The Command Sequence PDF

The Command Sequence RESPONSIBILITIES Command of an incident, regardless of its magnitude, requires immediate assumption of a very high level of responsibility. All at once the individual in command is responsible for established actions that save life, protect life from further injury, stabilize an...

The Command Sequence RESPONSIBILITIES Command of an incident, regardless of its magnitude, requires immediate assumption of a very high level of responsibility. All at once the individual in command is responsible for established actions that save life, protect life from further injury, stabilize an uncontrolled situation, and reduce further damage to property. Additionally, he is responsible for the safety of his own people as well as the protection of very expensive equipment. Keep in mind the individual in command may be an Acting Officer, Lieutenant, Captain or Chief Fire Officer. PURPOSE Highly dynamic situations require sound, organized thinking. Situations must be analyzed quickly, problems identified and solutions prioritized and implemented. Failure to do this not only creates unmet commander responsibilities, but also may lead to civil liability problems for the Department. The citizen for whom you have sworn to protect has a right to ask for accountability. COMMAND SEQUENCE By applying a standardized sequential thought process to the concept of Command, the Incident Commander can reduce most situations to a relatively simple application of basic skills and knowledge. This standardized sequential process is known as The Command Sequence. The Command Sequence consists of four parts: 1. 2. 3. 4. Incident Priorities Size-up Strategic Goals Tactical Objectives It is vitally important to recognize that this sequence can be applied to any type of incident. Incident Priorities Incident priorities are mental considerations in priority order. They are the first thing that an Incident Commander should consider and they must be continually evaluated throughout the incident. Incident priorities fall into three categories. They are life safety, incident stabilization and property conservation. Any one or all three priorities may be in effect in any incident and the Incident Commander should be directing efforts that accomplish the goals of the incident priority currently in effect. Let us examine each priority separately. Life Safety is the group of activities which reduce the threat to life or threat of injury. It is important to remember that this includes emergency services personnel as well as October 2020 EOM /Article 1 / Section 1 Page 1 of 5 The Command Sequence civilians. In many respects it is more important because if we become the victims, then we are of little value to those we set out to protect. Such activities might include evacuation, limiting exposure to the situation, or simply requiring full protective gear. Life Safety must always remain Priority #1. Incident Stabilization is the second priority. This group of activities is designed to stop the forward progress of the incident. In other words, “Incident Stabilization” means to stop further damage or danger at a fire. This might include aggressive interior attacks, ventilation efforts, or exposure protection. Incident Stabilization will always remain Priority #2. Property Conservation is last but by no means least. These are efforts that reduce the long-term economic and social impact of the incident. Basically, this is the salvage and cleanup of the incident. This might range from a simple salvage cover over furniture to a major Haz-mat cleanup. Property Conservation will always remain Priority #3. It is important to remember that the purpose of considering incident priorities in this manner is to organize the Incident Commander's thinking. Although these priorities never change, the order of accomplishment may change from incident to incident and also several times during the same incident. As an example, there is a fire on the first floor of two-story house and a person trapped on the second floor. Although life safety is the first priority, the best way to satisfy that priority may be to extinguish the fire (stabilize the incident). The actions satisfied priority #2 but the thought process addressed priority #1. Size-up The second level of The Command Sequence is Size-up. The first step in solving any problem is information gathering. The second step is evaluating the information to determine how this information influences the situation. The fire service uses the term "size-up" to describe this process. Size-up is the rapid mental evaluation of the factors that influence an incident. It is the first step in determining a course of action. The factors that must be considered are numerous and dynamic. As such they must be continually reviewed and evaluated throughout the entire incident. Therefore, Size-up is a continual process which begins long before an incident occurs and continues long after property conservation efforts are complete. Incident Priorities are not affected by a specific situation, but all other portions of The Command Sequence are. Therefore, Size-up is the second level in The Command Sequence because it is the first step in determining how a specific incident should be handled. Strategic Goals Since Size-up is the information phase of the incident, the next step should be that of applying the information to determine the desired results of the operation. In other words, the purpose toward which the activities are to be directed. This is, by definition, Strategic Goals. Strategic October 2020 EOM /Article 1 / Section 1 Page 2 of 5 The Command Sequence Goals are the third level of The Command Sequence. When Strategic Goals are considered in relation to Incident Priorities they can also be prioritized as: a. Rescue b. Exposure c. Protection d. Confinement e. Extinguishment f. Overhaul Salvage and ventilation are also considered but have no priority position in determining strategic goals. This is nothing more than a new look at an old concept. Incident Priorities represents the most important influence on the development on Strategic Goals. Strategic Goals must be a function of the incident priority in effect. For example, if a large-scale rescue effort was called for (life safety), the strategic goals such as overhaul and salvage would not be appropriate. There is an obvious and direct link between Incident Priorities and Strategic Goals and the link goes in both directions. Incident priorities determine strategic goals and strategic goals satisfy incident priorities. Strategic goals must be constantly evaluated to ensure that they are being accomplished. This is done by the continual process of size-up. The connection is obvious. It is also important to recognize that as goals are met, size-up will reveal changes in the situation. The mark of a good commander is the ability to be flexible enough to cope successfully with a rapidly changing situation. Tactical Objectives Tactical Objectives is the fourth level of the Command Sequence. Tactical Objectives are those specific actions carried out to accomplish Strategic goals. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to utilize his resources to accomplish his goals. This is done by developing those actions which are appropriate to the situation as well as to the level of resources available. Strategic Goals can be considered as the Incident problems while Tactical Objectives can be considered as solutions to those problems. As such, sound tactical objectives cannot be established and carried out until strategic goal are established. To do otherwise is to create freelancing: the scourge of the fire service! Tactical objectives must be specific as well as measurable. Telling a truck company to throw ladders indicates a lack of objective. There is no identifiable result. Was the purpose rescue, ventilation, access or just a drill? There is no way to measure whether or not the task was accomplished. Were there enough ladders thrown? Were they of the proper size? Were they thrown to the proper places? More specifically, the truck company should be directed to "horizontally ventilate the second floor", "ladder second floor to gain access and do a search," or "ventilate the roof over the fire." These orders specify objectives to be met and their success or failure can be measured. October 2020 EOM /Article 1 / Section 1 Page 3 of 5 The Command Sequence SUMMARY The Command Sequence is an excellent management model that gives the Incident Commander a tool he can use to help maintain a clear line of thought as he proceeds through the general chaos of emergency operations. It can be applied to any type or size of situation. It should also be remembered that the first two levels remain relatively fixed regardless of the situation. It is only the last two levels which require the bulk of the management effort. October 2020 EOM /Article 1 / Section 1 Page 4 of 5 The Command Sequence Command Considerations Size-Up Incident Priorities Establish Command Safety Strategic Goals Tactical Objectives Benchmarks Post Incident October 2020 •Enroute Considerations •On-Scene 360 Degree Assessment •Continuous Mental Evaluation •Consider the need for Special Operations •Life Safety •Incident Stabilization •Property Conservation •Initial Command •Transfer of Command •Incident Command •Unified Command • Personal Protective Equipment • Hand Held Radios • Personnel Accountability Reports • Two In - Two Out Rule • Rapid Intervention Teams • Firefighter Rehab • Rescue • Exposures • Confinement • Extinguishment • Overhaul • Salvage & Ventilation • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Reasonable • Timely • Obstacles and Contingencies •Working Incident •Search Completed (Primary/Secondary) •Incident Under Control •Fire Out •Scene Secure •Investigations •Citizen Needs •Post Incident Analysis •Training Needs •Employee Recognition EOM /Article 1 / Section 1 Page 5 of 5