Firefighter II Objectives
Implementing IMS

OBJECTIVE 4-2.1 (Essentials 4th Edition, Chapter 1, Pages 8-9)
EXPLAIN THE FIREFIGHTER II’s ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION

• Know the department organization, operation, and SOP’s.
• Know the district or city street system and physical layout.
• Meet minimum health and physical fitness standards.
• Attend training courses; read and study assigned materials related to fire fighting, fire prevention, hazardous materials, and EMS.
• Respond to medical emergencies and other patient care requests.
• Respond to fire alarms with the company, operating fire fighting equipment, lay and connect hose, maneuver nozzles and direct fire streams, raise and climb ladders, and use extinguishers and all fire fighting hand tools.
• Ventilate burning buildings by opening windows and skylights or by cutting holes in roofs or floors.
• Remove people from danger and administer first aid.
• Perform salvage operations, which include placing salvage covers, sweeping water, and removing debris.
• Complete overhaul operations with the goal of ensuring total fire extinguishment.
• Relay instructions, orders, and information, and give locations of alarms received from the telecommunicator.
• Exercise precautions to avoid injury while performing duties.
• Exercise loss control measures (reducing or eliminating loss and damage during and after a fire) to avoid unnecessary damage to or loss of property.
• Ensure safekeeping and proper care of all fire department property.
• Perform assigned fire inspections and checks of buildings and structures for compliance with fire prevention ordinances.

OBJECTIVE 4-2.3 (Local Protocol)
EXPLAIN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FIREFIGHTER IN ASSUMING AND TRANSFERRING COMMAND WITHIN AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Incident Commander-responsible for building a command structure that matches the organizational needs of the incident to achieve the completion of the tactical objectives listed below.

TACTICAL OBJECTIVES-

• Remove endangered occupants and treat the injured.
• Stabilize the incident and provide for life safety.
• Conserve property.
• Provide for the safety, accountability, and welfare of personnel.
  The officer of the first arriving fire department unit is designated as the initial incident commander (IC). The IC shall remain in command until released or relieved by a higher ranking officer or until the incident is terminated.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMAND-

• Assume and announce command and establish an effective operating position, command post (CP)
• Rapidly evaluate the situation (size-up).
• Initiate, maintain, and control the communications process.
• Identify the overall strategy, develop and incident action plan (IAP), and assign companies and personnel consistent with the plan and standard operating procedures (SOP's).
• Develop an effective Incident Management Organization.
• Provide tactical objectives.
• Review, evaluate, and revise (as needed) the IAP.
• Provide for the continuity, transfer, and termination of Command.
• NOTE: The first 5 functions must be addressed immediately upon assuming command.

ESTABLISHING COMMAND-

• The first fire suppression unit on the scene must initiate whatever parts of the IMS needed to effectively manage the incident.
• A single company incident (trash fires, single patient EMS incidents, etc.) may only require that the Company or unit acknowledge their arrival on scene.
• For incidents that require the commitment of multiple Companies or units, the first unit or member on the scene must announce “command” and develop an Incident Command Structure appropriate for the incident.
• AFTER ESTABLISHING COMMAND, GIVE RADIO REPORT

RADIO REPORT-

• Unit designation of the unit arriving on scene.
• A brief description of the incident situation (i.e-building size, occupancy, Haz-Mat release, multi-vehicle accident, etc.)
• Obvious conditions (working fire, Haz-Mat spill, multiple patients, etc.)
• Brief description of action taken.
• Declaration of Strategy (structure fires).
• Any obvious safety concerns.
• Assumption, identification, and location of command.
• Request or release resources as required.

COMMAND OPTIONS (Nothing Showing Mode)-

• Initial arriving company should investigate while other units remain in staged mode.
• The officer should go with the company to investigate while using a portable radio to command the incident.

COMMAND OPTIONS (Fast Attack Mode)-

• Offensive fire attacks (especially in marginal situations)
• Critical life safety situations (i.e.-rescue) must be achieved in a compressed time.
• Any incident where the safety and welfare of firefighters is a major concern.
• Obvious working incidents that require further investigation by the Company Officer.
• Company officer goes with the crew to provide the appropriate level of supervision.
• Should not last more than a few minutes.

INVESTIGATION BY THE COMPANY OFFICER SHOULD END WHEN-

• Situation is stabilized.
• Situation is NOT stabilized and officer must withdraw to the exterior to establish a CP.
• At some time, the Company Officer must decide whether or not to withdraw the remainder of the crew, based on the crew’s capabilities and experience, safety, and the ability to communicate with the crew. No crew will remain in a hazardous area without radio communications capabilities.
• Command is transferred to another Higher Ranking Officer. If command is assumed by the next arriving higher ranking officer, that officer may opt to return the previous IC to his/her crew, or assign him/her to a subordinate position.

COMMAND MODE-

• Certain incidents, by virtue of their size, complexity, or potential for rapid expansion, require immediate strong, direct, overall command. In such cases, the Company Officer will initially assume an exterior, safe, and effective command position and maintain that position until relieved by a higher ranking officer.
• A TACTICAL WORKSHEET SHALL BE INITIATED AND UTILIZED TO ASSIST IN MANAGING THESE INCIDENTS
• If the Company Officer selects Command Mode, the following options are available.
• The officer may move up with the company and place the company into action with 2 or more members. One of the members will serve as the acting Company Officer and should be provided with a portable radio. The collective and individual capabilities and experience of the crew will regulate this action.
• The officer may assign the crew members to work under the supervision of another Company Officer. In such cases, the Officer assuming Command must communicate with the Officer of the other company and indicate the assignment of those personnel.
• The officer may elect to assign the crew members to perform staff functions to assist command.

PASSING COMMAND-

• Command may need to be passed to the next arriving company because of the initial commitment of the first arriving company may require a full crew. (i.e.-high-rise or immediate rescue situation)
• COMMAND SHALL NOT BE PASSED TO AN OFFICER THAT IS NOT ON SCENE
  TRANSFER OF COMMAND
• The first uniformed suppression member arriving on scene will automatically assume command. This will normally be a Company Officer, but could be any fire department member up to and including the Fire Chief.
• The first arriving Company Officer will assume command after the transfer of command procedures have been completed. (assuming an equal or higher ranking officer has not already assumed command).
• The first arriving Chief Officer may assume command of the incident following transfer of command procedures.
• The second arriving Chief Officer should report to the Command Post for assignment.
• Later arriving, higher ranking Chief Officers may choose to assume command, or assume advisor positions.

TRANSFER OF COMMAND PROCEDURES-

• The officer assuming command will communicate with the person being relieved by radio or face-to-face. Face-to-face is the preferred method to transfer command.
• The person being relieved will brief the officer assuming command indicating at least the following:

1. Incident conditions (fire location and extent, Haz-Mat spill or release, number of patients, etc.).
2. Incident Action Plan.
3. Progress toward completion of the tactical objectives.
4. Safety considerations.
5. Deployment and assignment of operating companies and personnel.
6. Appraisals of need for additional resources.

• The person being relieved of command should review the tactical worksheet with the Officer assuming Command.