NFPA1081 Standard
Inc ipie nt Indust ria l Fire B riga de M e mber
5.1.2 Basi c Inci pi ent Industri al Fi re Bri gade Memb er JPR s. All i ndustri al fi re
bri gade members shall have a general knowl e dge of basi c fi re behavi or, operation
wi thi n an i nci dent management sy stem, operati on wi thi n the emergency response
operati ons pl an for the si te, the standard operati ng and safety proce dures for the
si te, and si te-speci fi c hazards.
A dva nc e d Ex te rior Indust ria l Fire Briga de M e mbe r 6.1 .2.2 * Interface
with outsi de mutual ai d organi zati ons, gi ven standard operati ng procedures
(SOPs) for mutual ai d response and communi cati on protocol s, so that a uni fied
command i s establi shed and mai ntained.
(A) Requi si te Knowledge. Mutual ai d procedures and the structure of the mutual
ai d organi zati on, site SOPs, and i nci dent management systems.
(B) Requi site Skill s. The ability to communi cate wi th mutual ai d organi zati ons
and to i ntegrate operati onal personnel i nto teams under a unifi ed com mand.
Inte rior St ruc t ura l Indus trial Fire B riga de Me mbe r 7 .2.7 Interface with
outsi de mutual ai d organi zati ons, gi ven SOPs for mutual ai d response and
communi cati on protocol s, so that a unifi ed command i s establi shed and
mai ntai ned.
(A) Requi si te Knowledge. Mutual ai d procedures and the structure of the mutual
ai d organi zati on, site SOPs, and i nci dent management systems.
(B) Requi site Skill s. The ability to communi cate wi th mutual ai d organi zati ons
and to i ntegrate operati onal personnel i nto teams under a unifi ed com mand.
7.3.9 * Interface wi th outsi de mutual ai d organi zati ons, gi ven SOPs for mutual
a d response and communi cati on protocol s, so that a uni fi ed command i s
establi shed and mai ntai ned.
I A) Requi si te Knowl edge. Mutual ai d proced ures and the structure of the mutual I
j organi zati on, si te SOPs, and i nci dent management systems. (B) Requi site
Skill s. The abili ty to communi cate wi th mutual ai d organi zati ons and to i ntegrate
operati onal personnel i nto teams under a unifi ed com mand.
Additional NFPA Standards
NFPA 600 Standard on Industri al Fi re Bri gades
NFPA 1500 Standard on Fi re Department O ccupati onal Safety and Health
Program
NFPA 1521 Standard for Fi re Department Safety Offi cer
NFPA 1561 Standard on Emergency Servi ces Inci dent Management System
Knowledge Objectives
After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to:
• Have an understanding of operati ons withi n an i nci dent management
system.
• Have an understanding of SOPs for mutual ai d response and communi ca
ti on protocol s so that a uni fi ed command can be establi shed and
mai ntained.
Skills Objectives
After compl eti ng thi s chapter, you will be abl e to perform the foll owi ng skill s:
• Communi cate with mutual ai d organi zati ons and i ntegrate operati onal
personnel i nto teams under a uni fi ed command.
• Understand mutual ai d procedures and the structure of the mutual ai d
organi zati on, site SOPs, and i nci dent management systems.
• Ini ti ate communi cati on usi ng facili ty communi cati on equi pment to
effecti vel y rel ay oral or wri tten com muni cati on for the foll owi ng:
c Respondi ng to al arms
o Returni ng equi pment to servi ce
c Compl ete i nci dent reports
• Have a basi c knowl edge of operation withi n the emergency response
operati ons pl an for the si te.
• Have a basi c knowl edge of the standard operati ng and safety procedures
for the site.
• Have a basi c knowl edge of site -specifi c hazards.
 You have just finished filling the pump bearing oil on the unit 1 cooling water pump when you
hear a massive explosion from across the property. The fireball rising from the storage tank area
seems to travel upward for well over a thousand feet when you start to feel the sudden wind of a
blast wave and heat that has been somewhat buffered by the process unit located between you
and the fire area. You are jolted from your focus on the rising cloud of smoke and fire by your
portable radio alert tones and the site emergency siren. The control room announcement follow-
ing the tones states that all emergency responders are to report to their emergency response
locations. As you begin to respond to the Fire Equipment Storage Building, you hear your supervi-
sor announce that he is assuming Incident Command and that the command post will be located
next to the warehouse office area. As you are dressing out in your bunker gear, you hear the
Incident Commander request mutual aid from the adjoining industrial sites and the local munici-
pal fire brigade. Security acknowledges that off-site responders will be arriving and asks the
Incident Commander where he wants to establish staging. The Incident Commander replies that
the first two arriving engines should be directed to the command post, where they will establish
a water and foam supply for suppression activities, and all other responders should be held at the
plant entry gate, where staging will be established.

Based on your knowledge of the facility preplanning that you performed as a part of your fire
brigade training and the Incident Management System, you understand that it will take an organ-
ized team effort to coordinate the different responders to bring about a safe conclusion to this
incident.
1. Why is it important to establish a well-organized command structure at a major incident?
2. Why, with such an obviously large incident, are remaining responders going to be held at
the plant entrance instead of being dispatched to the scene?
3. Where would you expect to find the Incident Commander?

Introduction Using an IMS ensures that operations are coordinated and

The Inci dent Management System (IMS) is a management
structure that ut ilizes on ly the co mpon ents that are needed
at each emergency incident. The structure of IMS is s imilar
to that of a co mpany. A co mp any is organ ized with similar
components, but different t itles. The co mpany always has a
head, the CEO, who makes the final decis ions and creates
the general p lan o f act ion for the co mpany . The co mpany
is t h en b ro ken d o wn in t o b r ig ad es (Pro d u ct io n ,
Scheduling , Pu rchasing, Finance) to imp lement the CEO's
plan . Each brigad e has a support staff to help acco mp lish
the organizat ion's responsibilit ies. Like a co mpany, IMS is
also b ro ken do wn into co mponents. There is an overall
person in charge, the Inci dent Commander (IC). and each
brigade (Co mmand , Operat ions, Planning, Log istics, and
Finance/Ad min istration) has specific responsibilit ies.
All fire b rigade emergency operat ions and training exer -
cises should be conducted within the framework o f an IMS.
conducted safely and effectively. An IMS provides a standard
approach, structure, and operat ional p rocedure to organ ize
and manage any operation, fro m emergencies to training ses -
sions. Th e same p rincip les app ly , whether the s ituat ion
involves a single brigade or hundreds of emergency respon-
ders fro m dozens of d ifferent agencies. They also can be
applied to many nonemergency events, such as large-scale
public events, that require planning, co mmun ications, and
coordination.
Plann ing, superv is ion , and co mmun icat ions are key
co mponents of an IM S. Model p rocedu res fo r incid ent
management have been developed and widely adopted to
provide a standard approach that can be used by many dif-
ferent agencies. W ith in a sing le fire b rigade o r a g roup of
fire brigades that rout inely respond together, the use of a
standard system fo r manag ing an in cident is essential.
Enhanced coo rd in at ion resu lts when every o rgan izat ion
that cou ld be invo lved in a majo r incident is familiar with

ind has practiced with the same incident management
system.
Some fire brigades use procedures that vary from the IMS
model or other model systems in different respects. As a
brigade member, it is essential for you to become intimately
familiar with the system that is used within your jurisdiction.
where local variat ions exist, the overall system usually
re main s s i mi lar in s t ru ct u re an d ap p licat io n t o t h e
IMS model.
History of the Incident
Management System
Prior to the 1970s, each individual fire brigade had its own
method fo r co mmand ing and manag ing in cidents. Often ,
the organizat ion established to direct operations at an inci-
dent scene depended on the style of the leader on duty.
However, th is indiv idualized approach d id not wo rk well
when units fro m different shifts or mutual aid co mpanies
responded to a majo r incident. What was adequate for rou -
tine incidents was ineffective and confusing with large-scale
incidents, rap id ly ch anging situat ions, and p ersonnel that
did not normally wo rk together.
Such a frag mented approach to managing emergency inci-
dents is no longer accepted. Over the past 40 years, fo rmal
IMS, or Inci dent Command S ystems (ICSs). have been
developed and refined. Today's IMSs include an organized
system of roles, responsibilities, and SOPs that are widely
used to manage and direct emergency operations. The same
basic approaches, organ ization structures, and terminology
are used by thousands o f fire brig ades and emergency
response agencies.
The mov e to dev elop a st andard system b egan about 40
years ago, after several large -scale wildland fires in
Southern California proved d isastrous for both the fire serv-
ice and residents. A number of fire-related agencies at the
local, state, and federal levels decided that better organ iza-
tion was necessary to effectively co mbat these costly fires.
These agen cies estab lished an o rgan izat ion kno wn as
FIRES COPE (Fire RESources of California Organized for
Potential Emergencies) to develop solutions for a variety of
problems associated with large, co mp lex emergency inci-
dents during wildland fires. These prob lems included:
• Co mmand and contro l p rocedu res
• Resource management
• Terminology
• Co mmunicat ions
FIRESCOPE_developed the first standard ICS. Originally
ICS was intended on ly for large, mu lt ijurisd ict ion al/
mu ltiagency incidents involving more than 25 resources or
operating units. However, it was so successful that it was
applied to structural firefighting and eventually became an
accep ted syst em fo r manag ing all emergency incidents
(Figure 4-1).
Incide nt Ma na ge me nt Sys te m 93
At th e same t ime, th e Fi reground Co mmand (F GC)
System was developed and adopted by many fire b rigades.
The concepts beh ind the FGC system were s imilar to the
ICS, although there were some differences in termino logy
and organization structure. The FGC system was in itially
designed fo r day -to -day fire brigad e incidents invo lv ing
fewer than 25 fire suppression companies, but it could be
expanded to meet the needs of larger scale incidents.
During the 1980s, the ICS developed by FIRESCOPE was
adopted by all federal and most state wildland firefighting
agencies. The National Fire Academy (NFA) also used the
FIRESCOPE ICS as the model fire service IMS for all of its
courses. Additional federal agencies, including the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), adopted the same model for
use during majo r disasters or terro rist events. All federal
agencies could no w learn and use one basic system.
Several federal regulat ions and consensus standards,
including NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational
Safety and Health Program, were adopted during the 1980s.
NFPA 1081 also mandates the use of an IMS. These standards
mandated the use of an ICS at emergency incidents. NFPA
1561, Standard on a Fire Depar tment Incident Management
System, released in 1990, identified the key components of an
effective system and the importance of using such a system at
all emergency incidents. Fire brigades could use either ICS or
FGC system to meet the requirements of NFPA 1561.
In the following years, users of d ifferent systems fro m
across the country formed the National Fire Service Incident
Management System Consortium to develop "model proce-
dure guides" for implementing effective IMS at various types of
incidents. The resu lt ing system, wh ich b lended the best
aspects of both ICS and FGC, is now known formally as IMS.
The IMS can be used at any type or size of emergency incident
(Figure 4-1) ICS was first developed to coordinate efforts during
large-scale wildland fires.
94 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
In 2003, President George W. Bush directed the Secretary of
Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident
Management System (NIM S). This system provides a c onsistent
nationwide tem plate to enable federal, state, and loc al gov ern ments
as well as privat e-sector and nongovernmental organiza tions to
work together effectively and efficiently to prepare f or, prev ent,
respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regard less of their
cause, size, or complexity, including acts of cata strophic terrorism.
Since the terrorist attacks of Septem ber 11, 2001, much has been
done to improv e the prevention, preparedness, response, rec overy,
and m itigation c apabilities and c oordination process es across the
United Stat es. A comprehensive national approach to incident
management, which is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and
across all functional disciplines, would further improv e the
effectiveness of emergency response providers and incident
managem ent organiz ations ov er a full spectrum of potential
incidents and hazard scenarios. Suc h an approach would also
improv e coordination and cooperation between public and private
entities in a variety of domestic incident managem ent act ivities.
These incidents m ay include any of the following:
• Acts of terrorism
• Wild-land and urban fires
• Floods
• Hazardous materials spills
• Nuclear accidents
• Aircraft accidents
• Earthquakes
• Hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Typhoons
• War-related disasters
Building on the f oundation provided by existing incident
managem ent and emergency response systems used by jurisdic -
tions and f unctional disc iplines at all levels, the NIM S integrates the
practices that have proven most effective over the years into a
comprehensive framework for use by incident management
organizations in an all-hazards context on a national basis. To
provide for interoperability and compatibility am ong federal, state,
and local capabilities, the NIM S includes a core set of concepts,
principles, terminology, and tec hnologies address ing the follow ing
issues:
• The incident comm and system
• Multiagency coordination systems
• Unified comm and
• Training
• Identification and managem ent of resources
• Qualifications and c ertification
• Collection, track ing, and reporting of incident inf orm ation and
incident resources
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
While most incidents are generally handled on a daily basis by a
single jurisdiction at the loc al level, in some important cas es
successful domestic incident managem ent operations depend on the
involv ement of multiple juris dictions, functional agenc ies, and
emergency res ponder disciplines. Thes e cases require effective and
efficient coordination across a broad spectrum of organiz a tions and
activities. The NIM S uses a systems approach to int e grate the best of
existing processes and m ethods int o a unified national framew ork for
incident managem ent. This framew ork supports interoperability and
compatibility that will, in turn, enable a div erse s et of public and
privat e organizations to con duct well-int egrated and effective incident
managem ent opera tions.
The NIMS includes several com ponents that work together as a
system to provide a national fram ework for preparing for, pre venting,
responding to, and recovering from dom estic incidents:
1. Command and management: The NIMS standardizes incident
management for all hazards and across all levels of governm ent.
The NIMS standard incident command structures are based on
three key constructs: an incident command system, multiagency
coordination systems, and public inform ation systems.
2. Preparedness: The NIMS establishes specific measures and
capabilities that juris dictions and agenc ies should develop and
incorporate into an overall system to enhance operational pre
paredness for incident management on a steady-state basis in an
all-hazards context.
3. Resource managem ent: The NIMS defines standardized mechan
isms to describe, inventory, track, and dispatch resources before,
during, and after an incident. It also defines standard procedures
to recover equipment once it is no longer needed for an incident.
4. Communications and information management: Effective commu
nicat ion, inform ation management, and information and intelli
genc e sharing are critic al aspects of dom estic incident
managem ent. The NIMS comm unication and information systems
facilitate the essential functions needed to prov ide a comm on
operating picture and interoperability for incident managem ent at
all levels.
5. Supporting technologies: The NIMS prom otes national standards
and int eroperability for s upporting tec hnologies to s uccessfully
implement the NIMS and standard technologies for specific
profess ional disciplines or incident types. It prov ides an archit ec
ture for science and technology support to incident managem ent.
6. Ongoing management and maintenance: The Department of
Homeland Sec urity will establis h a m ultijurisdict ional, m ultidisci -
plinary NIMS Integration Center. This center will provide strat egic
direction for and ov ers ight of the NI MS, supporting routine
maint enance and enabl ing continuous im provem ent of the sys
tem over the long term.

and by any type or size organization or agency NFPA 1561 is
now called Standard on Emergency Services Incident Management
System.
IMS Characteristics
An IMS provides a standard, professional, organized approach
to managing emergency incidents. The use of an IMS enables
any type of emergency response agency to operate more safely
and effectively. A standardized approach facilitates and coor-
dinates the use of resources from mu ltip le agencies, working
toward co mmon objectives. It also eliminates the need to
develop a special approach for each situation.
All IMSs require an organizational structure to provide both
a hierarchy of authority and responsibility and formal channels
for communications. The specific responsibility and authority
of everyone in the organization is clearly stated and the rela-
tionships are well-defined. Important characteristics of an IMS
include:
• Recognized jurisdict ional authority and responsibility
• Applicab le to all risk and hazard situations
• Applicable to day-to-day operations as well as major
incidents
• Unity of co mmand
• Span of control
• Modular organizat ion
• Co mmon terminology
• Integrated co mmunicat ions
• Consolidated incident action p lans
• Emergency response operations plan
• Designated incident facilities
• Resource management
Jurisdiction al Authority
The identification of one individual as the ult imate authority
with overall responsibility for managing an incident is a key
concept for the success of IMS. The issue of jurisdictional
authority can become a serious concern at large-scale inci-
dents involving multiple agencies and different levels of gov -
ernment. Each agency has specific responsibilit ies and legal
authority for different s ituations, depend ing on the nature
and scale of the incident, the geographic location, and other
factors. Someone has to be "in charge" to ensure that opera-
tions are coord inated and safe.
Jurisdictional authority may or may not be a prob lem at
an industrial fire, where the h ighest-ranking or designated
supervisor for the companies' fire brigade is clearly the IC. It
can be mo re co mp licated when the local mun icipal fire
organ izat ion o r several o rgan izat ions are invo lved. Fo r
example, a military aircraft crashes in an industrial co mp lex
and starts a fire that spreads across the industrial co mp lex
boundaries into an adjoin ing city. There, the fire causes the
hazardous material to leak into a nav igable waterway and
app ro aches a jail lo cated ins ide t h e limit s o f ano th er
I nc i de nt Manageme nt System 95
inco rporated city. Such a s ituat ion involves both military
and civilian agencies, as well as multip le levels of govern -
ment. Chaos wou ld prevail if each affect ed ju risdict ion
claimed to be in charge and attempt ed to issue orders.
Establishing a Unified Command Structure
An effective IMS clearly defines the agency that will be in
charge of each s ituat ion. When there are ove rlapp ing
responsibilit ies, the IMS may emp loy a unified command.
This brings representatives of different agencies together to
work on one plan and ensures that all actions are fu lly coor-
dinated. Each agency has command authority for specific,
well-defined areas of responsibility.
Unified co mmand systems should always be used when -
ever an incident requ ires mutual aid. A mu lt iagency and/or
mu lt ijurisdict ion response to a mutual aid call can best be
handled by using a unified co mmand structure. Th is type o f
structure is especially important when wo rking with local
mun icipal first responders such as fire fighters, law enforce -
ment personnel, and EM S responders.
The local fire service IC will want to work in tandem with
the brigade team leader/IC. Working with the facility emer-
gency response coordinator (FERC) or the team liaison officer
(LNO) may be co mmon pract ice in some areas, but it is
preferable to work with the facility IC directly in a unified
co mmand system. In so me incidents, the local fire serv ice
IC's role is to protect the community; preserving the facility
may be a secondary consideration. In some cases, the fire
servicee IC may take contro l of the incident.
The local ICS capabilities, including the ability to estab -
lish a un ified co mmand, will depend on the co mmun ity's
adoption of NIMS, the levels of ICS train ing completed, and
the prefire p lann ing that the local first responders have
completed at the facility.
Integrating Brigade Members under a
Uni fied Command
Brigade memb ers may be integ rated under a un ified co m-
mand on ly after they receiv e the p roper o f level of ICS
training (ICS 100-400). This training ensures that they can
operate safely and proficiently when they are assigned to a
div ision/b ranch , g roup, strike team, o r tas k fo rce.
Members who respond to an incident are expected to
check in with the IC or with the staging areas manager, using
the site -specific accountab ility system. At that po int, they
will be assigned to a team o r g roup that has been given an
assignment. Brigade members are expected to co mplete that
assignment and then either to request another assignment or
to report to the rehab ilitat ion area.
Mutual Aid
Mutual aid agreements can help a facility both meet its need for
resources and handle a second or cascading incident that can
affect a fire brigade that is understaffed and/or underequipped.
 98 IND USTR IAL F IRE B RIG AD E; P RINC IPLES
Mutual aid agreements should be negotiated and documented
before an incident occurs.
If prefire p lann ing act iv it ies reveal t hat add it ional
resources—whether in the form o f staffing, equip ment, or
technical expert ise—may be needed , then a mutual aid
agreement bet ween th e local first responders , reg ional
response teams, and even other industrial facilities may be in
order. Written agreements that clearly establish the various
responders' roles and responsibilities, policies for rep lace-
ment o f damaged equ ip ment , and cov erage for in ju red
brigade members must be in p lace to protect both the giver
and the receiver of mutual aid.
Working wi th Mutual Ai d Partners
A working relationship among the brigade leaders and mem-
bers should b e d evelop ed befo re an incid ent requ iring
mutual aid occurs. The t rust engendered by knowing each
member's knowledge, skills, and abilities will go a long way
toward ensuring s mooth operations when wo rking with a
brigade fro m another facility. Th is trust and teamwo rk can
co me fro m jo int t rain ing sessions, exercises, and annual
drills.
Mutual Ai d Res ponse and Communicati ons
Ho w mutual aid is requested and wh ich co mmun icat ion
procedu res are to be used should also be defined in the
written mutual aid agreement. So me agreements call fo r a
reconnaissance or "go" team to respond and conduct a size -up
before mo re resources are sent in to assist the first
responders. This approach eliminates the chance of losing
produ ct ion / maint enan ce wo rkers wh o might oth erwise
serve as brigade me mbers unnecessarily .
Phone calls, co mmon rad io frequencies, and paging sys -
tems can be used in the notification process. These systems
should be tested on a regu lar bas is.
Structure of Mutual Ai d Org anizati ons
Mutual aid organizations usually consist of more than two
facilit ies or agencies. In some areas of the country, these
organizat ions include dozens o r even hundreds of member
facilities and/or agencies. Their activities may be coordinated
by local emergency p lanning co mmittees (LEPC), by other
governmental agencies, or by the organ ization itself.
All-Risk and All-Hazard System
IMS has evolved into an all-risk, all-hazard system that can
be applied to manage resources at fires, floods, tornadoes,
plane crashes, earthquakes, hazardous materials incidents,
or any other type of emergency situation (Figure 4-2). IMS has
also been used to manage many nonemergency events, such
as large-scale public events, that have similar require ments
for co mmand , contro l, and co mmun icat ions. The flexib ility
of the system enables the management structure to expand as
needed, using whatever co mponents are needed.
AN D P RAC TIC E
(Figure 4-2) IMS can be used to manage different types of emergency
incidents involving several agencies.
Multiple agencies and organizations can be integrated in the
management of the incident.
NIMS and the Private Sector
Facilit ies should adopt the use of NIMS/ICS as a corporate
policy. The FEMA fact sheet titled Private Sector NIMS
Implementation Activities (dated November 30, 2006) pro-
vides guidance by identifying the 12 reco mmended activities
for members of the private sector that seek to become NIMS
co mp liant as reco mmen d ed in Ho melan d Secu rity
Presidential Direct ive-5. These activities closely parallel the
imp lementation act ivit ies that have been required of state,
t errito rial, t ribal, and local go vern ments s ince 2004.
Effective and consistent integration of the NIMS across fed -
eral, state, territorial, tribal, and local govern ments and the
private sector will result in a strengthened national capacity
to prevent, p repare fo r, respond to , and recover fro m any
type of incident.
Everyday Applicability
IMS can and should be used for everyday operations as well
as major incidents. So meone is in co mmand at every incident,
whether it is a t rash bin fire, a medical emergency, or a
building fire (Figure 4-3 ). Regular use of the system builds
familiarity with standard procedures and terminology. It also
increases the users' confidence in the system. Frequent use
of IMS for routine situations makes it easier to apply to larger
incidents.
Fire b rigade members will beco me co mp etent at IMS
when it is used on a daily basis along with the standard oper-
ating and safety procedures as defined in the facility emer -
gency response operat ions p lans that are des igned fo r the
site-specific hazards of the facility.

Figure 4-3) IMS can be used effectively during day-to-day operations.
Unity of Co mmand
Unity of command is a management concept in wh ich each
person has only one direct supervisor. All orders and assign -
ments come directly fro m that supervisor, and all reports are
made to the same supervisor. Th is eliminates the confusion
that can result wh en a person receives ord ers fro m mo re
than one boss. Unity of co mmand reduces delays in solving
prob lems , the pot ent ial fo r life and p roperty losses, and
safety risks for brigade members.
IMS is not necessarily a ran k-oriented system. The best
qualified person should be assigned at the appropriate level
for each situation, even if a lower ran king ind ividual is tem-
porarily assigned to a higher level position. This concept is
crit ical for the effect ive app lication of the system and must
be embraced by all part icipants.
Span of Control
Span o f control refers to the number of subordinates who
report to one supervisor at any level within the organization.
Span of control relates to all levels of IMS, from the strategic
level to the operational/tactical level and to the task level
(ind ividual brigades or crews).
In most situations, one person can effectively supervise
only three to seven people. Because of the dynamic nature of
emergency incidents, an ind ividual who has command or
supervisory responsibilit ies in an IMS normally should not
direct ly supervise more than five people. The actual span of
contro l shou ld dep end on th e co mp lexity o f the incid ent
and the natu re of the work being performed . Fo r examp le, at
a co mplex hazardous materials incident, the span of con trol
might be only three; during less intense operations, the span
of contro l cou ld be as h igh as seven.
Incide nt Ma na ge me nt Sys te m 97
Modular Orga nization
IM S is des igned to b e flexib le and modu lar. Th e IM S
modules—Co mmand, Operations, Planning, Log istics, and
Finance/Admin istration—are predefined, ready to be staffed
and made operational as needed. IMS has often been char-
acterized as an organ izat ional too lbo x—on ly the too ls
needed for the specific incident are used. In IMS, the too ls
are posit ion t it les, job descript ions, and an organ izat ion
structure that defines the relat ionships between positions.
Some positions and functions are used frequently; others are
needed only fo r co mp lex o r unusual situations. Any position
can be activated simp ly by assigning so meone to it.
For example, a small structure fire can usually be man -
aged by an IC, who directly supervises four or five brigade
leaders. Each brigade leader superv ises h is respect iv e
brigade members. At a larger fire, with mo re brigades, the
IM S wou ld expand to include d iv is ions o f up to fiv e
brigades. At the same t ime, o fficers would be assigned to
perform specific functions, such as safety and planning. At
more co mp lex in cidents, addit ional levels and posit ions
within the IM S structure would be filled in the same man ner.
The o rganizat ion can expand as mu ch as needed to manage
the incident .
Co mmon Ter minology
IMS pro motes the use of co mmon termino logy both with in
an organizat ion and among all o f the agencies involved in
emergency incidents. Co mmon terminology means that each
word has a single definition, and no two words used in man -
aging an emergency incid ent hav e th e same defin it ion.
Everyone uses the same terms to co mmunicate the same
thoughts, so everyone understands what is meant. Each job
comes with one set of responsibilities, and everyone knows
who is responsible fo r each duty.
Co mmo n t ermino log y is part icu larly imp o rtant fo r
rad io co mmunications. For examp le, in many fire o rgani-
zat ions, the term "tan ker" refers to a mob ile water supply
apparatus. But to wild land firefighting agencies, it means a
fixed -win g aircraft us ed to d rop ext ingu ish ing ag ent o n a
fire. W ithout co mmon termino logy, an IC who called for a
"tanker" cou ld get an airplane instead o f the t ruck he or she
expected .
Integrate d Co mmun icat ions
Integrated communi cati ons ensure th at everyone at an
emergen cy can co mmun icate with both their superv isors
and their subo rd inates. The IM S must support co mmun i-
cat ion up and down th e chain o f co mmand at every level. A
mes s ag e mu s t b e ab le t o mo v e efficien t ly t h ro u gh the
system fro m the IC down to the lo west level and fro m the
lowest level up to the IC. With in a fire brigade, the primary
means o f co mmun icat ing at the incident scene is by rad io.
98 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

Consolidated Incident Action Plans mach inery are addressed at different levels based on the haz-
ards found at the specific facility.
An IMS ensures that everyone involved in the incident is
follo wing one overall plan . Different co mponents of the Designated Incident Facilities
organ izat ion may p erfo rm d ifferent funct ions , bu t all of
Designated inci dent facilities are assigned locations where
their efforts contribute to the same goals and object ives.
specific functions are always performed. For example, the IC
Everything that occu rs is coordinated with everything else.
will always be based at the incident command post. The stag -
At smaller incidents, the IC develops an action p lan and
ing area, rehab ilitation area, casualty co llect ion point, t reat-
commun icates the incident prio rit ies, object ives, strategies,
ment area, base of operations, and helispot are all examp les of
and tact ics to all of the operat ing un its o r ind ividu als. At
designated areas where particular functions take place. The
large incidents, representatives from all part icipat ing agen-
facilities required for the incident are established according to
cies meet regu larly to develop and update the p lan. In both
the IMS plan. Th is plan may have been a pre-established
large and s mall incidents, those involved in the incident
"template" that was developed prior to an incident.
understand their specific ro les and ho w they fit into the
overall p lan. Resource Management
Emergency Response Operations Plan Resource management is a standard system o f assigning
and keep ing t rack o f th e resou rces inv o lved in the inci -
OSHA and NFPA emergency action plans require that written
dent. In structu ral firefight ing, the basic un its are co mpa -
plans be developed in the form of a site-specific emergency
n ies . En g in e co mp an ies , ladder co mp an ies, and oth er
response operations pl an. Such a plan is designed to identify
units are d ispatched to the incident and assigned a specific
the levels of response needed for certain locations with
funct ion. In so me cases, g roups fro m several d ifferent
emergency situations such as fires, chemical spills, and
co mp an ies are ass igned to tas k fo rces and strike t eams .
med ical emergencies.
The IM S keeps track o f co mpany assign ments. In industry,
The s it e -specific p lan shou ld cov er th e fo llo wing
these resou rces are usually referred to as "brigad es" or
elements:
"teams" although they may be referred to as "co mpan ies." At
• Emp loyee evacuation plans
large-scale incidents, units are often dispatched to a staging
• Evacuated-emp loyee accountability procedure
area and not direct ly to the incident locat ion . A staging area
• Procedures for report ing fires and other emergencies
is a location close to the incident scene where a number of
• Crit ical shutdown procedures
units can be held in reserve, ready to be assigned if they are
• Rescue and med ical response plan
needed.
• Choosing a level of response to each type of emergency
The level o f response chosen must b e app rop riat e fo r
each type of incident, as well as the train ing and equip ment The IMS Organization
necessary to operate at the chosen levels. By utilizing OSHA
The IM S structure identifies a fu ll range o f duties, respon -
and NFPA levels of response, the brigade leaders and mem-
sibilit ies, and funct ions that are performed at emergency
bers understand their limitat ions, roles, and responsibilit ies
incidents. It defines the relat ionships among all these dif-
when responding to an incident.
ferent co mponents. So me co mponents are used on almost
NFPA levels of response for fire brigades include the
every incident, wh ile others apply to on ly the largest and
following:
most co mp lex situat ions. The five majo r co mponents of an
• Incipient Level
IM S o rgan izat ion are Co mmand, Op erat ions, Plann ing ,
• Advanced Exterior
Log istics, and Finance/Ad min istrat ion.
• Interior St ructural
The IMS organ ization chart may be quite simp le or very
• Advanced Exterior/ Interior St ructural
comp lex. Each b lock on an IMS organ ization chart refers to a
OSHA-regulated facilit ies must choose one of the follow
function area or a job description. Positions are staffed as
ing levels of response to chemical spills and leaks:
they are needed . The only posit ion that must be filled at
• Fire Responder Awareness Level
every incident is the Incid ent Co mmander (IC). The IC
• First Responder Operat ions Level
decides which additional co mponents are needed for the sit -
• Hazardous Materials Technician
uation and activates those positions by assigning someone to
• Hazardous Materials Specialists
perform those tasks.
NFPA uses similar levels of response for technical rescue
Brigade members must understand the overall structu re
operations (NFPA 1670). A brigade would choose a level of
of IMS, as well as the basic roles and responsibilit ies of each
response fo r each typ e o f techn ical rescue that may be
posit ion. As an emergency dev elops, a b rigade member
needed at the facility . At some facilit ies, top ics such as
could start in logistics, move to operations, and eventually
confin ed -space rescu e, rope rescu e, and ext ricat ion fro m
assu me a co mman d p os it ion . Kno win g ho w IM S wo rks

( Figure 4-4 ) The IMS Organization Chart.
enables brigade members to see ho w d ifferent ro les and
responsibilit ies work together and relate to each other. This
makes it easier to focus on a particu lar assignment , instead
of being overwhelmed by the incident.
Command
On an IM S o rgan izat ion ch art, the first co mponent is
Command ( A Figure 4-4 ). The IC is the only position in the
IMS that must always be filled because there must always be
someone in charge. Co mmand is established when the first
unit arrives on the scene and is maintained until the last unit
leaves the scene. The IC is equivalent to the CEO of a co m-
pany. The IC and staff are not full-time positions but are
functional positions, filled by qualified responders.
In the IMS structure, one person, the IC, is ult imately
responsible fo r managing an incident and has the necessary
authority to direct all act ivit ies at the incident scene. The IC is
direct ly responsible for:
• Determin ing strategy
• Select ing incident tactics
• Setting the act ion p lan
• Developing the IMS organizat ion
• Managing resources
• Coordinat ing resource activ ities
• Providing fo r scene safety
• Releasing info rmat ion about the incident
• Coord inating with outside agencies
Unified Command
Most incidents have one IC, who is directly responsible for
all of the co mmand functions. When mu ltip le agencies with
overlapp ing ju risd ict ions or leg al responsib ilit ies are
involved in the same incident, a unified co mmand is used.
Rep resentatives fro m each agency cooperate to
share
Incident Management System
( Figure 4-5 ) A unified comm and involves many agencies directly in the
decision-making process for a large incident.
command authority. They work together and are d irectly
involved in the decision-making process. Un ified co mmand
helps ensure cooperation, avo ids confusion, and guarantees
agreement on goals and objectives ( A Figure 4-5 ).
Command Post
The co mmand post is the h eadquarters locat ion fo r th e
incident. Co mmand funct ions are centered in the co mmand
post. The IC and all d irect support staff should always be
located at the co mmand post.
The command post should be in a nearby, protected loca-
tio n. Often , th e co mmand post fo r a majo r in cid ent is
located in a special building or vehicle. This enables the
command staff to function without needless distract ions or
interruptions.
Command Staff
Ind ividu als on the co mmand staff perform funct ions that
report d irect ly to the IC and cannot be delegated to other
major sections of the organization ( Figure 4-6). The Safety
Officer, Liaison Officer, and Information Officer are always
part of the command staff. In addition, aides, assistants, and
advisors may be assigned to work directly for the IC. An aide
may be a brigade member, a supervisor, or a manager who
serves as a direct assistant to a command officer.
Safety Officer
The Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that safety
issues are managed effect ively at the incident scene. The
Safety Officer is the eyes and ears of the IC for safety, iden-
tify ing and evaluating hazardous condit ions, watch ing out
for unsafe pract ices, and ensuring that safety procedures are
100 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
( Figure 4-6) The command staff report directly to the IC.
followed. The Safety Officer is appointed early during an
incident. As the incident beco mes more co mp lex and the
number of resources increase, addit ional qualified person nel
can be assigned as assistant safety officers.
The Safety Officer is an advisor to the IC but has the
authority to stop or suspend operations when unsafe situa tions
occur. This authority is clearly stated in national standards,
including NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire Department
Occupational Safety and Health Program, NFPA 1521, Standard
for Fir e Departm ent Safety Officer, and NFPA 1561, Standard on
Emergency Sendees Incident Management System. Several state
and federal regu lations require the assignment of a Safety
Officer at hazardous materials incidents and certain technical
rescue incidents.
The Safety Officer should be a qualified individual who is
knowledgeable in fire behavior, bu ilding construction and
collapse potent ial, firefighting strategy and tact ics, haz-
ardous materials, rescue practices, and depart mental safety
rules and regulations. A Safety Officer should also have con -
siderable experience in incident response and specialized
train ing in o ccup at ion al safety and h ealth . Many fire
brigades have full-time Safety Officers who perfo rm ad min-
istrat ive funct ions relating to health and safety wh en they
are not responding to emergency incidents. The NFAs
Incident Safety Officer and Advanced Safety Operations and
Management courses are excellent resources for people inter-
ested in serving in this capacity.
Liaison Officer
The Liaison Officer is the IC's representative to a point of
contact for representatives from outside agencies. The Liaison
Officer is responsible for exchanging information with repre-
sentatives from those agencies. During an active incident, the
IC may not have time to meet d irect ly with everyone who
comes to the co mmand post. The Liaison Officer position
takes the IC's place, obtaining and providing informat ion, or
directing peop le to the p roper locat ion o r authority. The
Liaison area should be adjacent to, but not inside, the co m-
mand post.
P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E
( Figure 4-7 ) The Public Information Officer is responsible for gathering and
releasing incident information to the media and other appropriate agengies.
Public Information Officer
The Public Informati on Officer is responsible for gathering
and releasing incident info rmat ion to the news med ia and
other appropriate agencies (Figure 4-7 ). At a major incident,
the pub lic will want to kno w wh at is being done. Because
the IC must make managing the incident his or her top priority,
the Public Information Officer serves as the contact person for
media requests. This frees the IC to concentrate on the
incident. A med ia headquarters should be established near,
but not in, the co mmand post.
Deputies and Assistants
Two additional staffing titles are commonly found in both the
command staff and the general staff: deputy and assistant.
The position of deputy is filled by a fully qualified indi-
vidual who can be delegated the authority to manage a spe-
cific t ask o r funct ion al operat io n in th e absen ce o f a
superior. Because a deputy must be fully qualified, he or she
can act as t h e re lie f fo r t h e s u p erio r . Dep u t ies can be
assigned to the IC, general staff functions, and branch
directors.
Assistant is the title assigned to subordinates of the prin -
cipal co mmand staff positions. Assistant titles indicate qual-
ificat ions, technical capability, and responsibilities that are
subordinate to the primary positions. Assistants may also be
assigned to unit leaders.
General Staff Functions
The IC has the overall responsibility for the entire incident
management o rgan izat ion, although so me elements of the
IC's responsibilities can be handled by the co mmand staff.
When the incident is too large or too complex for just one
person to manage effectively, the IC may appoint someone to
 Incide nt M ana ge ment Sys te m 101

( Figure 4-9) T he organizational structure of the Operations Section.

( Figure 4 -8) Major functional com ponents of IMS.

oversee parts of the operation. Everything that occurs at an

emergency incident can be div ided among the four major
functional components within IMS ( A Figure 4-8):
• Operat ions
• Planning
• Logistics
• Finance/Admin istration
The chiefs of these four sections are known as the IMS
General Staff. The IC decides which (if any) of these four
positions need to be activated, when to activate them, and
who should be placed in each position. (Remember that the
blocks on the IMS organization chart refer to function areas or
job descriptions, not positions that must always be staffed.) ( Figure 4-10) The organiz ational structure of the Planning Section.
The four sect ion chiefs on the IMS General Staff, when
they are assigned, may run their operat ions fro m the main
co mmand post , but th is is no t requ ired . At a larg e incident,
Chief focuses on the tactics that are requ ired to get the job
the four funct ional o rgan izat ions may operate fro m
done.
different locat ions , but will always b e in d irect contact
Operations are conducted in accordance with an Inci dent
with the IC.
Action Plan (IAP) that outlines what the strategic objectives
Operations are and ho w emergency operat ions will be conducted. At
most incidents, the IA P is relat ively s imp le and can be
The Operations Section is responsible for the management of
expressed in a few words or phrases. The IAP for a large-scale
all act ions that are d irect ly related to controlling the incident
incident can be a lengthy document that is regularly updated
(Figure 4-9 ). The Operations Section fights the fire, rescues any
and used for daily briefings of the command staff.
trapped individuals, treats the patients, and does whatever else
is necessary to alleviate the emergency situation. At industrial Planning
facilities, this may include opening or closing valves, and
The Planning Section is responsible for the collection, eval-
securing processes and power supplies that may help resolve
uation, dissemination, and use of information relevant to the
the emergency situation. The Operations Section is equivalent
incident (Figure 4-10). The Planning Section works with
to the product ion depart ment o f a co mpany . Th is is the
preincident p lans, bu ilding construction drawings, maps,
department that produces results.
aerial photographs, diagrams, reference materials, and status
For most structure fires, the IC directly supervises the
boards. The Planning Section is also responsible for develop -
functions of the Operations Section. A separate Operations
ing and updating the IAP The Planning section is similar to
Secti on Chief is used at co mp lex incidents so that the IC
the scheduling department at a company. It plans what needs
can focus on overall strategy while the Operat ions Sect ion
to be done by who m and what resources are needed.
 V"WeOICES OF EXPERIENCE
all wor ked together to ensure that the job
got done safely."

I
t was mid-December—and the night of the annual company party. Outside it was
snowing heavily, with a 20 mile per hour wind whipping through the subzero air.
When an explosion occurred at the plant, our fire brigade was dispatched to the
south side of the building, to the main transformer area. Wearing our personal protective
gear, we approached the main transformer area with caution. The incident commander
(IC) was standing near the area; he motioned us over. He explained that the generator
had shut down as designed. Unfortunately, the transformer connected to the generator
had exploded and was now on fire. The IC directed two of us to stretch a hose from a
nearby hydrant and prepare for a foam attack.
As we prepared for the initial attack, we noticed that the water supply line was begin ning
to freeze in the extreme weather conditions. At the same time, the sprinkler system
around the transformer became activated and sprayed water on many of the fire fighters.
Upon our retreat from the area, we discovered that much of the sprinkler system had
been destroyed in the transformer explosion. Our water supply was now frozen, and the
ice had broken through our deployed hoses.
The IC told us that mutual aid had been called and was expected to be on scene in
about 10 minutes. In the meantime, we were directed to deploy n ew hose lines to
replace the frozen hoses.
Once the new hoses were in place, we began our attack on the transformer fire with the
foam. Mutual aid soon arrived, and members of those companies began to rotate in to
relieve our brigade members as the IC directed. As the last of the fire was being extin-
guished, additional personnel from our sister plant arrived and began the job of plan ning
for removal and replacement of the transformer.
Environ mental specialists arrived shortly after the fires resolution to ensure that the
fire-ext inguishing water and runoff were contained and properly disposed. All the while,
security handled the arrival of more mutual aid responders and members of the public
who arrived at the main gate. Management gave a press briefing, engineering began
planning for the transformer's removal and replacement, and many other plant workers
stepped forward to assist in any way they could. We all worked together to ensure that
the job got done safely.

John Shrader
Cooper Nuclear Station
Brownville, Nebraska

Brigade Member Tips
Strategy is the "big pict ure" plan of what has to be done. "Stop the fire
from extending into Exposure D" is a strategic objective. Tactics are the
steps that are taken to achieve the strategic objectives, such as "Make an
offensiv e attack on the liquid fuel fire near the com pressor station to
prevent fire from extending into the storage area." Tasks are the specific
assignm ents that will get the job done. "Brigade Team 1 will lay a supply
line with foam and attack the f ire in the compressor station area between
the fire area and the storage area." Laying the supply line with foam and
attacking the fire are bot h "tasks."
The IC act ivates the Plann ing Sect ion when info rmat ion
needs to be obtained, managed, and analyzed. The Planning
Secti on Chi ef repo rts d irect ly to th e IC. Ind iv iduals
assigned to plann ing examine the current situation, rev iew
available info rmation, p redict the probable course of events,
and prepare reco mmendations for strategies and tactics. The
Planning Section also keeps track of resources at large-scale
incidents and provides the IC with regular s ituat ion and
resource status reports.
Logistics
The Logistics Section is responsible for providing supplies,
services, facilit ies, and materials du ring the incident
(▼Figure 4-11 ). The Logistics Section Chief reports directly
to the IC and serves as the supply officer for the incident.
Among the responsibilities of this section would be keeping
apparatus fueled, providing food and refreshments for the
brigade members, obtaining the foam concentrate needed to
fight a flammable liquids fire, and arranging for a bulldozer to
remove a large pile of debris. The Logistics Section is similar
to the purchasing department of a company. It ensures that
adequate resources are always available.
( Figure 4-11) The organizational structure of the Logistics Section.
Incide nt Ma na ge me nt Syste m 103
Brigade Member Tips
NFPA 600 and 1981 and OSHA1910 Subpart L use the term "Brigade
Leader" to identify any level of brigade supervision. Industrial fire
brigade titles vary widely; chief, deputy chief, and captain are as
common as em ergency res pons e coordinator, response team leader,
crew chief, and shift supervisor. The title of the individual filling a
posit ion in an IM S is irrelev ant. W hat is important is that that
indiv idual who assumes this role in t he IM S structure be competent and
qualified. Competent people, assigned to critical comm and functions,
develop plans that mak e problems go away.
In many fire b rigades, these logistical functions are rou -
tin ely perfo rmed by suppo rt serv ices personnel. These
groups work in the background to ensure that the members
of the Operat ions Sect ion have whatever they need to get
the job done. Resou rce -intens ive o r long-du rat ion s itua -
tions may require assignment of a Logistics Section Chief
because serv ice and suppo rt requ irements are so co mp lex
or extensive that they need their own management co mpo -
nent. Industry typically also does funct ions such as pur-
chasing, warehousing, and supply for the business of the
company. So me d ifferences may exist in that industry func-
tions as a part of the business of the co mpany and not nec-
essarily as a support function fo r emergency responders,
although many industries that have fire brigades can support
emergency response functions for a limited amount o f time.
Fi nance/ Admi ni s trati on
The Finance/ Administrati on Secti on is the fou rth majo r
IMS co mponent under the IC (▼ Figure 4 -12). Th is section
is responsible fo r the accounting and financial aspects of an
in cident , as well as any legal issues that may arise. Th is
(Figure 4-12) T he organiz ational struct ure of the Financ e/Administration
Section.
104 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E :
function is not staffed at most incidents, because cost and
accounting issues are usually addressed after the incident. A
Finance/Ad min ist rat ion Sect ion may be need ed at
large-scale and long-term incidents that require immediate
fiscal management, part icu larly when outside resources
must be procu red quickly . A Finance/Ad min istrat ion
Sect ion may also be established du ring a natural d isaster or
during a h azardous materials incident where
reimbu rsement may co me fro m the shipper, carrier,
chemical manu facturer, or insurance co mpany. The
Finance/Ad min istration Section is equ iv alent to the finance
depart ment in a co mpany . It accounts for all act ivit ies of the
company and ensures that there is enough money to keep the
co mpany running .
Standard IMS Concepts and Terminology
Industrial brigades and other emergency response agencies
implement IMS to organize emergency scene activities in a
standard manner. Emergency scenes tend to be chaotic, and
organizing operat ions is often a serious challenge, part icu -
larly if the agencies involved use different terms to describe
certain concepts and resources. One of the strengths of IMS is
standard terminology. In IM S, specific terms apply to var ious
parts of an incident o rganizat ion. Understanding these basic
concepts and terminology is the first step in under standing
the system.
So me industrial brigades may use slightly different ter -
minology . Brig ade members must know the termino logy
used by their brigade, as well as the standard IMS termi -
nology . Th is sect ion defin es impo rtant IM S terms and
exa min es t h eir us e in o rg an izin g and man ag ing an
incident.
Single Resources and Crews
NOTE: fo r purposes o f fo llo wing the NFPA Incid ent
Co mmand Standard, the term "co mpany" will be used in the
following section. Your industrial fire brigade may be organ -
ized us ing terms d ifferen t than "co mp any ." A si ngl e
resource is an indiv idual vehicle and its assigned personnel
(► Figure 4-13). For example, an engine and its crew would
be a single resource; a ladder co mpany would be a second
single resource. A company officer is the ind iv idual in
charge of a co mpany. A co mpany operates as a work unit ,
with all crew members working under the supervision of the
company officer. Co mpan ies are assigned to perform tasks
such as search and rescue, attacking the fire with a hose line,
forcib le entry, or ventilation.
A crew is a group of brigade members who are wo rking
without apparatus. Fo r examp le, members o f an eng ine
company or ladder co mpany assigned to operate inside a
build ing would be considered a crew. Addit ional person nel
at the scene of an incident who are assembled to perform a
specific task may also be called a crew. A crew must have an
assigned leader o r brigade leader.
P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E
( Figure 4-13) A single resource is an individual company and the person nel
that arrive on that unit.
Divisions and Groups
Organizational units such as divisions and groups are estab -
lished to group single resources and/or crews under one
supervisor. The primary reason for establishing divisions and
groups is to maintain an effect ive span of control.
• A di vision usually refers to co mpanies and/or crews
working in the same geographic area.
• A group usually refers to co mpan ies and/or crews
working on the same task or object ive, although not
necessarily in the same location.
The flexib ility o f th e IM S enab les organ izat ional un its
t o be created as n eeded , d ep end ing up on th e s ize and
scope of the incident . In the early stages of an incident,
ind iv idual co mpan ies o r crews are often assigned to work
in d ifferent areas o r perfo rm d ifferent tasks. As the incident
gro ws and mo re co mpan ies o r crews are assigned to it, the
IC can estab lish d iv isions and g roups. An ind iv id ual is
assigned to supervise each d iv ision o r g roup as it is created.
These organizat ional units are part icularly useful when
several resources are working near each other, such as on the
same floor inside a building, or are doing similar tasks, such
as ventilation. The assigned supervisor can direct ly observe
and coordinate the actions of several crews.
A division is comprised of the resources responsible for
operations within a defined geographic area. This area could
be a floor inside a building, the rear of the building, or an area of
a refinery fire. Divisions are most often employed during
routine fire brigade emergency operations. By assigning all of
the units in one area to one supervisor, the IC is better able to
coordinate their activities and ensure that all resources are
working toward a similar strategy.
The di vision structure provides effective coordination of
the tactics being employed by different crews working in the

Figure 4-14) The organization of a division.
le area. Fo r examp le, the division supervisor would coor-
dinate the actions of a crew that is advancing a hose line into
the area, a crew that is conducting search-and-rescue
opera-tions in the same area, and a crew that is performing
horizontal ventilation ( Figure 4-14).
For many industrial fire brigades, an alternative way of
orgaanizing resources is by function rather than locat ion. A
group is comprised of resources assigned to a specific func-
tion, such as ventilation, search and rescue, or water supply.
Groups are responsible for performing an assignment, wher -
ever it may be required, and often work across division lines.
For example, the officer assigned to supervise the ventilation
group uses the radio designation " Ventilat ion Group."
An example of a local terminology preference is the term
sector. A sector can be either geographically based (used
instead of a division) or functionally based (used instead of a
group). However, brigades that use the term sector must
understand th e mean ing of d iv ision and g roup as well,
because they may have to work with brigades that use those
terms. The term sector is not recognized under the National
Incident Management System (NIM S) and is not used by
response organizations who have adopted NIMS.
Div ision, group, and sector supervisors all have the same
ran k with in IM S. Div isions do not repo rt to g roups, and
groups do not repo rt to d iv is ions . The superv isors are
required to coordinate their actions and activities with each
other. Fo r examp le, a group supervisor must coord inate
with the di vision supervisor when the g roup enters the
division's geographic area, particularly if the group's assign -
ment will affect the division's personnel, operations, or safety.
The div ision supervisor must be aware of everything that is
Incident Ma na ge me nt S yste m
105
happening within that area. Effective commun ication among
divisions, groups, and sectors is critical during emergency
operations.
Branches
A branch is a higher level of co mbined resources than divi-
sions and groups. At a major incident, several different activ-
it ies may occu r in separate geog raph ic areas o r invo lve
distinct functions. The span of control might still be a prob -
lem, even after the establishment of divisions and groups. In
these situations, the IC can establish branches to p lace a
higher level supervisor (a branch director) in charge of a
number of d ivisions and/or groups.
Location De signators
IMS uses a standard system to identify the different parts of a
build ing or a fire scene. Every brigade member must be
familiar with this terminology.
The exterior sides of a bu ild ing are generally known as
sides A, B, C, and D. The front of the build ing is side A, with
sides B, C, and D following in a clockwise direction around
the build ing. The co mpan ies working in front of the build ing
are assigned to Division A and the rad io designation for their
supervisor is "Division A." Similar terminology is used for the
sides and rear of the build ing.
The areas adjacent to a burning building are called expo -
sures. Exposures take the same letter as the adjacent side of
the building. A brigade member facing Side A can see the
adjacent bu ilding on the left (Exposure B) and the build ing to
the right (Exposure D). If the burning building is in a row of
buildings, the buildings to the left are called Exposures B, Bl,
B2, and so on. The build ings to the right are Exposures D,
Dl, D2, and so on.
With in a bu ild ing, d iv is ions co mmon ly t ake the nu m ber
of the floor on wh ich they are working. For examp le,
brigade members wo rking on the fifth floo r wou ld b e in
Div is io n 5, an d t he rad io d es ig nat ion fo r t he b rig ade
leader assigned to that area wou ld be " Div is ion 5." Crews
doing different tasks on the fifth floor wou ld all be part o f
this div ision .
(► Figure 4-15 ) illustrates the location designators for
different parts of a burning structure, exposures, o r floors of
a building. At some incidents where industry is the sole
responder, the locat ion name or reference is by the location
in the industrial co mp lex, such as "near tank 21 in the south
complex."
Task Forces and Strike Teams
Task forces and strike teams are groups of single resources that
have been assigned to work together for a specific purpose or
for a period of time. Grouping resources reduces the span of
control by placing several units under a single supervisor.
A task force includes t wo to five s ingle resources, such
as different types of units assembled to accomp lish a specific
 106 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S A N D P R A C T I C E

Structural Incident task. For examp le, a tas k force may be co mposed of t wo
engines and one truck co mpany, two eng ines and two foam
units, or one rescue co mpany and four ambu lances. A task
force operates under the supervision of a task force leader.
All co mmunicat ions for the separate un its in the task force
are d irected to the task force leader.
A strike team is usually five units of the same type with
an assigned lead er. A strike team cou ld be five engin es
(engine strike team), five trucks (t ruck strike team), or five
ambulances (EMS strike team) ( Figure 4-16). A strike team
operates under the superv ision o f a strike team leader .
St rike teams are co mmon ly used fo r wild land fires,
where do zens o r hund reds o f co mpan ies may respond.
During wild land fire seasons, many brigades establish strike
teams of five engine co mpanies that will be d ispatched and
(Figure 4-15) Loc ation des ignators in work together on major wild land fires ( Figure 4-17 ). The
assigned co mp an ies rendezvous at a des ignated locat ion
and then respond to the scene together. Each engine has an
officer and brigade members, but on ly one officer is desig-
nated as the strike team leader. All co mmun ications fo r the
strike team are d irected to the strike team leader.
EMS strike teams, consisting of five ambulances and a
supervisor, are often organized to respond to mult i-casualty
incidents or disasters. Rather than requesting 15 ambulances
and estab lish ing an o rgan izat ion al stru ctu re to superv ise
15 s ingle resources, the IC can request three EMS strike
teams and can coo rd in ate with th ree st rike team lead ers.

( Figure 4-16) A strike team is five units of the same type under one leader.
( Figure 4-17) The organization of a strike team.
Implementing IMS
IMS helps to organize every incident scene in a standard,
consistent manner. Fire brigades develop SOPs, then train
and practice using IMS to ensure consistency at emergency
incidents. This approach increases safety and efficiency. As an
incident escalates in size or comp lexity, the IMS organization
expands to fit the situation. The same system can be used at a
pump seal fire or a major process fire.
The advantage of operat ing within a co mmon system is
that this scheme provides for effective mutual aid. When the
magnitude of an incident exceeds the resources of an in-plant
brigade, outside resources are required. The same app lies
when a mun icip al d epart ment lacks necessary resources,
such as a fo am supply to man age a fu el tan ker incid ent.
When both organizat ions are operat ing under the same man-
agement system, needed resources can quickly be made avail-
able to plug the gap and provide an effective response.
A small-scale incident can often be handled successfully
by one fire brigade team or a first-alarm assignment. The
organizat ional structure imp lemented at an emergency inci-
dent starts small, with the arrival of the first unit or units.
When only a limited nu mber o f resources are invo lved, an
IC can often manage the organization personally or with the
assistance of an experienced aide. (►Figure 4-18) illustrate;
a typical co mmand structure fo r an industrial structure fire.
 Incident Ma na ge me nt S yste m 107

( Figure 4--18 ) At a small-scale incident, the typic al IMS comm and struc ture
may consist solely of the IC and reporting resources.

(Figure 4 -19) D ivisions and groups are organized to manage the spa n of
At a mo re co mplex incident, the increasing number of
control and to supervise and coordinate units working together.
problems and resources p laces greater demands on the IC
and can quickly exceed the IC's effective span of control. A
larger incident requires a mo re co mp lex co mmand structure
supervisor, effectively reducing the IC's span of control. The
to ensure that no details are overlooked or personnel safety
IC can also assign individuals to special jobs, such as Safety
compro mised.
Officer and Liaison Officer, to establish a more effective
The modular design of IMS allows the organization to
organizat ion fo r the incident.
expand, based on the needs of the incident, by activating
In the largest and most comp lex incidents, other IMS
predesignated co mponents. The IC can delegate specific
components can be activated. The IC can delegate responsi-
responsibilit ies and authority to others, creating an effective
bility for manag ing majo r co mponents o f the operat ion ,
incident organization. An indiv idual who gets an assignment
such as Operations or Logistics, to General Staff positions.
knows the basic responsibilit ies of the job, because they are
Each o f these positions has a wide range o f responsibilities
defined in advance.
for a majo r co mponent o f the o rganizat ion.
The most frequent ly used IM S co mponents du ring
If necessary, branches can be established, creat ing an
responses are di visions and groups (► Figure 4-19). These
additional level within the organization ( ▼ Figure 4-20 ). For
co mp on en ts p lace several s in g le resou rces u nd er o n e
examp le, a structural co llapse during a major fire may result

(Figure 4-20 ) Creating branches within the Operations Section is one way to manage span of control during a large incident.
 10 8 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E

Table 4-1 Levels of an IMS Organization system, IM S is really qu ite s imp le and unco mp licated .
Brigade members should understand what IMS is and how it
IMS F unctio n/ Position
works. More impo rtantly, each indiv idual b rigade member
IMS Level Location Designator must underst and h is or h er p lace and ro le in the system.
Command Command and control Incident This section discusses how every emergency incident is
Commander conducted . Cert ain co mponents o f the IM S are used on
Command Staff Safety, Liaison, Informatior Offic er every incident and at every training exercise. In addition,
brigade members generally have specific responsibilit ies and
General Staff Operations, Planning, Section Chief
procedures to fo llo w in most situations.
Logistics, Finance/ The three basic co mponents that always apply are:
Administration • Someone is always in co mma nd o f every incident,
Branch Varies (e.g., EMS) Director fro m the t ime that the first unit arrives until the last
unit leaves. The ident ity o f the IC may change, but
Division/Group Varies (e.g., Div . A) Supervisor
there is always one IC in charge of the operat ion and
Unit/Crew/Strik e Varies (e.g., Rehab) Leader responsible fo r everything that happens. SOPs d ictate
Team/Task Force (Brigade Leader) who will be the IC at any time.
• Yo u always report to one supervi sor. A b rigade
member's supervisor will usually be a brigade leader.
The brigade leader d irect ly superv ises a s mall g roup
in several t rapped v ict ims and many pat ients who need of b rigade members, such as an eng ine brigade o r
med ical t reat ment and t ransportat ion . In such a situat ion , ladd er b rigade, who wo rk together. At an incid ent
the Operations Section Chief would have mult iple responsi- scene, the b rig ade leader p rov ides instruct ions and
bilities that cou ld exceed h is span o f cont rol. Activat ing a must always kno w where each brig ade member is
Fire Suppression Branch, a Rescue Branch, and a Medical and what he o r she is do ing . If the b rigade assigns
Branch would address this problem. One o fficer would be two b rigade members to work together away fro m
responsible fo r each branch and report to the Operat ions the rest o f the brig ade, both b rigade members are
Ch ief. W ith in each branch , several d iv is ions o r g roups still under the superv ision o f the brigade leader. The
wou ld repo rt to the bran ch d irecto r. brigade leade r cou ld be an act ing b rigad e member
(a b rigade memb er temporarily designated as a
Standard Position Titles "fill-in" brigade leader), o r a brigade member cou ld
To help clarify roles within the IMS organ ization, standard be assign ed to wo rk t empo rarily under the superv i
position titles are used. Each level of the organ ization has a sion of a different b rigade leader.
different designator for the indiv idual in charge. The posi- • The brigade leader reports to t he IC. If there is only
tion t it le typ ically includes th e funct ion al o r g eograph ic one brigade on the scene, the b rigade leader is
area o f responsib ility , fo llo wed by a specific des ign ato r. ( the IC, until so meone else arrives and assumes that role.
Table 4-1) shows the standard IMS levels, functions, and At a small incident, the brigade leader may report
position designators. directly to the IC, wh ile at a large incident, there may be
Div ision and group supervisors are usually chief officers, several layers of supervision between a b rigade leader
but brigade leaders may be assigned to these positions as and the IC.
well. Typically, the brigade leader from the first unit assigned to
a division or group will serve as the supervisor until a chief Responsibilities of the First-Arriving
officer is availab le. A chief officer with a strong background Brigade Members
in operations is usually assigned to the position of Operations The first brigade members to arrive at an emergency incident
Section Chief. The other section chief positions (Planning, are the foundation of the IMS organization structure. Rarely
Logistics, and Finance/Administration) are staffed as needed is a h igh-ranking chief sent to a fire to evaluate the situation,
by the IC. These indiv iduals should understand their ro les design the organ izat ion structure, and order the resources
and be able to meet the responsib ilities of these pos it ions. that will be needed. IMS builds its organization fro m the
bottom up, around the un its that take in it ial act ion .
Working Within the Incident The officer in charge of the first-arriving unit is responsible
for taking initial action and becomes the IC, with all of the
Management System authority that comes with that position. This officer is respon-
To an outsider, the IMS appears to be a large, complicated sible for managing the operation until relieved by a senior
organization model that involves a complex set of SOPs. But officer. If there is no officer on the first-arriving unit , the
t o th e ind iv id u al b rig ad e memb er wo rk in g wit h in t he brigade member with the greatest seniority is in charge until

an officer arrives and assumes command. The position of IC
must have an unbroken line o f succession fro m the mo ment
the first unit arrives on the scene.
Assuming Command
The IM S assumes that co mmand is in itiated when the first
unit arrives and is transferred as required for the duration of
the incident. The indiv idual who is in charge o f the
first-arriv ing unit auto mat ically assumes co mmand o f the
incident until a superio r takes over co mmand .
The ind ividual who in itially assumes co mmand must
formally announce that fact over the rad io. This announce-
ment elimin ates any poss ib le con fus ion over who is in
charge. The in it ial report should include the fo llo wing
information:
• Co mmand designation
• Un it o r ind ividual who is assuming co mmand
• An in itial situation report
• Init ial act ion being taken
For examp le, a radio report fro m the first-arriving unit at a
fire equ ip ment storage bu ild ing fire might be as fo llo ws:
"Brigade Team 1 is on scene at the hydraulic pressure skid. We
have a leak on the dis charge flange of the pump. The leaking oil is
on fire, and the sprinkler sys tem has actuated and is controlling the
fire but is not extinguishing the fire. After power is secured to the
pump, we will attempt to extinguish the fir e and secure the leaking
fluid."
Usually, the first-arriv ing unit at an incident scene is an
eng in e co mp an y o r so me o th er un it th at takes d irect
action. Regard less of the type o f emergency or the type of
unit, the first brigade leader on the scene is in charge. Th is
officer must assess the situation , determine incident p rior -
it ies, and p rovide d irect ion for h is o r her own crew as well as
any other un its that are arriving . Any un its co ming in beh ind
the first un it kno w that they will be taking their o rd ers
fro m the in it ial IC unt il a h igher level o fficer assumes
co mmand.
The brigade leader who init ially assumes co mmand must
decide whether to take action directly supervising the init ial
attack crew o r to concentrate on manag ing the incident as
the IC. This decision depends on many factors, includ ing
the natu re o f the s ituat ion , th e resources that are on the
scene or expected to arrive quickly , and the ab ility o f the
crew to work safely without direct superv ision.
If the incident is large and complicated, the best option for
the IC is to establish a command post and focus on sizing up
the situation, direct ing inco ming units, and requesting addi-
tional resources. The IC's own brigade can be assigned to
work with an acting brigade leader or to jo in fo rces with
another brigade leader and crew. If the situation is less critical,
the IC might be able to function both as a brigade leader and as
the IC at the same time, at least temporarily.
Incident Ma na ge me nt S yste m 109
If the first-arriving unit is a chief officer, the chief officer
automat ically assumes co mmand and executes co mmand
responsibilities. If a brigade leader had previously assumed
co mmand, the brigade lead er wou ld t ransfer co mmand
authority to the first-arriving chief officer. The officer relin-
quishing command should provide an assessment of the
situation to the new IC, as described under Transfer of
Co mmand.
Most brigades have written procedures that specify who
will assume command in certain situations. If a brigade leader
arrives seconds ahead of a chief officer, the chief officer should
assume co mmand fro m the outset.
Confir matio n of Co mmand
The in itial announcement of co mmand defin itely confirms
that command has been established at an incident. If no one
announces that he or she is in command, the entire system
realizes that there is no IC in place. The announcement also
reinfo rces the IC's personal co mmit ment to the position
through a conscious personal act and a standard organiza-
tional act.
Identification of the Incident
Individual fire brigade procedures may vary on the specific
protocol for naming an incident. The first officer to assume
command should establish an identity that clearly ident ifies
the location of the incident, such as, "Engine 10 will be process
unit of warehouse IC ." Th is reduces confusion on the radio
and establishes a continuous identity for the IC, regardless of
who ho lds that posit ion during the incid ent.
There can only be one "process unit of warehouse" at a time,
so there is no confusion about who is in charge of the incident.
When anyone needs to talk to the IC, a call to "process unit of
warehouse Command" should be answered by the individual
who is in command.
Passing Command
Passing command is an option that can be used by a
first-arriv ing brigade leader, if there is a co mpelling reason
that prevents that leader fro m assuming co mmand of the
incident. Pass ing co mmand d irects t he next -arriv ing un it ,
whether it is a brigade team leader or chief brigade leader, to
assume co mmand .
A brigade leader is allowed to pass command only under a
precise set of guidelines, in situations where his or her direct
involvement in operations will have a sign ificant impact on
the outcome of the incident. For example, a four-person com-
pany might arrive at a fire and immed iately need to rescue
someone from a second-floor window. Because the brigade
leader must help the b rigade members get the ladder into
position to rescue the victim, he o r she would pass command
to the brigade leader in charge of the next-arriv ing unit. The
notice of passing command is simply stated: "Engine 1 passing
co mmand to Engin e 2." Eng in e 2 must ackno wledg e th is
110 I N D U S T R I A L F I R E B R I G A D E : P R I N C I P L E S AND P R A C T I C E

message. As soon as Engine 2 arrives, the brigade leader will

assume co mmand as though he or she was the first-arriv ing
brigade leader.

Transfer of Command
Transfer of command occurs whenever one person relin-
quishes co mmand o f an incident and another ind ividual
beco mes the IC. Fo r examp le, th e first -arriv ing b rigade
leader wou ld transfer co mmand to the first-arriv ing chief
officer who would later transfer co mmand to a higher ranking
officer during a major incident. So me brigades require
transfer of co mmand when a h igher ran king o fficer arrives
at an incident; others g ive the h igher ran king o fficer the
option of assuming co mmand or leav ing the existing IC in
charge.
When a higher ranking officer arrives at the scene of an
emergency incident and takes charge, that o fficer assumes
( Figure 4-21) The new IC needs to be briefed before assuming command.
the moral and legal responsibility fo r managing the overall
operation. Established procedures must be follo wed when -
ever co mmand is transferred . One of the most important
requirements of co mmand transfer is the accurate and co m-
plete exchange of incident information (Figure 4-21). The If t ransfer o f co mmand occu rs very early du ring an
officer who is relinquishing command needs to give the new incid ent, the t ransfer o f in format ion may be b rief. Fo r
IC a cu rrent situat ion status report that includes: example, the first-arriv ing brigade leader might have been
• Tactical priorities in co mmand for on ly a few minutes and have litt le info r -
• Action plans mat ion to repo rt when co mmand transfers to th e
• Hazardous or potent ially hazardous condit ions first-arriv ing chief officer. The chief may have heard all of
• Accomplish ments the exchanges over the rad io and kno w what th e cu rrent
• Assessment of effectiveness of operations situation is. Ho wever, if the b rigade leader has been IC fo r
• Current status of resources several minutes, th ere may be a s ign ificant amount o f
o Assigned or working in fo rmat ion to repo rt, such as the cu rrent assig n ments o f
o Available for assignment all first -alarm co mp an ies . Wh ether the in fo rmat ion is
o En route min imal or substantial, the t ransfer must be accurat e and
• Additional resource requ irements co mplete.

Each fire brigade establishes specific procedures for trans -
ferring co mmand. In so me cases, the t ransfer of co mmand
may be done via radio, but the most effective method is
face-to-face co mmun icat ion. Standard co mmand worksheets
and a status board are valuable tools for tracking and
transferring informat ion at a co mmand post.
Co mmand is always maintained fo r the ent ire du rat ion
of an incident. In the later stages of an incident, after the sit-
uation is under contro l, co mmand might be t ransferred to a
lower-level co mmander. A down ward transfer of co mmand
requires the same type of briefing and exchange of informa -
tion as an upward co mmand transfer. The b rigade leader in
charge of the last brigade remain ing on the scene would be
the last IC. When that brigade leaves the scene, command is
erminated.
Comman d Trans fer Rati onal e
Th ere are imp o rt an t reasons fo r t rans ferring co mman d
at d ifferent po ints du ring an emergency incid ent. A
first-arriving b rigade leader can usually d irect the in it ial
opera -o f t wo o r t h ree add it io nal co mp an ies, b ut
as ati ons b eco me mo re co mp le x, th e p rob lems o f main -
Incide nt M ana ge ment Sys te m 111
tain ing contro l increase rap id ly. A brigade leaders primary
responsibility is to supervise one crew and ensure that they
operate safely. When three or more co mpan ies are operat ing
at an incident, it is better to have a chief brigade leader
assume co mmand .
As more brigades are assigned to an incident, the command
structure must also expand. The organization must grow to
maintain an effective span of control. Additional chief brigade
leaders may be assigned to the incident, and a higher ranking
chief brigade leader may assume command. A command transfer
may be required if the situation is beyond the training and
experience of the current IC. A more experienced brigade
leader may have to assume command to ensure proper man-
agement of the incident.
If multiple agencies are involved, overall command of an
incident may be transferred to a different agency. At a terrorist
incident, for examp le, the fire brigade leader could have the
command responsibility until the area has been secured and
fires ext inguished. At that point, a law enforcement agency
might assume overall co mmand. Fire brigade units operating
at the scene wou ld maintain their internal co mmand struc-
ture, but the IC could be a law enforcement official.

Ready for Review
IM S is us ef ul not only f or large -s cale operations, but als o f or
any incident, regardless of siz e or ty pe. All of the f unc tions
outlined in IM S m ust be address ed at ev ery incident. It is the
size and/ or ty pe of incident that dict ates t he degree t o w hic h
eac h function is address ed.
IMS allow s the IC to delegate responsibilities in a standard
inc rement al m anner. The I C must perf orm any f unction t hat is
not delegated. T he IC's ult im at e res ponsibility is t o ens ure
that all incident requirements are m et.
Sev eral c haract eristics that are c ritic al t o an Inc ident
Management System:
o Organized approac h: I MS im pos es "order on c haos" on the
fireground and enables a s af er and m ore efficient
operation than w ould be possible if personnel and units
worked independently of each other.
o T erm inology: I M S us es a standard t erminology f or effectiv e
com m unicat ions.
o All-ris k: IMS c an be us ed at any type of em ergency
incident.
o NI M S and the Priv at e Sect or: Facilities s hould adopt t he
us e of NI MS/I CS as a corporat e policy.
o J uris dict ional aut hority: I M S enables diff erent juris dic -
tions, agenc ies, and organizat ions t o work c ooperativ ely
on a s ingle incident.
o Span of c ontrol: IM S maint ains t he desired s pan of
control t hrough f lexible lev els of organiz ation.
o U nity of comm and: Ev ery one reports to only one s uper-
vis or t o av oid c onf licts in giv ing orders.
o Ev ery day applic ability: IM S c an and s hould be us ed on
ev ery single incident, ev ery single time.
o M odular: IM S is bas ed on st andard modules that are
activat ed as needed to m anage an incident.
o Int egrat ed com munic ations: Ev ery one on the inc ident c an
com m unicat e up and dow n the chain of comm and as
needed.
o Em ergency Response Operations Plan: D esigned to
ident ify the level of res pons e needed for c ert ain loca tions
wit h an em ergency s ituation.
o I ncident Action Plan: Ev ery incident has a plan t hat
out lines t he st rat egic object ives. Large inc idents will hav e
form al plans.
o F ac ilities: St andardiz ed f ac ilit ies, s uc h as a c omm and
post, staging area, or rehabilit ation area, are establis hed
as needed.
• Fiv e m ajor functions are part of IM S:
o C om mand: Res pons ible f or t he entire incident; t his is
the only f unction that is alw ays st aff ed. o Operations:
Res ponsible f or m ost fireground f unctions
inc luding s uppress ion, s earc h and resc ue, and
ventilation. o Planning: R es ponsible f or dev eloping t he
Incident
Action Plan. o Logistics: R es ponsible for obt aining t he
res ources
needed t o support the incident. o Finance/ Administ rat ion:
Res ponsible f or t racking expen dit ures and m anaging the
administrativ e f unctions at t he
incident.
• The C om mand Staff as sists the IC at the incident:
o Saf ety Officer: R es ponsible for ov erall saf ety of the
incident; has the authority to stop any action or opera tion if
it creates a s afety hazard on the sc ene.
o Liais on: R es ponsible for coordinating operat ions between
the fire brigade and other agenc ies that may be inv olved in
the incident.
o Inf orm ation: R es ponsible for c oordinating m edia activi ties
and prov iding t he nec es sary inf orm ation t o t he various
media organiz ations.
• An ex am ple of a single res ourc e w ould be an engine
brigade or a ladder brigade.
• Single resources c an be c om bined int o task f orc es or
strike teams.
• Other organiz ational units that can be est ablis hed under
IM S inc lude divis ions and groups.
• IMS c an be expanded infinitely to acc omm odate any size
inc ident. Branc hes can b e establis hed t o group s im ilar
functions, such as s uppress ion, EM S, or haz ardous
materials.
• At every inc ident, s om eone m ust alw ay s as sum e c om
mand. As t he inc ident grows or c ontinues, it m ay be nec
essary to transf er c omm and t o anot her offic er. This has to
be done in a s eamless manner t o ens ure continuity of
comm and.

Branc h A s upervis ory lev el est ablis hed to m anage t he s pan of
control abov e the div ision or group lev el; us ually applied to
operations or logistic s funct ions.
Branc h direct or Of fic er in c harge of all res ourc es oper ating
within a s pecified branch, responsible t o the next higher lev el in
the incident organization (either a Section C hief or the Inc ident
Comm ander).
C om m and T he f irst c om ponent of t he I M S s ys t em. T his is t he
only pos ition in the I M S syst em t hat m ust alw ays be staffed.
C om m and pos t T he loc at ion at t he s c ene of an em er gency
where the I ncident Comm ander is locat ed and w here c om m and,
coordinat ion, c ont rol, and c om m unic ations are c entraliz ed.
C om m an d st af f St af f pos it ions es t ablis hed t o as s um e
respons ibility for k ey activities in t he inc ident m anagem ent
syst em; individuals at t his lev el report directly t o t he I C.
Com mand staff include the Saf ety Officer, Public Inf ormation
Officer, and Liais on Offic er.
C om p any of fic er U s ually a lieut en ant or c apt ain in c harge
of a team of brigade m embers, both on sc ene and at the st ation.
The brigade leader is respons ible f or firefighting strat egy, saf ety
of pers onnel, and the overall activities of the brigade m embers on
their apparatus.
Crew An organiz ed group of brigade m em bers under t he
eaders hip of a brigade leader, crew leader, or ot her designated
official.
D e s i gn at e d inc id e nt f ac ilit i es As s i g n e d loc at i o ns
where s pecific functions are alw ays perform ed.
Division An organiz ational lev el wit hin I M S t hat divides an
incident into geographic areas of operational res ponsibility.
D iv is io n s u perv is or T he of f ic e r in c h arg e of all res ources
operating wit hin a s pecified divis ion, res ponsible t o the next
higher lev el in the incident organization, and t he point-of -c ontact
for t he division w ithin t he organiz at ion.
E m e r g e n c y r e s p o n s e o p e r a t i o n s pl a n P l a n resigned
to identify the lev els of respons e needed for c ert ain loc ations wit h
emergenc y situations.
F i n a n c e/ a d m i ni s t r a t i o n s e cti o n The
c o m m a n d- level section of IM S responsible f or all costs and
financial as pects of the incident, as w ell as any legal iss ues
that aris e.
F ir e g r o u n d c o m m an d (F G C ) A n i n c i d e nt m an a g e -
m ent syst em dev eloped in the 1970s f or day -to-day fire brigade
incidents (generally handled with few er than 25 units or
companies).
FI R ESC OPE (F ire R ESourc es of C alif ornia Organiz ed f or
Potential Em ergenc ies) An organization of agencies est ab lished
in the early 1970s to dev elop a st andardiz ed system for
m anaging fire res ourc es at large-s cale inc idents s uc h as
wildland fires.
Group An organiz ation lev el w it hin I M S t hat div ides an
incident acc ording to f unctional areas of operation.
Gro up s uperv is or T h e brigad e lead er in c harge of all
res ourc es operating within a spec ified group, responsible to t he
next higher lev el in t he incident organiz ation, and the
point-of -c ontact for the group wit hin the organiz ation.
I M S general st aff T he c hief s of eac h of t he f our m ajor
sect ions of I M S: Operations, Planning, Logistic s, and
Financ e/Administration.
I nc i d ent ac t i o n pl a n (I A P) T h e o bj ec t i v e s f or t he ov erall
incident strategy, tactics, risk m anagem ent, and m em ber s afety
that are dev eloped by the IC. Incident Action Plans are updated
throughout the incident.
I nc i d e nt c o m m a n d s y s t em (I C S s ) T h e f i rs t s t a n dard
syst em f or organizing large, m ulti -juris dict ional and
m ulti-agency incidents involving m ore t han 25 res ourc es or
operating units; event ually dev eloped int o the Incident
Management Syst em (I MS).
I nc i de nt c o m m a n d er (I C ) T h e p er s o n i n c h ar g e of the
incident site who is res ponsible for all decis ions relating to the
managem ent of the inc ident.
I n c i d e n t m a n a g e m e n t s y s t e m ( I M S ) T h e c o m b i-
nation of fac ilities, equipm ent, pers onnel, procedures, and
comm unic ations under a standard organiz ational structure t o
manage assigned res ourc es effectiv ely to acc om plish st ated
objectives f or an incident. Als o known as Inc ident Com m and
System (ICS).
I nt eg rat ed c o m m u nic at io ns T h e a bilit y of all ap pr o -
priate personnel at the em ergency sc ene to c om m unicat e with
their s upervisor and their s ubordinat es.
Liais on off ic er T he pos ition w it hin I M S t hat es t ablis hes a
point of contact w ith outside agency represent atives.
Logis t ic s s ec tion T he s ect ion w it hin I M S res pons ible f or
prov iding facilities, s ervic es, and m at erials f or t he inc ident.
 L o gi sti cs se cti o n c hi ef T he G ener al St aff pos it ion
res ponsible for directing t he logistics f unction; generally
assigned on c omplex, res ourc e-int ensiv e, or long -duration
incidents.
Op er ati on s s ecti o n T he s ec tion w it hin I M S res pons ible
for all tactic al operations at t he incident.
Op e r ati o n s se cti o n c h ief T h e ge ner al s t af f pos it ion
res ponsible for m anaging all operations act ivit ies; us ually
assigned w hen c om plex incidents inv olv e m ore than 20 single
resourc es or w hen the I C c annot be inv olved in t he det ails of
tactic al operations.
Passi n g c o m ma nd Opt ion t hat c an be us ed by t he
firs t-arriving brigade leader t o direct t he next arriving unit t o
assum e comm and.
Pla n ni n g s ecti o n T he s ec tion w it hin I M S res p ons ible f or
the c ollection, ev aluation, and dis sem ination of tactical inf or-
m ation relat ed to t he incident and f or preparation and doc u -
m ent ation of incident m anagem ent plans.
''Pla n n i n g se cti o n c h ief T he g ener al st aff pos it ion
res ponsible f or planning functions; assigned w hen the IC
needs ass ist ance in m anaging inform ation.
Public information officer The position within IMS
res ponsible f or gat hering and releas ing incident inf orm ation
qto t he m edia and other appropriat e agencies.
Re s o ur ce ma n a ge me nt A st and ard s y st em of as s ign ing
and k eeping t rack of the res ourc es inv olv ed in t he inc ident.
Safety offi cer T he pos it ion w it hin I M S res pons ible f or
identifying and ev aluating haz ardous or uns af e conditions at the
scene of the incident. Safety officers hav e the aut hority to st op
any activity t hat is deemed uns afe.
Sin gle res o urce An individual v ehicle and t he pers onnel
that arriv e on t hat unit.
Sp an of c o ntr ol T he num b er of people t hat a single
pers on s upervis es. T he m aximum num ber of people that one
pers on c an eff ectiv ely s uperv is e is about fiv e.
Stagin g a rea A prearranged, st rat egic ally plac ed area
where s upport personnel, vehicles, and ot her equipm ent can be
held in an organiz ed st at e of readiness f or us e during an
emergency.
Strike tea m F iv e units of t he s am e res ourc e c at egory,
suc h as engines or ambulanc es, w ith a leader.
Strik e tea m l ea de r T he pers on in c harge of a s t rik e t eam,
respons ible t o t he next hi gher level in the incident organiz ation,
and the point-of -c ontact for the st rik e t eam wit hin t he
organizat ion.
Task force Any c om bination of s ingle res ourc es as s em -
bled f or a particular tactic al need; has com mon c omm unic a-
tions and a leader.
Task fo rce lea der T he pers on in c harge of a t as k f orc e,
res ponsible to t he next higher level in t he incident organiz a tion,
and t he point-of -c ont act f or the t as k f orc e w ithin t he
organization.
T ra n sfe r of c o m ma n d R e as s ign m e nt of c om m a nd
authority and res pons ibility f rom one indiv idual to anot her.
U nif ie d c o m ma n d I M S o pt ion t hat allow s repres e nt a tiv es
from m ult iple juris dict ions and/or agencies t o s hare c om mand
authority and res ponsibility, w orking t oget her as a "joint "
inc ident c om m and team.
U nit y of c o mma n d A c harac t eris tic of t he I M S s t ruct ure
that has eac h individual report ing t o a single s upervis or and
ev ery one reporting t o t he IC direct ly or t hrough the c hain of
com mand.
 It is a Tuesday evening around 8:00 P.M. when the Control Center notifies
you by radio that there is a smoke alarm indication in the Chemistry
building. Typically at this time of the day, there is no one in the Chemistry
building. As you enter the Fire Protection Equipment building, you hear on
your radio a security guard who has entered the Chemistry building
announce to the Control Center that there is smoke in the entry hallway of
the building and that the installed fire sprinkler system in the building is
locally alarming, indicating that water is flowing from the system. The
guard also tells the Control Center that she is backing out of the building because the smoke is
increasing. The Control Center acknowledges the security guard's transmission, and the Main Security
Station also acknowledges the transmission and begins calling other members of the security force to
ensure they are aware of the situation.

This information adds additional emphasis on your response as you transmit a message to the Control
Center and the Main Security Station to verify that there are no Chemistry personnel on site. As you don
your gear, you hear the apparatus driver open the truck door and start the apparatus. You transmit on
your radio that you and the truck are en route to the Chemistry building.

As the truck arrives, you notice that there are six additional brigade members arriving at the building,
and Security has arrived to control immediate scene access. There is smoke showing from the "A" side
of the structure, and the majority of the smoke is coming from one of the laboratory windows. Since this
is a working fire and most likely a haz-mat situation, you ask the Main Control Center to dispatch a Level
I Alert with a request for Mutual Aid. You know from previous training that a Level I Alert will bring your
company's haz-mat technicians from the Chemical complex. Management and engineering specialists will
be dispatched to your facility to assist in the response, cleanup, and media relations. Mutual Aid will arrive
from the complex a couple of miles away and will begin immediate assistance. They will also bring
rehabilitation equipment and personnel, which will allow you to concentrate on the incident.

You designate a command post next to your truck and announce this over the radio so that everyone can
hear who is in command and where you are located.

1. W hat s hould t he c om m and st ruct ure look like at t his
incident?
A. IC, Operations Section Chief, and D ivision A
Supervis or
B. IC, fire branch director, and st rik e team leader
C. IC, PI O, rescue group s upervis or
2. W hile w ork ing in t he IM S, y ou abide by a m anagem ent
conc ept called unit y of c omm and. U nity of c om m and
states:
A. A comm and officer c an effectiv ely manage three to
seven personnel at one time.
B. Each pers on has only one direct superv is or.

D. IC and team leaders C. A c om mand offic er m ust us e an acc ount ability

syst em in c onjunction wit h IM S.
D. Eac h person can effectiv ely w ork for three t o sev en
managers at one tim e.
 As you brief the members of your brigade for the expected interior entry, you
delegate teams and team leaders and assign them tasks to accomplish. Your
driver gathers all accountability tags and transmits each name to the Control
Center. A Mutual Aid brigade arrives, and you begin coordinating with that
Brigade Leader on the duties you want that brigade to perform.

The Control Center calls you on the radio and tells you that no Chemistry personnel are on-site
and that all personnel have been accounted for. Your Mutual Aid counterpart transfers this infor -
mation to his brigade. As your teams begin entering the structure to investigate the situation,
Security reports that another Mutual Aid brigade has arrived in the predesignated staging area.
You ask Security to act as the Staging Officer. The first interior team reports that they have found
a small fire in a chemistry sample hood and that the sprinkler system has contained the fire but
they performed final extinguishment. The second interior team reports that there appears to be no
fire extension to the room next to the chemistry laboratory. You acknowledge both reports and
ensure that the Control Center has also copied the reports. You direct the second team to con-
tinue their primary search of the structure. You direct the team in the chemistry lab to maintain a
reflash watch in case the fire returns.
 Incident Ma na ge me nt S yste m
117

3. W here in industry is a st aging area ty pic ally found? 4. In t he IM S sy stem w ith an IC, Operations, Planning,
A. At the m ain gat e Logistic s, and Financ e sections establis hed, w here
does the m edic al section typic ally operat e?
B. At the Cont rol C enter
C. At the warehous e A. Operations
D. Next t o the comm and post B. Planning
C. Logistic s
D. Financ e