Clearwater Fire & Rescue Operations Division Incident Command Manual PDF

CLEARWATER FIRE & RESCUE OPERATIONS DIVISION INCIDENT COMMAND MANUAL Revised: March 2024 1  CLEARWATER FIRE RESCUE INCIDENT COMMAND MANUAL PREFACE Effective incident...

CLEARWATER FIRE & RESCUE OPERATIONS DIVISION INCIDENT COMMAND MANUAL Revised: March 2024 1  CLEARWATER FIRE RESCUE INCIDENT COMMAND MANUAL PREFACE Effective incident command procedures are essential for all fire and rescue operations. Structured incident command procedures must be in place and utilized on all incidents where crews are actively engaged in operations. By doing this routinely we establish command and control of the incident, improve safety and communications, and reduce confusion and disorder. As an incident escalates, more supervision, management, and support functions are required. At incidents with complicated or rapidly changing situations, considerable confusion and excitement may accompany early operations. Such disorder at an intensifying incident can contribute to excessive property damage, or worse, such as the loss of life. The goal of an effective command organization is to increase the safety of our members, eliminate confusion, and prevent the loss of life and minimize property loss. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a management tool which enables fire and rescue officers to manage the efforts and resources being utilized to mitigate the incident, whether a minor incident or one of major disaster proportion. In order to ensure the safety and welfare of our personnel, we shall always operate within the ICS at emergency incidents. The ICS organization has the capability to expand and to contract to meet the needs of the incident. All command level officers shall be trained to the procedures in this manual and expected to adhere to those procedures to establish uniformity, consistency, and teamwork. This Incident Command System Manual is hereby adopted by the Clearwater Fire Rescue Department Policies and Procedures, meets and or exceeds NFPA 1561, Incident Management System, Florida Administrative Code, 69A-37 , and is compatible with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as indicated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5, Management of Domestic Incidents. 2 1. Command Objectives The Incident Commander, and Command Staff, shall be responsible for the following objectives at every emergency incident; A. Life safety of all civilians and first responders. The IC must use effective risk management to ensure all civilians are rescued, removed from harm, and along with first responders are kept safe throughout the duration of the incident. B. Establishing command and control of the incident. C. Effective size up and ongoing evaluation of the situation, hazards, and potential consequences of all actions and inactions. D. Establishing and maintaining effective communication with all units and resources. E. Develop an Incident Action Plan (IAP) and begin assigning tactical resources to accomplish the strategies in the IAP. F. Maintain accountability of all personnel, crews, their assignments, and location, throughout the duration of the incident. G. Appropriate use of resources based on the situation. H. When applicable, ensure that the proper decontamination of personnel and equipment is properly completed, and same is returned to an operationally ready state. I. Stabilization of the incident. J. Make all applicable notifications to Staff, PIO, and other City Officials in accordance with Department and City policy. K. Make notification to the Duty Fire Inspector and Fire Marshal in accordance with Department SOP. L. Property conservation. M. De-escalation of the incident, establishing an effective demobilization plan to return all fire and rescue resources to a ready state. N. Providing proper documentation of the incident and any required follow up, post incident critiques, and training. 3 2. Types of Incident Command There shall be three basic levels of Incident Command operations established and utilized to command and control incidents; A. “Initial Command”- A mobile form of command established by the first arriving company officer. This is an initial command level. Company Officers are by default the initial incident commander at every incident by virtue of the fact they were the first arriving fire department officer onscene. It is not necessary for the first arriving officer to announce the establishment of “Initial Command” unless several companies will be actively working at the same incident scene. For example, a single engine and rescue at a vehicle crash, there is no need to establish “Initial Command” unless the engine officer begins calling for additional resources. The Initial Command may remain mobile so the officer can conduct an effective size up, direct personnel, and begin initial company operations. Initial Command shall not be passed from one unit officer to another; it shall only be instituted by the first arriving fire department officer and held until a Chief Officer arrives onscene to establish an Incident Command Post. On minor incidents the company officer may elect to remain as the Initial Command, providing they are not overwhelmed or become task saturated. If the incident is such where 3 or more companies will be operating, then a Chief Officer shall be requested to respond to assume Incident Command. Examples of such include but are not limited to vehicle extrications, large outside fires, etc. If the Company Officer chooses to retain Initial Command on minor incidents, he or she is still responsible for ALL objectives listed in the General Duties, Responsibilities, and Requirements section of this manual. B. “Incident Command”- a stationary command post established by Chief Officers, or in some cases Company Officers. Incident Command shall be established any time 3 or more fire rescue companies are actively investigating or engaged in operations. Incident Command shall not be mobile, and the location of the Command Post must be announced, and highly visible to all incoming units. The Commend Post (CP) must locate so that the IC has a good view of the structure or incident scene. This should normally be established at a Chief’s vehicle located near the front of the structure or incident scene. Incident Command must have an effective and functional accountability system in place, including an orderly method of storing unit passports. The incident’s accountability system shall be in compliance with CFR SOP 606 and Pinellas County SOP 600-11. C. “Unified Command”- Used at large scale incident where coordination between agencies is critical to the successful outcome of the incident. Incident Command is then shared by the senior command level officers from the major agencies 4  operating on the scene. (E.g. a scenario involving a school shooting with multiple patients. A Unified Command should be established with police and fire rescue command level officers to coordinate the strategy and tactics and establish communications between the agencies). 3. Initial Onscene Radio Report A. The initial onscene radio report at any fire responses to structures shall include the following information; ✓ Correct address if different from dispatched address ✓ Announce number of floors ✓ Announce type of occupancy ✓ Announce conditions observed upon arrival & pertinent information ✓ Layout or water supply information ✓ Announce current mode of attack B. Initial onscene radio reports shall not be given for single engine responses, vehicle crashes and medical calls unless there is critical information to report, e.g. patient entrapment, wires down in the roadway, etc. All initial onscene radio reports shall be in compliance with Clearwater Fire & Rescue SOP 625. 4. Mode of Operation At all reported fire incidents involving structures the Mode of Operation must be announced, both by Initial Command and the Incident Commander. This is a critical piece of information that everyone onscene and responding must be aware of. The Mode of Operation dictates the tactics for the companies to engage in to accomplish the incident objectives. There are three Modes of Operation; A. Investigative Mode- The Investigative Mode is appropriate when there are no clear indicators of a fire or the nature or extent of the incident. The Command Officer or Incident Commander may choose to have the other responding units investigate. The investigating officer gives progress reports via radio as soon as pertinent information is obtained. B. Offensive Mode (a.k.a. Interior attack) involves taking direct action to mitigate the problem and prevent further extension of damage within the involved structures or area. This typically means firefighters engaging in an interior fire attack. 5 C. Defensive Mode (a.k.a. Exterior attack) The primary goal in the defensive mode is to prevent the extension of damage beyond the structures or area involved upon arrival, or to limit extension to other property. A defensive mode may be used in situations where structural integrity is compromised, fire conditions prevent an offensive attack, or a lack of resources prevents an effective and safe offensive operation, and there is no chance of viability for any remaining occupants. Anytime the mode of operation is changed from offensive to defensive, an alert tone must be given, followed by the announcement of either a tactical withdrawal or emergency retreat over the radio, in addition, a PAR of all fireground units shall be completed. D. Transitional Attack- The transitional mode of attack is not used by Clearwater Fire Rescue. However, when used by our Automatic Aid partners, it is important that we understand what it is and how it integrates with our own operations. This mode of operation is a fire attack that first knocks down a body of fire from the exterior before transitioning to the interior to complete extinguishment. During the exterior knockdown of the fire, search crews are not permitted in the structure till the full transition to an offensive mode is made. This method is employed when a fire is found to be in a late to fully developed stage. E. Ensure that any time the decision is made to change from one operational mode to another; particular attention should be given to make sure that the change in operational mode is communicated to all personnel at the incident. A five second alert tone shall be used followed by announcement of the new command strategy. If crews had been making an exterior attack, no one is to reenter the structure until all Command Staff are aware, and an official announcement is made over the radio. F. During a defensive strategy, the decision to initiate any level of offensive operations must be carefully weighed from both a strategic and risk management perspective. Risk versus benefit is a key component of risk management and must be closely scrutinized during any emergency incident. 6 5. Transfer of Command A. Command will normally be transferred from the Initial Command (company officer) to an Incident Commander (chief officer) as soon as the Chief arrives onscene. Although the transfer of command is often done via radio, whenever feasible the transfer should be accomplished with a brief face-to- face meeting. This is so that all pertinent information is relayed from the company officer to the chief officer. Initial Commanders (company officers) should be prepared to answer the following questions upon arrival of a higher-ranking command officer: ✓ What was the initial situation upon arrival? ✓ What is the current situation? ✓ What is the current plan? ✓ What units are committed and where? ✓ What is the status of the search? ✓ Who is the Rapid Intervention Crew? 6. Announcing Command A. When a Chief Officer is assuming Incident Command they shall name their Command Post using the City or fire district’s name as the command post name, e.g., “Clearwater Command”, or “Safety Harbor Command”. The term “Clearwater Command” shall not be used repetitively during any incident; it shall only be used when speaking with dispatch, not during communications with on scene personnel. This will free up valuable radio airtime for the crews that are in the IDLH atmosphere and enhance the flow of communications. The term “Command” will suffice during incidents and shall be used when communicating with on scene crews via radio. B. Incident Commanders shall exercise caution to ensure that if there are two incidents occurring at the same time, they do not receive the same name, e.g. two incidents on US19 cannot be both called “US 19 Command”, and two incidents in Clearwater cannot both be “Clearwater Command”. C. The location of the Command Post must be announced any time an incident command post is being established. This is very important so that personnel who are onscene know where they can face to face with the IC, and units responding know where to report and drop off their passports. D. If the responding Chief Officer is anticipating an exceptionally long response to the scene, he or she may elect to have the second arriving engine officer assume Incident Command until they arrive. This will be at the discretion of the Chief Officer assigned to the call and will be announced via the radio. 7 E. Other company officers arriving onscene shall never take or “Assume” IncidentCommand from the Initial Command Officer unless directed to do so by the responding Chief Officer assigned to the call. The first arriving company officer shall retain Initial Command until a Chief Officer arrives and establishes an Incident Command. 8 7. Location of the Command Post A. Once Incident Command has been established, the Command Post (CP) must be in or at a vehicle to establish presence and visibility. B. Ensure that the Incident Commander establishes the Command Post (CP) in an area that provides a good view of the fire building and enhances overall fire ground communication. The location should provide a vantage point from which to view the incident, and that enhances communications between the IC and fire fighting forces. Ideally, the Command Post location should provide the IC with the ability to observe fire conditions, building conditions, and the progress or lack of progress on containing and extinguishing the fire (e.g. changes in smoke color, density, velocity, changes in amount of fire, etc.). If the IC does not have a good view it may be necessary to move the Command Post. Avoid parking across the street from the incident because of the potential for apparatus to block your view. Parking on the same side of the street either towards the Bravo or Delta side is preferred. This will give you a view of two sides of the structure. Also avoid locating the CP in a location where a barrier exists between the CP and where the crews are located, operating, and entering and exiting the incident area. An example would be across a major roadway, fence, creek bed, etc. This will hamper face to face communications. C. The location of the Command Post must be communicated to all units onscene and responding. 8. Command Post Staffing A. There are three key positions to the Command System that must be filled as soon as qualified personnel arrive onscene. These should be personnel who are trained at the Command Officer level. The first is the Incident Commander (IC). The next two positions in the Incident Command System that should be filled as soon as staffing permits are the Incident Safety Officer, and a Command Post Aide. These three positions shall be filled anytime you have announced a “working fire” or you have a significant incident. Examples of these significant incidents are extended extrications or rescues, water rescues, technical rescue incidents, or any incident where there is potential for the IC to be overwhelmed by radio traffic, accountability issues, etc. 9 9. Incident Safety Officer A. Incident Commanders shall assign an Incident Safety Officer on the following types of incidents; Any time a “working fire” has been declared Hazardous material incidents Technical rescue operations Water rescues and dive operations Extended extrications or complex rescue operations Any incident where the safety of personnel must be monitored B. The ISO reports directly to the IC. The ISO monitors and assesses all warm and hot zone activities for hazardous and/or unsafe situations or practices and develops measures for assuring personnel safety. C. The Incident Safety Officer (ISO) position should be filled as soon as onscene staffing permits. That said, the filling of the command positions is very important, however that objective should never deter or delay initial onscene units from engaging in company operations, e.g. deploying the attack line, initiating a primary search, etc. D. The Incident Safety Officer position can be filled with any fire officer; however, it preferably should be a command level officer or personnel with specific ISO training. Typically, this assignment will be given to the Training Lieutenant (320), the Rescue Lieutenant (LR), or an additional Chief Officer. E. The Incident Safety Officer must be in full PPE, and if there is any chance of encountering smoke, they shall don an SCBA. F. The ISO shall provide updates from all sides of the structure and advise the Incident Commander of changing conditions as well as the progress of current tactics. The ISO shall ensure they are seeing the “big picture” and maintain their overall awareness of the incident. The ISO should normally remain on the outside of the building for this reason. The ISO will serve as another set of eyes and ears for the Incident Commander and shall continually evaluate the strategy and tactics being deployed using a risk benefit analysis. G. The Incident Safety Officer (ISO) works for the Incident Commander but shall be considered an integral part of the Command Team. 1 H. The ISO is authorized to exercise emergency authority to stop, suspend, alter, or prevent unsafe operations when immediate action is required, and shall notify the IC at the earliest possible moment of the circumstances warranting such action. This authority is granted by the IC upon appointment to the ISO position. I. The assignment of an Incident Safety Officer does not eliminate the responsibility of every officer and firefighter who are onscene, to be accountable for their personal safety, the safety of their crew, and to report any dangerous conditions to the ISO and/or Incident Commander. J. All personnel at an incident have a responsibility and obligation to communicate changing conditions or hazardous situations, up through the chain of command. K. There shall only be one ISO at an incident. On larger incidents there may be a need for Assistant Safety Officers. Those Assistant Safety Officer’s then work under the direction of the ISO. L. Whenever the incident involves special team operations, e.g. Hazardous Materials or Tech Rescue, the ISO shall be knowledgeable in the specialized area involved or have an Assistant Safety Officer assigned who is, and who shall advise the ISO on safety issues directly related to the special team operation. M. On incidents where personnel have been exposed to hazardous substances or infectious diseases, the Incident Safety Officer (ISO) shall collaborate with the IC to ensure that all personnel and equipment receive proper decontamination, that all applicable notifications are made, and all documentation is completed. N. The Incident Safety Officer shall ensure that personnel have adequate rehabilitation provisions available when needed, and that the Rehab Group provides appropriate medical screenings before returning personnel to incident operations. O. All members of the Command Structure must understand that not only are they empowered with the ability to speak up if they believe an unsafe action is occurring on the fire ground, but it is in fact their duty. Risk Management is everyone’s responsibility. P. When an ISO has been assigned, it is important to understand the IC still has the overall authority for the management of the incident and must ensure adequate safety measures are in place. 10 10. Incident Command Aide Position A. The IC shall assign another Command Level Officer to serve as the CP Aide. This assignment will typically be filled with the 2nd due Chief. If no other Chief Officers are available, any fire officer may fill this position; however, command experience will undoubtedly be beneficial. B. Having an Aide will provide assistance in monitoring radio traffic, accountability, and other incident dynamics. The CP Aide should manage all accountability and radio communications. This will allow the IC to focus on strategy, tactics, and situational awareness. Incidents shall be run with Incident Management Teams, which includes the IC, the Command Aide, and the Incident Safety Officer. Information, duties, and decisions should be shared by the IC and the Command Post Aide. The teams shall continually reevaluate their incident action plan for operational effectiveness. 11. General Rules of the Incident Command System and Ongoing Operations A. The Incident Commander (IC) shall use a command board to track resources and assignments. The IC shall maintain a constant awareness of the position and function of all crews and personnel. If a mini-command board is used, the IC must have the ability and an orderly method to collect and store the unit passports. B. “Command” is not just a term or a license to talk excessively on the radio. It means you are in command and control of the incident. Having a command presence and being in control of an incident requires training and experience. C. The IC shall be responsible for the Incident Action Plan throughout the incident. This is a plan that the IC must formulate and communicate verbally within seconds after arrival onscene and continue to re-evaluate as the incident progresses. In the case of a structure fire, the decision must be made whether to initiate an interior attack or an exterior attack. That decision is based on the following factors; ▪ Information immediately available ▪ Building and occupancy type ▪ Fire conditions noted upon arrival ▪ Training and experience. 11 D. Remember that saving lives remains the highest priority until it is determined that everyone who was in danger has been found and moved to a safe location, or it is no longer feasible to rescue anyone successfully. This is normally accomplished with the advancement of an interior attack line to confine the fire, and simultaneous deployment of resources to accomplish a primary search. That said, the IC shall always apply a risk-benefit analysis to their plan. E. Units shall not call Command for an assignment as they approach the scene. If the IC feels it is necessary to give out assignments over the radio, such as lay a second water supply or to position on a particular side of the building, then that is acceptable. The IC has the discretion to direct units to Level I or Level II stage, but again units shall not call for an assignment. Unless otherwise directed by the IC, all companies shall report to the Command Post and receive their assignments from the IC or Aide face to face. F. All companies shall report to the Command Post ready to go to work, and with all appropriate PPE, SCBA, tools, equipment, & accountability passports. G. Correct positioning shall be required at all incidents, even those that are routine or minor in nature. If the IC or other command staff sees units that are not properly positioned, it must be corrected immediately. This includes units from other departments. Allowing or ignoring this is condoning a “drift into failure” mode. H. The IC should ensure that the number of crews and personnel operating in any one area are kept to a minimum. Only the resources needed to accomplish the tasks assigned should be committed. Crews and personnel shall not “hang out” or “linger” within IDLH areas. I. Extra crews and personnel shall be kept near the Command Post as “On Deck” companies. If crews have finished an assignment they shall return to the CP to remain in the “On Deck” status. J. Radio discipline must not only be followed, but reinforced and violations corrected when they occur. Keep radio traffic to a minimum and use face to face whenever possible. Do not permit personnel to transmit needless radio messages or use incorrect terminology. K. While operating at a vehicle-based command post, all radio transmissions and receiving shall be done on a mobile radio. L. At the command post, either the Incident Commander or the Command Aide shall wear a headset monitoring the assigned tactical channel. M. The Incident Command Checklists shall be within accessible reach of the Incident Command or Aide. 12  N. The terminology used shall be NIMS compliant. The NIMS Incident Management System is required to be used by all “Emergency Services Organizations”.(1st responders) O. At every 10-minute timer the Command Staff should reevaluate their current Incident Action Plan, for its progress and effectiveness, and any need to change that plan. A.progress report shall be given at approximately the 20-minute timer. P. All command officers arriving on the scene shall report to the IC upon arrival for an assignment. Should a higher-ranking officer choose to assume command, he or she shall first consult with the IC on the specifics of the incident and their IAP. Upon any transfer of command, an announcement shall be made over the radio, and Dispatch shall be notified as well. If the additional command officers are not given specific assignments by the IC, they shall remain at the CP and not engage in operations or begin giving orders to personnel without proper consultation with the IC. If a higher-ranking chief officer arrives onscene, it shall be his or her discretion to take command from the initial IC. The higher-ranking officer is not automatically considered to be in charge based on department rank. Q. Freelancing will not be tolerated. All managers, companies and personnel shall adhere to the Incident Action Plan R. The IC shall ensure proper notifications are made to all Staff, Duty Fire Inspector, Fire Marshal, PIO, and applicable City Officials in accordance with Department and City policies. S. At working incidents or any incident that the estimated duration is more than 30 minutes, the IC shall initiate move ups unless already handled by other Command Staff. Move Ups are at the discretion of the IC or Chief on Call but should typically be based on which companies are the next due on the run card. 12. Radio Communications A. Face-to-Face communications shall always be the preferred method of communications; Take the time NOT to use the radio. Radio transmission should begin with your unit designator then the unit or person you are trying to hail. (i.e. Engine 48 to Dispatch or Engine 48 to Drew Street Command) B. Once a formal CP is established, all radio communications shall go through Command, including Branch and Division supervisors. No units shall be calling dispatch unless they have a mayday or other emergency traffic that was unanswered by the CP. The only other exception is when multiple channels are being used. 13  C. The IC shall operate on the original Tactical channel assigned by dispatch. The command post will use the mobile radio at the back of the vehicle for monitoring and making radio transmissions. D. The “Talk Around” channel should be monitored if the structure or area prohibits quality radio transmissions. D45, D48, & CL600’s vehicles. are equipped with re-transmitter radios, which will link the “Talk Around” channel with the assigned Tactical channel. These radios shall be activated when the Incident Commander or the Command Team is communicating with tactical units on incident scenes utilizing the “Talk Around” channel. E. On emergency incidents the Command Post shall utilize the tactical radio bridge to monitor the Talkaround channel or monitor Talkaround on a second radio. F. On all 2nd alarms, a second channel will be assigned by dispatch. This is called the “Staging Channel” and will be used by Command to communicate with units in Staging, and with Dispatch, while the original channel remains the Tactical Channel. The IC and all operational units actively working will operate on the original Tactical channel. G. Whenever possible a 2nd DC “buggy” shall be located near the CP, and the “Staging Channel” operated from that “2nd buggy”. Any communications to Staging, or additional requests and communications to dispatch can be made on this “Staging Channel”. This will help to reduce the amount of radio traffic on the tactical channel. 13. Incident Scene Accountability A. Once Incident Command is established, that Command Post will be the location for accountability unless otherwise assigned by the IC. All incoming units shall report to the CP with their passports. The passports for the units that arrived onscene prior to the formal CP being established, will need to be collected by the IC, aide, or a runner and brought to the CP. B. Accountability must be practiced and enforced by the IC. Companies receive their assignment from the IC, preferably face to face, and report back to the IC when the assignment is complete or if they are unable to complete that assignment. The IC and Company Officer’s shall follow the Company Accountability Model shown on the next page. 14  STEP 3: STEP 4: When the Companies only assignment is handle the complete or they assignment given are relieved, or only operate in companies report the assigned back to the CP as a operational area. unit. STEP 5: If reassigned, go back to Step 2. If sent to STEP 2: Companies are given Rehab, remain there as a an assignment or assigned to unit until released by the an operational area. Rehab Supervisor or IC. If companies are going back to work, go back to Step 1 STEP 1 Companies report to the CP as a unit. D. Units shall not change their unit identifier based on their assignment. The unit’s radio identifier remains the same throughout the incident. As an example, Engine 55 is first assigned to fire attack, then sent to Rehab, then sent back in to the 2nd floor for overhaul. Their identifier remains “Engine 55” for the duration of the incident. E. A Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) is a roll call by unit of all personnel on the incident scene. It shall be conducted by the IC or the CP Aide, and may be completed visually, face to face, or by radio. F. For the company officer, the PAR is a confirmation that all members assigned to that company are visually accounted for. The company must account for all of his or her personnel assigned to that unit. For example, “Engine 55 PAR, crew of 2, Driver is at the pump panel”. G. A Personnel Accountability Report (PAR) may be completed at any time the IC deems it necessary, however it is recommended to be completed at the 20- m i n u t e timer and every 20 minutes thereafter as long as companies are operating in an IDLH area or the IC and/or ISO determine it is necessary. H. Prior to the PAR check, it is recommended the IC request Dispatch give a 5 second tone alert to capture the attention of all the crew’s onscene. Immediately following the 5 second alert tone, the IC should make an announcement that 15  Command will be conducting a PAR check. The PAR check should always begin with the units who are currently operating in the IDLH, and then call the remaining companies that cannot be seen from the CP. Again, the PAR may be completed visually or face to face with companies in close proximity to the CP, thus reducing radio traffic. I. During the PAR check the IC or Aide shall update their accountability as needed. As the PAR is done the IC or Aide shall check off the units on their command board or tactical sheet so they ensure every unit is accounted for. The completion of the PAR and time shall be documented at the CP. J. If a unit does not answer the PAR after 3 attempts, an announcement should be made asking all units on scene if they have knowledge of the missing person and/or unit’s location. The IC may make similar announcements on any other channels being used at this incident. If no response from the missing person or unit, then the RIC should be activated, and a Mayday declared (Refer to CFR SOP 6) K. At the 20-minute timer, the IC should be considering crew rotations and rehab. L. Company officers shall report any change in location in the building or on the incident scene to Command, or their Group/Division if assigned to one. There may be occasions where this will occur without specific orders from the IC, however freelancing shall not be tolerated. (See CFR SOP 606 for additional information on the accountability system) 16 14. Incident Command Radio Benchmarks and Key Objectives A. Command established with a declaration of mode of operation. B. Working fire or working incident declared, if applicable. (Working fire is defined as any fire beyond its incipient stage requiring the deployment of at least one attack line and/or commitment of three or more companies to control) C. Water supply established. (Upon completion of an uninterrupted water supply from a hydrant). D. Primary search complete. (area searched and unit that completed the search) E. Fire knocked down.(bulk of fire extinguished, only hot spots and checking for extension remain to be completed) F. Exposure(s) checked (when applicable). G. 20-minute PAR check and situation update H. Any change from offensive to defensive strategy (when applicable). Must announce the change in operational mode and conduct a PAR for all crews in hazard zone. I. Secondary search completed. (area searched and unit that completed the search) J. Situation under control. (no additional resources will be required) K. Patients transported, including number, severity, and destination. L. All necessary notifications made. M. Termination of Command 17 15. Expanding the Command Structure on Larger Incidents. A. The Incident Command System (ICS) is designed to provide a series of supervisory levels to be implemented as needed. It is modular to allow the application of only those elements that are necessary at a particular incident. The ICS also allows for escalation as additional resources are needed, as well as de- escalation. B. The use of Division, Group and Branch officers is an important aspect of fire ground and incident management. Establishing Divisions, Groups, or Branches provides a system to divide an incident into manageable geographical areas or assignments. They are the organizational levels having total responsibility for operations within a defined geographic area or assignment. This will manage the IC’s span of control and reduce radio traffic. C. A “Division” is the functional operation within a defined geographic area. For example, on an incident with a working fire in the rear of a large structure fire, the IC may choose to assign all units operating in the rear under the direction and supervision of a “Division Supervisor”. This supervisor’s designator would be “Division Charlie”. This supervisor will be responsible for the activities in that geographical area. The operations within a Division need to be coordinated through the Division Supervisor and then communicated to the Incident Commander. This can be done via radio, but preferably face to face, and is especially important when making decisions concerning a change in tactics. This communication will ensure that all involved are aware of the big picture. With this information, the Incident Commander is responsible for the final decisions made on the fire ground. Floors of a building or areas of the building shall not be referred to as Divisions. Divisions may only be created and assigned by the IC and used specifically to break down the span of control, increase accountability, and decrease radio traffic. Units shall not refer to a floor as a Division as this will cause confusion on the scene. The Division is the Supervisor who was assigned, and the units working under that Supervisor. D. A “Group” is designated when several companies are assembled to perform a single function. An example would be 2 or 3 truck companies all assigned to ventilation at a high-rise fire, or 2 or 3 companies assigned to extrication and a major vehicle crash. As with the Division, a “Group Supervisor” shall be designated, and that person would be responsible for the specific operation and the units assigned to that Group. 18  E. A “Branch” is similar to a Group or Division; however, the Branch will have its own tactical objectives. A “Branch” is typically only used at major large-scale incidents involving two or more distinctively different management components. An example would be a major fire at an ALF with multiple victims. The IC may designate a “Suppression Branch” to handle the fire, and an “EMS Branch” to treat all the fire victims. Typically, Branches will operate on separate channels using separate command and accountability boards, however both still under the supervision of the IC. A “Branch” is led by a “Branch Director”. F. Units shall not self-assign themselves any type of term such as “Division”, “Group”, or “Interior” etc. These terms shall only be used when designated by the Incident Commander. If a “Division”, “Group”, or “Branch” is created, it is recommended that a command level officer be assigned as the “Supervisor” of the Division or Group, and that company officers are not used in this function. Assigning a company officer as a Division or Group Supervisor essentially pulls the officer from his or her crew and leaves that crew without direct supervision. An example would be a fire in a high rise. The Company Officer cannot assume the fire floor division because they are focused on fire attack and rescue and are already task saturated. Instead, a chief officer should be sent to the fire floor to assume the fire floor “Division”. Units assigned to Divisions, Groups, or Branches do not change their unit identifier. The only person to use Division, Group, or Branch in their identifier is the Supervisor who was assigned by the IC. All the units work under that supervisor, answer directly to that supervisor, while maintaining their original unit identifiers. All units must maintain their unit identifier throughout the duration of the incident, regardless of their assignment or location. This is critically important for accountability reasons. Below is the model of how the chain of command operates with Divisions and Groups. The IC assigns Divisions and Groups as needed. Each IC must have a single (A/C) supervisor. A/C 's assigned as Division Division Alpha Division Charlie or Group Supervisors (A/C) (A/C) Units operate in a Division or Group and report to the 45 47 51 45 47 48 "Division Supervisor" 19  G. If insufficient staff officers are available to fill all the IMS positions, the IC should consider calling additional District Chief’s to the scene. Also, a company may be called and the crew designated for the sole purpose of filling command positions. (i.e. Engine 55 is designated to assist with command, Engine Lt becomes ISO, Engine 55 D/O becomes CP Aide, Engine 55 tailboard becomes a runner for the IC) H. When command officers are deployed from the command post to forward positions or forward observer positions, they shall be in full PPE. If there is any chance of encountering smoke conditions, they shall also don an SCBA. I. All members of the command structure, including Division, Group, Branch Supervisors, shall maintain a constant awareness of the position and function of all crews and personnel operating under their supervision. 16. Handling Mayday’s, Emergency Retreats, and Tactical Withdrawals A. “MAYDAY” and “Urgent Traffic” procedures should be reviewed, and training reinforced with all personnel. Radio discipline is paramount during these events. Current radios allow for prioritizing of transmissions with the use of the Sims button. By pressing the Sims button, your transmission is prioritized and overrides anyone else trying to transmit for a 60 second period. B. You must recognize the difference between “Emergency Retreat” and a “Tactical Withdrawal”. The “Emergency Retreat” command should only be used when crews must exit a building immediately, such as pending collapse or a drastic change in fire conditions. Use of the “Emergency Retreat” command shall include the Emergency Retreat tones from dispatch, and the sounding of air horns for 15 seconds onscene. The “Tactical Withdraw” may be used when the Command Team has decided to change the mode of operation, e.g. changing from an interior “offensive attack” to an exterior “defensive attack”.. A Tactical Withdrawal does not necessarily require the retreat tones and air horns, as it should be a more orderly and controlled withdrawal from the building. Regardless of which method is used, a Personnel Accountability Report shall be conducted immediately following. C. The IC shall make an announcement to all units onscene that a MAYDAY has been declared, including the person’s name(s), unit, last known location, and situation if known, otherwise referred to as “Who, What, and Where?” (See Section 10 for the MAYDAY template and checklist, and reference CFR SOP 609) 20 D. Unless it presents a life safety issue, suppression efforts should continue during a Mayday, as suppression efforts must continue to support the rescue operation as safely as possible. E. When a MAYDAY is called, the IC shall deploy the RIT team, and whatever other resources are necessary to affect the rescue of the personnel in distress. F. The IC shall immediately call for additional resources. Initially this will typically be an additional alarm and the appropriate number of EMS units, However the IC should consider even additional alarms, air transport resources, or a Technical Rescue response in the case of a structural collapse. G. If a second chief officer is onscene, The IC shall make the decision to maintain “Command” or assume “Rescue Group or Branch”. While the terminology may seem confusing a “Group” should be used if on the same channel as the IC. If a separate channel is established, it should be considered a “Branch”. (See Section 13 of the Command Manual) H. The “Rescue Group Supervisor” or “Branch Director”, and all units assigned to the RIT/Rescue operation shall remain on the originally assigned tactical channel. I. In the event of a MAYDAY, the IC should take his or her command communications to another tactical channel, and all units on the call not directly involved in the RIT/Rescue operation or assigned to the “Rescue Group or Branch” shall operate on this second channel. The second channel may be requested by the IC, or if a 2nd alarm has been dispatched, a “staging channel” will be designated by dispatch. This “staging channel” could be used for this purpose. This will leave the person and or unit with the MAYDAY on the original tactical channel. Again, all units involved in the rescue or suppression efforts supporting the rescue shall remain on this original channel. J. If available, two Command equipped vehicle should be placed in close proximity of each other, so that both the “IC” and the “Rescue Branch” may have a functioning command vehicle, command board, radio, and the ability to separately track resources while maintaining verbal communications with one another. K. For additional information on Emergency Retreats and Tactical Withdrawals see CFR SOP 634. 21 17. EMS Operations and Mass Casualty Incidents A. The EMS/Medical Group Officer is responsible for managing the Triage, Treatment and Transport of all sick or injured citizens and emergency personnel at the incident scene. The EMS/Medical Group Officer shall report directly to the IC, unless an Operations Section Chief is established. The EMS/Medical Group Officer shall follow the protocols and procedures established in Section 4 of the Pinellas County Medical Operations Manual. (PCMOM /COG) B. On all incidents, the EMS/Medical Group Officer shall track all patients that were triaged, treated, and transported, including patient age, gender, severity category, transport unit number and destination. This information is for the Command Post and incident documentation only, and any release to other agencies or media must be in compliance with the PCMOM/COG’s. C. Based on the number of patients, the IC and/or EMS/Medical Group may elect to expand the EMS/Medical Group to a Mass Casualty Incident. In the Mass Casualty Incident, the EMS/Medial Group is further broken down into three units; Triage Treatment Transport Incident Commander (or Operations Chief) EMS/Medical Group Supervisor (or Branch Director) Triage Unit Leader Treatment Unit Leader Transport Unit Leader D. Each of these units shall have a unit leader assigned to and in charge of that unit. Depending on the size of the incident, this could be a Fire Medic, Company Officer, or Chief Officer. E. The EMS/Medical Group Officer shall also be responsible for identifying any deceased patients at the incident scene, providing the IC with the status of those victims, as well as requesting appropriate agencies such as law enforcement, and the Pinellas County Medical Examiner. The EMS/Medical Group Officer shall work with those agencies to identify the need to establish a field morgue if necessary. 22  F. When managing incidents with two or more patients the following actions shall be taken; Each patient shall be numbered Patient information shall be tracked by Command to include patient number, age, gender, and hospital destination. G. This information shall be entered into the incident notes. 18. High Rise Fires A. The CP at high rise fires should be located in an advantageous position with a good view of the building, but still meet the requirements in section 1.H. The CP should not be located in an area that would be vulnerable to falling debris, such as directly under the fire area. It should preferably be in the travel path of crews heading for the lobby or whatever entrance fire crews will be entering. B. On high rise fires there will be a need to create several Divisions and possibly Groups. The very first Division that should be established is the fire floor. The 3rd arriving chief shall report to the CP in full PPE & SCBA, prepared to go to the fire floor to assume the fire floor “Division”..All units on the fire floor will then operate under that “Division Supervisor”. This will significantly help the IC with their span of control. Engine officers should not be used for this function, especially the 1st engine. The 1st engine officer will be very busy completing his or her primary task, which is to locate the fire, place an attack line in service and confine the fire. C. The next positions to be filled on a high rise may depend on conditions. There may be a need to create a Division on the floor above. Another important position will be the “Staging Division”, normally located two floors below the fire. The “Staging Division Supervisor” will be responsible for all units in Staging but have not yet been assigned to the fire floor or elsewhere.. Rehab and an EMS crew should also be on the staging floor, under the supervision of “Staging”. Also staged equipment, such as SCBA cylinders will be located there. D. All Division Supervisors shall use a tactical worksheet or a mini command board to track resources and assignments. Writing on a wall is an alternative but should not be used by Supervisors on or above the fire floor. Changing smoke or fire conditions could cause you to lose all your information. E. If strong leadership and accountability is provided on the fire floor, and the staging floor, there should not be a need for an “Operations Section Chief”. If the IC determines otherwise, the Ops Section Chief would be responsible for all 23  operations above the Lobby. The Ops Section would need a separate “buggy” to operate from; however, it should be positioned next to the Command Post. This enables the Ops Chief and IC to communicate face to face. The Ops Chief, if one is created, should not try to operate from inside the building. F. Crews shall not assume when they exit the fire floor or building there are immediately going to Rehab. Although this is often the case in other structure fires, during an extensive high rise fire crews may have to make multiple entries before the IC or Division can assign them to Rehab. Rehab should typically be set up the “Staging” floor, which should be two floors below the fire. Crews shall exit the fire floor, report to the “Staging Division”, change air cylinders, and be prepared to be reassigned if necessary. It is not practical to have crews fully exit the building for rehab when dealing with high rise fires due to logistical reasons. 19. Incident Scene Rehabilitation A. All Rehab operations shall be in accordance with CFR SOP 622. B. Rehab is not only an action; it is a “Group” that is operating within the IMS. As with all Groups, a “Group Supervisor” shall be assigned. Rehab may be lumped or combined under the “Medical Group”. C. When crews are sent to Rehab, it is in fact an assignment, not an option. Crews shall report to the Rehab Supervisor and remain there until reassigned. Crews that wander or drift out of Rehab and begin other duties are freelancing. D. The “Rehab Supervisor” shall track the companies coming into Rehab, number of personnel, and time in/ time out. Crews should typically rehab for at least 20 minutes. On the 2nd or 3rd rotation, the rehab period may need to be extended. An assessment shall be made by the “Rehab Supervisor” whether or not personnel may be sent back to work, sent back to the station, kept in Rehab, or require medical attention. E. At the 20-minute timer, the IC should be considering crew rotations and rehab. This evaluation should continue at every 20-minute interval. 24 20. Geographical Designations and Terminology At structure incidents with one primary, roughly rectangular structure, the terminology shall be based on the phonetic alphabet, as follows: A. Side Alpha- The front of the structure – usually, but not always, the address side. If no front or address side is obvious, the initial IC shall designate Side Alpha. B. Side Bravo- The exterior part of the structure directly to the left of the fire building. C. Side Charlie- The exterior part of the structure directly to the rear of the fire building. D. Side Delta- The exterior part of the structure directly to the right of the fire building. INTERIOR QUADRANTS SIDE CHARLIE QUADRANT QUADRANT BRAVO CHARLIE SIDE SIDE BRAVO DELTA QUADRANT QUADRANT SIDE ALPHA, ADDRESS SIDE OF BUILDING 25  IDENTIFICATION OF ATTACHED EXPOSURES SIDE CHARLIE FIRE Delta 1 Delta 2 Delta 3 Bravo 3 Bravo 2 Bravo 1 BUILDING EXPOSURE BRAVO EXPOSURE DELTA SIDE ALPHA, ADDRESS SIDE OF BUILDING Compass Points — Compass points (North, South, East, West) may be used on large outdoor incidents such as brush fires, or in some cases referring to exterior exposures of a building. It is not recommended for structures where crews are engaged in offensive operations, as crews inside may not be able to differentiate between different compass headings but can tell the difference between the front and the rear of an occupancy. 26  IDENTIFICATION OF DETACHED EXPOSURES EXPOSURE CHARLIE SIDE CHARLIE EXPOSURE FIRE EXPOSURE BRAVO BUILDING DELTA SIDE ALPHA, ADDRESS SIDE OF BUILDING EXPOSURE ALPHA 27 INTERIOR QUADRANTS OF A STRUCTURE Command Staff and Crews operating in the interior of a structure need a consistent and standard method to identify a particular portion of a building. Typically, structures are square or rectangular shaped. These buildings can be divided into four Quadrants; o Quadrant Alpha- the left front corner,(interior Alpha/Bravo corner) o Quadrant Bravo- the left rear corner (interior of Bravo/Charlie corner) o Quadrant Charlie- the right rear corner (interior of Charlie/Delta corner) o Quadrant Delta- the right front corner (interior of Alpha/ Delta corner) INTERIOR QUADRANTS SIDE CHARLIE QUADRANT QUADRANT BRAVO CHARLIE SIDE SIDE BRAVO DELTA QUADRANT QUADRANT SIDE ALPHA, ADDRESS SIDE OF BUILDING 28 21. Command Forms and Templates A. 20 MINUTE PROGRESS REPORT The following shall be the template that you will use as our 20-minute progress reports for all structure fires in the City of Clearwater. A copy of this template will be stored on all Command boards. You will just need to fill in the blanks of information; Command to Dispatch at _(address) we are using (all units, 2 and 1, 1st alarm) for (fire, smoke, investigation) on the # floor of a story, (building type/occupancy) status of search (primary and secondary) (in progress/negative) we have lines in service and (horizontal/vertical) ventilation is underway. the fire situation is (advancing/doubtful/under control) Exposure A is (Street, occupied/vacant, similar) Exposure B is (Occupied / Lot / similar) Exposure C is (rear yard, parking lot, one-story garage) Exposure D is (Side lot, similar, attached structure) PAR Check is (underway, complete with results) we will be holding units for (estimated time) 29  COMMAND POST BRUSH FIRE Check List Decision is made by Incident Command to upgrade incident to a “Working Brush Fire”. Have Dispatch activate the “Working Brush Fire”. Command should establish appropriate geographic and functional groups. Ask Dispatch for wind speed and direction. Notify Division of Forestry (DOF) Fire attack is operating on the burned area of the fire to prevent become over ran and trapped? Defensive Operations in front of a head fire and outside burned areas? Protecting the exposures? Ensure Brush trucks are responding. Ensure Rehab Unit is responding. Notify On-Call Chief and CL201 (Chief Graham) 30  COMMAND POST MAYDAY/ R.I.T. Activation Check List WHO is in trouble (names and # of FF’s) What is the problem Where – location Deploy the R.I.T. Announce that a MAYDAY exists; “ Command to all units, a MAYDAY has been declared by (give the who, what, and where) requesting radio silence unless you have an emergency.” Call for an additional alarm for rescue and suppression support Request an additional TAC Channel (This should happen automatically upon a multiple alarm request) Ensure accountability of all units in the IDLH Assign Rescue Group or Rescue Branch (this should be a Command Level Officer) Request the appropriate EMS resources Consider need for Specialized Team response After Rescue is accomplished, conduct a PAR of all units Notify Chief on Call Notify PIO Call CISD/ Take affected units out of service 31  COMMAND POST TACTICAL WITHDRAWAL Check List 1. Decision is made by Incident Commander to initiate Tactical Withdrawal from structure or area. 2. “ Command to all units operating at , begin a Tactical Withdrawal from the building and standby for a PAR check” 3. Have Dispatch give a 5 second Alert Tone. 4. “ Command to all units operating at , begin a Tactical Withdrawal from the building and standby for a PAR check” 5. PAR Check units in the withdrawal area, confirm they are out of the structure or hazard area. 6. Incident Commander determines the strategy that the incident is going to be operating in. 7. Have Dispatcher give another 5 second alert tone 8. “ Command to all units operating at , we will be operating in the Mode of Operation” 32  COMMAND POST EMERGENCY RETREAT Check List 1. Decision is made by Incident Commander to initiate an Emergency Retreat from the structure or area. 2. “ Command emergency traffic, all units operating at , an emergency retreat has been ordered, evacuate the building immediately and standby for a PAR check”. 3. Have Dispatch activate the emergency retreat tones. 4. “ Command to all units operating at , an emergency retreat has been ordered, evacuate the building immediately and standby for a PAR check”.” 5. PAR Check units in the withdrawal area, confirm they are out of the structure or hazard area. 6. Incident Commander determines the strategy that the incident is going to be operating in. 7. Have Dispatcher give another 5 second alert tone. 8. Have Dispatch give another 5 second alert tone, followed by Command Statement announcing new Mode of Operation; “ Command to all units operating at , we will be operating in the Mode of Operation.” 33  Clearwater Fire & Rescue Dive Team Command Worksheet OPERATIONAL MODE: RESCUE Submerged Vehicle/Victim: “Rapid Diver” □ Risk/Benefit Analysis: Rescue vs Recovery □ ALS equipment and transport unit □ Dive 51 responding □ At minimal 2 divers certified with Rapid Divers responding □ Scene evaluation (Safety) □ Tidal flow, water current □ Physical/Environmental evidence □ Witness statements (should be completed by Dive Team Member) □ Establish “Last Seen Point” □ MRT members initiate rescue efforts with PFDs, marine assists, rescue board, etc. □ Rescue Diver (with tender line back to surface) □ Rapid Diver or  Normal SCUBA Rig (off DV51) Positions to be filled as dive members arrive on scene (Members may fulfill multiple roles till more members arrive: i.e. supervisor, back-up, or tender) □ Back-up Diver (With arrival of DV51: Normal SCUBA Rig & Dive RIT Kit) □ Dive Supervisor (Fulfill ed by a Team member; may be fulfilling multiple roles: i.e. tender or back-up diver) □ Primary Tender □ Notification of SOC Chief and OPS Chief □ No longer than15 mins Rapid Diver, 20 mins SCUBA Rig each dive □ Notify dispatch for the need of 15 or 20 minute timer-notifications based on when divers submerge and which diving rig being used by diver. □ Post/continued-dive medical screening each diver (vitals & Rapid Field NEURO Exam) □ 60 MINUTE MARK, RESCUE OPERATIONS CEASE □ Meeting of Dive Supervisor and IC (Command) □ Consider switching to Recovery Mode □ Go to Recovery Checklist Additional Resources Call back off-duty divers Watercraft Operators Diving Logistics PIO Family Liaison 34  Clearwater Fire & Rescue Dive Team Command Worksheet OPERATIONAL MODE: RECOVERY □ Risk/Benefit Analysis: Rescue vs Recovery □ ALS equipment and transport unit □ Dive 51 responding □ At minimal 3 Public Safety Divers responding □ Scene evaluation (Safety) □ Tidal flow, water current □ Physical/Environmental evidence □ Witness statements (should be completed by Dive Team Member) □ Consider calling in off-duty divers to complete recovery □ Establish following minimal roles (all fulfilled by Dive Team members): □ Dive Supervisor (Fulfilled by a Team member; reports to IC) □ Primary Diver □ Back-up Diver (SCUBA Rig & Dive RIT Kit) □ Full face mask, dry suit required Unless: Tampa Bay, Intracoastal, Gulf, or current water tested clean □ Additional roles (situational dependent, Dive Supervisor recommendation): □ Primary Tender □ Back-up Tender □ Watercraft Operators □ Diving Safety Officer □ Diving Logistics □ PIO □ Family Liaison □ Notification of SOC Chief and OPS Chief □ Pre-Dive Team Briefing and objectives □ Pre-Dive medical screening (vitals & Rapid Field NEURO Exam) □ No longer than 20 mins each dive □ Notify dispatch for the need of 20-minute timer-notifications based on when divers submerge. □ Constant evaluation of personnel, especially in extreme environmental or emotion factors □ Post/continued-dive medical screening each diver (vitals & Rapid Field NEURO Exam) □ Post Dive Team Briefing and objectives □ Demobilization-releasing units to service □ Incident evaluation by dive supervisor, command & staff 35  COMMAND POST Aircraft Emergency Check List Ask Dispatch for wind speed and direction (727-449-2184) Establish command post upwind Confirm Tail Number (communicate to FAA, NTSB) google# Determine Law enforcement jurisdiction, request a representative report to command post If a structure is involved, working fire file should be requested Set up a safe perimeter radius Develop a foam delivery plan (to site) Determine and protect exposures Determine if aircraft has a safety parachute (if so announce same) All “Cirrus” aircraft have parachutes Secure fuel shutoff, power removal, ignition Identify and Mitigate fuel run off Designate a triage, rehab area NOTIFICATIONS Notify On-Call Chief, On Call inspector and CL201 (OEM) Notify Tampa tower (via dispatch) Notify FAA (813) 371-7700 Notify NTSB (844) 373-9922, (201) 314-6290 Notify State Warning Point (800) 320-0519, (850) 413-9900 (they notify DEP) Notify Clwtr Marine and Aviation 224-7005 Notify National Response Desk 800-424-8802 36 References: NFPA Standard 1500, Section 8, Standard on FF Safety NFPA Standard 1561, Standard on Incident Management National Incident Management System (NIMS) Florida FFOSHA Statutes 633.801-633.821 Clearwater Fire Rescue SOP 601P Pinellas County SOP’s, 600-01 Command Summary and Concerns memo from Chief Riley Fireground Strategies, 2nd edition, by Anthony Avillo Lessons learned from the Countywide High-Rise training. rev 03-27-24/dk 37