security
(8 of 13)
‣ Preparedness
‣ NIMS establishes specific measures and
capabilities that jurisdictions and agencies should
develop and incorporate into an overall system to
enhance operational preparedness for incident
management on a steady-state basis in an all-
hazards context.

40. US Department of Homeland Security
(9 of 13)
‣ Resource management
‣ NIMS defines standardized mechanisms to describe,
inventory, track, and dispatch resources before, during,
and after an incident.
‣ NIMS defines standard procedures to recover
equipment once it is no longer needed for an incident.
‣ Communications and information management
‣ NIMS communications and information systems enable
the essential functions needed to provide a common
operating picture and interoperability for incident
management at all levels.

41. US Department of Homeland Security
(10 of 13)
‣ Supporting technologies
‣ NIMS promotes national standards and interoperability
for supporting technologies to successfully implement
the NIMS.
‣ NIMS provides an architecture for science and
technology support to incident management.

42. US Department of Homeland Security
(11 of 13)
‣ Ongoing management and maintenance
‣ DHS is responsible for a multijurisdictional,
multidisciplinary NIMS Integration Center.
‣ It supports both routine maintenance and the
continuous improvement of the system over the long
term.

43. US Department of Homeland Security
(12 of 13)
‣ Differences between FIRESCOPE and NIMS
‣ NIMS adapted the FIRESCOPE or Model ICS system for
its own use. There are two minor differences between
NIMS ICS and FIRESCOPE Model ICS.
‣ NIMS created a position of intelligence investigations.
‣ This is normally staffed by local, state, or federal police
officials.

44. US Department of Homeland Security
(13 of 13)
‣ This person assists the IC in the event of a terrorist
event or other activity involving the need for police
intelligence.
‣ Under NIMS, the command staff position previously
known as “Information Officer” will be known as
“Public Information Officer.”

45. Incident Management Teams
‣ Incident Management Teams (IMTs)
‣ Have been created at national, state, and local levels.
‣ Consist of people trained in the all-hazards approach.
‣ Are trained to assume any role or position.
‣ Are experts in implementation of incident objectives.

46. Incident Support Teams
‣ Incident Support Teams (ISTs)
‣ Created because many fire departments (and other
agencies) do not have the staffing to handle the many
roles required at a major incident.
‣ Are available to support and mentor local IMTs, but do
not assume management of an incident.

47. Incident Types
‣ US Fire Administration has created a “typing” of incidents
to denote level of expertise required.
‣ Spans Type 1 to 5.
‣ Type 5 is for the smallest or most routine incidents.
‣ Type 1 is for the most complex incidents.

48. Emergency Operations Center (1 of 25)
‣ Emergency operations center (EOC)
‣ A large-scale incident can occur anywhere and
anytime.
‣ The EOC functions as a meeting place/location.
‣ Taking command, management, and preparedness is
the local government’s responsibility.
‣ Emergency planners need to assess all available
resources.
‣ The EOC mobilizes people and equipment that are
typically outside the ability of any single agency.

49. Emergency Operations Center (2 of 25)
‣ The EOC can ensure that response capabilities are
maintained and authoritative information is properly
disseminated.
‣ Data capturing at the EOC sets strategic directions to
establish priorities, allocate resources, and declare a
disaster.
‣ The EOC is a component of the MAC.
‣ The EOC serves as a vital link between the IMT and
resource centers.

50. Emergency Operations Center (3 of 25)
‣ The EOC should be centrally located for agency
representatives to gather during an emergency.
‣ The following makes an EOC work:
‣ Good teamwork
‣ Good space
‣ Good technology
‣ Good communication
‣ Regular practice

51. Emergency Operations Center (4 of 25)
‣ Types of EOCs
‣ Fixed facility
‣ Primary type of EOC that is centrally located with
permanent equipment.
‣ Typically found in existing multi-purpose
government building.
‣ Should be in a secure area.
‣ Continuity of government (COG) and continuity of
operations (COOP) are federal guidelines that
should be followed.

52. Emergency Operations Center (5 of 25)
‣ The mobile EOC
‣ A mobile EOC can be utilized when a disaster spans
a widespread geographical region.
‣ The mobile EOC allows for interagency planning
from various locations.
‣ Vehicles that comprise a mobile EOC should have
linkage to Internet and multiple phone connections.

53. Emergency Operations Center (6 of 25)
‣ The virtual EOC
‣ Virtual EOCs exist solely or partially in cyberspace
with private networks and satellite communications.
‣ Authorized individuals have anytime, anywhere
access to multiple secure servers.

54. Emergency Operations Center (7 of 25)
‣ Coordination and support
‣ The EOC is responsible for all organizations to work
together.
‣ The EOC and IMT must avoid conflicts, confusion, and
duplication of efforts.
‣ A single EOC facility will improve coordination and
support endeavours.

55. Emergency Operations Center (8 of 25)
‣ Essential functions of an EOC
‣ The EOC must maintain a comprehensive view for the
COG.
‣ There must be sufficient staffing to chart critical
information as required in the emergency operating
plan (EOP).

56. Emergency Operations Center (9 of 25)
‣ Documentation during an EOC activation
‣ Damage assessment reports
‣ Resources acquired and used
‣ Media and public requests for assistance
‣ Accounting of public safety expenses
‣ Response plan for evacuation and shelters
‣ Support services for food, water, ice, and utilities

57. Emergency Operations Center (10 of 25)
‣ Development of an EOC
‣ Begins with the assessment of an area’s requirement
for readiness.
‣ The EOC may range from dual-use conference rooms
to a complete standalone facility.
‣ Either type must meet life safety regulations, be
designed with enough space, and have access to
governmental records.

58. Emergency Operations Center (11 of 25)
‣ Analysing accessibility
‣ Accessibility to the EOC is vital.
‣ If constructing an EOC, the elevation should be set
at the 500-year mark.
‣ A renovated building should be located above the
100-year floodplain.
‣ Studies should review access and egress concerns.

59. Emergency Operations Center (12 of 25)
‣ Site selection
‣ The EOC should be located near the heart of local
government offices.
‣ Site selection should consider safety, suitability, and
security.
‣ Locations that accommodate a helicopter landing can
be beneficial for aerial observation of widespread
damage.

60. Emergency Operations Center (13 of 25)
‣ Staffing the EOC
‣ Full-time staff at an EOC is not cost effective for most
communities.
‣ Each assignment should be three-deep in trained
personnel.
‣ Contact lists should be updated every three months.
‣ Staff training should be held quarterly with a full
review of the EOP once annually.

61. Emergency Operations Center (14 of 25)
‣ Organizational structure
‣ It is not mandated that a community adopt a particular
model of organizational structure.
‣ The organizational structure should allow for smooth
operation of data collection, documentation, and
executive decision making.
‣ The organizational structure must be able to be
modified, expanded, or diminished.

62. Emergency Operations Center (15 of 25)
‣ Unauthorized personnel should be excluded from the E
OC.
‣ Four organizational structures of an EOC
‣ Major management activities
‣ Incident command system
‣ Emergency support function
‣ Multi-agency coordinating group

63. Emergency Operations Center (16 of 25)
‣ Major management activities structure
‣ Policy group
‣ Coordination group
‣ Resources group
‣ Emergency management operations group

64. Emergency Operations Center (17 of 25)
‣ Incident command system structure
‣ Emergency program manager
‣ Top position in the EOC
‣ Establishes overall objectives for the EOC
‣ Emergency management operations
‣ Coordinates on-scene responders
‣ Emergency management planning
‣ Gathers and analyses information

65. Emergency Operations Center (18 of 25)
‣ Emergency management logistics
‣ Coordinates primary and secondary communications
equipment
‣ Emergency management finance/administration
‣ Designs financial projections of incident costs

66. Emergency Operations Center (19 of 25)
‣ Emergency support functions (ESF) structure
‣ Operations Manager
‣ In charge of the EOC
‣ Includes branches of firefighting, public works, law
enforcement, public health, etc.
‣ Planning
‣ Includes situation analysis, documentation,
advanced planning, damage assessment, resource
status, and geographical information system (GIS)

67. Emergency Operations Center (20 of 25)
‣ Logistics
‣ Includes a service and support branch
‣ Finance and Administration
‣ Includes compensation claims,
purchasing/procurement, cost concerns, timesheets for
personnel, and disaster financial assistance

68. Emergency Operations Center (21 of 25)
‣ Multi-agency Coordinating (MAC) Group structure
‣ Made up of organization, agency, or jurisdiction
representatives authorized to commit resources and
funding

69. Emergency Operations Center (22 of 25)
‣ MAC Group Coordinator
‣ Provides supervision to the various components
‣ MAC Group Situation Assessment Unit
‣ Collects information for the MAC Group
‣ Joint information center (JIC)
‣ Public information unit that coordinates a summary
report

70. Emergency Operations Center (23 of 25)
‣ Characteristics of an effective EOC
‣ Communication
‣ Information must be shared within the EOC and
between the EOC and IMT.
‣ Interoperability
‣ Communication between agencies is essential.
‣ Redundancy
‣ A reliable primary and secondary means of
communication is imperative.

71. Emergency Operations Center (24 of 25)
‣ Activation and deactivation of the EOC
‣ Activation depends on established policies.
‣ A hazard analysis can determine limited, partial, or full
activation.
‣ Deactivation is based on current incident status and
time to complete incident objectives.

72. Emergency Operations Center (25 of 25)
‣ Functioning in the EOC
‣ Accountability is mandatory.
‣ It is invaluable for staff to know their responsibilities,
contacts, and understand their activation procedures.
‣ Minimizing duplication during an incident is key to the
EOC.
‣ Strategic and tactical goals are accomplished by
support and coordination of the EOC.

73. The Incident Commander (1 of 3)
‣ The position of Command encompasses every phase of an
incident and must be implemented on every assignment.
‣ This person is ultimately responsible for the incident.

74. The Incident Commander (2 of 3)
‣ Incident Command responsibilities
‣ Assess incident priorities.
‣ Determine incident objectives.
‣ Determine strategy.
‣ Determine tactics when there is no Operations Section
Chief.
‣ Develop the IAP.
‣ Develop appropriate organizational structure.

75. The Incident Commander (3 of 3)
‣ Manage incident resources.
‣ Coordinate overall incident activities.
‣ Ensure safety of on-scene personnel.
‣ Coordinate activities of outside agencies.
‣ Authorize release of information to media.

76. Unified Command (1 of 12)
‣ Allows agencies within jurisdictional responsibility to
participate in the management of an incident.
‣ Operations involving hazardous materials, natural or
manmade disasters, terrorist events, or wild land fires may
involve a number of jurisdictions.
‣ Command decisions will be made by a group of individuals
appointed by their respective agencies.

77. Unified Command (2 of 12)

78. Unified Command (3 of 12)
‣ All involved agencies contribute to the command process.
‣ Objectives, strategies, conducting integrated tactical
operations, and maximizing the use of all available
resources are decided jointly.

79. Unified Command (4 of 12)
‣ Unified Command can be implemented should any of the
following occur:
‣ Fire spread to include local, county, state, and federal
fire agencies, where each department will be directly
affected (multi jurisdiction/multi-agency involvement)
‣ A hazardous material incident directly impacts
numerous agencies within a single jurisdiction; this
could involve fire, police, and public health agencies
(single jurisdiction/multi-agency involvement)

80. Unified Command (5 of 12)
‣ A mass casualty incident that involves fire, EMS, police,
and other agencies (single jurisdiction/
multi-agency involvement or multi jurisdiction/
multi-agency involvement)
‣ A terrorist event over a widespread area that
involves fire, police, and federal and state agencies
(multi jurisdiction/multi-agency involvement)

81. Unified Command (6 of 12)
‣ To be successful in implementing Unified Command
requires:
‣ A written plan that stipulates how the system will be
applied
‣ Application of the plan in simulated situations
‣ Support for Unified Command by all participants at an
incident
‣ Those serving as part of Unified Command to have the
authority to deliver the needed resources from their
own organizations

82. Unified Command (7 of 12)
‣ Incident complex and Area Command
‣ ICS is designed to handle various types of emergency
situations. Accomplishing that task may require
implementation of either incident complex or Area
Command.

83. Unified Command (8 of 12)
‣ Incident complex
‣ Two or more individual incidents located in the same
general proximity that are assigned to a single IC or
Unified Command to facilitate management
‣ Example: A number of wild land fires, each fire being
separate, but in the same general area

84. Unified Command (9 of 12)
‣ Area Command
‣ Can be used any time incidents are close enough
that oversight direction is required of multiple incident
management teams to ensure that conflicts do not
arise.
‣ Criteria for implementing Area Command
‣ Several major or complex incidents of the same kind
are in close proximity.
‣ Critical human or property values are at risk due to
the incidents.

85. Unified Command (10 of 12)
‣ Incidents will continue into the next operational
period.
‣ Incidents are using similar resources and there are
limited critical resources.
‣ Difficulties are encountered with inter-incident
resource allocation and coordination.

86. Unified Command (11 of 12)
‣ Organization should be kept as small as possible. Area
Command can initiate the following functions if
necessary.
‣ Assistant Area Commander Logistics
‣ Assistant Area Commander Planning
‣ Area Command Critical Resources Unit Leader
‣ Area Command Situation Unit Leader
‣ Area Command Public Information Officer
‣ Area Command Liaison Officer

87. Unified Command (12 of 12)
‣ Area Command does not in any way replace the incident-
level ICS organizations or functions.
‣ The previous positions, if established, are strictly related to
Area Command operations.

88. Defining Command (1 of 2)
‣ Leadership helps ensure that an emergency scene will
proceed properly.
‣ Someone must be in charge.
‣ Success or failure at an incident is entrusted to the IC.
‣ The primary duty of Command is taking control of the
overall situation.

89. Defining Command (2 of 2)
‣ The IC is responsible for all functions at an incident scene.
‣ Every incident must have an IC.
‣ The IC must follow a sequential process to ensure that
nothing has been overlooked.

90. Problems Facing Command
‣ Problems are the same regardless of the size of the
department.
‣ Firefighters can be seriously injured or killed if the
command function is omitted or not used properly.
‣ This factor has been noted in many NIOSH reports on
firefighter fatalities.

91. Unity of Command (1 of 2)
‣ This dictates that no one person reports to more than
one person and everyone has someone to answer to.
‣ Adherence to the principle of “unity of command” helps
avoid contradictory orders and keeps the emergency scene
better organized.

92. Unity of Command (2 of 2)
‣ The IC must be prepared to expand the incident
management system based on incident needs and
demands.
‣ Section chiefs can implement any additional components
of the system that are needed to accomplish their goals.

93. Incident Action Plan
‣ A plan must be developed.
‣ IAP requires that information be gathered pertaining to the
incident.
‣ Small incidents may have an oral IAP from the IC.
‣ Large incidents require a written IAP.

94. Directing Resources
‣ This is a major function of Command.
‣ The proper sequence of events must be followed to
complete the right task at the right time.
‣ Decisions are based on readily available information.

95. Controlling the Incident
‣ The IC must make use of staff by delegating tactical
decisions to subcommands.
‣ Specific point-by-point orders become counterproductive.
‣ Ample training is required of all members prior to the
implementation of any command system.

96. Command Staff
‣ Consists of:
‣ Safety
‣ Public Information Officer
‣ Liaison Officer
‣ Intelligence/Investigations Officer

97. Safety Officer (1 of 2)

98. Safety Officer (2 of 2)
‣ Reports to the IC.
‣ Looks for unsafe conditions.
‣ Discusses safety issues with division and group
supervisors and reports back to Command.
‣ Safety concerns will be presented to Command for
action.
‣ Can intervene and take immediate corrective action to
stop an unsafe act.

99. Public Information (1 of 3)
‣ The PIO interfaces with media and other appropriate
agencies.
‣ This relieves the IC of having to work with the media so
that he or she can focus on command responsibilities.
‣ The media needs accurate and consistent information.

100. Public Information (2 of 3)
‣ The PIO acts as a central clearing point for the
dissemination of information.
‣ The PIO must coordinate all releases of significant
information with the IC.
‣ A joint information center (JIC) may be created at large
or complex incidents, and the PIO may become part of
the JIC.

101. Public Information (3 of 3)
‣ If the fire department does not interact and release
timely reports, the media will find sources that often are
less reliable and can reflect poorly on the fire
department.

102. Public information Officer

103. Liaison Officer (1 of 2)
‣ Point of contact for assisting or coordinating agencies.
‣ Usually implemented at large or complex incidents.
‣ One of the most important responsibilities of the Liaison
Officer is to coordinate the management of assisting or
coordinating agencies.
‣ The appointment of a Liaison Officer eliminates the desire
for other agencies to set up separate CPs.

104. Liaison Officer (2 of 2)
Figure 2-9 Command Staff-Liaison

105. Intelligence/Investigations Officer
(1 of 2)
‣ Can be initiated as a member of the command staff.
‣ Staffed by law enforcement at an incident where there
may be criminal activity.
‣ Critical position at any suspected terrorism incident.
Figure 2-10 Command staff-Intelligence/Investigations

106. Intelligence/Investigations Officer
(2 of 2)

107. Staging (1 of 7)
‣ Purpose is to provide a standard system of resource
placement prior to tactical assignments.
‣ Assists in the control of units.
‣ Is a location from which units can be quickly deployed to
address strategy and tactics of the IC.
‣ Other than the first-arriving unit, a unit without
assignment will automatically stage and await orders.

108. Staging (2 of 7)
‣ Units who bypass Staging and commit themselves prior
to being given an assignment often fail to achieve the
goals of the IC.
‣ Units not needed at an incident can be returned to
service.
‣ A Staging Area Manager should be appointed.
‣ Staging will report to the IC unless an Operations Chief
has been implemented, in which case Staging will report
to Operations.

109. Staging (3 of 7)
Figure 2-11 Staging is a Location from Which Units Can Be Quickly Deployed at an
Incident

110. Staging (4 of 7)
‣ Level 1 Staging: Units go to predetermined sides of the
building, allowing coverage on all sides of the incident.
‣ Level 2 Staging: Utilizes a specific location or marshaling
area for units to proceed and await further orders.

111. Staging (5 of 7)
Figure 2-12 Level 1 Staging allows units to respond to a prearranged side of the fire
building and to be prepared to go into operation if ordered by the Incident Commander.
Used with permission of Michael DeLuca

112. Staging (6 of 7)
‣ Level 2 Staging should have a Staging Area Manager
assigned.
‣ Staging is an area in which personnel and equipment can
be deployed within a three-minute time frame.

113. Staging (7 of 7)
Figure 2-13 Level 2 Staging Utilizes a Specific Location or Marshaling Area for Units to
Proceed to and Await Further Orders. Used with permission of Michael DeLuca.

114. General Staff Functions
Figure 2-14 Operations

115. Operations (1 of 6)
‣ An Operations Section Chief should be designated when
there is a great demand on the IC’s time.
‣ The Operations Section Chief runs the operations portion
implemented to mitigate the on-scene emergency.
‣ The Operations Section Chief is responsible for the
direction and coordination of all tactical operations.

116. Operations (2 of 6)
‣ Specific responsibilities include:
‣ Assists the IC in the development of strategies and
tactics for the incident.
‣ Directs and coordinates the overall tactical
operations.
‣ Develops operational plans.
‣ Develops tasks and assigns units.

117. Operations (3 of 6)
‣ Develops a command structure that will report to
Operations to handle the current and anticipated
problems.
‣ Requests or releases resources through the IC.
‣ Consults with the IC about the overall IAP.

118. Operations (4 of 6)
‣ Keeps the IC informed of situation and resource
status within Operations.
‣ Supervises the Staging Area Manager.
‣ Supervises the Rapid Intervention Crew.

119. Operations (5 of 6)
‣ The IC may implement the Operations Section to reduce
the span of control by transferring the direct
management of all tactical activities to the Operations
Section.
‣ Once the Operations position is created, the IC must give
that person the latitude to handle those duties.

120. Branch (1 of 3)
‣ Organizational level between divisions/groups and the IC
or Operations.
‣ Can also be established under Logistics.
‣ Managed by a Branch Director.
‣ Can be functional, geographical, or an organizational
level.

121. Operations (6 of 6)
Figure 2-15 Operations-Branch

122. Branch (2 of 3)
‣ Can be utilized when a large number of resources are
committed to a specific functional activity.
‣ Examples include Medical Branch (MCI) and Hazardous
Material Branch.
‣ Branch Director reports to the IC, Operations, or
Logistics, if those positions have been implemented.

123. Branch (3 of 3)
‣ Specific responsibilities of a Branch Director
‣ Implements the portion of the IAP appropriate to the
branch function.
‣ Coordinates the activities of the units within the
branch.
‣ Evaluates goals and objectives and requests
additional resources, if needed.
‣ Keeps the supervisor informed of the status in the
branch’s area of responsibility.

124. Resources (1 of 3)
‣ Assigns specific tasks to divisions, groups, or units
within the branch.
‣ Resolves logistical problems associated with the units
deployed in the branch.
‣ National standards call for a minimum staffing of an
officer and three firefighters.
‣ Resources typically consist of engine and possibly truck
(ladder), heavy rescue companies, or other specialized
units.

125. Resources (2 of 3)
‣ Strike team
‣ Set number of the same kind and type of resources and
has common communications with a Strike Team Leader.
‣ Can be any type of unit-engines, trucks, ambulances.
‣ The typical arrangement is to assemble five fully equipped
and staffed engines with a chief officer as the Strike Team
Leader.
‣ The Strike Team Leader will report to the IC or to
Operations for an assignment.
‣ IC/Operations can utilize five companies while speaking to
only one person.

126. Strike Team
Figure 2-16 Operations-Strike Team/Task Force/individual unit

127. Resources (3 of 3)
‣ Task force
‣ Combination of any type of resources having common
communications with a Task Force Leader assembled
for a specific assignment.
‣ Should not exceed five units.
‣ Common arrangement is two engines and one or two
truck companies with a chief officer as the Task Force
Leader.

128. Dividing the Fire (1 of 3)
‣ Sectoring the incident by dividing it into divisions and
groups breaks it down into manageable segments.
‣ Geographic sectoring
‣ Functional sectoring

129. Dividing the Fire (2 of 3)
‣ Geographic sectoring
‣ ICS refers to geographic sectors as divisions.
‣ NIMS mandates the use of alphabetical sectoring. It
starts with the front of the building being Division A,
clockwise around the building would be Division B, and
so on.
‣ Each floor can be assigned a division in multistory
structures, i.e., the 15th floor would be Division 15.
‣ The units assigned would accomplish needed tasks in
their geographical areas, such as ventilation, fire attack,
etc.

130. Dividing the Fire (3 of 3)
‣ Functional sectoring
‣ Establishment of a group to accomplish a specific
function, such as ventilation, search and rescue, etc.
‣ Managed by a division or group supervisor

131. Dividing The Fire: Assigning Branches,
Divisions, And Groups (1 of 2)
Figure 2-17 Geographic Sectoring Can Utilize Division A-B-C-D to Identify Sides of the
Fire Building or Exposures. Adjacent buildings, such as a strip mall, can be denoted as
D-2, D-3, or B-2, B-3, etc. Used with permission of Michael DeLuca.

132. Dividing The Fire: Assigning Branches,
Divisions, And Groups (2 of 2)
Figure 2-18 When Dealing with Multistoried Structures, Each Floor Can Be Designated
a Division. Used with permission of Michael DeLuca.

133. Planning (1 of 5)
‣ The Planning Section Chief is a member of the general
staff and is responsible for the collection, evaluation,
dissemination, and use of information about the
development of the incident and the status of resources.
‣ An important function of the Planning Section Chief is the
development of the IAP or modification of the present
plan.

134. Planning (2 of 5)
Figure 2-19 Planning

135. Planning (3 of 5)
‣ Planning Section units
‣ Resource Unit
‣ Responsible for the tracking of units committed to
the incident and anticipating resource needs
‣ Situation Unit
‣ Concerned with what has happened, what is
currently happening, and what may happen

136. Planning (4 of 5)
‣ Documentation Unit
‣ Records and protects all documents relevant to the
incident; these include incident reports,
communication logs, injury claims, and situation
reports.
‣ Responsible for developing a plan for the
demobilization of the resources committed to an
incident and assisting in the implementation of the
plan

137. Planning (5 of 5)
‣ Technical specialists
‣ They provide insight on an operation, i.e., building
maintenance engineers and industry
representatives.
‣ Information obtained from tech specialists should
be shared with the IC.

138. Logistics (1 of 8)
‣ Logistics Section Chief is a general staff position.
‣ This person plays a crucial role in keeping units supplied
during an incident.
‣ The Logistics Section could include Communications,
Medical, Food, Supply, Facilities, and Ground Support.

139. Logistics (2 of 8)
Figure 2-22 Logistics

140. Logistics (3 of 8)
‣ A fully expanded Logistics Section would exceed the
accepted span of control. Therefore, a Logistics Section
can be divided into two branches: the Service Branch and
the Support Branch.

141. Logistics (4 of 8)
‣ Service Branch
‣ Includes communications, medical treatment for
incident personnel, and provisions for feeding
operating forces
‣ Managed by a Branch Director
‣ Contains three functional units: Communications,
Medical, and Food

142. Logistics (5 of 8)
‣ Communications Unit
‣ Develops communications plan.
‣ May distribute communications equipment,
supervise the communications network, and
maintain/repair communications equipment.
‣ Medical Unit
‣ Provides emergency medical treatment for
emergency personnel; no civilians treated.
‣ Provides responder rehab.

143. Logistics (6 of 8)
‣ Food Unit
‣ Provides meals and drink for personnel involved in
an incident.
‣ Support Branch
‣ Responsible for providing the personnel, equipment,
and supplies to support incident operations.
‣ Managed by a Branch Director and can contain three
functional units.

144. Logistics (7 of 8)
‣ Supply Unit
‣ Orders the equipment and supplies required for
incident operations.
‣ Maintains ongoing inventory and control of these
resources.

145. Logistics (8 of 8)
‣ Ground Support Unit
‣ Responsible for fueling and maintenance or repair
of vehicles, transportation of personnel and
supplies, and preparation of an Incident Traffic
Plan.
‣ Traffic plan facilitates the flow of apparatus and
equipment within the incident area.

146. Finance/Administration (1 of 3)
‣ Part of the general staff
‣ Can be implemented at a major incident or at one where
a major cost recovery is evident.
‣ Tracks expenditures and the proper documentation of
anticipated costs.

147. Finance/Administration (2 of 3)
Figure 2-25 Finance/Administration

148. Finance/Administration (3 of 3)
‣ Duties of the Finance/Administration Section Chief can
include:
‣ Documenting all financial costs
‣ Documenting compensation claims
‣ Documenting claims for damage
‣ Documenting overtime

149. Implementation of the System (1 of 3)
‣ Should be used on routine or everyday types of incidents;
this ensures that implementation is easy when
confronted with a major incident.

150. Implementation of the System (2 of 3)
Figure 2-27 A Typical Structure Fire Will Utilize a Very Basic Command Structure. Used
with permission of Michael DeLuca.

151. Implementation of the System (3 of 3)
Figure 2-28 A Fire Involving a Complex Situation Will Demand an Expanded Command
Structure, as Shown in This Nursing Home Fire. Used with permission of Michael DeLuca.

152. Incident Scene Control (1 of 8)
‣ Questions to ask students:
‣ What benefits are derived from the use of an incident
management system?
‣ Why is the position of Command so important?

153. Incident Scene Control (2 of 8)
‣ First-arriving officer at an incident scene must assume
Command.

154. Incident Scene Control (3 of 8)
‣ Establishing Command
‣ Notify Dispatch.
‣ The command function must be present at every
incident.
‣ Someone must be in charge, or chaos will result.
‣ A system must be in place to transfer Command to a
higher-ranking officer.

155. Incident Scene Control (4 of 8)
‣ Assuming Command
‣ As higher-ranking officers arrive on the scene, they
must decide whether to assume Command.
‣ If Command is not formally transferred, the highest-
ranking officer on the scene still assumes the
responsibility of the scene.

156. Incident Scene Control (5 of 8)
‣ Transfer of Command
‣ If the decision to assume Command is made, there
should be a formal transfer of Command.
‣ This requires notifying Dispatch and units by radio.

157. Incident Scene Control (6 of 8)
‣ Permitting a junior officer to remain in Command with
supervision from a higher-ranking and more
experienced officer is an excellent way of developing
fireground command skills and future chief officers.

158. Incident Scene Control (7 of 8)
‣ Mobile Command
‣ Mobile Command permits the first-arriving company
officer to assume Command, yet remain mobile.
‣ Mobile Command has responsibilities of the IC until
Command is transferred.

159. Incident Scene Control (8 of 8)
‣ Command Post
‣ Provides the IC with a stationary position from which to
command the incident.
‣ Importance increases as the incident grows in
complexity.
‣ Location should allow the IC to be easily located.
‣ Consider a vantage point from which to view the
incident.
‣ Location of CP should be communicated to Dispatch, to
units operating on the scene, and to incoming units.

160. Status Reports (1 of 8)
‣ Questions to ask students:
‣ What is the benefit of comprehensive status reports?
‣ What data does your fire department require in an
initial status report? In an ongoing status report?
‣ Are the status reports given by the officers in your
fire department comprehensive? What improvements
to your status reports would be beneficial?

161. Status Reports (2 of 8)
‣ Initial status report
‣ Company officer should give a report of the fire
conditions to Dispatch.
‣ This report should be comprehensive.

162. Status Reports (3 of 8)
‣ Typical initial status report data
‣ Address
‣ Type of building
‣ Size and stories
‣ Fire conditions
‣ Disposition of the occupants
‣ Exposures

163. Status Reports (4 of 8)
‣ Orders for the responding units
‣ Identify Command
‣ Assume Command
‣ Request additional units if needed
‣ Announce a location for Staging

164. Status Reports (5 of 8)
‣ Ongoing status report
‣ Should be part of SOG
‣ Required status report-10-minute intervals

165. Status Reports (6 of 8)
‣ Typical ongoing status report data
‣ Any information that was not available for the initial
report
‣ Current conditions of the fire and the disposition of
the occupants
‣ Specific units operating at the scene
‣ Units in Staging

166. Status Reports (7 of 8)
‣ Final status report
‣ Given when fire is placed under control
‣ Overall report of current fire conditions and how long
the remaining units will be on the scene, if that
information is known

167. Status Reports (8 of 8)
‣ Typical final status report data
‣ Current conditions
‣ Final disposition of occupants
‣ Units remaining at the scene
‣ Units preparing to leave the scene
‣ Approximate length of time units will remain on the
scene
‣ Transfer of Command to a lower-ranking officer

168. Communications (1 of 4)
‣ Reporting problems and solutions
‣ Call letters-use appropriate call names
‣ Face-to-face communications
‣ Departmental radio procedure

169. Communications (2 of 4)
‣ Emergency transmissions
‣ Mayday
‣ Emergency traffic
‣ Priority

170. Communications (3 of 4)
‣ It must be assumed that an order given via radio that
has not been acknowledged has not been received. The
receiver must confirm messages and seek clarification if
an order is unclear.

171. Communications (4 of 4)
‣ Radio protocol
‣ Place the unit being called first and then the unit
sending the message.
‣ Cellular phones
‣ They allow ready access to Dispatch on a relatively
unmonitored line.