Incident Response Policy Overview

Incident Response Policy

• Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service
• Policy and Procedure document
• Version 24-01: 07/01/2017
• Includes 26 Appendices
• Covers incident response procedures for various scenarios
• Addresses crew member responsibilities, situational awareness, and risk assessment

Risk Assessment

• A dynamic process
• Continuously assesses the operational environment
• Identifies potential risks
• Compares risks to the benefits of an action
• Determines if an action is "worth it"
• Considers life safety, injury prevention, and property protection
• Risks include injury or death

Crew Resource Management (CRM)

• Focuses on team behavior and attitudes
• Prioritizes team safety over individual safety
• Promotes leadership and teamwork
• Encourages input from all team members

Incident Strategies

• Two primary strategies: Offensive & Defensive
• Strategy choice is independent of location
• Only one strategy can be in use at a time

Offensive Strategy

• Personnel actively address the problem
• Examples: Performing CPR, directing water streams at a fire, plugging a leak
• Goals: Correct or stop the identified problem

Defensive Strategy

• Personnel contain the problem
• Examples: Building containment around a leak, focusing water on threatened exposures
• Goal: Prevent further spread or escalation of the problem

Incident Priorities

• The order of importance for addressing incident goals:
  • Life Safety (Account for people in danger)
  • Incident Stabilization (Stop the problem from worsening)
  • Property Conservation (Minimize property damage)
• Ideally, all priorities are addressed simultaneously
• If resources are limited, priorities are addressed sequentially in the listed order

Life Safety

• Ensuring the safety of people, both civilians and firefighters
• Search procedures are mandatory in hazard areas, regardless of reported exits
• The assessment of entry safety and the search are separate processes
• Survivor assessment considers the likelihood of survival given the emergency
• Extreme risk may be taken to rescue people in danger, but MCFRS recognizes life's limitations
• Compartmentation plays a role in survivability
• Separate compartments can act as barriers to hazards
• Conditions within one compartment do not necessarily apply to others

Incident Stabilization

• Aims to prevent the incident from worsening
• Involves stopping the spread of hazards and controlling the situation

Incident Command

• All incidents require an Incident Commander
• The Incident Commander uses available resources to develop a vision for success
• The vision is communicated through clear incident objectives
• The Incident Commander ensures effective command which includes:
  • Situational Awareness
  • Accountability
  • Effective Communication
  • Risk Assessment
  • Established Objectives
  • Initiating and Monitoring Action
• Distinguishes between Primary Unit Officer and CCO command functions
• Complex incidents require a designated CCO operating from a stationary command post
• The CCO attempts to position their command post for visibility
• The first arriving Battalion Command Platform (BCP) should be used unless there is a compelling reason not to
• The Incident Commander designates "Side Alpha" and the remaining sides are designated clockwise

Incident Command Continued

• Exposures are designated based on sides
• The exposure next to a side has the same designation
• Exposures in multi-story structures often include the two floors above and the floor below the fire floor
• Floors are typically numbered up from the ground entrance level, with the entrance level considered the first floor
• Floor designations are separate from functional designations
• Terrace levels are located when the entrance to a living space is through an interior common area but has a ground level exit
• Structures with unusual layouts require communication with command to ensure clear designations

Incident Response Policy

• The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Incident Response Policy outlines procedures for effectively responding to incidents and managing risk.
• The policy emphasizes the importance of calculated risk-taking, prioritizing life safety while considering property preservation.
• MCFRS accepts calculated risk to save lives and limited risk to save property, but not risk firefighter lives for lives or property that cannot be saved.
• All personnel must be aware of incident risks, take reasonable actions to minimize them, and maintain crew communication and accountability.

Operational Doctrine Statement

• MCFRS actively engages in self-assessment, lesson learning, and operational evolution to continually improve.
• MCFRS recognizes the importance of learning from mistakes, promoting open discussion, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Training plays a crucial part in developing personnel and teams to effectively handle adverse conditions.

Incident Command

• There are two recognized methods of managing incident command: Tactical Command and Stationary Command.
• Tactical Command: The Primary Unit Officer is directly involved with their crew in emergency operations; this command method is used for short durations.
• Stationary Command: A Command Post is established and the Incident Commander manages the incident operations from a central location, directing resources.
• Division Supervisor: Responsible for overseeing operations within their assigned area, including resource allocation, completion of objectives, and crew accountability.
• Field Observer: Assigned by Command to gather information about the incident scene to enhance situational awareness.
• Incident Duration Reminders (IDRs): These are provided at regular intervals to track elapsed incident time, assess resource needs, and evaluate structural impact.
• Resource Staging: Units can be staged strategically depending on the situation:
  • Tactical Staging: Units are ready to engage immediately, awaiting directions.
  • Remote Staging: Units are positioned at a distance from the incident.
  • Base Staging: Units are assigned to specific staging areas designated by Command.
• Geographic Designations: MCFRS uses standard designations for structures, including building sides and quadrants:
  • Building Sides: The address side of a structure is referred to as Side Alpha.
  • Building Quadrants: Buildings are divided into quadrants labeled clockwise: Alpha (left front), Beta (right front), Gamma (right back), Delta (left back).
• Greater Alarms: Typically dispatched on a subordinate talkgroup; the first arriving Primary Unit Officer acts as the Staging Area Manager.

Strategic Considerations

• The Incident Commander is responsible for ensuring that operational objectives are established, communicated, and monitored throughout the incident.
• All actions must be coordinated to ensure effective team effort, supporting the Incident Commander's strategy.
• Changes in strategy must be deliberate and communicated clearly.
• Status updates intended for Command should be formatted using the LCAN (Location-Conditions-Actions-Needs) format.

This quiz covers the key components of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service's Incident Response Policy, including risk assessment, crew resource management, and strategic approaches to incidents. Participants will learn about the responsibilities and processes essential for effective incident response. Test your understanding of the procedures that guide the safety and efficiency of emergency operations.