These three priorities must be considered at all types of incidents. These three priorities are in rank order and must always be addressed in that fashion. The incident priorities are simple and straightforward: The incident commander must be able to assess the incident priorities to determine the strategy and tactics that will be used. The IC need not be a “super firefighter” but rather a well-informed firefighter. Incident commanders should get first-hand experience, whenever possible, so as to realize what they are asking their members to do. The best ICs that I have worked under have “walked a mile in the firefighter’s moccasins.” For instance, it is difficult to explain what it is like to work inside a fully encapsulated suit. Attending the company officer and scene safety programs are a must to be able to fully understand the IC’s duties in this area.įurther, the IC must possess a reasonable understanding of personal limitations. One very good source of firefighter safety information is the National Fire Academy’s safety courses.
During the heat of battle and with various other pressures, this is all too easy to forget.Ī good IC will be well schooled in firefighter safety practices. The top safety officer is the IC, who must have a clear understanding of how each decision implemented affects the safety of the operating forces. The first responsibility of the incident commander is to ensure the safety of the firefighters under his or her command. This column will review each of the primary functions that an effective IC must be prepared to handle while serving in this role. The list of the IC’s duties and responsibilities are most worthy of discussion.
The IC, however, has another major objective: ensuring that all members operating at an incident are safe from avoidable harm. These functions are similar to the list of duties and responsibilities placed on the IC.
IF THE INCIDENT COMMANDER DESIGNATES PERSONNEL HOW TO
The quarterback sets the strategy on how to win the game, then must call the plays (the tactics needed to reach the strategic goals) and assign the other players to tasks. Some firefighters compare the IC’s role to that of a quarterback in a football game. There must be one single, central and well-supported IC during an incident in order for the system to operate properly.Īn individual must be qualified to fill this most important position. A constant in the incident command system is the need to identify an incident commander (IC) at all alarms.
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