COMMAND PROCEDURES M.P. 201.01 Flashcards
Command Procedures are designed to what?
• Fix the responsibility for Command on a certain individual through a standard identification system, depending on the arrival sequence of members, companies, and Command officers.
• Ensure that a strong, direct, and visible Command will be established from the onset of the incident.
• Establish an effective incident organization defining the activities and responsibilities assigned to the Incident Commander (IC) and the other individuals operating within the Incident Command System.
• Provide a system to process information to support incident management, planning, and decision-making.
• Provide a system for the orderly transfer of Command to subsequent arriving officers.
• Ensure a seamless transition from a Type 5/4 incident to a Type 3/2/1 (NIMS).
Shift Commanders Phoenix (North and South Deputy), Glendale (West Deputy) and Mesa (East Deputy) roles are what?
• Manage Battalions and supervise Battalion Chiefs.
• Occupy the position of Senior Advisor (Incident Advisor) on the Command Team (Incident
Advisory Team) during first and greater alarm incidents.
Battalion Chiefs role is what?
• Manage companies and supervise company officers.
• Occupy the position of Incident Commander (IC) when appropriate.
• Occupy the position of Sector Officer when appropriate.
• Occupy the position of IC on the Command Team (Incident Advisory Team) during first and
greater alarm incidents.
Company Officers (Captains) role is what?
• Occupy the position of IC when appropriate.
• Occupy the position of Sector Officer when appropriate.
• Manage task level activities and supervise firefighters.
The Incident Commander is responsible for the completion of the tactical objectives. The Tactical Objectives (listed in order of priority) are?
A. Remove endangered occupants and treat the injured.
B. Stabilize the incident and provide for life safety.
C. Conserveproperty.
D.Provide for the safety, accountability, and welfare of personnel.This priority is on going throughout
the incident.
What system is used to facilitate the completion of a task?
The Incident Command System
Who is the person that drives the command system to the end?
The incident commander
What is the incident commander responsible for?
Building a Command structure that matches the organizational needs of the incident to achieve the completion of the Tactical Objectives for the incident.
What are the standard activities that are performed by the Incident Commander to achieve the Tactical Objective?
The functions of command
The functions of command are?
- Assume and announce Command and establish an effective initial command position (Command Post).
- Rapidly evaluate the situation (size up).
- Initiate, maintain, and control effective incident communications.
- Provide and manage a steady, adequate, and timely stream of appropriate resources.
- Identify the incident strategy, develop an Incident Action Plan (IAP), and assign companies and personnel consistent with plans and standard operating procedures.
- Develop an effective incident organization using Sectors/Divisions/Groups to decentralize and
delegate geographic and functional responsibility. - Review, and revise (as needed) the strategy to keep the IAP current.
- Provide for the continuity, transfer, and termination of Command.
The Incident Commander is responsible for all of these functions. As Command is transferred, so is the responsibility for these functions. The first six (6) functions must be addressed immediately from the initial assumption of Command.
The first fire department member or unit to arrive at the scene of a multiple unit response shall?
Assume command of the incident
The initial Incident Commander shall remain in Command until?
Command is transferred or the incident is stabilized and Command is terminated.
One or two company responses that are not going to escalate beyond the commitment of these companies do not require the first arriving unit or officer to assume Command. The first arriving unit or officer will?
Remain responsible for any needed Command.
The first arriving fire department unit initiates the command process by giving?
An initial radio report
The standard Initial Radio Report includes?
On-Scene Report
- Clear alarm
- Unit designation/on the scene.
- Building/area description. Occupancy
Size (large, medium, small), Height (assumed 1 story unless reported otherwise) - Obvious problem/conditions.
Nothing showing (indicates checking), Smoke showing (amount and location), Fire showing (amount and location), Working fire, Fully involved - Action taken.
(Assuming command, Laying a line, Attacking with…etc.) - Declaration of Strategy. (Offensive or Defensive)
- Command confirmation with name
What is in the Follow-up Report?
- Any immediate safety concerns
- Accountability started (announce the initial accountability location)
- Disposition of resources (hold/add/return)
- IRIC - in place and identify
The radio designation “COMMAND” will be used along with?
the occupancy or address of the incident
i.e. “7th Street Command”, “Metro Center Command”
If a Chief Officer, member, or unit without tactical capabilities (i.e. staff vehicle, no equipment, etc.) initiates command what should be a top priority?
the establishment of a Command Post
At most incidents the initial Incident Commander will be?
The company officer
The following Command options define the Company Officer’s direct involvement in tactical activities and the modes of Command that may be utilized are?
Investigation mode
Fast attack
Command mode/stationary command post
This is a mobile IC on a portable radio, moving around and evaluating conditions while looking for the incident problem. The company officer should go with the company to investigate while utilizing a portable radio to command the incident.
Investigation mode
Visible working fires in houses or commercial occupancies. IC #1 arrives and his/her direct participation in the attack will make a positive difference in the outcome (search and rescue, fire control, and crew safety). They give an initial radio report and quickly assign an attack team (2 engines and ladder) coming in behind them. Next arriving units all stage. IC #1 goes inside (when in the offensive mode) with a portable radio supervising their crew in the attack. What mode is the?
Fast attack mode
In fast attack mode, the IC must initiate and continue command until?
a command officer arrives and the transfer of command is completed.
The entire team responding in behind the fast attackers must realize that the IC is in an attack position inside the hazard zone attempting to quickly solve the incident problem. What should the responding team do?
Responding companies must critically listen to radio traffic, update, review and reinforce the initial size up, verify the safety, welfare, and accountability of the fast attackers, and back up the basic attack.
The Fast-attack-mobile Command mode should not last more than a few minutes and will end with one of the following?
A. Situation is stabilized.
B. Command is transferred from the fast attack company officer IC to a later arriving command
officer.
C. If the situation is not stabilized, the fast attack company officer IC must move to an exterior
(stationary) command position and is now in the Command mode. The company officer must decide whether or not to withdraw the remainder of the crew, based on the crew’s capabilities and experience, safety issues, and the ability to communicate with the crew. No crew will remain in a hazardous area without radio communications.
When the first arriving IC will assumes command and, from the very beginning stay out of the hazard zone in a stationary exterior command position is called?
Command Mode - Stationary Command Post
If the Company Officer assumes a Command mode, the following options are available?
A. “Move up” an acting officer within the Company. This is determined by the individual and collective capabilities and experience of the crew.
B. Assign the crew members to perform staff functions to assist the IC. Staff functions include recon/reporting, communications assistance; help with tactical worksheet tracking etc.
C. Assign company personnel to another Company. This creates a larger work group with an officer. This must be acknowledged by both the original and the receiving officer and by their inclusion in the accountability system.
The stationary command IC must remain there until?
The incident terminated or command is transferred
Why is command transferred?
To improve the quality of the Command organization.
The benefits of an upgraded Command post are?
*Provides IC #2 with a Support Officer
• Establishes an Incident Safety Officer (FIT) (ISO)
• IC #2 has a wider view of the fireground
• Improves communication
• Creates a lighted, warm (or cool), and dry environment for IC #2 to operate in
Transfer of Command process is?
A. The first fire department member arriving on the scene will automatically assume Command. This will normally be a Company Officer, but could be any fire department member up to and including the Fire Chief.
B. The first arriving Company Officer will assume Command after the Transfer of Command procedures have been completed (assuming an equal or higher ranking officer has not already assumed Command). IC #1 is usually a Company Officer.
C. The first arriving Command Officer should assume Command of the incident following Transfer of Command procedures and becomes IC #2.
D. Subsequent arriving Command Officers should report their location to the IC, and wait for an assignment. The first arriving Shift Commander ( preferably from the appropriate city that the incident is located in if available) will assume the roll of Senior Advisor and assist the IC. The second arriving Shift Commander sets up the Command Van (CV) and manages the movement of Command to the CV. The Senior Advisor, IC and Support Officer become the Command Team (Incident Advisory Team). The Command Team may assign additional staff such as a Safety Officer (relieves the Support Officer’s ISO responsibility) and a Staging Officer.
E. Assumption of Command is discretionary for Assistant Chiefs and the Fire Chief.
F. Local events that are of long duration or require long term evacuations may require a larger Command staff including Planning Chief, Liaison, and Public Information Officer (PIO). The
Assistant Chief of Operations may provide additional support by assisting the Senior Advisor
while a Shift Commander manages the evacuation and Command staff.
G. When an incident is so large or of such duration that State or Federal resources are called to
assist, an Incident Management Team (IMT) may be assigned to manage these resources. In this case the local jurisdiction having authority (JHA) will maintain Command or delegate authority for managing resources to the IMT. In either case the JHA retains authority to set incident objectives and determine when the IMT, State, and Federal resources are no longer needed.
What is JHA mean?
Jurisdiction Having Authority
When the initial commitment of the first arriving Company requires a full crew (i.e., high-rise or an immediate rescue). It may be appropriate to pass command to who?
Another company or command officer on scene
When a Chief Officer arrives at the scene at the same time as the initial arriving Company, the Chief Officer should?
Assume command of the incident
Passing Command” to a unit that is not on the scene creates a gap in the Command process and compromises incident management. How do you prevent this gap?
COMMAND SHALL NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO AN OFFICER WHO IS NOT ON THE SCENE.
Should a situation occur where a later arriving Company or Command officer cannot locate or communicate with Command (after several radio attempts) what should happen?
they will assume and announce their assumption of Command and initiate whatever actions are necessary to confirm the safety of the missing crew.
Within the chain of Command, the actual transfer of Command will be regulated by the following procedure:
A. The officer assuming Command (IC #2) will communicate with the person being relieved (IC #1) by radio or face-to-face. Face-to-face is the preferred method to transfer Command.
B. The person being relieved will brief the officer assuming Command indicating at least the following:
- General situation status:
a. Incident conditions (fire location and extent, Hazmat spill or release, number of
patients, etc.)
b. Incident Management Plan.
c. Completion of the Tactical Objectives.
d. Safety considerations. - Deployment and assignments of operating companies and personnel.
- Appraisals of need for additional resources.
C.When an incident becomes so large that an Incident Management Team(IMT) is requested, Command will not transfer to the IMT (Type I/III) unless a formal written Delegation of Authority has been signed by both the JHA and the IMT.
Command is only transferred when the Transfer of Command process has been?
Completed
A ranking Officer may elect to have a subordinate continue the role of?
Incident command
In cases where an individual is effectively commanding an incident, and satisfactory progress is being made to bring the incident under control, it may be desirable for that person to continue in an active Command role.
The response and arrival of additional command officers strengthens the overall Command organization. As the incident escalates, the IC should use these Command Officers to fill?
Sectors (Division), Branch, and Section positions
Command should consider adding a command officer to any sector when?
Three or more companies are operating
Strengthening the Command organization does what?
• Improves safety
• Decreases the span of control
• Improves communication
• Improves accountability
• Improves management of the Sector
Company and Command Officers should eliminate all unnecessary what when responding?
Radio traffic
The initial Incident Commander should give a clear initial?
Radio report and continue to give updated progress reports
The IC is responsible for managing?
The incident
the Incident Commander outranks everybody. If a higher ranking Officer wants to affect a change in the management of an incident how do they do it?
- They must be on scene
2. They must follow the transfer of command
Anyone can effect a change in incident management in extreme situations relating to safety by?
Notifying Command and initiating corrective action.
The roles and responsibilities of the _____________ are identical to the roles and responsibilities of the ______________.
Command team
Incident advisory team
The command team consists of what?
Incident Commander (IC), Support Officer, and Senior Advisor.
The incident advisory team consists of?
Incident Commander (IC), Support Advisor, and Incident Advisor
In some organizations the ICs driver (FIT, ISO, BSO etc.) fulfills the role of?
Support officer
In organizations without IC Drivers (FIT, ISO, BSO)the IC may choose to?
utilize the next arriving Command Officer as a Support Officer.
