Mock Incident Response
The Incident Command System (ICS) is an important part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). It provides a standardized template for managing emergency and disaster incidents across the United States that is adjustable and can be expanded to meet the specific needs of the situation at hand. ICS allows for the integration and coordination of various responding agencies in the interest of making the best use of available resources, including agencies from different jurisdictions. In order for ICS to be effective, regular exercises and mock disaster scenarios should be practiced, familiarizing responders with both the system and each other. This paper is a mock incident response that will discuss the 5 ICS functional areas and specific responsibilities for each area pertaining to the specific mock disaster.
Scenario
On June 15, 2014, an explosion occurred at the Daugherty Elementary School located just south of downtown Garland, TX. Initial reports indicate that it was caused by a gas leak in the northern hallway. A fire started that is spreading through the classrooms along the east side of the building, there is structural damage to the outside north courtyard wall, and numerous windows blew out as a result of the explosion. Injuries to some children and staff have been reported, and not all children have been accounted for in the original evacuation. Current enrollment is 412 (School Characteristics and Membership, 2014).
ICS Functional Areas
There are 5 functional areas that are defined for use in ICS. These are Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration (Deal, Bettencourt, Deal, Merrick, & Mills, 2010). Each area has specific responsibilities in order for responses to be handled in a standardized way without duplication of effort or some tasks not getting done because someone thought someone else was doing it. Each emergency or disaster is different, and most of the routine incidents encountered will not require that the full complement of functional areas be activated. In the case of the Daugherty Elementary Explosion, a section for Finance/Administration would not be needed since the response period is expected to be relatively short. As such, this function would be taken care of by the
Incident Commander (IC).
Command.
This incident requires a single incident command set up, with one person named as Incident Commander. The IC is responsible for determining the objectives and priorities for the incident and ultimately responsible for all decisions related to any aspects of the response, including safety, news releases, and planning operations. One important component of the IC's responsibility is the implantation of an Incident Action Plan (IAP). The IAP puts in writing the details of the planned direction for the operation, from the naming of the functional section chiefs to the specific resources needed to carry out a particular task. The IAP for the Daugherty Elementary Explosion is attached. The IC is also responsible for naming members to the command staff if necessary in order to carry out the command functions.
This incident will require the appointment of a Safety Officer, who is responsible for overall site safety for the responders. The Safety Officer would look at the situation and possible strategies for accomplishing tasks, assessing the hazards that may be present that threaten the responders and making sure staging areas, medical areas, etc. are all following appropriate safety precautions.
The Safety Officer also participates in planning and can put a stop to any activities that are found to be unsafe. During this incident, the Safety Officer would be responsible for assessing the hazards presented by the broken glass and possible structural integrity issues from the explosion and fires, as well as ensuring that medical personnel are wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Another necessary command staff member in this case is the Public Information Officer (POI). POIs are responsible for dealing with the press and the general public, ensuring that timely and accurate reports on incident progress are made, with approval from the IC. Due to the fact that this incident happened at an elementary school while school was in session, it is very important for the POI to keep parents and the media abreast of the situation so that parents and children can be quickly reunited and to alleviate panic. The POI is also responsible for dispelling any misinformation about the incident as quickly as possible.
Operations.
The Operations Section Chief (OSC) is responsible for ensuring that the tasks and objectives of the incident response are getting done. The OSC assigns resources, organizes teams, and also participates in the planning process for operations. The OSC at Daugherty would be responsible for assigning the appropriate task force, medical, and safety groups to be effective in putting out the flames, treating any injuries to students and staff, and finding the unaccounted for children. Communications with the IC and individual groups are of utmost importance to ensure that the IC has a full grasp of the situation and that each group understands what tasks it is responsible for. Operations at Daugherty would need to have a Safety Group to work with the Safety Officer and ensure responder safety. It also needs to have a Task Force Group, responsible for fighting the flames, shutting off the gas to the area, and searching for the missing. The Medical Group would be responsible for any necessary treatment of injuries to the evacuees.
Planning.
The Planning Section Chief (PSC) is the person whose main responsibilities include providing resources, ensuring that the command group is aware of the current situation, documenting details regarding the response efforts, and, when needed, demobilizing the incident responders. The PSC helps to finalize the Incident Action Plan for the current and upcoming periods. The PSC at Daugherty would need to be responsible for resources, documentation, and situation areas. The incident is not so large as to require a full Planning Section, and appointing one other to focus on resources until the Medical Group can be disbanded (i.e. all children have been assessed/treated) will free up the PSC to participate in planning the IAP, keeping the IC up to date on the situation, and documentation.
Logistics.
A one person Logistics Section is brought in at Daugherty. The responsibilities of the Logistics Section Chief (LSC) include setting up the communications, establishing a Medical Unit for responders at the Rolando Drive Staging Area, and assisting with planning. The LSC develops the plan for communications and is responsible for disseminating the information to responders. Each group has a specific radio frequency to be used for communications. The list is included in the IAP. The LSC would also ensure that the responders had access to fast medical treatment should there be any injury on the site. The Medical Unit for this purpose is located in the staging area at Rolando Drive.
Conclusion
The explosion at Daugherty Elementary is a medium size incident with the potential for numerous injuries to both those present at the time of the explosion as well as the emergency responders. However, the incident is not of a size that would require outside assistance from another jurisdiction, nor so large that it requires all functional areas available under ICS to be activated. The 4 functional areas used during this mock incident response include Command, Operations, Planning, and Logistics, with Operations requiring the largest number of responders and other resources assigned.
ICS allows for easy adaptation to the system, and specific responsibilities for each functional section. As such, only those sections that are required for the response need be put in place, producing a more efficient and effective response team and eliminating waste due to multiple identical efforts.