Fire Officer Chapter 7-1

Incident Command and Fire Dynamics

• One of the primary duties of a first-arriving officer at any incident is to focus on the initial actions and size-up.
• The understanding of fire dynamics in structural firefighting practices has changed due to the evolution of fire rescue operations.
• An essential skill that a fire officer must possess is the ability to make effective decisions quickly.

Incident Command System (ICS)

• The effort to develop a standard incident command system began to address the need for a unified response to emergency incidents.
• In the ICS, the level of command responsible for setting the overall direction and goals is the Incident Commander (IC).
• The recommended prerequisite for taking the IS-200 course is to have completed the IS-100 course.
• The IS-100 course provides an introduction to the National Response Framework.

Firefighter Accountability

• The main reason for the accelerated adoption of firefighter accountability practices was the tragic loss of firefighters in the line of duty.
• According to OSHA standards, areas classified as immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) require a minimum of two firefighters to enter together.
• NFPA 1407 describes firefighter accountability practices.
• A Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) is a report that tracks the location and status of personnel during an incident.
• The purpose of requesting a PAR at tactical benchmarks is to ensure accountability and safety.

Rapid Intervention and Fire Dynamics

• The focus of the large-scale analysis conducted by the Phoenix Fire Department was on fire rescue operations.
• It took the rapid intervention crew (RIC) 2 minutes and 45 seconds to make contact with the downed firefighter in the analysis.
• The evolutions conducted by the Phoenix Fire Department revealed that fire rescue operations are critical to firefighter safety.
• The evolutions conducted by the Asheville Fire Department revealed that rapid intervention teams (RITs) require specialized training and equipment.
• The Phoenix Fire Department's large-scale analysis revealed that total time inside the building for each RIC team was approximately 5 minutes.
• The purpose of a tactical worksheet is to track the progress of an incident and provide a clear plan of action.

Incident Command and Size-up

• The initial incident commander focuses on the overall direction and goals of the incident once the initial actions are underway.
• One of the immediate command functions of the initial incident commander is to set the overall direction and goals.
• An example of an initial radio report for a defensive structural fire is "nothing showing from the exterior."
• The company-level officer must ensure that members are assigned to specific tasks during an incident and that they understand their roles.
• The function of command that must be completed as part of the first-arriving officer’s size-up and initial actions is the development of an incident action plan.
• One of the functions of command is to provide clear direction and goals to the incident response team.

Decision-Making and Ventilation

• The acting company officer needs to be equipped with the necessary information and resources to initiate fire suppression or emergency action.
• The initial incident commander works on releasing information about the incident and coordinating with outside agencies once the initial actions are underway.
• The company officer must ensure that standard operating procedures are followed and that conditions are monitored for deviation from standard initial actions.
• The purpose of integrating a PAR into the incident time clock is to track the location and status of personnel during an incident.
• If a firefighter cannot be accounted for during a PAR check, the fire officer must take immediate action to locate the missing firefighter.
• A ventilation-limited fire means that the fire growth is limited by the availability of oxygen.
• According to ASTM E119, the time–temperature curve guides the design of fire-resistant materials and structures.
• When a vent is opened in a ventilation-limited fire, the fire growth can rapidly increase.
• During a flash-over condition in a structure, the fire spreads rapidly throughout the enclosed space.

Fire Behavior and Dynamics

• The concept of modern fire behavior has expanded our understanding of fire behavior, combustion process, and limitations of tools.
• A change in ventilation can result in a rapid increase in fire growth.
• NIST explains that the Fire Behavior in a Structure curve is a guide for understanding fire behavior in different types of structures.
• NIST provided an explanation for the Fire Behavior in a Structure curve.
• A typical modern fire differs from a fuel-limited fire in that it is ventilation-limited.
• The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) conducted full-scale fire experiments in the 1980s.

Incident Command and Fire Department Operations

• The primary responsibility of the initial Incident Commander (IC) upon arriving at the scene is to set the overall direction and goals.
• The goal of using the Incident Command System (ICS) structure at an incident is to provide a unified response to emergency incidents.
• The initial incident commander's size-up and initial actions dictate how an incident will run for the next hour.
• The recommended span of control for emergency operations is 3-5 subordinates.
• If an officer's effective span of control is exceeded, the incident response can become disorganized and ineffective.
• The three strategic priorities that the Initial Incident Commander (IC) is responsible for completing are life safety, incident stabilization, and property conservation.
• The first-arriving fire department member or company-level officer is expected to assume command of the incident and begin the initial actions.
• The first-arriving fire officer needs to focus on the overall direction and goals of the incident at a strategic level.
• A managing or administrative fire officer should step in to relieve the supervising fire officer functioning as the Incident Commander (IC) when the incident requires more resources or expertise.
• If an incident requires only the services of a single fire company, the incident commander may function as the company-level officer.
• In addition to supervising members of the officer's own company, the company-level officer must also supervise the incident response team.
• The Operations section within the Incident Command System (ICS) typically encompasses most fire department tactical and task activities.
• FIRESCOPE stands for Firefighting Resources of California Organized for Potential Emergencies.
• The National Incident Management System Consortium (NIMSC) aimed to develop a standardized incident management system.
• The formal name of the system that blended the best aspects of both FIRESCOPE ICS and the FGC system is the Incident Command System (ICS).
• NFPA 1026 defines the standard for Incident Management Personnel.
• The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a standardized framework for incident management.
• One of the basic concepts of flexibility and standardization of the NIMS principles is the use of a modular organizational structure.
• Local emergency response agencies were required to adopt ICS due to the need for a standardized response to emergency incidents.
• FEMA provides introductory courses for the Incident Command System (ICS).
• The main focus of IS-100: Introduction to Incident Command System course provided by FEMA is to introduce the basics of the ICS.
• The company officer should include the location, status, and assignments of personnel in the report.
• The first-arriving company conducts an investigation in a reconnaissance mode when there is nothing showing.
• A potential danger highlighted in the text about 'nothing showing' calls is that they may be deceptive and require careful investigation.
• The fast-attack mode ends when the incident is stabilized or the company is relieved.
• The fire officer needs to consider the potential risks and hazards when incidents, particularly in commercial and industrial buildings, are investigated.
• A crucial factor to consider when investigating a 'nothing showing' call is the potential for hidden hazards or risks.
• An example of a situation that may require immediate action by the first-arriving fire company is a report of a fire or explosion.
• The fire department's policy of reducing response from emergency to nonemergency aims to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.
• The first-arriving company-level officer performs the role of incident commander during a fast-attack mode.