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Incident Management System

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Objectives (1 of 2)

• Describe the characteristics of the incident management system.

• Explain the organization of the incident management system.

• Function within an assigned role within the incident management system.

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Objectives (2 of 2)

• Organize and coordinate an incident management system until command is transferred.

• Transfer command within an incident management system.

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Introduction

• IMS is a management structure.– Based on business management principles

• IMS should be used for all operations and training.

• IMS is a concept or model.– Variations exist.– Every fire fighter must know it thoroughly.

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History of IMS (1 of 3)

• Pre-1970s– Every fire department had its own methods of

incident management.– Organization often depended on the style of the

chief on duty.– Such an approach was not expandable.

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History of IMS (2 of 3)

• 1970s– FIRESCOPE

• Established in response to several large-scale wildland fires in California

• Developed first standard Incident Command System (ICS)

– Fireground Command System• Initially developed for day-to-day department

incidents, but could be expanded

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History of IMS (3 of 3)

• 1980s– FIRESCOPE ICS adopted by all federal and most

state wildland firefighting agencies– Several federal regulations and consensus

standards adopted

• Present– IMS is best of ICS and FGC

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Characteristics of the IMS

• Jurisdictional authority

• All risk and all hazard system

• Everyday applicability

• Unity of command• Span of control• Modular

organization

• Common terminology

• Integrated communications

• Consolidated action plans

• Designated incident facilities

• Resource management

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Jurisdictional Authority

• Clearly defines the agency that will be in charge

• When there are overlapping responsibilities, IMS may employ a unified command.

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All-Risk/All-Hazard System

• IMS works equally well at all types of incidents.

– Emergencies– Non-emergency events

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Everyday Applicability

• IMS can be used for everyday operations as well as major incidents.

• Regular use of IMS builds familiarity with procedures and terminology.

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• Each person has only one supervisor.

• All orders and assignments come from that supervisor.

Unity of Command

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• The number of subordinates a supervisor has

• In most situations, three to seven is the most one person can manage.

• In IMS, span of control should be limited to five.

Span of Control

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Modular Organization

• IMS is designed to be modular.

• Not every component must be used.

• Additional components can be added as needed.

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Common Terminology

• Terminology is common and consistent within and among agencies in the IMS.

• Common terminology eliminates confusion.

– “Tanker”: water supply apparatus or aircraft?

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Integrated Communications

• Communications supported up and down the chain of command

• Messages must move efficiently through the system.

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Consolidated IncidentAction Plans

• Everyone follows one overall plan.• May be developed by the IC alone at

small incidents• Developed in collaboration with all

agencies involved on larger incidents

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Designated Incident Facilities

• Required facilities established according to the IMS plan

• Includes standard designations for commonly needed facilities, such as:

– Rehabilitation sector– Command post– Staging area

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Resource Management

• Standard system of assigning and tracking resources involved on the incident

• In structural firefighting, basic units are companies.

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The IMS Organization

• Positions are staffed as needed.

• IC position must be filled at every incident.

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Command

• The IC is ultimately responsible for managing the incident.

• Command is established by the first unit on scene.

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Unified Command

• Used when agencies overlap

• Representatives from each agency cooperate to share command authority.

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Command Post

• Headquarters location for the incident

• Should be in a nearby, protected location– Enables command staff to function without

distractions or interruptions

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Command Staff (1 of 2)

• Safety Officer– Responsible for the safety of all personnel– Can stop or suspend unsafe operations

• Liaison Officer– The IC’s point of contact for outside agencies

• Public Information Officer– Gathers and releases incident information to the

news media

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Command Staff (2 of 2)

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General Staff

• IC may appoint people to oversee parts of the operation .

• Four section chiefs for the major IMS components:

– Operations– Planning– Logistics– Finance Administration

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Operations

• Responsible for all actions that are directly related to controlling the incident

– Fire suppression– Rescue– EMS

• Conducted in accordance with an Incident Action Plan (IAP)

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Planning

• Responsible for the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information relevant to the incident

• Also responsible for developing and updating the IAP

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Logistics

• Responsible for providing supplies, services, facilities, and materials during the incident

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Finance/Administration

• Responsible for accounting and financial aspects of an incident

• Responsible for any legal issues that may arise

• Not staffed at most incidents

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Standard IMS Conceptsand Terminology

• A common language is essential for different agencies to work together toward a goal.

• A common language eliminates wasting time due to miscommunication.

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IMS Terminology

• Single Resources and Crews

• Divisions, Groups, and Sectors

• Branches

• Location Designators

• Task Forces and Strike Teams

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Single Resources and Crews

• Single resource– A vehicle and its assigned personnel

• Crew– Groups of fire fighters working without

apparatus

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Divisions, Groups, and Sectors

• Division– Companies/crews working in the same geographic

area

• Group– Companies/crews working on the same task or

objective

• Sector– Companies/crews assigned by geography or

function

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Branches

• Higher level of combined resources working on a particular aspect of the overall emergency

• A branch director can oversee several divisions, groups, and/or sectors.

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Location Designators

• Identify different parts of a fire scene– Sides

• Units at Side A are “Division A”

– Exposures• Closest exposure takes same designator as

side

– Floors• Floor number is designator

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Task Forces and Strike Teams (1 of 2)

• Groups of single resources assigned to work together

• Task force– Up to five single resources of any type

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Task Forces and Strike Teams (2 of 2)

• Strike team– Five units of the

same type working on a common task or function

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Implementing IMS

• Modular design allows organization to expand, based on needs.

• Tasks are defined in advance.

• Most frequently used components:– Divisions– Groups– Sectors

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Standard Position Titles (1 of 2)

• Clarify roles within the IMS organization

• Title includes functional/geographic area, followed by designator.

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Standard Position Titles (2 of 2)

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Working within the IMS

• Every fire fighter must understand the IMS and his/her role within it.

• Three basic components:– Someone is in command of every incident.– You always report to one supervisor.– The company officer reports to the IC.

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Responsibilities of First-Arriving Fire Fighters

• IMS organization built around the units that take initial action

• Company officers need to assume command until relieved by a higher-ranking officer.

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Assuming Command

• The officer of the first-in unit is automatically in command.

• This is formally announced on the radio.

• An initial report should be given as well.

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Confirmation of Command

• Initial radio report lets everyone know that command has been established.

• An incident identifier should be chosen.

• Passing command– First-in unit can pass command to second-in if

conditions warrant it– Second-in unit MUST assume command

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Transfer of Command

• One person relinquishes command to another.

• Current situation status report is given to the new IC.

• Information transfer must be complete and accurate.

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Situation Status Report Information

• Tactical priorities • Action plans• Hazardous or

potentially hazardous conditions

• Accomplishments

• Assessment of effectiveness of operations

• Current status of resources– Additional resource

requirements

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Command Transfer Rationale

• Transfer of command determined by a variety of factors:– Complexity of the incident– Officer’s level of experience– Involvement of multiple agencies

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Summary (1 of 2)

• IMS is applicable to incidents of any size.

• All functions in the IMS must be addressed at every incident.

– On smaller incidents, this may only require one person to handle all functions.

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Summary (2 of 2)

• The IC has ultimate responsibility to meet incident requirements.

• All fire fighters must understand the IMS and what their role in an IMS is.

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