Incident Management System Inter-Agency Response Concepts

Incident Management System

Inter-Agency Response Concepts

IMS - Inter-Agency Response 2

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSYSTEMObjectivesObjectives

• Identify the purposes of IMSIdentify the purposes of IMS• Identify when IMS is requiredIdentify when IMS is required• Identify command responsibilitiesIdentify command responsibilities• Explain incident goals and objectivesExplain incident goals and objectives


What is IMS?What is IMS?

The Incident Management System (IMS) The Incident Management System (IMS) is a standard method of operating at is a standard method of operating at allall incidents that the fire and emergency incidents that the fire and emergency services respond to. This includes fires, services respond to. This includes fires, hazardous materials incidents, EMS, hazardous materials incidents, EMS, water rescue and other types of water rescue and other types of emergencies.emergencies.


What IMS is:What IMS is:

• A management tool that defines the roles A management tool that defines the roles and responsibilities of all units and responsibilities of all units responding to an incidentresponding to an incident

• A system that enables one individual to A system that enables one individual to control the incidentcontrol the incident

• A system designed to eliminate A system designed to eliminate “freelancing”“freelancing” at the emergency scene. at the emergency scene.


What IMS is not:What IMS is not:

• Designed to “handcuff” or take authority Designed to “handcuff” or take authority away from the ICaway from the IC

• Designed to set strategies or control Designed to set strategies or control tacticstactics

• Designed to require “more guys in vests” Designed to require “more guys in vests” than emergency workersthan emergency workers

• IMS IMS is notis not complicated complicated


Incident Management SystemInter-Agency Response

P IOL ias ion

S a fe ty O ffice r

O p erat ion s S ec tion

Tru c ks

E n g in es

F ire S u p p ress ion

A m b u lan ces

E m erg en cy M ed ic a l S ervice

E vacu ation

E vid en c e

S cen e S ecu rity

L aw E n forcem en t

S u p p ortF u n c tion s

A cc es s

P u b lic W orks

W e lfare

E vacu a tionC en te rs

E S D A

C ity A d m in is tra tion

In c id en t C om m an d



Basic ConceptsBasic Concepts

• IMS revolves around 2 basic IMS revolves around 2 basic management conceptsmanagement concepts– Unity of CommandUnity of Command– Span of ControlSpan of Control


Unity of CommandUnity of Command

• Every individual has only one supervisorEvery individual has only one supervisor• Orders transmitted and accepted within Orders transmitted and accepted within

immediate chain of commandimmediate chain of command• Does not prevent communications needed Does not prevent communications needed

for operations/safety of othersfor operations/safety of others


Span of ControlSpan of Control

• Number of individuals one supervisor Number of individuals one supervisor can effectively managecan effectively manage

• Critical at emergency scene for safety Critical at emergency scene for safety and accountabilityand accountability

• In IMS, ranges from 3 to 7In IMS, ranges from 3 to 7

IMS - Inter-Agency Response 111-14

Battalion ChiefBattalion Chief

Effective Span of ControlEffective Span of Control

Engine 1511Engine 1511 Quint 1521Quint 1521Engine 1531Engine 1531


Battalion ChiefBattalion Chief

Engine 2Engine 2 Engine 3Engine 3Engine 1Engine 1 Quint 1Quint 1 Tower 2Tower 2Engine 4Engine 4 Amb. 5Amb. 5 Amb. 4Amb. 4

Not-So-Effective Not-So-Effective Span of ControlSpan of Control


Command ResponsibilitiesCommand Responsibilities

• Life Safety - Civilians and FirefightersLife Safety - Civilians and Firefighters• Taking care of the problem - stabilizing Taking care of the problem - stabilizing

the incidentthe incident• Conserving propertyConserving property


Who is Command?Who is Command?

• First arriving fire department unit at a fire sceneFirst arriving fire department unit at a fire scene• First arriving law enforcement officer at a crime First arriving law enforcement officer at a crime

scenescene

© Copyright 1996 Galactic Software. All Rights Reserved.


Who is Command?Who is Command?

• For IMS to workFor IMS to work– One - and only one - person is in chargeOne - and only one - person is in charge– Everyone responding knows who this isEveryone responding knows who this is– Companies receive orders through the Companies receive orders through the

command structurecommand structure– Companies DO NOT freelanceCompanies DO NOT freelance


Unified CommandUnified Command

• Due to the nature of an emergency, several agencies will need to share management responsibility.– Plane crash– Flood– Earthquake– HazMat Incidents


Expanding the OrganizationExpanding the Organization

When it appears that the span of control will When it appears that the span of control will be exceeded, it is necessary to divide the be exceeded, it is necessary to divide the

incident into smaller portionsincident into smaller portions


Factors that require expanding Factors that require expanding the IMSthe IMS

• To maintain span of controlTo maintain span of control• To assist with IC workloadTo assist with IC workload

– information managementinformation management– tactical worksheetstactical worksheets– planningplanning– forecastingforecasting– requesting resourcesrequesting resources


BranchesBranches

As the span of control of sectors becomes As the span of control of sectors becomes excessive, the incident becomes more excessive, the incident becomes more

complex, or has two or more distinctive complex, or has two or more distinctive operations, it may be further sub-divided operations, it may be further sub-divided

into branchesinto branches


BranchesBranches

Branches have functional/geographic Branches have functional/geographic responsibility for major segments of responsibility for major segments of

incident operationsincident operations


BranchesBranches

The branch level is located between sections The branch level is located between sections and sectors/groupsand sectors/groups


BranchesBranches

The term used for the officer responsible for The term used for the officer responsible for a branch is a branch is

Branch DirectorBranch Director


BranchesBranches

Branches may be established for the Branches may be established for the following reasons:following reasons:– Span of controlSpan of control– Functional - Fire, Medical, EvacuationFunctional - Fire, Medical, Evacuation– Multi-jurisdictional incidentsMulti-jurisdictional incidents


BranchesBranches

Branch Directors are normally located at the Branch Directors are normally located at the Command PostCommand Post


Functional BranchesFunctional BranchesCommandCommand

Operations Section Operations Section

FireFireBranchBranch

EMSEMSBranchBranch

Law Law BranchBranch


Two-Branch OrganizationTwo-Branch Organization

SectorSectorBB

SectorSectorAA

SectorSectorCC

Vent.Vent.SectorSector MSOMSO TriageTriage Trans.Trans.

Evac.Evac.SectorSector

CommandCommand

Operations Section Operations Section

Fire BranchFire Branch EMS BranchEMS Branch

Documents

Incident Management System Inter-Agency Response Concepts