Fireground Supervision for Sector Commanders and Crew Leaders
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FIREGROUND SUPERVISION FOR SECTOR COMMANDERS AND CREW LEADERS COURSE MANUAL FOR FIREGROUND SUPERVISION (FORESTRY TASMANIA COMPETANCY NUMBER FT074R) Fireground Supervisors manual Version 1 as at 11:25 AM 11/01/05 1 Fireground Supervisors manual Version 1 as at 11:25 AM 11/01/05 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INCIDENT ADMINISTRATION .......................................................................4 Introduction........................................................................................................................................................... 4 Multi – Agency Coordination ............................................................................................................................ 5 The Incident Control System.............................................................................................................................. 5 Inter-Agency Fire Management Protocol......................................................................................................... 8 ICS forms and reports ....................................................................................................................................... 13 The Incident Action Plan (IAP) ....................................................................................................................... 13 Resources Management .................................................................................................................................... 17 STRATEGIES AND TACTICS................................................................................21 Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Sizing up the task............................................................................................................................................... 21 Hazards and risk management ......................................................................................................................... 22 Effective use of resources................................................................................................................................. 23 Fireline construction with machinery ............................................................................................................ 24 Fireline construction with handcrews............................................................................................................. 26 Pumps and hose lines ........................................................................................................................................ 29 AIRCRAFT IN FIREFIGHTING............................................................................32 Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 32 Operational constraints ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Safety.................................................................................................................................................................... 33 General Instruction in relation to use of aircraft in support of incident management............................ 35 AIRCRAFT LIMITATIONS....................................................................................36 CONDUCTING BRIEFINGS AND DE-BRIEFINGS ...........................................37 Introduction......................................................................................................................................................... 37 The Communication Model.............................................................................................................................. 37 Format .................................................................................................................................................................. 38 Organisation........................................................................................................................................................ 38 Conducting the briefing..................................................................................................................................... 39 Debriefing............................................................................................................................................................ 39 Fireground Supervisors manual Version 1 as at 11:25 AM 11/01/05 3 Incident Administration Introduction Bushfire tragedies in Australia, the United States, South America and indeed just about everywhere in the world where firefighting is done, remind us all of the need to ensure that our bushfire management systems have the capacity to support competent, well-resourced field operations. Dysfunctional management appears as a common thread running through previous events, which resulted in injuries and loss of lives. The Tasmanian fire and land management agencies were aware of serious shortcomings in large fire management, involving more than a single agency, during the 1999-2000 fire season. A particular incident was the Glen Huon Fire in February 2000, which involved most of the potential responders in the State. That particular incident demonstrated most of the elements of dysfunctional management systems with divided command, multi-frequency communications, nomadic resources and uncoordinated strategies. Luck played a major role in the accident-free outcome. Following that fire, senior managers in the Tasmania Fire Service, Forestry Tasmania and the Parks and Wildlife Service resolved to implement a strategy designed to reinforce ICS principles and ensure that a unified command structure would be in place for all future events. It was apparent that there was inadequate understanding of the principles of the Incident Control System, resulting in a failure to properly implement and integrate the functional streams of Control, Operations, Planning and Logistics. A significant issue identified was the tendency for “Operations” to absorb the other management functions and concentrate on a reactive response to the fire. This clearly is the preferred mode of operation for many field commanders, uncomfortable with delegation or the idea of any form of management, other than “leading from the front”. This is understandable, given that it was how all fires were managed, historically and most of the senior and experienced “fire bosses” arrived at their current positions by this apprenticeship, following the example of others. Notwithstanding the surge of ICS training which occurred during the early ‘90s (and in retrospect, the 5-day course and 30 hour exercise tended to reinforce operational imperatives) the newly-badged “Incident Controllers”, with few exceptions, adapted ICS to “business as usual”. The task of changing this was identified as principally one of changing a culture by re-focussing Incident Management Teams to the primary task of management and all of its supporting functions. A renewed emphasis on a team-based approach was an important component. In August 2000 Tasmania, along with the other States and New Zealand had a unique opportunity to participate in the United States’ firefighting efforts. The Tasmanian contingent was a combined team from the fire and land-managing agencies. This team identification was an important development and a major step in the integration of local operating environments. The US experience demonstrated the value of centralised coordination through multi-agency groups and “Area Command” structures. Consequently, a Tasmanian Multi-Agency Coordinating group was formed (MAC). This received the approval of the Heads of Agency. Fireground Supervisors manual Version 1 as at 11:25 AM 11/01/05 4 Multi – Agency Coordination The Multi-Agency Coordinating Group monitors the state wide fire situation on a daily basis during the fire season. For going fires, there is regular consultation with the local managers to determine an incident’s status. Bushfires are classified Type 1 to Type 3. A Type 1 is typically confined to one tenure, localised and capable of being handled with district resources. A Type 2 is a larger incident requiring several days and multiple work periods to manage. It may involve additional intra-agency resources but will always be confined to a single tenure. A Type 3 is a large and complex incident, which involves multiple tenures. At the request of a district or agency, the MAC will appoint Incident Management Teams to manage Type 3 bushfires and thereafter assume a coordinating role with respect to IMTs and specialised resources. It is the MAC’s role to ensure that there is a unified command structure in place and that it is operating effectively. It facilitates the deployment of inter-agency resources and sets priorities for resources where a number of incidents occur simultaneously. The MAC ensures that all stakeholders receive regular reports on progress. When the fire is contained, the MAC collates and files the IMT performance reviews and conducts post operational analyses of incidents. Other functions include IMT development through training and workshops and the development and promulgation of multi-agency Standard Operating Procedures and Performance Standards. The Incident Control System The Incident Control System is a method for managing