Command systems
Download as PPTX, PDF4 likes1,952 views
The document discusses command systems used in emergency operations. It introduces the Incident Command System (ICS), which was developed in California in the 1970s in response to wildfires. ICS establishes a standardized organizational structure and common terminology to coordinate multi-agency emergency response. It is a modular system with five main sections: command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance/administration. The ICS aims to integrate the different organizations responding to an incident under a unified command structure to efficiently manage resources and improve information sharing. While ICS provides an effective framework when objectives are clear and organizations collaborate well, it also faces some criticism around flexibility and its ability to manage large-scale, prolonged emergencies.
Command systems
- 1. Command Systemsin EmergencyOperationsProf. David AlexanderD.Alexander@alice.it
- 2. In the context of emergencies,'co-ordination' means conductingprocesses and operations so thattheir functionality is guaranteed.'Command' means giving formal ordersand instructions to people and groups sothat they will take particular actions.
- 3. CommandfunctionprincipleLocus ofcontrolTension ofoppositesSpectrum ofalternativesSupportfunctionprincipleLocus ofcollaboration(support)
- 4. Order..................ChaosDirected.......UngovernableControl.......Loss of controlLocus ofcontrolAutonomy.........ConstraintInitiative.......Obey ordersCollaboration.."Freelancing"Locus ofcollaboration(support)
- 5. The command and control model assumesthat the responses of the manyorganisations that participate in emergencyoperations need to be centralised andformally directed by authoritative people.
- 6. In general, everyone wants to commandand control but few people are happyto be commanded and controlled.In the modern world,emergency managementmeansco-ordinating more than controlling.
- 7. At the lowest levels of the organisation ofrelief efforts, decision-making processestend to be pluralistic and decentralised.Emergency conditions favour:-uncertainty
- 8. diversity
- 9. informality
- 10. decentralisation.HierarchicaldivisionsGovernment,healthcare,commerce, etc.National,regional,local, etc.FunctionaldivisionsDivisionand integrationGeographicaldivisionsPolice,Ambulance,Fire, etc.Catchments,jurisdictions,areas, etc.Organisationaldivisions
- 11. Incident command system (ICS)
- 12. Incident command system (ICS)see: California Firescope<www.firescope.org>born in the summer of 1970 in Californiaas an alternative response to forest firesvarious versions have been devised.ICS is a modular system with commandinstituted at the site of the incident.Emergency operations grow with:- continuing assessments of needs
- 13. forces and resources available on site.Incident command system (ICS)a strategy for the managementof field personnel
- 14. Definition:"a complex whole of operators,strategies, procedures, equipment andmaterials integrated into a commonorganisational structure designed toimprove emergency operations of alltypes and at all levels of compexity."
- 15. The incident command system offers astructure designed to co-ordinate thework of different organisations which seekto reach common objectives (stabilisationof the incident and the protection oflives, property and the environment).It offers an integrated organisationalstructure that can cope with complexityand the need to avoid barriers betweeninstitutions in the management process.
- 16. Phases of a major incidentFuneralsDebriefingsRevision of plansInquestsTribunalsTrialsMemorialsPrizesAnniversariesTrainingReturn tonormalityConsolidationRecoveryEmergenzainizialeResponseInvestigationDemobilizationTime
- 17. ICS is a management strategy.
- 18. ICS was born in southern Californiain the summer and fall of 1970:-13 major incidents
- 19. 200.000 hectares burnt in 13 days
- 20. 16 deaths
- 21. 800 structures destroyed by fire.It was difficult to integrate more than 100organisatoins into the response system.Communications were inadequate:-radio channels were insufficient
- 22. radio frequencies were not integrated
- 23. message terminology was not sufficiently standardised.The diffusion of information andforecastswas late and incomplete.
- 24. Experts were not always available tointerpret the information received.The organisations did not plan together.Resource management was inadequate:personnel and resources were lacking insome places and excessive in others.Conclusion: emergency operationsneed to be based onstandardised criteria.
- 25. The rapid spread of wildfire neededa multi-agency response,namely:FirefightingResourcesof CaliforniaOrganizedforPotentialEmergencies(FIRESCOPE).
- 26. The operational procedures had tobe able to function for:a single agency in a single area
- 27. multiple agencies in an single area
- 28. multiple agencies in multile areas.The organisational structure must be:-adaptable to all types of emergency
- 29. able to assimilate new technologies
- 30. expandable from a simple incident to a major emergencymade up of common elements of organisation, terminology and procedurescompatible, as far as possible,with existing proceduressimple enough to be learned rapidly by new recruits.
- 32. information, safety and planning officers four support sections: planning, operations, logistics,accountability/administration.
- 33. FinancesectionTimekeepingunitCompensationunitSalariesunitsCostestimationunitAcquisitionsunitOperationssupport unitsdirectionLogisticssectionFieldsupport unitBuildingsunitResupplyunitIncidentcommanderServiceunitsdirectionCommunicationsunitMedicalunitCateringunitIncidentcommander'sstaffAerialoperationsdirectionAerialoperationsunitHelicopterco-ordinatorOperationssectionAerialsupportdirectionAssembly areamanagementHelicoptermanagementLandingsmanagementAirbaseFieldoperationsdirectionOperationsunitsGroupsdivisionSingleresourcesPlanningsectionResourcesunitSituationsunitDocumentationunitSpecialisttechniciansDemobilisationunit
- 34. The incident commander providesleadership at the site of the incident.The incident commander may be thefirst person to arrive at the scene.Command passes to the most appropriateperson (experience, training, rank, etc.).The incident commander retains responsibility for co-ordinatingoperations at the scene of the emergency.
- 35. The information officerreleasesinformation to the public and workswith the mass media.Thesafety officer monitors risksassociated with operations at the siteand ensures that emergency respondersare properly protected.Theplanning officeris the point of contactbetween the incident commander and theorganisations that respond to the incident.
- 36. The planning section:collects and evaluates information on the incident defines operational priorities (together with the incident commander)disseminates information on the incident and the response plan.
- 37. The operations section:puts the plan of action into effect according to the plan made by the incident commander and planning section.
- 38. The logistics section:acquires and supplies materials, equipment and services to support the emergency responders according to the instructions of the incident commander and operations section.
- 39. The accountability and admin. section:monitors and registers expenditures
- 40. manages administrative processes.Principles of ICS:-common terminology
- 42. ability to add modules accordingto how the situation developscommon communications plan
- 43. integrated communications system.Principles of ICS:-command units
- 44. each member of personnelresponds to a single commanderexpandable structure of command
- 45. common decision-making processesamong organisationconsolidated plan of action.Principles of ICS:-manageable span of control
- 47. clear structure for command post,assembly areas, base camps,helicopter landing pads,first aid post, etc.
- 48. An example
- 49. A fire occurs:-the fire chief is first to arrive
- 50. he assesses the situation and decides how large the fire is he established the command post (in the opposite direction to that in which the fire is travelling)he determines the first priorities for action.
- 51. The incident commander decideswhere to put the command postgives his first instructions to his team
- 52. advises the team not to go too close to the fire before its nature can be investigated appoints thesecurity officer,who must estimate the risks.
- 53. On the basis of the type of fire, thefiremen may need to use oxygen and extinguish it with foam the commander notes the presence of houses nearby and decides to order immediate evacuationhe notes the need to create an exclusion zone he appoints the management officer, who contacts the policeto start the evacuationthe management officer informs thepolice of the need for road blocks.
- 54. Some journalists arrive and approach thecommand post in search of information the incident commander appoints theinformation officer, who explains the situation to the mediathe commander tells thesafety officer to monitor the safety of the journalists.
- 55. The fire gets worse and moreresourcesare needed to fight itthe incident commander asks for help from the operations centrehe tells the information officerto inform arriving units where to go and what to do to fight the firethe commander informs themanagement officer to look for a reception centre for evacuees.
- 56. the commander tells the safetyofficer to inform the newly-arrivedunits of any risks they may run.The fire gets worse:-the incident commander reassessesthe state of emergency operationsand asks the planning officerto produce a new plan of action.
- 57. supplies of foam start to run out,and the firemen are tiredthe commander asks the logistics section to find him new sources of foam and activate a mutual assistance agreementthe commander estabilshes theadministrative section, which asks theRed Cross to supply food to the fire fighters... and in the end the fire is extinguished.
- 58. Positive aspects of ICS:-a logical system of organisation
- 59. improved safety and securityfor emergency respondersimproved information sharing
- 60. participating organisations have plans in commonreduced span of control:realistic managementimproved communications
- 61. resources acquired and used efficiently.
- 62. Negative aspects of theincident command system:-'command' could signifyauthoritarianismit does not necessarilywork well in big disasters.
- 63. ICS works well whenits objectives are:well defined
- 64. reasonable
- 65. consistent
- 66. clear
- 67. prioritised.The best conditions for the useof ICS are those in which:-there is no lack oftrustorleadership
- 68. partecipants know each otherand work well togetherthetactics to be used are established before the incidentall participants are well aware of the nature and magnitude of the incidentplanning, exercising and experiencehave created a good consensus among all the emergency responders.
- 69. The main criticisms of ICS:-it is difficult for the system to absorb groups of responders who are independent or poorly organisedit can createinflexibilitywhen conditions change rapidly and uexpectedlyits weakest point lies in theco-ordination between organisations.
- 70. The main criticisms of ICS:-it can cause a largeconvergence reaction of emergency personnel, equipment and resourcesthe emergency response of multiple organisations needs multiple models of command and organisationICS is toosimplisticto manage the medium- to long-term emergency.
- 71. Some critics argue that ICS isunable to manage situations in which:-there aremultiple impactsin a shorttime and a limited geographical areamany organisation seekto achievemany thingsthe variedobjectivesof emergencyoperations conflict with one another.
- 72. The protagonists of ICS say that manyofits inefficiencies result from failureto train and exercise participants.
- 73. ICS:means rational bureaucratic organisation
- 74. offers rules and protocols to enableorganisations to work togetherfavouris the apportionment oftasks
- 75. introduces co-ordination tasks.In the full development of ICS:-the main areas of concentration are operations, planning and logisticsstandardised description of roles
- 76. each role has its own programme of trainingthere are standardised descriptionsfor equipment and suppliesthe chain of command is modern and well structured.
- 77. In the most developed form of ICS:-each participant in the emergencydepend son a single commanderthe span of control is limited to the number of people a single commander can effectively work withthe level of authority is commensuratewith that of responsibility emergency tasks are assigned to responders rationally irrespective of their ranks.
- 78. In the most developed form of ICS:-work is divided by sector
- 79. emphasis is given toefficiency, efficacy and safetythe "principle of scale": the dimensions and compexity of ICS depend on those of the event that miust bemanagedICS consists of a network of responses to the event that incorporate both internal and external resources.
- 80. ICS uses:-a unified command
- 81. command at the site(area command)
- 82. a multi-agency command.Resorces:-(structures - things - tasks)manpower (personnel)
- 83. vehicles (light and heavy)
- 84. equipment
- 86. buildings and structures.The logistics section bringsresources to the assembly area(or point of distribution)The operations section sends resourcesto their final destinations and directsall activities at the site by means of:-a strategic plan (of action)
- 87. a tactical plan, which supplies objectives for each period of operations(the plan of action for the incident).
- 88. A task force(for example, of firefighters):-operations section
- 90. logistics section.In synthesis, ICS:-clarifies command processes
- 91. assigns all the responsibilities
- 92. favours collaboration betweenrescuers, including mutual assistance between diverse organisations and areas of competence.
- 93. In synthesis, ICS:-can be used at various geographical scalessends scarce resources immediately where they are neededis generally flexible
- 94. creates comparable standardised components in all organisationsthat participate in the system.
- 96. UK:3 commands, 4 levelsPolice - Fire Services- Medical Services [Diamond - policies]Gold - strategies Silver - tacticsBronze - operations
- 97. StrategiclevelOUTERCORDONLEAD GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTPublicenquiriesStrategic Co-ordinating GroupPolice Local authorityFire Military forcesAmbulance Government advisorsOther agenciesTemporaryMortuaryMediaCentreCasualtyBureauMediaLiaisonPointSurvivorReceptionCentreRelatives’ReceptionCentreLocal AuthorityEmergency CentreReceivingHospitalsVoluntaryAgenciesTacticallevelBodyHoldingAreaIncident Control PointPoliceFireAmbulanceLiaisonVehicleMarshallingAreaAmbulanceLoadingPointOperationallevelSite of DisasterPoliceFireAmbulanceSpecialist advisorsCasualtyClearingStationINNER CORDON
- 98. Rescuers'assembly pointPoints ofaccess tocordonedoff areasPublicassembly areaCordon IOnlyrescuersCordon III for traffic controlOnly authorisedpersonnelCordon IIMulti-agencyoperationscommand.Pedestrians onlyIncident
- 100. task forces
- 101. communications
- 102. chains of commandPlansProcedures ResultsOperations
- 103. Bronze command (operations) must:-estimate the geographical sizeand seriousness of the problemassign control of a specific geographical area to a particular commanderbegin the process of co-ordinationfor organisations working at the site.
- 104. Silver command (tactical) must:-determine prioritiesin the allocation of resourcesplan and co-ordinate tasks
- 105. establish general command over all operatons, not merely at specific sites associated with the incidentmantain a register of decisions and actions taken.
- 106. Gold command (strategic) must:-establish the strategic matrix in which tactical commanders worksupply adequate resource support to tactical commandsform a strategic co-ordination group to ensure multi-agency response.
- 107. In an emergency the bronze level(operations) is activated beforethe silver and gold levels.The operations centre (silver) decideswhether to activate the emergencyplan and puts into action themeasures needed to tackle the incident.
- 108. IncidentEmergencyresponseplanningPermanentemergencyplanContingency planning inthe pre-emergencyphase (days)Operational planningShort-termstrategicplanning (hours -> days)Short-termtacticalplanning (hours)
- 109. Permanent emergency planAftermathMonitoringprediction& warningStrategic,tactical & operationalplanningBusiness continuity planRecovery andreconstructionplanningDisaster
- 111. The use of information technologyenables the emergency coordinator to:-manage data banksof the available resourcesmaintain a record of events anddecisions (for example regardingresource allocation) both for individualfunctions and all operations togetherfollow up emergency operations.The use of information technologyenablesthe emergency coordinator to:-use compatible cartographic software to register the location of impacts, resources and effectsconstruct lists of decisions relating to actions that need to be takenmake rapid reference to the emergencyplan or other support documentscommunicate from the operations operations centre with people outside it.
- 112. The concept of the "lead agency"the reference organisation forbasic command in the incidentmust assume a co-ordinating roleand preside over decision processes, above all at the site of the incidentcould be any of the main emergency response organisations (e.g. fire service)in the UK it is the police, as the first issue is deemed to be the maintenance of public order.
- 113. Some problems of command:recognise rapidly themagnitude of the eventdeclare the emergency rapidlyand in a synchronised way between participating organisationsmaintain lines of communicationbetween organisationsensure full sharing of information.[X]