Palm Beach County Fire Incident Management System Operations Manual PDF 2018

Incident Management System Operations Manual April 01, 2018 Acknowledgement to the Fire Chiefs Association of Palm Beach County for contribut...

Incident Management System Operations Manual April 01, 2018 Acknowledgement to the Fire Chiefs Association of Palm Beach County for contributing material. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 1  TABLE of CONTENTS A. Preface Page 4 B. Definitions Page 6 C. Pre-Incident Planning Page 10 D. ICS Organization Page 11 E. Rules of Engagement Page 15 F. Incident Command Page 17 2. Command Presence Page 17 3. Establishing Command Page 18 4. Assumption of Command Page 19 5. Transfer of Command Page 19 G. Communications Page 21 H. Emergency Communications Page 24 I. Terminology for Reporting Fire Conditions Page 27 J. Modes of Operation (Strategy) Page 28 K. Arrival Report Page 31 L. Progress Reports Page 32 M. Command Sequence Page 33 2. Incident Priorities Page 33 PBCFR IMS Manual Page 2  3. Situation Evaluation (Size up) Page 34 4. Developing the IAP Page 35 b. Strategic Modes of Operation Page 36 c. Tactical Priorities (Overview) Page 36 d. Tasks Page 36 e. Tactical Priorities (Elaborated, RECEOVS) Page 37 f. Scene Control Page 41 5. Evaluating the IAP Page 45 6. Demobilization Page 45 7. After Action Review Page 46 N. Public Information Systems Page 49 O. Emergency Management Plans Page 50 P. Incident Management Teams Page 55 Q. Appendixes 2. Appendix A, ICS Forms Page 58 3. Appendix B, ICS Position Checklists Page 59 4. Appendix C, ICS Position Descriptions Page 60 5. Appendix D, Informal Debriefing Form Page 61 PBCFR IMS Manual Page 3 Back to Table of Contents  A. PREFACE The Palm Beach County Fire Chiefs Association requested that their subject matter experts review contemporary approaches to incident management systems at emergency scenes and special events. The intent is to implement a common approach to addressing and mitigating emergency incidents among all fire service providers throughout Palm Beach County. The last time that this endeavor was undertaken was in 2008. It is recommended that future revisions be completed on a biennial basis. This manual original compilation was a collaborative initiative utilizing senior fire service leaders currently working in Palm Beach County. This manual was then crossed referenced to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Standard Operational Guidelines. The information within this manual is based on a review of documents and publications from the following:  International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)  International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI)  National Fire Academy (NFA)  International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)  National Incident Management System (NIMS)  Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)  Florida Statute  Florida Rule  Fort Lauderdale Incident Management Manual  West Palm Beach Incident Management SOG  Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Incident Management Manual  Studies performed by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),  Studies performed by Underwriters Laboratory (UL)  Strategies and Tactics published by Brady and International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA),  Fire Engineering and Fire Rescue Magazine articles, as well as incident management publications  The current Florida Field Operations Guide (FFOG) This incident management manual offers a standard operational approach to commanding effectively at any incident, regardless of the characteristics of the incident, size, and number of personnel involved. This set of rules and principles is meant to offer a basic and simple conceptual framework for incident management. Furthermore, these procedures are designed to meet the requirements of NFPA 1561, Fire Department Incident Management System, and are compatible with the NIMS required by Presidential Directive-5. NIMS enables responders at all levels to work together more effectively and efficiently to manage domestic incidents no matter what the cause, size or complexity, PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 4  including catastrophic acts of terrorism and disasters. Federal agencies also are required to use the NIMS framework in domestic incident management and in support of state and local incident response and recovery activities. This document is a compilation of best practices and modern firefighting tactics that is intended to serve as a parent document for the Fire Rescue Departments of Palm Beach County to develop their internal Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other documents intended to manage department operations. Acknowledgement and special thanks to the following agencies for their contribution of time and personnel in the development of this manual: Boca Raton Fire Rescue Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Delray Beach Fire Rescue Greenacres Fire Rescue North Palm Beach Fire Rescue Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue Palm Beach Shores Fire Rescue Riviera Beach Fire Rescue Town of Palm Beach Fire Rescue West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Committee Members Chair James Schaffner, Division Chief of Training (Ret.) Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Vice-Chair Kevin Green, Assistant Chief of Operations Delray Beach Fire Rescue Marty De Loach, Fire Program Director Palm Beach State College Fire Academy Daniel Hanes, Fire Chief West Palm Beach Fire Rescue Daryl Scott, Assistant Chief of Operations (Ret.) Boca Raton Fire Rescue PBCFR IMS Manual Page 5 Back to Table of Contents  B. DEFINITIONS 1. 360-Degree Size up: The act of obtaining information about all conditions of an incident from each side of the fire ground or incident response area. 2. Area Command: Area Command is an expansion of the incident command function primarily designed to manage a major or complex incident that has the need for additional Command Staff. 3. Base: a. The location where personnel coordinate and administer logistic functions for an incident. b. There is only one Base per incident. c. For high-rise fires, Base is the term for the staging of resources prior to entering the incident scene. 4. Base Area Manager: The person designated by the Incident Commander to track and deploy the resources located at the Base. 5. Branch: a. That organizational level having functional, geographical, or jurisdictional responsibility for major parts of the incident operations. b. The Branch level is organizationally between Section and Division/Group in the Operations Section. c. Branches are identified by the use of Roman Numerals or by functional area. 6. Building Construction Types: a. Type I (Fire Resistive) shall be those types in which the fire walls, structural elements, walls, arches, floors, and roofs are of approved noncombustible or limited-combustible materials which have greater fire resistance ratings than Type II. b. Type II (Non-Combustible) shall be those types in which the fire walls, structural elements, walls, arches, floors, and roofs are of approved noncombustible or limited-combustible materials which have less fire resistance ratings than Type I. c. Type III (Ordinary) shall be that type in which exterior walls and structural elements that are portions of exterior walls are of approved noncombustible or limited-combustible materials, and in which fire walls, interior structural elements, walls, arches, floors, and roofs are entirely or partially of wood of smaller dimensions than required for Type IV construction or are of approved noncombustible, limited-combustible, or other approved combustible materials. d. Type IV (Heavy Timber) shall be that type in which fire walls, exterior walls, and interior bearing walls and structural elements that are portions of such walls are of approved noncombustible or limited-combustible materials, AND other interior structural elements, arches, floors, and roofs shall be of solid or laminated wood without concealed spaces and have dimensions as outlined in NFPA 220 section 4.5.5. e. Type V (Wood Frame) shall be that type in which structural elements, walls, arches, floors, and roofs are entirely or partially of wood or other approved material. 7. CANS: In the Communications section: Acronym for a. C-conditions b. A-actions c. N-needs d. S-Statement of command name. 8. CAN Report: A situational report consisting of the current: PBCFR IMS Manual Page 6 Back to Table of Contents  a. Conditions b. Actions c. Needs 9. Chain of Command: Refers to the orderly line of authority within the ranks of the incident management system. 10. Command Officer: A single unit resource at the rank of EMS Captain or higher. 11. Command: The act of directing, ordering and/or controlling resources by virtue of explicit legal, agency, or delegated authority. 12. Command Staff: The Command Staff report directly to the Incident Commander and consists of the: a. Liaison Officer b. Public Information Officer c. Safety Officer d. Command Staff Advisors 13. Company Officer: The person responsible for a single company (Rescue, Engine, Aerial, etc…). This is most often a Lieutenant or Operational Captain, but is not absolute as this is an assignment of function, not rank. 14. Defensive Mode: A defensive mode conducts suppression operations outside the fire structure; these operations feature the use of large-capacity fire streams placed between the fire and the exposures to prevent fire extension. 15. Division: a. The organizational level having responsibility for operations within a defined geographic area. b. A Division is organizationally between the Branch and Unit. 16. Division Supervisor: The person responsible for all activity within a Division. 17. Emergency Evacuation: Used to advise personnel of imminent danger requiring the evacuation of the scene or area to an established safe place (Rally Point). 18. Emergency Traffic: Used to advise personnel of imminent danger, which is announced by the dispatcher and can be requested by any company that has an immediate communication that needs to be broadcasted. 19. Event Action Plan (EAP): The EAP is a formal written plan, developed by the sponsoring agency of the event and the responsible municipal, county, and State officials, which identifies potential emergency conditions at the event site and prescribes the procedures to be followed to minimize or prevent loss of life and property. 20. Fire Flow Formula – National Fire Academy (NFA): Length × width÷3 × % involved. 21. General Staff: A group of incident personnel organized according to function and reporting to the Incident Commander or Unified Command. The ICS General Staff consists of the: a. Operations Section Chief b. Planning Section Chief c. Logistics Section Chief d. Finance/Administration Section Chief e. Intelligence/Investigations Section Chief (if established) 22. Group: a. Groups are established to divide the incident management structure into functional areas of operation. b. A Group is organizationally between the Branch and Unit. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 7 Back to Table of Contents  23. Group Supervisor: The person responsible for all activity within a Group. 24. Incident Action Plan (IAP): An oral or written plan containing the objectives established by the Incident Commander or Unified Command and addressing tactics and support activities for the planned operational period, generally 12 to 24 hours. 25. Incident Command: The ICS organizational element responsible for overall management of the incident and consisting of the Incident Commander or Unified Command and any additional Command Staff activated. 26. Incident Command Post: a. The field location where the primary functions of Incident Command are performed. b. The Incident Command Post may be co-located with the Incident Base or other incident facilities. c. There is only one Incident Command Post per incident. 27. Incident Command System (ICS): A standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective. The ICS has five major functional areas: a. Command b. Operations c. Planning d. Logistics e. Finance/Administration 28. Incident Commander: This position is responsible for every phase of the incident. The Incident Commander assumes all responsibility for the protection of lives and property at the emergency scene. 29. Incident Objectives: Statements of guidance and direction that are specific, measurable, attainable, results oriented, timely, and necessary for the selection of appropriate strategy(s), and the tactical direction of resources. 30. Incident Management: The broad spectrum of activities and organizations providing operations, coordination, and support applied at all levels of government, using both governmental and nongovernmental resources to plan for, respond to, and recover from an incident, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. 31. Incident Management Team: A rostered group of ICS-qualified personnel assigned to key ICS positions. 32. National Incident Management System (NIMS): a. A systematic, proactive approach to guide all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. b. NIMS provides stakeholders across the whole community with the shared vocabulary, systems, and processes to successfully deliver the capabilities described in the National Preparedness System (NPS). c. NIMS provides a consistent foundation for dealing with all incidents, ranging from daily occurrences to incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response. 33. National Preparedness System: An organized process to achieve the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient Nation. 34. NIMS Components: NIMS is comprised of several components that work together and include: a. Command and management. b. Preparedness. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 8  c. Resource management. d. Communications and information management. e. Supporting technologies. f. Ongoing management and maintenance. 35. Offensive Mode: An offensive mode involves taking direct action to mitigate the problem. This means an aggressive interior fire attack will be used because initial crews believe there is a chance that occupants may be inside the structure and conditions may be such that they could still be alive. 36. RECEOVS: The acronym that is used to help with developing strategies at an incident. Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation and Salvage. 37. Section: a. The ICS organizational element having responsibility for a major functional area of incident management (i.e., Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration). b. The Section level is organizationally between Incident Command and Branch. 38. Span of Control: The number of subordinates for which a supervisor is responsible, usually expressed as the ratio of supervisors to individuals. 39. Staging Area: A temporary location for available resources in which personnel, supplies, and equipment await operational assignment. 40. STEALTH: The acronym for the steps needed conclude the incident and establish lessons learned. Set Time, Tone, Execution, Analyze, Lessons, Transfer lessons learned, High note. 41. Strategy: The general course of action or direction to accomplish incident objectives. 42. Strike Team: Are a set number of resources of the same kind and type, which have an established minimum number of personnel, common communications, and a leader. 43. Tactics: Deploying and directing resources on an incident to accomplish the objectives. 44. Task Force: A set number of resources of different kinds and/or types, which have an established minimum number of personnel, common communications, and a leader. 45. Unified Command: An ICS application used when more than one agency has incident jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions. 46. Unity of Command: A NIMS guiding principle stating that each individual involved in incident management reports to and takes direction from only one person. 47. Working Fire: Describes a fire that shall require the use of all of the first alarm units. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 9  C. PRE-INCIDENT PLANNING 1. Pre-incident planning is the cornerstone to managing an emergency incident. Company and Chief Officers should review and be familiar with NFPA 1620, Standard for Pre-Incident Planning, for a reference on how to develop information that should be in a pre-incident plan. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 10 Back to Table of Contents  D. ICS ORGANIZATION 1. General a. Under the Incident Command System (ICS), the ultimate control and direction of all emergency response resources falls under a single individual, the Incident Commander (Incident Commander), except where a Unified Command is established. The Incident Commander is responsible for the overall incident response effort and the implementation of the appropriate portions of this plan. This Incident Command System is quite flexible in that the Incident Commander can activate, consolidate, or delete various positions depending upon the needs of the incident. Although this structure is designed for full or partial implementation, it is important that all position roles are reviewed to ensure vital functions are not overlooked. b. The Incident Command System is not rank structured, but can be filled from whatever positions are best suited for the needs of the individual organization. The ICS organizational structure develops in a modular fashion based on the type and size of an incident. This modular escalation will allow a manageable span of control for all participants throughout the incident. c. Under the Incident Commander are two types of staff positions: Command Staff and General Staff. 2. Command Staff – There are four (4) possible positions in the Command Staff: a. Incident Safety Officer (ISO) – This individual monitors safety conditions and develops measures for assuring the safety of all assigned personnel. Others will serve as Assistant Safety Officers. b. Public Information Officer (PIO) – Point of contact for media or others seeking information. Only one PIO per incident. Others will serve as assistants. c. Liaison Officer – This person coordinates with all of the agencies that are involved with the incident. d. Command Staff Advisors – Additional Command Staff positions may be necessary, depending on the incident and specific requirements established by incident command. The Incident Commander or Unified Command may appoint technical specialists to serve as Command Staff Advisors. Command Staff Advisors are distinguished from officers because they serve in advisory capacities and lack the authority to direct incident activities. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 11 Back to Table of Contents  3. General Staff– There are five (5) possible positions in the General Staff: a. Operations Section – is led by the Operations Section Chief. i. The Operations Section Chief is in charge of all resources, conducts tactical operations to carry out the plan, develops the operational organization, and participates in daily planning meetings. b. Planning Section – is led by the Planning Section Chief. i. The Planning Section Chief is responsible for collecting, evaluating, and disseminating the tactical information related to the incident, and for preparing and documenting Incident Action Plans (IAP's). c. Logistics Section – is led by the Logistics Section Chief. i. The Logistics Section Chief is responsible for providing facilities, services, and materials for the incident response. d. Finance/Administration Section – is led by the Finance/Administration Section Chief. i. The Finance/Administration Section Chief is responsible for all financial, administrative, and cost analysis aspects of the incident. e. Intelligence/Investigations Function – i. The purpose of the intelligence/investigations function within ICS is to determine the source or cause of the incident (i.e., disease outbreak, fire, complex coordinated attack, or cyber incident), to control its impact and/or help prevent the occurrence of similar incidents. This involves: 1. collecting, analyzing, and sharing information and intelligence; 2. informing incident operations to protect the lives and safety of response personnel as well as the public; and 3. interfacing with counterparts outside the ICS organization to improve situational awareness. ii. Intelligence/Investigations functions are typically performed by staff in the Operations and Planning Sections. iii. The intelligence/investigations function may be organized in one of the following ways: 1. Within the Command Staff (as a Command Staff Advisor) 2. Within the Planning Section (as a Unit) 3. Within the Operations Section (as a Branch) 4. As a separate General Staff (as a Section) PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 12  4. Divisions and Groups a. Divisions and groups are established to maintain the span of control. b. Divisions are physical or geographical areas of operation within the incident. i. The person in charge of the Division is designated as a Supervisor. ii. How the area is divided is determined by the needs of the incident. iii. The most common way to identify Divisions is by using alphabet characters that correspond to the clockwise sides of a structure (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta). iv. Other identifiers may be used as long as the Division identifiers are known by assigned responders (i.e., Division 1 for floor 1, Division 2 for floor 2, etc…). c. Groups are used to describe functional areas of operation. i. The person in charge of each Group is designated as a Supervisor. ii. The kind of Group to be established will also be determined by the needs of an incident. iii. Groups are normally labeled according to the job that they are assigned, i.e., Fire Attack Group, Ventilation Group, etc. iv. Groups will work wherever their assigned task is needed and are not limited geographically. d. Once a group/division has been established, all units assigned to that group/division will communicate and report directly to that Supervisor and will no longer report to the Incident Commander. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 13 Back to Table of Contents  5. Branches a. If the number of Divisions or Groups exceeds the span of control, it may be necessary to establish another level of organization within the Operations Section, called Branches. b. The person in charge of each Branch is designated as a Director. c. Deputies may also be used at the Branch level. Branches can be divided into Groups or Divisions—or can be a combination of both. 6. Span of Control a. Span of control is the number of subordinates for which a supervisor is responsible, usually expressed as the ratio of supervisors to individuals. b. Optimal span of control in the ICS is five (5), with an acceptable spread of three (3) to seven (7). c. On a situation that is not yet under control, no one operating under the ICS should have more than five (5) personnel reporting to them. d. If the number of reporting elements falls outside of these ranges, expansion or consolidation of the organization may be necessary. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 14 Back to Table of Contents  E. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT Best Practices for Incident Commanders 1. Rapidly conduct, or obtain, a 360-degree size up of the incident a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to obtain an early 360-degree size up and risk assessment of the fireground in order to determine the safest approach to tactical operations before firefighters are placed at substantial risk. 2. Determine the Rescue Profile a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to consider fire conditions in relation to possible occupant survival before committing firefighters to high risk operations. 3. Conduct an initial risk assessment and implement a SAFE ACTION PLAN a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to develop a safe action plan by conducting a size-up, assess the Rescue Profile and completing a risk assessment before firefighters are placed in high risk positions on the fireground. 4. If there are insufficient resources to safely support and protect firefighters, a Defensive Mode of operation should be seriously considered a. Objective: To prevent the commitment of firefighters to high risk tactical objectives that cannot be accomplished safely due to inadequate resources on the scene. 5. DO NOT risk firefighter lives for lives or property that cannot be saved. seriously consider a Defensive Mode of operation (Risk vs Benefit) a. Objective: To prevent the commitment of firefighters to high risk search and rescue and firefighting operations that may harm them when fire conditions prevent occupant survival and significant or total destruction of the building is inevitable. 6. Extend LIMITED risk to protect SAVABLE property a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to limit risk exposure to a reasonable, cautious and conservative level when trying to save a building that, following a thorough size up, is believed to be savable. 7. Extend vigilant and measured risk to protect and rescue SAVABLE lives a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to manage search and rescue, and supporting firefighting operations, in a highly calculated, controlled, and cautious manner, while remaining alert to changing conditions, during high risk search and rescue operations where lives can be saved. 8. Act upon reported unsafe practices and conditions that can harm (Stop, Evaluate and Decide) a. Objective: To prevent members from engaging in unsafe practices or exposure to unsafe conditions that can cause harm. This will allow any member to raise an alert about a safety concern without penalty and mandating the Incident Commander and ICS organization officers to promptly address the question to insure safe operations. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 15 Back to Table of Contents  9. Maintain frequent two-way communications and keep interior operating companies informed of changing conditions a. Objective: To ensure that the Incident Commander is obtaining frequent progress reports and all interior operating companies are kept informed of changing fire conditions observed from the exterior by the Incident Commander, or other ICS organization officers, that may affect crew safety. 10. Obtain frequent progress reports and revise the action plan a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander, as well as all ICS organization officers, to obtain frequent progress reports, to continually assess fire conditions and any risk to firefighters, and to regularly adjust and revise the Incident Action Plan to maintain safe operations. 11. Ensure accurate accountability of every firefighter location and status a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander, Chief Officers, and Company Officers, to maintain a constant and accurate accountability of the location and status of all firefighters within their command. 12. If after completion of the primary search, little or no progress towards fire control has been achieved, seriously consider a Defensive Mode of operation a. Objective: To cause a benchmark decision point, following completion of the primary search, requiring the Incident Commander to consciously determine if it’s safe to continue an Offensive Mode of operation where progress in controlling the fire is not being achieved and there are no lives to be saved. 13. Always have a Rapid Intervention Crew in place at all working fires a. Objective: To cause the Incident Commander to have a RIC/RIG in place ready to rescue firefighters at all working fires. The Incident Commander shall consider the size and complexity of the incident and RIC/RIG staffing level recommended per the Countywide RIC/RIG SOG. 14. Always have firefighter rehabilitation services in place at all working fires a. Objective: To ensure all firefighters who endured strenuous physical activity at a working fire are rehabilitated and medically evaluated for continued duty and before being released from the scene. Anyone can effect a change in incident management in extreme situations relating to safety by notifying the Incident Commander and initiating corrective action. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 16  F. INCIDENT COMMAND 1. General a. The responsibilities of the Incident Commander include gathering and evaluating information relative to Coordination preplanning and size up, as well as development and Communication communication of the IAP. The successful Incident Commander will understand the ICS that they set up will Control require delegation of authority and responsibility. Orders and decision-making shall be performed at the lowest level in an organization. The Incident Commander has the ability to delegate functional authority, although they always retain ultimate responsibility for the incident. All functions not delegated remain the responsibility of the Incident Commander. b. The Incident Commander shall DIRECT available resources to accomplish incident goals. A responsive organization shall be developed to ensure proper incident management by coordination of command, tactical operations, and support functions. The Incident Commander shall communicate effectively to the organization and assess feedback. Effective communication demands direct orders with task specific directions using terms that are understood by all resources. This type of communication/control is critical to the proper management of an incident. i. Examples: 1. “Boca Engine 2, stretch a 1¾” hose line to the Alpha door and prepare for entry into the building.” 2. “Engine 34, secure a water supply and pump to the FDC on the Alpha side.” 3. “Ladder 87, you will be ventilation. Set up horizontal ventilation from Bravo to Delta.” c. The Incident Commander is responsible for development of an Incident Action Plan. They shall measure the overall effectiveness of the IAP as well as continually evaluate the IAP to ensure that the operational decisions are correct and are properly applied. The Incident Commander shall utilize all forms of feedback to determine if adjustments need to be made to the IAP throughout the incident. 2. Command Presence a. A Chief or Company Officer has a formal role and responsibility and should strive to establish a command presence in the workplace at all times. Command presence is essentially a person presenting themselves as someone in authority, trusted and respected. Command presence is critical to successfully overcoming difficult incidents especially early in the incident. This is partially done through the message conveyed by: i. how you LOOK ii. how you CARRY YOURSELF iii. how you ACT iv. how you SPEAK b. Every Incident Commander shall create their own style; however, it is important to remember first impressions are a lasting one. c. The concept of what command presence is, can be a little more difficult when translating it into practical application. Often it is easier to describe a lack of command presence, for PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 17  example boisterous officers who: talk loud, shout orders, and come across as demanding or controlling. These officers may be characterized for their excessive use of profanity to make a point and are considered very aggressive individuals. In consideration, every officer should ask four questions regarding command presence: i. Do you look like you are in control? ii. Do you carry yourself like you have the ability to resolve the issue? iii. Do you act like you are in control? iv. Do you speak like you are in control? d. Command presence requires you to convey confidence and self-assuredness before, during, and after you go on duty. Confidence comes from knowing in your mind that you can handle the situation. It requires thinking and doing under pressure, not over confidence. Competence and confidence are not magically acquired when you are issued a badge and bugles with a promotion. Training and preparation are required to acquire the competencies and develop confidence in one’s ability to take charge of a scene and resolve a situation quickly and safely. Mastering command presence is a continuous learning process. The Chief or Company Officer who is perceived with “I’ve got the badge; I am in charge here” has false competence and confidence and will rapidly lose creditability and control of a situation. 3. Establishing Command a. The first arriving unit shall establish Incident Command. b. The Incident Commander position is a function of role, not rank. c. An incident that requires the response of only one company, and is not expected to escalate beyond the commitment of this company, does not require the activation of the Incident Command System. d. Any incident, other than typical medical emergencies, involving two or more companies requires activation of the ICS. e. If multiple units arrive simultaneously or in close order, of which none are Chief Officers, the default Incident Commander role goes to the first due Operational Captain. f. If the situation evaluation (size up) allows the Incident Commander to enter an IDLH environment, consideration to transferring Incident Command to an outside Company Officer should occur prior to entering. g. If Incident Command has been established and the Incident Commander is inside an IDLH, the second arriving Company Officer shall communicate with the Incident Commander to confirm assignment or transfer of Incident Command. h. The Incident Command Post (ICP) should be located outside of the incident with two views if possible. The Battalion Chief vehicle is supplied with various tools for the Incident Commander and should be readily identifiable. Many departments use a green light to designate the ICP. The mobile radio within the Battalion Chief vehicle (forward or rear mounted) is preferred over the portable radio. The mobile radio provides greater output to improve emergency communication. i. The functions of Incident Command include: i. Assumption, Confirmation, and Positioning of Incident Command ii. Initiate and monitor personnel accountability iii. Situation Evaluation (size up) iv. Initiate, maintain and control the communications process PBCFR IMS Manual Page 18 Back to Table of Contents  v. Developing an Incident Action Planning vi. Organizational and Resource Management vii. Review, Evaluate, and Revise the IAP j. The Incident Commander is responsible for all of these functions. As command is transferred, so is the responsibility for these functions. The first five (5) functions shall be addressed immediately from the initial establishment of command. k. Chief Officers and Staff Personnel should report directly to a designated location for assignment by the Incident Commander. l. If the incident is NOT escalating or unstable the first arriving Chief Officer may work in an advisory capacity with the Incident Commander. m. The Incident Commander shall remain in command until command is transferred, assumed or terminated. 4. Assumption of Command a. Anytime there is a non-collaborative/face-to-face change of command; it will be considered an assumed command. b. During radio communications, “assuming command” may also be used anytime there is a transfer of command to acknowledge the transfer. c. Examples: i. The first arriving Company Officer arrives on scene and is in the IDLH, the second arriving Company Officer arrives and assumes command. ii. A senior officer arrives and is unable to perform a face to face exchange with the current Incident Commander but deems it appropriate to assume command immediately and cannot perform a transfer of command as explained in the next section. 5. Transfer of Command a. The process of moving the responsibility for incident command from one Incident Commander to another is called “transfer of command.” It should be recognized that transition of command on an expanding incident is to be expected. It does not reflect on the competency of the current Incident Commander. b. With the arrival of a Chief Officer, Incident Command is not automatically transferred to that officer. Incident Command is only transferred when the transfer of Incident Command process has been completed. If a higher-ranking officer wants to effect a change in the management of the incident, they shall be present on the scene and utilize the formal transfer of Incident Command procedure. c. The first arriving Chief Officer is expected to assume Incident Command if the incident is escalating or unstable. d. Incident Command can be transferred by radio, but when possible preference should be given to a face-to-face briefing. e. The transfer of Incident Command should include: i. The mode of operation ii. The current situation iii. The current unit locations iv. The current assignments v. What has been done vi. What is planned PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 19  f. After the transfer of Incident Command is complete, the new Incident Commander shall notify (when applicable, including the new Incident Command Post location): i. The Communications Center ii. General Staff members (if designated) iii. Command Staff members (if designated) iv. All incident personnel g. The new Incident Commander shall initiate (if not already established) and monitor personnel accountability. h. The ICS Form 201 should be used as it provides a written record of the incident for any of the following incidents: i. Large scale ii. Long duration iii. Complex i. It may be advantageous to have the Chief of Company Officer being relieved of Incident Command to remain with the new Incident Commander, in the role of: i. Incident Commander Aide ii. Operations Section Chief iii. Planning Section Chief j. There are a few advantages to having the Chief or Company Officer being relieved remain with the new Incident Commander, they are: i. They established the initial IAP. ii. They retain first-hand knowledge at the incident site. iii. They may observe the progress of the incident and gain experience. k. The transfer of Incident Command should be utilized both as the emergency escalates, and in the demobilization phase. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 20  G. COMMUNICATIONS 1. Radio Procedures a. It is the policy of all Fire Rescue Departments within Palm Beach County to use clear text and common terminology during all radio communications. b. No signals or codes shall be used except for purposes of security or confidentiality. The intent is to paint a clear picture and reduce confusion. Confusion could result in inefficient and unsafe operations causing injury, loss of life or property. 2. Radio Transmissions a. Radio transmissions shall follow the “military order model”, (“hey you, it’s me”) with the unit ID of the receiver first, followed by the unit ID of the sender. This shall get the attention of the unit being contacted, and ensure the message is heard and understood. The unit ID should be verbalized as separate numbers, to avoid confusion with other units that sound alike. i. Example: 1. “Dispatch, Rescue three-three (R33 is calling Dispatch)” 2. “Engine four-two, Incident Command (Incident Command is calling E42)” b. Building sides and exposures shall be identified using phonetic spelling (i.e., Alpha side, Bravo exposure, Charlie side, exposure Delta 1). c. Units should avoid interrupting an ongoing communication (other than when initiating Emergency Procedures as described below). When an interruption does occur, the person who initiated the original communication should tell the interrupting unit to “stand-by” and then continue with the original communication. d. Radio discipline should be utilized during all IDLH incidents, especially when companies are first entering an IDLH. Personnel should avoid nonessential transmissions during this time. e. Good radio communication is critical to safe and effective fireground performance; speak clearly at a practiced rate, deliberately control your emotions and breathing when speaking on the radio. Unnecessary phrases should be avoided. The sender should think about what they shall say before they key the microphone. f. All communications with the Communication Center shall be done through the Incident Commander. This includes requests for additional resources, command transfers and situation reports. Individuals, Company Officers, Division/Group Supervisors, and Branch Directors shall only communicate with the Communication Center when making emergency radio transmissions. g. Radio communications shall be kept to a minimum. h. Communications outside the Communication Center should be done face-to-face if at all possible. i. When an assignment is given to a single resource (unit), the unit ID will be used for all radio transmissions. i. Example: 1. Engine 28 is assigned as “fire attack”. Their radio ID will be Engine 28. 2. Truck 115 is assigned as “ventilation”. Their radio ID will be Truck 115. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 21  j. When a Group or Division is established, the radio designation for that Group/Division will be used instead of the unit ID of the Group/Division supervisor. i. Examples: 1. “Battalion 34, Drexel Command. You have Hazard Group with Engine 34, Rescue 34 and Special Ops 34”. a. From that point forward until relieved of their assignment, Drexel Command will refer to Battalion 34 as Hazard Group. 2. A more frequently used Group would be Ladder 87 and Rescue 87 assigned to fire attack. Radio Communications would be to Ladder 87 for both units, as Ladder 87 is fulfilling the role of Group Supervisor as long as the two units are working together and Ladder 87 is maintaining accountability of Rescue 87. When the two units separate, they are no longer a Group and each unit is communicated with individually. 3. Communication Model a. In high stress, fast moving situations, the communications order model should be applied to face to face communications. b. Personnel (including Incident Command) should “echo back” fireground/tactical orders to make sure they are understood. i. Example: 1. “Engine two-four, Incident Command, pull a 1 ¾” pre-connect for Fire Attack on Side Alpha”. 2. “Incident Command, Engine two-four acknowledge, 1 ¾” line, Fire Attack side Alpha.” ii. This does not need to be a word for word of the original message, but should be a brief and concise summary of the intent of the message or order from the sender. iii. The format of the echo back should assure the sender that the message was received, understood, and correct action will be taken. iv. The benefit of the communications order model is best illustrated when the receiver misunderstood the message and is taking incorrect action. This inappropriate action could be life threatening to firefighters. During the echo back, the sender has the opportunity to detect the error and make corrections before inappropriate actions are taken. c. Span of control encompasses “span of communications”, meaning that except for emergency transmissions (i.e., “Emergency Traffic”), all positions in ICS communicate only with those positions directly above or below them in the chain of command. d. Anytime a Company enters or exits an IDLH environment they shall notify the Communication Center, Incident Commander, or person holding their passport, that they are entering or exiting the IDLH. i. The communication may be on a TAC channel or face to face. ii. Examples: 1. The Incident Commander communicates via radio to the Communication Center 2. During a complex event the Company Officer communicates via Face to Face to the Charlie Division Supervisor PBCFR IMS Manual Page 22 Back to Table of Contents  e. Companies entering and exiting an IDLH environment shall communicate: i. Unit ID ii. Location entering or exiting iii. PAR of Number of personnel iv. Assignment (if relevant) v. Direction of travel (if relevant) 1. Example: a. “Rescue 41 entering side Alpha, PAR of 3, primary search, right- hand” 4. Additional TAC Channels a. The Communication Center shall advise of the radio channel to operate on. If the situation indicates, the Incident Commander may request a separate tactical channel. b. 800 MHz radios have limited range in large reinforced structures. Radios that are unable to communicate inside a building on a repeated TAC channel should be switched to a designated fireground simplex channel (TAC 14A, TAC 15A). c. The Communication Center should be notified before units switch to a fireground simplex channel (TAC 14A, TAC 15A). Fireground simplex channels (TAC 14A, TAC 15A) typically operate within a radius of one (1) mile. d. Incident Commander’s may consider requesting an additional TAC channel during incidents for Incident Management assignments (i.e., Base, Medical, Operations, etc…). 5. Additional Alarms a. When additional alarms are requested for an incident the added units shall respond on their Battalion TAC channel and MDC’s, then switch to the assigned TAC channel. 6. Multi-Jurisdictional Incidents a. During a multi-jurisdictional incident, the Incident Commander shall verify that other agencies have direct communications with Incident Command. This can be accomplished by one of the following: i. Compatible Radio Systems – In-coming units with compatible radio systems shall be instructed as to what frequencies are being utilized. ii. Incident Command Post Representative – In the event that incompatible radio systems prevent direct communications with mutual aid companies, a representative shall respond with the units from their jurisdiction to establish a direct communications link with the Incident Commander at the Unified Command Post. iii. Disseminate Radios – The requesting agency shall provide radios to mutual aid companies with a frequency allowing communications with the Incident Commander. iv. Merge Companies– Mutual aid companies shall be merged with companies that have communications with the Incident Commander. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 23 Back to Table of Contents  H. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS 1. General a. It is the intent of this document that common countywide alert tones be established for these three emergency communications. Several terms are utilized to advise the Incident Commander and other crews as to an emergency situation. 2. Emergency Traffic a. The term “Emergency Traffic” should be used to advise personnel of imminent danger, which is announced by the dispatcher. b. The term “Emergency Traffic” can be requested by any company that has an immediate communication that needs to be broadcasted. Emergency Traffic shall then take priority over routine traffic. This is not to be used for routine traffic transmissions. c. The Communication Center shall use Emergency Traffic to broadcast information related to the health and safety of units responding to an emergency call. d. When a company advises Emergency Traffic, the Communication Center shall sound the alert tones and broadcast for all units to stand-by. All routine radio traffic shall cease except for the company that requested the Emergency Traffic. e. The term “Emergency Traffic” shall be used to advise personnel of imminent danger when communicating an Exclusion Zone. f. Once all personnel are clear of the imminent danger, the Emergency Traffic can be released with the term “Emergency Traffic, All Clear”. When this is announced, the Communication Center shall release the TAC channel and all units shall be allowed to resume normal radio traffic. g. The Communication Center shall log the time Emergency Traffic started and ended in the incident history using a miscellaneous comment. 3. Emergency Evacuation a. The term “Emergency Evacuation” should be used to advise personnel of imminent danger requiring the evacuation of the scene or area to an established safe place. b. Once Emergency Evacuation has been announced: i. The Communication Center shall sound the radio alert tones and advise all companies on the incident to evacuate the building immediately. This message shall be repeated twice. ii. Emergency Traffic shall be in effect and all routine radio traffic shall cease. iii. The units on scene shall blast their air horns intermittently (one to ten seconds blowing, followed by one to ten seconds of silence) for 50 seconds. iv. All personnel shall immediately evacuate the building or area. v. All personnel shall report to their supervisor or a pre-designated area. vi. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to perform a PAR. c. Once all personnel are clear of the scene or area of imminent danger, the Emergency Evacuation can be released with the term “Emergency Evacuation, All Clear”. When this is announced, the Communication Center shall release the TAC channel and all units shall be allowed to resume normal radio traffic. The Communication Center shall log the time Emergency Evacuation started and ended in the incident history using a miscellaneous comment. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 24 Back to Table of Contents 4. Mayday a. The term “Mayday” should be used when a firefighter(s) is: i. Lost ii. Trapped iii. Disoriented iv. Seriously injured v. Experiencing (or potential of) an air emergency vi. In need of immediate help b. Any Fire Rescue personnel may use the term “Mayday”, for themselves or others. c. If any Fire Rescue personnel experiences a “Mayday” then that entire company shall exit the IDLH. d. If an additional TAC channel is required during a Mayday operation: i. The Mayday operation shall remain on the original channel. ii. The fire suppression or tactical activities shall switch channels. 5. Managing the Mayday a. Incident Command Responsibilities i. The ability to control resources and personnel during a Mayday situation may be the most difficult and challenging incident an Incident Commander will ever manage. It is critical that the Incident Commander maintains: 1. A strong command presence 2. Composure 3. Self-control 4. Self-discipline ii. Once a “Mayday” is declared the Incident Commander shall: 1. Call for “Emergency Traffic”. 2. Obtain a LUNAR from the Mayday firefighter. 3. Consider an additional Alarm. 4. Activate the Rapid Intervention Crew (RIC) or Rapid Intervention Group (RIG). 5. Conduct a Personnel Accountability Report (PAR), face-to-face is preferred. 6. Restructure the Incident Objectives, giving firefighter Rescue a priority. 7. Designate another Chief Officer to manage the Mayday, the ISO is preferred. 8. Position additional personnel on the exterior of windows and doors to look and listen for the Mayday firefighter. 9. Determine if an additional TAC channel is required. b. Company Responsibilities (Non-RIC/RIG) i. Personnel not actively engaged in the Mayday emergency should exercise radio silence. Exceptions to this are the: 1. Incident Commander 2. Mayday firefighter(s) 3. RIC/RIG 4. RIG Supervisor PBCFR IMS Manual Page 25 Back to Table of Contents  5. Other Companies directly involved in the Rescue efforts. ii. Personnel assigned to other tasks (i.e., Fire Attack, Ventilation, etc…) shall overcome the desire to get involved in the rescue of the Mayday firefighter(s). c. Firefighter who declares Mayday Responsibilities i. Once a “Mayday” is recognized it shall be declared, the firefighter shall (in preferred order): 1. Activate the orange emergency button on the portable radio. a. Push and hold the orange emergency button for 4 seconds (either the portable or remote speaker mic). b. The orange emergency button activation: i. Sends an emergency alert to all Communication Center consoles. ii. Initiates 20 seconds of an open mic. 2. Announce “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” on the TAC channel. 3. Report critical information in a LUNAR format: a. Location (last known position) (i.e., Charlie side, 2nd Floor) b. Unit (person was assigned to) (i.e., R74) c. Name (name of Mayday firefighter) (i.e., Smith) d. Air (supply remaining) (i.e., 1500) e. Resources (what is needed or reason for emergency) (i.e., K-12, Ladder, lost, trapped, serious injury, air emergency, etc…) 4. Manually activate their pass device. a. The pass device should remain on until the Mayday firefighter is located by the RIC/RIG. b. If the pass device interferes with communications, the pass device may be turned off temporarily. c. Once the communication is completed, the pass device shall be manually reactivated. 5. Attempt to Self-Rescue. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 26 Back to Table of Contents  I. TERMINOLOGY FOR REPORTING FIRE CONDITIONS 1. The following terms will be utilized to describe incident conditions: a. Nothing Showing – This designation shall be transmitted for situations in which no signs of smoke or fire are present. b. Smoke Showing – This designation shall be transmitted for situations in which smoke is visible, and should be additionally defined as light, moderate or heavy. c. Flames Showing – This designation shall be transmitted for situations in which flames are visible, and should be additionally defined as to the extent of the fire and its location. d. Working Fire – This designation describes a fire that shall require the use of all of the first alarm units. 2. Benchmarks a. It is important that standardized radio terms are consistently used to denote specific benchmarks of fireground operations. The following terms will be used: b. Primary Complete, All Clear: indicates the primary search is completed and no victims have been found. c. Secondary Complete, All Clear: indicates the secondary search is completed and no victims have been found. d. Water on the fire: indicates the company has found the seat of the fire and is applying water to confine and extinguish the fire. e. Fire under Control: indicates the Fire Attack company has confined the fire, eliminated further fire extension, and protected any threatened exposures. f. Fire Out: indicates overhaul operations are complete. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 27 Back to Table of Contents  J. MODES OF OPERATION 1. General a. The mode of operation is defined by the strategy and tactics and represents the tempo of the scene. After the 360-degree size up is completed, the appropriate mode of operation shall be chosen. Offensive and Defensive modes of operations are independent and distinctly different modes of operations. Effective fire operations are conducted either inside or outside of the building. Any mixture of the two generally sets the stage for loss of life or property. b. An offensive mode of operation shall be assumed unless otherwise announced by the Incident Commander. The Incident Commander shall clearly communicate any Defensive mode of operation to all personnel. c. Any change between modes of operation shall be clearly communicated to all on scene personnel. The period of time when changing from an Offensive to a Defensive mode of operation is one of the most dangerous times of an incident. d. The three recognized modes of operation are: i. Investigating ii. Offensive Mode iii. Defensive Mode 2. Investigating a. The investigating mode of operation indicates there is no indication to the nature or extent of the problem. b. The announcement of investigating shall cue all other responding units to proceed to level I Staging. i. Example: 1. “Dispatch, Engine 3 arrival, nothing showing, will be investigating, second due Engine there is a hydrant on side Alpha. Establishing Boca Tower Command.” 3. Offensive Mode a. Offensive mode is an advance into the fire building by firefighters with hose lines or other extinguishing agents to overpower the fire. b. Offensive mode should be used when there is an indication of a salvageable life and there is no evidence of imminent structural failure or a hostile fire event. c. Time frame i. When an Offensive mode is in effect, many actions shall occur in a very short period of time and as a result it is very easy to fall prey to tunnel vision and miss unnoticed events and hidden dangers. These hidden dangers can become compounded when firefighters are operating in the interior of a structure. ii. Contemporary strategies use a 10-minute timeframe for companies operating interior under marginal conditions. The 10-minute timeframe is based on the science of how long a: 1. Building will stay together 2. Victim can survive 3. Firefighter’s air supply will last when working PBCFR IMS Manual Page 28 Back to Table of Contents  iii. If there are still marginal conditions after 10 minutes of interior operations, consider switching to a Defensive Mode of operation and withdrawing all interior personnel. The 10-minute timeframe includes: 1. Notification 2. Response 3. Deployment d. All Fire Rescue personnel shall follow SOG 220-01 Personal Accountability and SOG 220- 02 Two In-Two Out Rule. e. When transitioning from an Offensive Mode of operation to a Defensive Mode the Incident Commander should announce “Emergency Traffic”. The Incident Commander shall then announce the mode of operation change to a Defensive Mode and emergency traffic shall remain in effect until PARs are completed ensuring all personnel are out of the structure. f. Exterior Water Application during Offensive Mode i. Recent NIST and UL research show that the initial application of water into a fire compartment can: 1. Dramatically reduce heat within the flow path. 2. Improved occupant survival. 3. Create safer interior suppression conditions. ii. The initial application of water from the exterior during an Offensive Mode is NOT intended to extinguish the fire, but rather to cool the fire compartment. iii. There are several considerations that SHALL be made to achieve the benefits of water application from the exterior during an Offensive Mode. 1. The hose line should NOT have to be repositioned (the time delay to reposition a hose line shall be avoided). 2. The water application shall be deliberate and controlled. The wrong water application may cause the over-pressurization of the fire compartment and decease the chance of survivability. The water application should be: a. Directly into the fire compartment. b. Utilize a solid or straight stream without movement of the nozzle. c. Directed into the ceiling. d. For no longer than 15 seconds. 4. Defensive Mode a. Defensive Mode is the conducting of suppression operations outside the fire structure; these operations feature the use of large-capacity fire streams placed between the fire and the exposures to prevent fire extension. b. The Incident Commander should select a Defensive Mode of operation when fire conditions have advanced to the point where there is (any of the following): i. No chance of saving a life. ii. Little chance of saving property. iii. Insufficient resources available to implement and sustain an Offensive Mode of operation. c. The Incident Commander should select a Defensive Mode of operation when fire conditions have advanced to the point where there is (any of the following): i. No chance of saving a life. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 29 Back to Table of Contents  ii. Little chance of saving property. iii. Insufficient resources available to implement and sustain an Offensive Mode of operation. d. Ground monitors or mounted deck guns offer the greatest flow and safety to firefighters. e. Ground monitors can be left unattended if in a collapse zone. f. The Incident Commander may utilize elevated streams when the building (or portion of the building) is considered a loss and large volumes of water are required. g. When elevated streams are deployed, firefighters shall NOT operate inside the structure. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 30 Back to Table of Contents  K. ARRIVAL REPORT 1. General a. The first unit arriving on scene shall provide an Arrival Report. The exception to this shall be typical medical calls (shortness of breath, fall, etc…). b. The Arrival Report shall contain four basic components, CANS: i. Conditions – Describe the current conditions visible from the cab of the vehicle (heavy, dense, black smoke coming from side Alpha, four-vehicle Signal 4 with moderate damage, etc.). ii. Actions – What immediate action the company is going to perform. 1. Examples: a. “Deploying 2 ½” attack line for defensive fire attack” b. “Beginning triage operations” iii. Needs – What additional resources are need that are not in the initial alarm assignment (Additional Alarm, Special Operations, Law Enforcement, Utilities, Tow Services, etc…). iv. Statement of Incident Command – State the Incident Command name, location and mode. v. Offensive mode is assumed, but defensive mode shall be declared. c. When referring to the structure, the building is identified by the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta sides, with the side Alpha being the front, or address side, of the building. Sides Bravo, Charlie, and Delta are named around the building in a clockwise fashion. d. In certain circumstances, the Alpha side may need to be altered, only initially. The Incident Commander shall announce which side of the incident is the Alpha side. e. The radio designation “Command” shall be used along with the geographical location of the incident (i.e., “5th Street Command” or “Kravis Command”). f. If the unusual situation should present that there are two incidents on the same street, the hundred block or some other designator, defining a more exact location shall be used, (i.e., “Mile marker 86 Command”). g. The Command name shall not change throughout the duration of the incident. The designation “Command” will remain with the person currently in command of the incident throughout the event. i. Example Offensive Mode Arrival Report: 1. “Dispatch, Engine 33 arrival, single story residential with light smoke coming from the roof. Engine 33 is Fire Attack, performing a 360. Establishing Oak Command.” ii. Example Defensive Mode Arrival Report: 1. “Dispatch, Engine 52 arrival at COSTCO’s with heavy smoke and flames showing from the roof and main entrance on side Alpha. This will be Defensive Mode. Engine 52 is establishing a water supply and deploying a deck gun. Second due Engine, FDC is on Bravo Charlie corner. Establishing COSTCO Command.” PBCFR IMS Manual Page 31 Back to Table of Contents  L. PROGRESS REPORTS 1. Timely a. Progress reports are essential to incident management. They allow for effective decision making and assist in prioritizing the commitment of resources. Progress reports allow for effective refinement and revision of the IAP. b. Company Officers should provide timely Progress Reports to confirm progress and outcomes against objectives. c. Progress reports will occur with greater frequency in the early stages of an incident, typically every 5 to 10 minutes, or as major parts of the job are completed. d. An Incident Commander may request progress reports on a periodic basis, if reports are not given by those personnel under their command. e. Each firefighter on the incident scene is responsible for noting pertinent, changing conditions (getting better or getting worse). These changes need to be communicated through the chain of command to the Incident Commander so strategies may be modified. f. The Communication Center shall announce benchmarks every 10 minutes to assist the Incident Commander with time-tracking. g. It is recommended that the Incident Commander give a Progress Report of the incident at each 10-minute benchmark. 2. Content a. The progress report should include “CAN” information: i. Conditions ii. Actions iii. Needs b. Progress reports should briefly detail where and what actions: i. Are being undertaken ii. Have been completed c. Company Officers shall communicate when: i. Assignments are completed ii. Assignments are unable to be completed iii. Additional resources are required to complete an assignment 3. Effectiveness a. It is imperative for the Incident Commander to understand what is happening at an incident scene. Once orders are given to subordinates, feedback is critical to that understanding. b. To be effective, progress reports need to be: i. Timely ii. Complete iii. Concise c. Without Progress Report information, the Incident Commander and General Staff will find their information processing ability lessened. They could end up initiating or recommending actions that are unneeded as well as being untimely for the situation. PBCFR IMS Manual Back to Table of Contents Page 32  M. COMMAND SEQUENCE 1. General a. Highly dynamic situations require sound, organized thinking. The ICS is designed to control personnel, facilities, equipment and communications throughout an incident. b. The command sequence is a logical process to guide the Incident Commander to: i. Gather and analyze information; ii. Set objectives; iii. Prioritize problems; iv. Define solutions; and v. Select strategy and tactics to control and mitigate the incident. c. The Command Sequence consists of: i. Incident Priorities ii. Situation Evaluation (Size Up) iii. Development of the IAP 1. Strategic Modes of Operation 2. Tactical Priorities (RECEOVS) 3. Scene Control 4. Tasks iv. Evaluating the IAP v. Demobilization vi. Termination 2. Incident Priorities d. At every incident, the Incident Commander is responsible for four incident priorities: i. Life Safety 1. Life safety is always the first priority for all firefighters. The Incident Commander shall ensure the safety of all civilians, while providing for the safety of firefighters and other emergency personnel. ii. Incident Stabilization 1. The Incident Commander shall determine a course of action that will minimize the effect that the incident will have on the surrounding area and maximize the response effort while using resources efficiently. iii. Property Conservation 1. The Incident Commander shall maximize property conservation during salvage, overhaul, and mop-up operations in order to secure all property against further damage. iv. Evidence Preservation 1. The Incident Commander shall determine if an incident meets the provisions that require evidence preservation. e. All strategies and tactics assigned by the Incident Commander shall support a safe, effective, and efficient operation. f. The Incident Commander is responsible for ensuring that assignments are based on the incident priorities. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 33 Back to Table of Contents  3. Situation Evaluation (Size-Up) a. Situation Evaluation (size up) is a systematic process consisting of the rapid, yet deliberate consideration of incident factors which leads to the development of an incident action plan based on critical incident factors. Given the compression of time in the beginning stages of incident operations, the initial situation evaluation (size up) cannot be delayed, nor can it be a time-consuming process. b. Critical incident factors (Common Size-Up Mnemonics) include: 1. BELOW [(for initial situation evaluation (size up)]: B – Building construction E – Extent/Location of Fire L – Life safety O – Occupancy W – Water Supply 2. COAL WAS WEALTH (for ongoing fire-ground operations): C– Construction W – Water supply W – Weather O– Occupancy A – Apparatus/personnel E – Exposures A– Area of fire S – Street conditions A – Auxiliary appliances L– Life safety L – Location/Extent of Fire T – Time (day, burn, reflex) H – Heights/Hazards c. These critical incident factors are not listed in any order. As it relates to a situation evaluation (size up); a major function of the Incident Commander is to line up incident factors in priority order based upon consequences, that can range from minor to catastrophic. This is what makes critical incident factors critical. d. The situation evaluation includes the risk assessment that determines the strategy to be initially implemented. e. Risk Assessment i. Whenever possible, the Incident Commander should rapidly conduct a 360-degree size up which shall include a risk assessment in order to determine the safest approach to operations. ii. The Incident Commander must consider hazardous conditions in relation to possible occupant survivability before committing firefighters to high risk rescue operations. iii. Risk Benefit Analysis: 1. Do not risk Firefighter lives, for lives or property that cannot be saved. 2. Extend vigilant and measured risk to protect and rescue lives. 3. Extend limited risk to protect savable property. f. Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act i. The Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act became law on December 13, 2009. ii. The Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act was named in honor of Orange County firefighters Todd Aldridge and Mark Benge, who died in 1989 after the truss roof of a gift shop collapsed. PBCFR IMS Manual Page 34 Back to Table of Contents  iii. The State of Florida now requires signage be placed on the exterior of the building indicating truss roof and/or truss floor construction. iv. The law requires the owner of any commercial, industrial or any multi-unit residential structure of three units or more, that uses light-frame truss-type construction to mark the structure with a sign or symbol approved by the State Fire Marshal in a manner sufficient to warn persons conducting fire control and other emergency operations of the existence of the light-frame truss type construction in the structure. v. Another approach is to assume every building is lightweight construction until proven otherwise. g. Lightweight construction i. Anything with exposed wood or metal supports is inherently dangerous. Even legacy buildings were not engineered to withstand today's hydrocarbon, plastic based, fuel loads. ii. A floor built using lightweight construction becomes unstable after being exposed to fire for 3 minutes. iii. Lightweight construction used to mean be wary of gusset plates. iv. Today firefighters must focus on the loss of mass in lightweight construction, as the combined effects of the lightweight construction components are worse than gusset plates. v. Construction methods are changing so fast that gusset plates are now the most massive, robust things used in lightweight construction. vi. Engineers will continue to engineer extra mass out of buildings, because it saves cost. Firefighters will have more fuel and less mass in new construction and just have to deal with it intelligently. vii. Dealing with building construction intelligently means more than just determining if the building can be saved. It's a life-and-death issue for our personnel. 4. Developing the Incident Action Plan (IAP) a. Development of the IAP i. After the size-up, the Incident Commander develops an IAP based on the incident priorities. ii. The IAP reflects the objectives of the overall incident strategy, tactics, risk management, and member safety. iii. There are two major components to the IAP: 1. The determination of the appropriate strategy to mitigate an incident. 2. The development of tactics to execute the strategy. iv. Strategies are general and equivalent to goals. v. Tactics are specific and measureable and the objectives used to meet goals. vi. In smaller incidents the IAP may be a mental notation as to the direction of the incident; while on large incidents a formal written IAP shall be necessary and shall be the responsibility of the Planning Section Chief. vii. The Incident Commander shall be responsible for the development of the Incident Action Plan and make sure all personnel on the incident are knowledgeable of their assignment. viii. The Incident Commander shall select the appropriate goals to: PBCFR IMS Manual Page 35 Back to Table of Contents  1. Command the overall incident 2. Establish major objectives 3. Set priorities 4. Allocate resources 5. Predict outcomes 6. Determine the strategic mode of operations (offensive and defensive) 7. Assign specific tactical priorities ix. The IAP contains incident objectives reflecting the overall incident strategy and specific tactical action and supporting information for the next operational period. The plan may be oral or written. When written, for expanding large scale incidents, the plan may have a number of attachments, including: incident objectives, organization assignment list, division assignment, incident radio communications plan, medical plan, traffic plan, safety plan and incident map. x. Written IAPs are always prepared around a timeframe called an operational period. Operational periods can be of various lengths, but should be no longer than 24 hours. Twelve-hour operational periods are common for large-scale incidents. The Incident Commander determines the length of the operational period based upon the complexity and size of the incident. b. Strategic Mode of Operation i. See Modes of Operation (J above) c. Tactical Priorities (Overview) i. Tactical priorities provide a list and an order of priority for dealing with the most important critical concerns at an incident. ii. The Incident Commander should prioritize available resources to accomplish (the first five are listed in priority order): 1. Rescue 2. Exposures 3. Confine 4. Extinguishment 5. Overhaul 6. Ventilation 7. Salvage iii. These tactical priorities are incident dependent and therefore do not have to take place in any specific order. Although, Rescue has the highest priority, the best option may be to extinguish the fire and control Ventilation to accomplish the Rescue priority. iv. Rapid extinguishment eliminates or significantly reduces the need for Rescue, Exposure, and Confinement priorities. The priority order becomes important when rapid extinguishment is not feasible – the higher priorities must always be considered ahead of extinguishment. v. These tactical priorities may be modified for other specific incidents such as Hazardous Materials Release, Wildland Fires, etc... (See Specific SOGs). d. Tasks i. Tactical priorities are subdivided into tasks and assigned to companies. Tasks are the specific assignments that are typically performed by one company or a small number of companies working together (i.e., establish a Water Supply, advance a PBCFR IMS Manual Page 36 Back to Table of Contents  hose line to seat of fire (Fire Attack), Primary Search, RIC, vertical ventilation, Medical, etc…). ii. The Incident Commander makes assignments based on tactical priorities and available resources. The Incident Commander must prioritize assignments and distribute them to companies as they arrive or become available. iii. Company Officers must select the appropriate way to accomplish the task assigned (i.e., use irons to force entry, right hand search, 7-9-8 cut, etc…). iv. The Incident Commander may combine tasks (Fire Attack and Primary Search) to protect firefighters as they achieve the current Tactical priority (Rescue). e. Tactical Priorities (Elaborated) i. Rescue 1. Rescue is the removal of civilians from a IDLH to a place of safety. 2. The Incident Commander and operating units must be aware that the highest incident priority is Life Safety and the highest tactical priority is Rescue until the Primary Search task is completed. 3. When there is an indication of a salvageable life and there is no evidence of imminent structural failure or a hostile fire event, resources should be assigned to the tactical priority of Rescue. When these conditions exist, Rescue shall take priority over Extinguishment (the task of Primary Search shall take priority over Fire Attack). 4. A salvageable life is defined as a person known to be in the structure with conditions tenable for a person without protective gear. 5. Primary Search shall NOT be conducted in fully involved structures since survival of occupants is improbable. 6. A calculated risk may be taken to perform Primary Search when there is no evidence of imminent structural failure or a hostile fire event, to verify that no victims are present, but history has shown that bystander information is many times inaccurate. 7. Based on the conditions, the first arriving Rescue may need to be teamed with the first arriving Engine to perform the tactical priority of Rescue. 8. A Thermal Imaging Camera should be used to direct Search and Rescue and Fire Attack. 9. Primary Search a. A Primary Search is a rapid search for possible victims. b. It is the responsibility of the Incident Commander to ensure a Primary Search is performed. c. When performing a Primary Search, firefighters should search areas based on the: i. Location of reported victim(s) (if available) ii. Most severely threatened area iii. Largest number of victims (groups) iv. Remainder of the fire area v. Exposed areas d. When performing a Primary Search, firefighters should shut the doors of uninvolved rooms to: i. Minimize smoke damage PBCFR IMS Manual Page 37 Back to Table of Contents  ii. Enhance property conservation iii. Assist with Confinement e. The decision to shut doors of uninvolved rooms shall depend upon the extent of fire control in the structure. 10. Secondary Search a. A Secondary Search of the structure should be performed when conditions permit. b. A Secondary Search is typically more thorough and methodical than a Primary Search, ensuring all potential victims have been located. c. When feasible, a different company should be used to conduct the Secondary Search than that company which completed the Primary Search. This method prevents companies from “assuming” the layout and bypassing pertinent areas. d. When Secondary Search personnel encounter a victim(s), they must notify the Incident Commander by radio. They should report their: i. Location ii. Number of v