A. THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS), shall be initiated and used on
every response.
1. The Incident Command System
provides an organizational basis for the necessary administrative
structure and command functions to deal with any static or changing
emergency situation.
2. For a routine response,
the Incident Command System shall be initiated by a first-due Company
Officer or firefighter acting in charge and functioning as Incident
Command Officer. If the incident is resolved at this level, the ICS
proceeds no further.
3. For a more serious or
escalating incident, the Incident Command System proceeds from the
first-due Company Officer to a senior officer functioning as ICO at an
established COMMAND POST. From an already established base structure, the
ICS provides a continuum for the organized strategic amassing of equipment
and personnel with necessary supervisors.
B. INCIDENT COMMAND OFFICER
1.
The incident Command Officer (ICO) shall be in charge of the fire
scene or incident scene.
2. The duties and
responsibilities of Incident Command Officer shall be assumed by first
officer or, in the absence of an officer, the most senior firefighter
(determined by level of Fire Academy Training) to arrive at the scene with
the first-due apparatus. A more senior Rockleigh FD officer arriving later
may take over Incident Command. By
law, the Chief or, in his absence, most senior officer MUST be ICO at all
Haz-Mat incidents.
3. The ICO will institute the
INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM by making the INITIAL ON-SCENE REPORT (see SOP
13: Communications). If the incident is serious, he will then place or
reposition the first-due apparatus to function as INCIDENT COMMAND POST and stage
or position subsequent apparatus.
4. THE ICO should establish the
strategy to resolve incidents, using the following "Initial On-Scene
Report" classifications as guidelines:
a. "Nothing
Showing"
(1) Investigate.
b. "Smoke Showing"
(1) Initiate PRIMARY SEARCH with hose lines
(2) Begin fast OFFENSIVE ATTACK
(3) Direct all responding units for INSIDE OFFENSIVE OPERATION.
(4) Consider additional resources through Mutual Aid
c. "Working Fire"
(1) Establish Command Post
(2) Direct responding units to initiate PRIMARY SEARCH and INSIDE OFFENSIVE OPERATION
(3) Provide additional resources through Mutual Aid.
(4)Protect internal exposures to contain fire spread.
d. "Marginal Full Involvement"
(1) Establish a Command Post.
(2) Provide additional resources through Mutual Aid.
(3) Direct cautious INSIDE OFFENSIVE OPERATION with preparations for change to OUTSIDE DEFENSIVE OPERATION.
(4) Primary search inadvisable
(5) Protect internal exposures to contain spread.
(6) If situations deteriorate, withdraw all interior personnel. Shift to OUTSIDE DEFENSIVE OPERATION
e. "Fully Involved"
(1) Establish a Command Post.
(2) Provide additional resources through Mutual Aid.
(3) Direct OUTSIDE DEFENSIVE OPERATION: Master streams.
(4) Evacuate and protect external exposures
(5) Anticipate partial or total structure collapse
(6) Move back to OFFENSIVE OPERATION if conditions improve.
f. "Haz-Mat Incident"
(1) Refer to SOP 10: Hazardous Materials Incidents
5. The ICO must anticipate the needs for additional personnel and equipment then to obtain these
resources through Mutual Aid, Emergency Management, and other governmental
agencies.
6. The ICO will direct
company officers and/or sector officers and/or Haz-Mat units in the
objectives that need to be accomplished as indicated in Table 12.1
7.
The ICO shall appoint one or more assistants to oversee and direct all
support operations, such as Safety, Medical & Rehabilitation,
Communications, Apparatus & Staging, Logistics & Supply, Manpower
Relief, Police, Office of Emergency Management, Utilities, and Public
Works as Indicated in Table 12.1. A Safety
Officer with no other duties must be assigned to
all significant incidents.
C. SECTOR OFFICERS
1. Sector Officers, when assigned, will direct, oversee and coordinate
the work of two or more companies operating at a particular location or
portion of the fire scene, such as a side, an exposure, roof, inside,
second floor, etc.
2.
Duties: Sector Officers will direct and coordinate the Company
Officers to accomplish unified tactical objectives as directed by the ICO.
3. Communications: Sector
Officers will communicate with the Company Officers and with the ICO by
radio.
3. Communications. Company
officers will communicate by radio with pump operators, Sector Officers,
and/or the ICO as appropriate. They will frequently report their location,
conditions, evaluations, and needs.
D.
SUPPORT OFFICERS
1. Support officers shall be
obtained through mutual aid. As necessary, officers or personnel may be
assigned to support operations, such as Safety, Medical &
Rehabilitation, Communications, Apparatus & Staging, Logistics &
Supply, Manpower Relief, Police, Office of Emergency Management,
Utilities, and Public Works.
2. Duties. Support Offices
will remove themselves from direct supervision of their own companies and
be prepared to assist the ICO in their broader assigned areas.
