Incident Management System Study Notes - Seminole County and Cities

Incident Management System Overview: Purpose and Mission

The Incident Management System (IMS) serves as the definitive template for emergency scene operations for the Executive Fire Chief’s Group of Seminole County and its cities, including Sanford, Lake Mary, Longwood, and Oviedo.

• Collaboration: Developed through extensive research by the Operations Group and various contributors.
• Purpose: To ensure the safety of fire-rescue career professionals and provide a standard for sound incident command decisions to mitigate emergency scene operations.
• Nature of Document: Considered a "living document," subject to future additions, deletions, and revisions based on technological changes and updated operating principles.
• Flexibility: While highly detailed, the system allows command staff flexibility to adjust to unusual circumstances to prioritize personnel safety.

Command Operations: Organization and Structure

The IMS structure is derived from the National Interagency Incident Management System ($NIMS$) and is the recommended standard by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association.

• Unified Direction: A single individual, the Incident Commander ($IC$), maintains ultimate control except when a Unified Command ($UC$) or Area Command is established.
• Modular Expansion: The organization develops from the top down. As the magnitude of an incident increases, the hierarchy expands into four Sections (General Staff) and specific Command Staff.
• General Staff Categories:
  • Operations Section
  • Planning Section
  • Logistics Section
  • Finance/Administration Section
• Command Staff Categories:
  • Safety Officer
  • Public Information Officer ($PIO$)
  • Liaison Officer
  • Incident Command Aide

Strategic Command Entities: Area and Unified Command

2.3 Area Command

• Activation: Required for multiple simultaneous alarms in the same geographical area or when limited resources must be prioritized across complex incidents.
• Purpose: To oversee incident management, resolve resource competition, and provide strategic direction without superseding individual $IC$s.
• Location: Established at an Area Command Post, potentially using a Mobile Command Center Vehicle.
• Responsibilities: Includes setting priorities for Incident Management Teams ($IMT$s) and finalizing incident summaries.

2.4 Unified Command

• Activation: Utilized when an incident involves more than one agency or multiple jurisdictions without a common framework.
• Management: Links responding organizations to make consensus decisions. A single set of Incident Objectives and one Incident Action Plan ($IAP$) are produced.
• Conflict Resolution: If the committee cannot agree, the member with the highest jurisdictional responsibility makes the final decision.
• Staffing: One Operations Section Chief oversees Branch Directors from each discipline to prevent delays.

Specific Roles of the Command and General Staff

2.5 Incident Commander ($IC$)

• Requirement: Triggered by situations requiring $4$ or more units.
• Authority: Focal point for all facets of the operation.
• Mandate: Responsible for stabilizing the incident and implementing the $IAP$. Must process "cues" from observations and radio traffic.

2.6 Safety Officer

• Foremost Duty: The safety of all emergency personnel.
• Authority: Empowered to halt or prevent unsafe acts immediately.
• Actions: Conducts safety size-ups, ensures $2\,In-2\,Out$ or $RIT$ (Rapid Intervention Team) is established, and investigates scene accidents.

2.7 Incident Commander Aide

• Administrative Support: Manages the command area, logs information on the $IMS$ worksheet, and handles communications that don't require the $IC$'s direct attention.
• Accountability: Tracks personnel and resource span of control.

2.8 Public Information Officer ($PIO$)

• Media Liaison: Focal point for official information release.
• Site Management: Establishes a media gathering area with visual access to the scene but safely away from hazards, coordinated with Law Enforcement ($LEA$).

2.9 Liaison Officer

• Interagency Coordination: Point of contact for other fire agencies, private sector entities, and public works.
• Information Dissemination: Provides status updates on operational duration and agency personnel involvement.

2.10 Operations Section Chief

• Mitigation Management: Organizes initial control activities.
• Sub-Roles: Appoints Rehabilitation Officers and Staging Officers.
• Sub-Structure:
  • Branch Directors: Manage specialized geographical or tactical sectors when the span of control exceeds effective management for the Section Chief ($up\,to\,5\,branches$).
  • Division/Group Supervisors: Control units in specific geographic areas ($Divisions$) or for specific tasks ($Groups$ like Triage or Decon).

Specialized Support Groups

2.10.3 Special Operations Group ($SOG$)

• Technical Expertise: Includes Active Shooter response, Hazmat, Technical Rescue, $SWAT$, Arson/Bomb squads, and $CBRNE$ (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) squads.
• Purpose: Provides the $IC$ with subject matter experts to mitigate assaults or hazardous releases.

2.10.4 Rehabilitation Officer

• Activation Thresholds:
  • Incidents exceeding $40\,minutes$ with intense workloads.
  • Level $A$ or $B$ Chemical Protective $PPE$ is worn.
  • Environmental stress index $>90$ or wind chill $<30^{\circ}F$.
• Equipment: Includes water, electrolyte replenishment, EKG monitors, and oxygen.
• Process: Personnel must remove protective clothing to cool; if contaminated by hazmat, they must undergo decon before rehab.
• Medical Rule: Personnel should drink $1\,quart$ of water for every air bottle used.

2.11 Planning Section Chief

• clearinghouse for Information: Coordinates the $IAP$, tracks resources, and develops contingency plans.
• The Planning "P" Cycles:
  1. Understand the situation.
  2. Establish incident objectives.
  3. Develop the plan.
  4. Prepare and disseminate the plan.
  5. Execute, evaluate, and revise.

Field Operations and Scene Management

3.1 Establishing Command

• Threshold: Command must be established for incidents with $4$ or more units, $BC$ (Battalion Chief) scenes, or joint agency operations.
• Arrival Report Requirements:
  • Name of command (geographic or business name).
  • Command Post ($CP$) location.
  • Establishment of the "Alpha" side.

3.2 Operating Modes

• Investigative Mode: Arriving company investigates while others stage.
• Fast Attack Mode: $Officer$ is directly involved in tactical operations to stabilize critical life safety or offensive fire attacks.
• Command Mode: Immediate strong, direct overall command required due to incident size; the $Officer$ remains at an exterior $CP$.

3.3 Staging Procedures

• Level One: Automatic for incidents involving more than $3$ companies.
  • $1st\,Engine$: To scene, park for Tower truck placement.
  • $2nd\,Engine$: stage at the nearest water source.
  • $1st\,Rescue$: Park for transport exit.
  • $Truck/Tower$: Position for victim removal.
• Level Two: Centralized resource pool for greater alarms; requires a designated Staging Officer.

3.7 Operational Benchmarks

Standardized terminology for reporting progress:

• Fire Benchmarks: "Water on the Fire," "Primary All Clear," "2 Out Established," "Fire Under Control," "IDLH - Air Monitoring."
• EMS Benchmarks: "With Patient," "Patient Extricated," "Patient Transported."
• Special Hazard Benchmarks: "Leak Stopped," "Decon Established," "Safety Established."

3.8 Structural Terminology

• Sides: $Alpha$ (Address side), then clockwise: $Bravo$, $Charlie$, and $Delta$.
• Corners: Identified by adjoining sides (e.g., $Alpha/Bravo\,Corner$).
• Quadrants: Clockwise from Alpha/Bravo quadrant to Alpha/Delta quadrant.
• Exposures: Designated by side proximity (e.g., $Exposure\,Bravo-1$).

Occupational Specific Firefighting Tactics

3.11 Residential Structure Fire

• Construction: Light-weight wood trusses with plywood or composite decking. Gusset plates (nails) are prone to early structural failure.
• Mandate: Any residence $>5,000\,sq\,ft$ is treated as a commercial fire.
• Hazards: Electrified fences, $BLEVE$ risks in garages, dogs, and swimming pools.

3.12 Garden Apartments and Townhomes

• Features: $1\,to\,4$ stories, usually $4\,to\,12$ units.
• Access: High-density often leads to building-to-building fire spread.
• Attic Danger: Often contain common attics without fire stops; tile roofs on light trusses pose significant collapse risk.

3.13 Commercial and Industrial Structures

• Definitions: Warehouses, strip malls, and factories.
• Tactical Priorities ($RECEO\,V/S$): Rescue, Exposures, Confinement, Extinguishment, Overhaul, Ventilation, Salvage.
• Collapse indicators: $20\,minute\,rule$ does not apply for light-weight bar joist construction; back out if fire involves the attic and cannot be quickly extinguished.
• Safety Threshold: Do not exceed $150\,feet$ of penetration into the structure from the entry point during low visibility.

3.14 High-Rise Operations

• Definition: Buildings $4$ floors or higher.
• Staging: Interior staging is located $1\,or\,2$ floors below the fire floor.
• Equipment: Crews must carry high-rise bags, rope, extra air cylinders, and hand tools.
• Standpipe Systems:
  • Class I: $2\,1/2"$ outlets for Fire Dept use in stairs.
  • Class II: $1\,1/2"$ outlets for occupant use in hallways.
  • Class III: Both FD and occupant use.

Special Hazards and Technical Rescue

3.15 Elevator Emergencies

• Initialization: No use of elevators for fire attack if fire is below the $4th\,floor$.
• Keys: All Florida buildings $6$ stories+ use the $Region\,5$ Uniform Key.
• Rescue Safety: Disconnect mainline power and utilize lock-out/tag-out before opening hoist-way doors.

3.17 Roadway and Expressway Emergencies

• Open Roads Policy: Goal is to clear incident within $90\,minutes$.
• Vehicle Positioning: "Fend-Off Position" at a $30^{\circ}$ angle between the traffic and the work area. Wheels turned away from personnel.
• Safety: High-visibility clothing must meet ANSI/ISEA $Performance\,Class\,II\,or\,III$.

3.18 Vehicle Extrication

• Action Circle: Established approximately $15\,feet$ from involved vehicles. Only personnel in full bunker gear may enter.
• Airbag Rule ($5\,-10\,-20$): Maintain $5\,inches$ from side bags, $10\,inches$ from steering bags, and $20\,inches$ from passenger (dash) bags.
• Entrapment Levels:
  • $Light$ (1 move).
  • $Moderate$ (2 moves).
  • $Heavy$ (3+ moves).

3.19 Airport Responses ($ARFF$)

• Crash Types: High Impact, Low Impact, Water, and Cartwheel crashes.
• Alert Levels:
  • Alert 1: Minor malfunction.
  • Alert 2: Full emergency.
  • Alert 3: Crash has occurred or is imminent.
• Aircraft Capacity Codes: $A$ (1-6 seats), $B$ (7-29), $C$ (30-149), $D$ (150+).
• Fuels: Includes $Avgas$ (100-145 octane), $Jet\,A$ (Kerosene grade), and $Jet\,B$ (JP4 - mil/civil blend). For calculation, assume fuel weighs $7\,lbs/gallon$.

4.1 Hazardous Materials ($HazMat$)

• Isolation Zones: Hot (entry only in PPE), Warm (Decon/RIC), Cold (CP/Support).
• Levels of Protection:
  • Level A: Vapor tight, total encapsulating garment ($SCBA$).
  • Level B: Liquid splash resistant ($SCBA$).
  • Level C: Splash resistant with air purifying respirators ($APR$).
  • Level D: Water repellent gown/coverall.

4.4 Bomb Threats and Suspicious Packages

• Isolation Distance: Minimum $1000\,feet$ for staging and evacuation.
• Communications: Radio/cell phone transmissions discontinued within $600\,feet$ of the hazard.
• Safe Zone: If inside, evacuate $3\,floors$ (fire floor, above, and below).

4.6 Railroad Incidents

• Flagmen: Sent $1\,1/2\,miles$ in both directions to stop trains.
• Stopping Signal: Swing flag horizontally at right angle to track or place road flares between rails.
• Locomotive Fuels: $CSX$ carries up to $6000\,gallons$, Amtrak up to $2000$, Sunrail up to $2200$.

4.15 Active Shooter Event

• Definitions: Warm Zone (searched area, no identified threats), $SAVE$ Team (Swift Assisted Victim Extraction).
• SAVE Team Composition: Typically $1-3$ fire-rescue personnel and minimum $4$ law enforcement escorts.
• Staging: Must be in the Cold Zone and out of the line-of-sight of buildings containing shooters.

Firefighter Safety and MayDay Procedures

5.2 Passport Accountability System

• Nametag Color Coding:
  • White: Chief Officers.
  • Red: Lieutenants.
  • Yellow: Firefighters.
• Process: Primary passport on officer helmet; Secondary passport on unit board. Crews must go in, stay, and come out together.

5.3 Two In - Two Out

• Rule: Minimum of $2$ individuals positioned outside the IDLH to rescue a $2-person$ interior team.
• Exceptions: Incipient fires, dumpster/brush/vehicle fires, or imminent life-threatening situations where immediate action prevents death.

5.8 MayDay Operations

• Activation: Declared for lost, trapped, or incapacitated firefighters, or when a member is unaccounted for during a $PAR$ (Personnel Accountability Report).
• LUNAR Report:
  • L - Location
  • U - Unit
  • N - Name
  • A - Assignment
  • R - Resources needed
• Immediate Actions: Activate $PASS$ device manually, point flashlights upward, and conserve air.

5.12 Emergency Radio Procedures

• Priority Radio Traffic: ECC functional capacity is exceeded; transmissions limited to alarm status changes.
• Failsoft: System failure mode indicated by display and intermittent tone. All units move to a single pre-programmed channel.
• Dead Spots: Personnel switch to "9 P T/A3" (Talk Around channel) with a range of approx. $1\,mile$.

Fire Investigation

6.1 Investigation Mandates

• Criteria for Investigator Request:
  • Suspicious cause.
  • Loss exceeding $\$1,000,000.00$.
  • Civilian death/serious injury.
  • Fire in a religious occupancy.
• Evidence Protection: Limit excessive overhaul; cover evidence with tarps; document transient evidence like tire impressions.

Questions & Discussion (Hot Wash)

3.25 Post Incident Analysis / Hot Wash

• Moderator: Incident Commander or Company Officer.
• Core Assessment Questions:
  1. What was planned?
  2. What really happened?
  3. Why did it happen?
  4. What can be done better next time?
• Goal: A verbal review to acknowledge actions, assess compliance, and allow crews to retrace tactical issues for training purposes.