Incident Command PDF

APOPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT PROCEDURAL GENERAL ORDERS Effective Date 09-27-21 Subject 8453.00 ❑ New ❑ Rescinds INCIDENT COMMAND Reference Amends 01-01-17 Reviewer/Approved by McKinley Hanstein National Incident Management System Reevaluation As Necessary Number Application All Employees Related Forms /...

APOPKA POLICE DEPARTMENT PROCEDURAL GENERAL ORDERS Effective Date 09-27-21 Subject 8453.00 ❑ New ❑ Rescinds INCIDENT COMMAND Reference Amends 01-01-17 Reviewer/Approved by McKinley Hanstein National Incident Management System Reevaluation As Necessary Number Application All Employees Related Forms / Bulletins 2009.010-A Strategic Operational Plan 2009.010-B Event Plan 2009.010-D ICS Deployment Log 2009.010-E ICS Diagram 2009.010-F ICS Notes-Timeline PURPOSE: To identify the importance of having an effective incident command system and to introduce the Incident Command System (ICS) procedures to department personnel in order for them to better understand their role during an incident. DISCUSSION: The effective functioning of Apopka Police Department units and personnel during operational incidents requires clear, and decisive action on the part of an Incident Commander (IC). The Incident Command System guidelines identify the procedures to be employed when establishing Command of an incident or operating a command post. It also fixes responsibility to one (1) individual at a time at the scene of an emergency. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of an emergency response. POLICY / PROCEDURE: I. Incident Command General Information: A. The utilization of the ICS has been mandated by Presidential Directive so multiple organizations can work in unison and under a single leadership in the mitigation of domestic incidents. Incident Command Page 1 of 17 B. Fire Services have used incident command systems since the early 1970's to mitigate wildfires that encompassed multiple jurisdictions. This system morphed into a command system that was used on a daily basis and could grow from a small incident to a large one, using common terms, and fixing responsibility for decisions to a single member. C. A range of agencies, departments, organizations, and individuals may be called to respond to major incidents within the city of Apopka. The motives, missions, and methods vary among each member of a regional response force. Nevertheless, they are called to work together with little notice and compelled by circumstances to manage stressful and dangerous problems in what is often a hazardous working environment. D. Incident responders face many potential challenges to achieving effective on-scene response operations, sometimes in the face of shifting needs of the emergency. For instance, if the nature of an incident was one of a found explosive device at the high school, the first arriving member would need to make some significant decisions and include a number of agencies to mitigate the emergency. These would include the school administration, the fire department, the sheriff's hazardous device team, the media, and others. ICS allows for an orderly method to direct resources and fix decision making responsibility for the safety of victims, responders, and the public. E. Interagency coordination and collaboration are therefore critical, such that responders cultivate a working trust with one another, transfer command and control when necessary, and ensure sufficient on-scene resources exist at all times. To achieve this, responders must collectively follow an approach that is based on local and regional coordination and cooperation. Implementation of a formal management process can help eliminate ambiguity in command and control, improve resource coordination and communications, and facilitate the application of local-level incident management procedures. F. It shall be the general policy of the department to utilize an on-site management system that shall be applicable to small scale daily operational activities as well as Incident Command Page 2 of 17 major mobilizations. The department will utilize the Incident Command System as detailed in the National Incident Management System (NIMS). II. Activation Requirements: A. The Incident Command System shall be used on all critical incidents when agencies outside the Apopka Police Department are working the same event with the department. This may be: 1. Critical law enforcement events (mass shootings, terrorist events, etc.) 2. Nominal law enforcement events (major crash with entrapment or multiple victims, multi-jurisdictional perimeters, etc.) B. 3. Natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, etc.) 4. City wide events (concerts, parades, etc.) The principles and procedures for the ICS should be considered for any situation which requires command and control of multiple units. 1. Critical incidents may require the need to divide task assignments into one of the five (5) major functional areas: 2. a. Command b. Operations c. Planning d. Logistics e. Finance/administration The Apopka fire Department maintains the “emergency management plan” which plans the entire city response to critical incidents, such as natural and man-made disasters, major acts of terrorism, and other unusual incidents and follows the standard Incident Command System (ICS) protocols. C. This policy should be used in conjunction with the Critical Incident Management Guide. The Guide will assist supervisors with critical decisions at the beginning and during an event. III. Incident Command: Incident Command Page 3 of 17 A. The ICS is a modular organization which develops from the top-down. “Top-down” means that, at the very least, the command function, managed by the Incident Commander, is always established. The development of the Incident Command System begins with the establishment of Incident Command. B. There are three (3) types of command that can be established: 1. Single Command: When an incident occurs where no overlap of jurisdictional boundaries exists, the agency having overall management responsibility will identify an individual to act as the Incident Commander. 2. Unified Command: When an incident occurs where there is more than one (1) agency with incident jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions. Agencies work together through the designated members of the unified command to establish a common set of objectives and strategies and a single Incident Action Plan. 3. Area Command: An organization established to oversee the management of multiple incidents that are each being handled by an ICS organization. Area command, which can be a unified area command, has the responsibility to set overall strategy and priorities, allocate critical resources according to priorities, ensure that incidents are properly managed, and ensure that objectives are met and strategies followed. C. The individual who has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations at the incident site is the “Incident Commander.” If the incident is of the size and scope that a command post is established, the incident commander should refer to him or herself as “command.” Initially, the Incident Commander generally is the first onscene unit who creates assignment and dictates tasks. As additional responders arrive, command will transfer on the basis of who has primary authority for overall control of the incident, with the next arriving supervisor “assuming command.” The use of the term “command” allows a single person to give direction, without others needing to know ‘who' is the commander of the event. D. Implementation of an Expanded Incident Command System: Incident Command Page 4 of 17 1. Modular Organization: The ICS develops in a modular fashion based on the complexity, nature, size, management needs, and anticipated duration of the incident. The full organization may not always be needed. 2. Additional management levels are staffed when: a. Span-of Control is too great. (Activities in any one area exceed the supervisor's ability to effectively retain control.) b. Span-of-Control: 1. Safety factors as well as sound management planning shall both influence and dictate span-of-control. In general, within the ICS, the span-of-control of anyone with emergency management responsibility shall range from three (3) to seven (7) individuals. 2. There may always be exceptions [e.g., an individual Group Supervisor with responsibility for traffic control could have substantially more than five (5) personnel]. 3. For a protracted incident shift schedules and relief personnel must be established. Shifts should not exceed twelve (12) hours and personnel of equal rank or qualification should relieve each position, where possible. 4. It is the responsibility of the position being relieved to brief their replacement on the following: IV. a. Situation status. b. Objectives and priorities. c. Current organization. d. Resource assignments. e. Facilities established. f. Concerns and/or related issues. Member Duties: A. Duties of the First On-Scene Member: 1. Perform an initial assessment of the incident. Incident Command Page 5 of 17 a. If the incident is of a conventional nature, the first arriving member shall strive to manage the incident according to established policies and procedures. If the incident is critical or requires multiple members in order to handle it, the following procedures should be used as a guideline in the management of the incident: 1. Assess the Situation: Conduct a “size up” of the situation by asking the following questions: a) Nature of incident? b) Location of incident? c) Number of suspects? d) Type of weapons? e) Type of chemical or device? 2. Establish a "Danger Zone:" a) Identify immediately in order to limit additional exposure to danger and immediately communicate its boundaries to: i. Communications. ii. Responding personnel. iii. The general public. b) No one should be allowed to enter the "Danger Zone" until deemed appropriate by the Incident Commander. 3. Establish Inner Perimeter: a) No unauthorized personnel are to have access to inner perimeter. b) If plainclothes personnel are used on the inner perimeter, replace with uniform personnel as soon as possible. Incident Command Page 6 of 17 c) Ensure personnel take proper cover and concealment, or in the event of a Haz-Mat incident personnel should maintain an appropriate distance. d) Attempt to limit the movement of inner perimeter personnel. B. Duties of the First On-Scene Supervisor: 1. Obtain a briefing from the first arriving member. 2. Assume command of the incident, becoming the Incident Commander and advise over the radio. 3. Ensure that the first on-scene member's tasks have been accomplished. 4. Critical or major incidents: a. Establish an outer perimeter, if not already established. b. Establish an incident command post. c. Establish a staging area for responding resources. d. Request additional resources as deemed appropriate. e. Secure one or more talk groups for the incident: 1. Determine the necessity for a dedicated communications operator. 2. Ensure notifications of the incident are paged. 3. Establish general staff personnel if necessary for the incident. f. Assign the first on-scene member to assume the duties of the documentation unit and scribe as necessary and assigned him or her to the command post. C. Duties of the Watch Commander: 1. The watch commander shall receive a briefing from the on-scene supervisor (Incident Commander) face-to-face if possible, or by radio or telephone. 2. Ensure that all critical tasks have been accomplished. Incident Command Page 7 of 17 3. If the watch commander ascertains that the incident is a major, or critical scene, he or she shall respond and assume the duties of the incident commander and advise on the radio. D. Duties of the Incident Commander (IC): 1. The ICS builds from the top down, with responsibility placed on the Incident Commander. If that individual can simultaneously manage all major functional areas (command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration), no further expansion of the ICS is required. V. Key Points related to Command Posts and Perimeters: A. B. All responding personnel shall be made aware of the following locations: 1. Incident Command Post 2. Staging Area 3. Media Information Area Establishing an Outer Perimeter: 1. This perimeter is used to limit and control access into the emergency incident area. 2. Identify and secure safe routes of travel for emergency vehicles both to and from the scene. 3. C. Prevent or control access to inner perimeter. Establishing an Incident Command Post: 1. An Incident Command Post shall be established between the inner and outer perimeter. However, depending on the type of incident, it shall not be in line-of-sight of the scene: a. For a short-term incident, a patrol vehicle may be employed. b. For a long-term incident, a fixed location such as a building or the Mobile Command Post vehicle can be employed. 2. A command post location should have the following available: a. Telephone(s). b. Utilities (hard line or generator). c. Privacy. Incident Command Page 8 of 17 3. d. Space. e. Protection (hazards and/or weather). f. Restrooms (fixed or portable). If the incident involves multiple agencies, efforts shall be made to establish a joint command post. 4. The incident commander should consider assigning a scribe early in the event in order to begin the documentation process. D. Establishing a Staging Area: 1. The staging area is used to control the deployment of personnel and material. 2. Establish the staging area outside the inner perimeter. A staging area should never to be within view of the scene. 3. Assign a unit to respond to the staging area and assume the management duties of the staging group. 4. Advise all unassigned units responding to the scene to report to the staging area. 5. Advise the radio dispatcher to contact any responding mutual-aid agencies with the staging area information. 6. Additional Resources: a. Assess the need for additional personnel, specialized units, or other agencies. VI. b. Have additional resources respond to the staging area. c. Establish a media staging area. Command and General Staff Functions: A. If the need exists, the Incident Commander can create one (1) or more of these Positions: 1. Command Staff: a. Deputy Incident Commander. b. Liaison Officer. c. Information Officer. Incident Command Page 9 of 17 d. 2. B. Safety Officer. General Staff: a. Operations Section Chief. b. Logistics Section Chief. c. Planning Section Chief. d. Finance/Administration Section Chief. Duties of the Staff Positions: 1. Duties of the Safety Officer: a. The safety officer reports directly to the Incident Commander. b. The safety officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing safety hazards or unsafe situations and for developing measures for ensuring personnel safety. 2. Duties of the Liaison Officer: a. The liaison officer reports directly to the Incident Commander b. The liaison officer is responsible for coordinating with representatives from cooperating and assisting agencies. 3. Duties of the Information Officer: a. The information officer reports directly to the Incident Commander. b. The information officer is responsible for interfacing with the public and media or with other agencies requiring information directly from the incident. 4. Duties of the Operations Section: a. The operations section is responsible for all tactical operations at the incident. b. The operations section supervisor is the operations section chief. c. The operations section chief reports directly to the Incident Commander. d. The operations section chief activates and supervises organizational elements in accordance with the Incident Action Plan and directs its Incident Command Page 10 of 17 execution. The operations section chief also coordinates tactics, requests and/or releases resources, makes expedient changes to the Incident Action Plan as necessary, and reports such actions to the Incident Commander. e. The operations section chief may begin to encounter safety and/or span-of-control problems depending on the size of the incident. In order to ease this burden the operations section chief can create one or more of the following functional groups: 5. 1. Intelligence Group. 2. Security Group. 3. Aviation Group. 4. Staging Group. 5. Traffic Group. 6. Investigations Group. 7. Tactical Group (SWAT, ERT, CNT, HDT, DIVE). Duties of the Logistics Section: a. The function of the logistics section is to provide facilities, services, and materials for the incident. b. The logistics section supervisor is the logistics section chief. c. The logistics section chief reports directly to the Incident Commander. d. The logistics section chief is responsible for providing services and material in support of the incident and shall participate in the development and implementation of the Incident Action Plan. e. The Logistics Section has the following Units. 1. Supply Unit: This unit is primarily responsible for ordering equipment and supplies, receiving and storing all supplies for the incident, maintaining an inventory of supplies, and servicing non-expendable supplies and equipment. Incident Command Page 11 of 17 2. Medical Unit: This unit is responsible for the development of the medical emergency plan and for providing emergency medical treatment of incident personnel. This unit will most often be operated by the Fire Department. 3. Ground Support Unit: This unit is responsible for fueling, maintaining and repairing the vehicles; and transporting personnel and supplies. The unit will collect and record information about the use of rental equipment and services initiated and requested. 4. Facilities Unit: This unit is responsible for providing fixed facilities for the incident. These facilities may include the incident base, feeding areas, sleeping areas, sanitary facilities, etc. 5. Food Unit: This unit is primarily responsible for determining feeding and watering requirements at all incident facilities and/or operational locations. The food unit shall meet these feeding requirements by procurement or production as appropriate to the situation and unit capabilities. This unit shall maintain a listing of available food service providers. 6. Communications Unit: This unit is primarily responsible for developing plans for the effective use of incident communications and equipment such as available talk groups or communications capabilities, distribution of communications equipment to incident personnel, and the maintenance and repair of communications equipment. 7. Personnel Locater Unit: This unit shall be responsible for locating and checking on agency personnel following a catastrophic critical incident. 6. Duties of the Planning Section: Incident Command Page 12 of 17 a. The function of the planning section is to collect, evaluate, and disseminate tactical information related to the incident, and to prepare and document Incident Action Plans. This section also maintains information on the current and forecasted situation and on the status of resources assigned to the incident. b. The planning section supervisor is the planning section chief. c. The planning section chief reports directly to the Incident Commander. d. The planning section chief is responsible for the gathering of information so that alternative strategies can be developed. e. The planning section may have the following assigned mission units. 1. Situation Unit: This unit is primarily responsible for the collection, organization, and analysis of incident status information and for analysis of the situation as it progresses. 2. Documentation Unit: This unit maintains accurate and complete incident files, including a complete record of the major steps taken to resolve the incident; provides duplication services to incident personnel; and files, maintains, and stores incident files for legal, analytical, and historical purposes. This unit also prepares the Incident Action Plan. 3. Demobilization Unit: This unit is responsible for assuring orderly, safe, and efficient demobilization of incident resources through the development of a demobilization plan. 4. Resource Unit: This unit shall establish check in procedures for personnel and equipment, prepare and maintain charts for resource deployment, track the status of resources and maintain a list of resources being utilized at the incident. Incident Command Page 13 of 17 5. Casualty Information Unit: This unit provides and establishes a centralized location for recording all incident related casualties. 6. Shelter Unit: This unit shall be responsible for security and crowd control at each official public shelter caused to be opened within the incorporated area of the County by the County EOC. 7. Duties of the Finance/Administration Section: a. The finance/administration section is responsible for all incident costs and financial considerations. b. The finance/administration section shall usually be activated only during large scale incidents requiring ongoing long-term financial accountability. c. The finance/administration section supervisor is the finance/administration section chief. d. The finance/administration section chief reports directly to the Incident Commander. e. The finance/administration section chief is responsible for all the financial and cost analysis aspects of the incident and for supervising members of the finance/administration section. f. The finance/administration section includes the following units. 1. Procurement Unit: This unit administers all financial matters pertaining to vendor contracts. It coordinates with local jurisdictions to identify sources for equipment, prepares and signs equipment rental agreements, and processes all administrative requirements associated with equipment rental and supply contracts. 2. Time Unit: This unit is responsible for ensuring proper daily recording of personnel time, in accordance with the policies Incident Command Page 14 of 17 of the relevant agencies. The unit also ensures that the logistics section records or captures equipment usage time. 3. Cost Unit: This unit is responsible for tracking costs, analyzing cost data, making cost estimates, and recommending cost-saving measures. 4. Compensation/Claims Unit: The unit shall be responsible for preparing the processing of all forms required in the event of injury or death to a person at the incident. It shall also gather evidence and prepare claims documentation for any event involving damage to public or private property which could result in a claim against the agency. VII. ICS Sections and Units Created Based Upon Safety or Span of Control Issues: A. Group/Unit: 1. The organizational level having responsibility for a specified functional assignment at an incident. 2. Groups are located within the operations section while units are found within the logistics, planning and finance / administration sections. 3. A group supervisor manages a group while units are managed by unit leaders. B. Division: 1. Divisions demarcate physical or geographical areas of operation within the incident area. 2. Divisions are located within the operations section and are managed by division supervisors. C. Branch: 1. An organizational level having functional or geographic responsibility for major parts of incident operations. 2. Geographic branches resolve span-of-control issues, while functional branches manage functions (e.g. law enforcement, fire, emergency medical). Incident Command Page 15 of 17 3. The branch level is the organizational level between groups / units and the section level. 4. VIII. A branch is managed by a branch director. Incident Action Plan: A. Every incident needs an action plan. 1. For small incidents of short duration, the plan does not need to be written, nor is there a need for an after action report. Depending on the type and complexity, the incident commander, or a member of staff, may wish to conduct a debriefing in which the after action lessons may be reduced to a written document. 2. SWAT incidents or incidents that rise to the level of unusual occurrences will have the incident reduced to a written document, as well as an after action report. 3. Pre-planned incidents (large-scale city-wide events, marches, etc.) will have an event plan developed and a post event debrief reduced to an after action report. B. Consideration shall be given to having a written action plan when: 1. Resources from multiple agencies are being used. 2. Several jurisdictions are involved. 3. The incident shall require change in shifts of personnel and/or equipment. 4. The plan is so complex that there is a likelihood it shall become distorted if not put into writing. 5. The Incident Commander, with assistance from any created Incident Staff, shall establish objectives and determine strategies for the incident based upon the requirements of the jurisdiction. 6. In the case of a unified command, i.e., city police, fire department, public works, etc., the incident objectives must adequately reflect the policy needs of all jurisdictional agencies. C. It is important to remember that the Incident Commander may delegate functional authority, but retains ultimate responsibility for the incident. Incident Command Page 16 of 17 D. During the management of a critical incident the delegated authority of the Incident Commander shall take precedence over the day-to-day rank structure of the agency. E. Personnel not assigned to a specific task according to the plan are to report to the staging area for check in. The staging group will report them to the resource unit for assignment to the personnel pool. IX. Demobilization: A. As an incident is stabilized, the Incident Commander, command, and general staff shall begin a systematic release of resources. B. An After-Action Report shall be required when: 1. The incident falls within the purview of any general order which requires the completion of an after-action report. 2. C. The Incident Commander feels an after-action report is appropriate. The Incident Commander is responsible for the completion of the after-action report. The Incident Commander may request supporting documentation from the following personnel: X. 1. Command and/or general staff. 2. Branch directors, group supervisors, and unit leaders. 3. Any other personnel the Incident Commander deems appropriate. Training: A. All members shall, within the two years of the implementation of this policy and new members within the first two years of employment, be trained in a minimum of IS 100 and IS 700. B. Supervisors will be trained in position specific requirements within the National Incident Management System. C. Continuing education in incident command will be provided on a periodic basis, which will include a training or operational exercise. An actual event may be substituted as training. By Order of: Michael McKinley, Police Chief Incident Command Page 17 of 17