Incident Management System SOP #2025 76-87 5

The Incident Management System advises using the organization chart as a communications plan. Assigning D division group supervisors improves communication. It is recommended to always maintain communications availability and use the standard model to structure communications. There are seven basic types of radio transmissions in a hot zone. Initial radio reports are essential and should include certain elements. Describing the building area is important, including size, height, and occupancy type. Describing the problem and its location is crucial. Geographic landmarks and exposures should also be identified. Incident Management System, SOP, page 76, 5.6, use the organization chart as a communications plan. Dividing the incident scene into D division group supervisors has a positive and profound effect on the communications process. When the IC assigns DGS responsibilities to officers initially assigned to different tactical positions, span of control is effectively achieved and the entire communications process is enhanced. Conversely, in cases where the IC hasn't implemented or assigned DGSs, they will have to communicate directly with each individual unit assigned to the scene. Anytime there are two or more units working in the same geographic area, command should designate one of the units as the DGS. All communications from that area will be from the DGS to the IC. DGSs will communicate with their assigned companies over the radio or face-to-face preferred depending on their proximity to one another. The DGS will communicate with the IC over the tactical channel. 5.7, always maintain communications availability. Answer on the first call. An IC working from a command post must focus on crews operating in the hot zone. This is how we manage strategic level safety and coordinate the work required to complete the tactical objectives. The IC must always operate the system, build, expand, reinforce in a way that allows them to stay connected to the crews operating in these hazardous positions. 5.8, utilize the standard model to structure communications. The order model outlines the communication steps we follow to ensure messages are always received and understood despite the rushed, confusing, and dangerous conditions we typically face during operations. The order model also standardizes how the incident's participants will exchange two-way radio communications. The order model's required steps are, number one, when the sender is ready to transmit a message, they call, raise, the receiver to determine if they are ready to receive the message. Hey you, this is me model. Number two, the receiver acknowledges the sender. Number three, when the sender receives the readiness reply, they transmit the message. Number four, the receiver gives a brief statement of the message to acknowledge the receipt of the message. Number five, the sender restates the message only if misunderstood. Using the order model will significantly decrease the amount of radio traffic on the emergency scene. The order model will help eliminate freelancing and provide for order confirmation, responder safety, and accountability. 5.9, the seven basic types of radio transmissions in a hot zone. There are seven basic communications routinely performed on the fire ground. Initial radio report, follow-up report, assigning units, command transfer, TAN reporting, roof reporting, offensive to defensive strategic shift. 5.1, the initial radio reports. The IIC begins the command, control, and communication process with an IRR. This report provides everyone responding with a size-up of conditions seen from the initial command position. The IRR is not an affidavit of absolute accuracy. It is just a quick snapshot of the incident that provides a word picture of what the IC can see from their command position when they arrive. The IRR must include the following reporting elements. Number one, raise the assigned BC. Number two, announce your arrival on the scene. Number three, building area description. Number four, describe the problem. Number five, action being taken, initial IAP. Number six, declaration of the strategy. Number seven, resource determination. Number eight, assuming a naming of command. Number nine, raise the BC. Helps to verify you will deliver the IRR on the correct channel and the responding BC is listening. If no BC is responding, the IIC should raise the next responding unit. Number two, announce your arrival on the scene complex. It notifies all other responders you are about to deliver an IRR and assume command. It automatically activates level one to go into effect. Complex, apartment, industrial, et cetera, announcement of arrival should take place on the IIC at the entrance of the complex. All other responding units will level one outside of the complex. Building area description. We will be described in three different categories, size, height, occupancy type, size. The size of the structure can be defined by the overall area of the structure under roof. We should base our size description on how it relates to the areas we can cover with a 200-foot hand line and the maximum depths that we can safely achieve inside the structure. Size will fall into four different categories, small, a building where a 200-foot hand line can access 100% of the area, medium, a building where a 200-foot hand line can access 75% of the area, large, a building where a 200-foot hand line can access 50% of the area, mega, a building where a 200-foot hand line can access 25% of the area. Height. Identifying the height of a structure is very important to all responders. Every additional floor or story of a structure makes for a more complex problem and becomes tactically challenging for all responders. Responders should use the number of stories above ground to describe the height of a structure. Responders should use the number of sub-levels, basements, parking garages, to describe the depth below of a structure, below grade of a structure. Occupancy type. The type of occupancy will many times drive our IAP. Announcing it on the IRR paints a picture to all responders of the type of situation they are responding to. Here are some basic common occupancy types. Local family residence, multi-unit residential, apartments, townhomes, row houses, podium, public assembly, commercial, big box, high-rise, institutional, strip mall. Describing multi-unit residential, podium, apartments, townhouses, and row houses all fall into the multi-unit residential category. Each of these occupancy types have a distinct set of characteristics that will affect the tactics that IC will use to achieve objectives. Therefore, it is critical for the IIC to properly identify the occupancy type. Apartments must be separated into one of two categories on the IIR. A standard alone apartment building. Apartment complex. Apartment complexes present a greater tactical challenge with arrangement as it relates to access, exposures, water supply, hand line length, ladder and truck access, possible standpipe issues, master stream application, etc. Apartment complexes must be identified in the very beginning of the incident. Once identified and announced, there must be a standard response to this information. No additional units should enter large complexes until the exact location of the problem is located and identified. Level 1 should be outside of the complex. Placing forward engines in appropriate tactical positions is critical as it relates to hand line lengths and water applications. Horizontal standpipes should be used to maximize the number of hand lines off of a forward engine. Apartments have a single floor arrangement. They do not have access to upper or lower floors. Most apartment buildings share a common attic space which becomes a higher priority item for the IIC. Interior common hallways pose additional tactical challenges. These features must be identified and transmitted early. Townhouses and row houses are described as having two or more floors. Each unit is attached to other similar units via party walls. And some units can share common attic spaces. The ideal way to access the upper floors of these units is to enter the involved unit on the first floor and use the interior staircase of that unit to access the upper floors of the problem. Well-known occupancy types should be called by their most common identified names. Examples include St. Luke's Hospital, the Main Public Library, Walmart, Home Depot. Four, describing the problem. The following are four items that are used when describing fire conditions. One, nothing showing. Two, light smoke showing. Three, working fire. Four, defensive fire conditions. The term working fire indicates a situation that requires a hand line to be deployed to control the fire. This report advises dispatch and all other responders that the companies will be engaged in tactical activities and will be held at the scene for an extended period of time. Dispatch will automatically dispatch support units and will monitor radio traffic, dedicated dispatcher, to anticipate the needs of command. The location of the problem must also be identified on the IRR. This includes reporting. What floor of the problem is located? For longer buildings, apartments, strip malls, et cetera, middle or which end, Bravo or Delta? For larger structures, what side of the structure is the problem located? Describing what the problem is and where it is located paints a picture for everybody on what the scene looks like and where the subsequent arriving units will probably fit into the IC's IAP. Geographic landmarks. Alpha, Bravo, Delta. Sides of the structure should be described using the NATO phonetic alphabet in clockwise direction of the structure. The alpha side of the structure is usually the address or street side. There will be many situations where it is not clear where the alpha side is. In situations where there is any confusion on the incident's landmarks, the IIC must make it clear where the alpha side is located. Exposures. We identify exposed structures to the main fire occupancy by the side they are on starting with the closest, moving to the next exposure, and so on. When the IC can give the exposure number and the occupancy type apartment number, it greatly enhances our directional sense of awareness. The main fire of occupancy is the alpha occupancy, and to the right you have Delta 1 to Delta 2 to Delta 3, and to the left you have Bravo 1 to Bravo 2 to Bravo 3. Floors are identified by stories above and below ground level. When a DGS is assigned to a floor, the individual floor will take on the same floor number as the division. Floor 2. Floor 1, Division 1. Floor 2, Division 2. Subfloor 1, Subdivision 1. Subfloor 2, Subdivision 2. Number 5. Initial Incident Action Plan, IAP. Incident Action Plans describe our operational plan for completing the tactical priorities. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. They should be short and to the point. The initial IAP should include the tasks, location, and objectives, TLO. Tasks. Investigating. Nothing showing. Establish a water supply. Stretching hand lines. Operating a master string. Forcible entry. Rescue. Location. Which floor you will be operating. Which occupancy slash exposure you will be operating. Which side you'll make entry. Which side you will be operating. Defenses. Objectives. Search and rescue. Fire control. Six. Declaration of the incident strategy. Overall operational strategy is divided into two categories. Offensive or defensive. Offensive operations are conducted inside the hot zone. Defensive operations are conducted outside of the hot zone. Declaring the incident strategy as part of the IIR will announce to everybody the overall incident strategy, eliminates any questions on where we will be operating on the incident scene, inside or outside of the hot zone. Number seven. Resource determination. The IIC must match the incident's problems with the resources required to solve the incident problems. A request for the appropriate amount of resources must occur at the beginning of the incident. One of the following resource determinations must be made on the IIR. Cancel the assignment. Reduce to code one. Hold the assignment. Upgrade the assignment. Request a greater alarm. Eight. Assume and name command. The absence of an effective I.C. is a common reason for unsafe operations. Effective and coordinated action is the result of beginning and ongoing incident operations with an established I.C. Use the location or occupancy common name to name command. The radio designation command will be used along with the major crossroad or the specific occupancy name of the incident site. For example, Main Street Command, St. Luke's Hospital Command. This designation of command will remain with the I.C. throughout the duration of the entire incident. Five point one one. Follow-up reports slash 360s. The IIR is usually performed from the front seat of the first arriving unit. Once the report has been given and the responding B.C. acknowledges that report using the order model, the I.I.C. is probably out of the cab and has started to go to work. Follow-up reports make the I.R.R. a little shorter and they give the I.I.C. more time to size up the situation. The follow-up report will probably be the last radio transmission a fast attacking I.C. gives before entering the hot zone. This report gives the I.I.C. a last chance to give clear, concise information before they don full PPE and enter the hot zone. Follow-up reports should include the following information. Verify if a 360 has been completed. If not, why? Verify basement type, if present, and the stories on the Charlie side. Confirmation of the initial strategy. Additional information regarding critical factors. Any changes to the initial I.A.P. stated on the I.R.R. if necessary. Accountability location. Verifying the 360. If the I.I.C. is unable to complete 360, the reason why must be stated on the follow-up report. Number of stories on the Charlie side, the number of stories from the rear will need to be announced in the follow-up report if the stories don't match up to the office side. Example, there is one story presenting on the office side. On the 360, you find a two-story on the Charlie side. This situation should be reported in the follow-up report. Basement type and conditions, if known. There are several different basement types across North America. Some with very colorful or odd names. Local basement type descriptions must be identified and agreed upon by the local response agencies. Basement conditions must be identified before entering the structure whenever possible. Conditions in the basement will need to be reported using the four standard narratives to describe smoke and fire conditions. Additional information regarding critical factors. As an example, immediate life safety issues are the primary reason we do 360s on residential occupancies. The first thing to note on the Charlie side is whether or not there are any immediate life safety rescue concerns. If there are any rescue issues, the I.I.C. will need to announce it over the tactical channel and adjust the IAP to address the life safety issues present. Other examples include exposures, potential collapse area, hazardous roof structure, power lines down or arcing, gas meter slash tank exposed to fire, swimming pools. Confirmation of the initial strategy after performing a 360-degree assessment. The overall incident strategy must be reconfirmed as part of the follow-up report. Changes to IAP. Performing a 360 gives the I.I.C. a view of the exterior sides of the structure. Most of the time, the initial strategy stated on the IRR won't change. Nonetheless, there are times when the 360 size-up will require a change in the initial strategy and or the initial IAP stated on the IRR. These changes must be announced over the tactical channel in the follow-up report. Note, if there are no changes to the initial IAP stated on the IRR, the I.I.C. does not need to state this on the initial follow-up report. The responding crews should assume the initial IAP has not changed from what was stated on the IRR. Accountability location. The initial arriving unit should become the initial accountability location for the hospital. Identifying the initial accountability location of the incident, for example, and your one will be the accountability location, identifies where later assigned units will drop off their passports if they are assigned to the hot zone. 5.12. Assigning units. Incident operations are conducted around the completion of the tactical priorities. Incident communications should mirror the simple concept. This will help keep communications short, to the point, and effective. It also maximizes the available free air time. The I.C. should structure unit assignments around the following. Addressing the incident's critical factors. The completion of the tactical priorities. Tactical reserve on deck. When subsequent arriving units arrive to level one locations, they will simply announce that they are level one. Engine two level one, for example. Command will not acknowledge any level one units over the tactical channel. Command will contact level one units and assign them to the incident based on the IAP. Orders to level one units should be structured in a TLO format. When assigning a unit to deploy a hand line, the I.C. should designate the following. What the company needs to do with their apparatus. Lay a supply line, pump a supply line, key pumper, spot your apparatus out of the way, manpower only. Where the company will get their hand line. Their own unit, another forward engine designated by the I.C. The task's objectives should center on the completion of the tactical priorities for the chosen strategy. Search and rescue or fire control. When assigning companies to areas that already have units assigned, the I.I.C. must inform the unit being assigned who they will report to or work under. The I.I.C. must also contact the DGS and inform them of the unit being assigned to their location. 5.130 Command transfers. Typically, when a fast attacking I.C. is located in the hot zone and transfers command to the responding battalion chief, the transfer will take place using a portable radio. Command must be transferred in a standard manner. The following sequence represents a standard command transfer from the I.I.C. to the responding B.C. 1. While responding, the B.C. verifies that all operating positions match the current incident conditions. 2. The B.C. announces arrival. 3. The B.C. contacts the I.I.C. using the order model. 4. The B.C. will verify, document, and confirm the position and function of all resources located in all hazard zones with the I.I.C. along with obtaining a CAN report. 5. Announcing B.C. 1 is assuming majority command. 6. Announce the incident strategy. Is it offensive or defensive? 7. Announce the resource determination. The I.C. in coordination with the dedicated dispatcher should designate a Level 2 location when requesting greater alarms as well as stating the location of the C.P. 5.14 CAN reporting. CAN reporting gives crews a regular and consistent way to report back to the I.C. on conditions, progress, and needs. CAN reports keep communication simple and deliver the information needed to keep the strategy and I.A.P. current. The CAN acronym stands for Conditions, Actions, Needs. CAN reports should start with the tactical benchmarks that have been completed prior to giving the report. Here are examples of reporting items to consider when providing a CAN report to command. Conditions. Where you are. Any obstacles. Smoke conditions. Visibility. Fire conditions. Heat conditions. Interior layout. Fire separation. Fuel loads. What is burning. What is not burning. Actions. All clear progress. Fire control progress. Can't find the fire. Checking for extension. Concealed space info. PARs. All clears. Under controls. Loss stopped. Needs. Reinforcement. Relief. Support work. Tools. Equipment. Cover other areas. Urgent help.