Great Incident Command Video

[jkainer75]

We have had a lot of people talking about this video for Incident Command Training. Check it out here:

http://www.thebravestonline.com/news...view=1&id=4276

[NWOhio157]

The link doesn't work for me...

Anyone else having trouble???

[beattheheat]

worked fine for me

[lutan1]

The link doesn't work for me...

Anyone else having trouble???

Same for me...

[ChiefKN]

Worked fine, nice job to Pontiac FD.

Anyone else ever wonder how far we've come? Imagine the terror a fire like that would have caused 150 years ago?

Once again, nice efficient work.

[DrewOnFire]

Liked hearing a calm, cool and collective IC for a change.

Wonder if the attack line knew exactly the predicament they almost were in when the fire got behind them? Pretty exciting.

[backsteprescue123]

Great video

[firenresq77]

Not working for me, but I'm at work....... Will try again at home.....

[RFDACM02]

Did I miss it or does Pontiac run a Squad type truck as the ladder company? I heard the IC radio L1 but didn't see anything that resembled an aerial. Not that truck work can't be done without the aerial, but I'd think Pontiac must be plenty busy and truly would need an aerial.

[Dickey]

Great job!

Love the calm, cool head of the IC. Obviously not his first gig!!

[resQengine]

Did I miss it or does Pontiac run a Squad type truck as the ladder company? I heard the IC radio L1 but didn't see anything that resembled an aerial

I have no idea what they run, but I also did not see a ladder there. That was a nice video.

O, and great job Pontiac!

[zethfire]

Pontiac is a neighboring city. I know they run ladder 1 as a squad on residential fires and I think they jump to a quint for highrise or commercial fires. 5 pumps, 3 ALS rescues, 1 ladder, and 1 Batt. They just won hard fight with the city to keep min. manning and ems allmost laid of aprox. 40-50 firefighters. Over 9000 calls a year population aprox 60,000 poverty level of around 23%.

WTFD Local 1335

[jakesdad]

While this incident commander is certainly calm, I would feel better operating at a fire where he actually got out of his vehicle! And instead of changing the angle of the camera, maybe he should be talking a walk around the building.

Do other departments operate like this? Pros? Cons?

And I am not sure it is the best idea to stretch the initial attack line up the FIRE ESCAPE!!

[ChiefKN]

While this incident commander is certainly calm, I would feel better operating at a fire where he actually got out of his vehicle! And instead of changing the angle of the camera, maybe he should be talking a walk around the building.

Do other departments operate like this? Pros? Cons?

And I am not sure it is the best idea to stretch the initial attack line up the FIRE ESCAPE!!

I believe I've heard Chief Brunacini brag about his chiefs not getting out of the car, that they run the fire from their steering wheel?

Walk around the structure. A definite, someone should, early on. Sometimes when I was Chief if was the ops chief.

Using the camera. Well, it was on, he just moved it. I've shot video, i would set it up on the tripod and let it run. Although I got a sense that he was conscious that it was on, he seemed to be hesitant when he talked, but maybe that's a Michigan speech pattern. lol

Operating off fire escape. We don't have them in my jurisdiction, but I think you may have a valid point there.

[MemphisE34a]

I am a big proponent for IC's getting out of their car as well.

Having said that, there are variables to consider. We do not have aides here. The only way the IC can be on the fire ground channel and monitor the main dispatch channel is to be in the car OR right on top of someone operating on the fire scene - like the first in engine Driver. Many of our chiefs have begun operating like this. They stand somewhere near the first in engine which is normally in a decent place for command of a house or apartment and coordinate radio communications with the Alarm Office on the main dispatch channel through him (the Driver.) These chiefs seem to be the Veterans that rode busy companies for many years and do a good jobs allowing their companies to go to work. When they do talk on the radio, they are sound GREAT!! They remain calm and project a Command presence.

Other chiefs who have an ego to protect and must be the "voice of command" on the radio will not get out of their car so they can do all the talking on both channels by themselves! They are typically young Chiefs who got promoted through various office assignments or slow companies. They sound horrible on the radio as they are screaming orders to companies. They generally do great at initiating strategies and tactics that ensure the building will burn to the F'ing ground.

As far as this video goes - sure the guy was calm, but you shouldn't have to instruct all of your companies with every little assignment as soon as you get there. Hopefully they new to pull an attack line without being told.

[mpullen32]

In my current volunteer station, our chiefs will normally run command from their cars. The ems commander (fire does not provide ems) will join command in the command car as well. There is normally another officer completing a 360 of the building and reporting to command. If there are enough officers on scene (which there normally are), officers will be assigned various sides or corners (A,B,C,D). Along with the exterior officer, there will also be interior officer as well. This officer will be the reporting officer from the interior. Therefore, you will have One overall command, exterior officer, interior officer, and ems command. If need be, you can also create additional aspects to the command areas as well (stagging officer, water supply, etc.)

[ChicagoFF]

I can't imagine a chief here sitting in his car at a fire. As for "incident command", it seemed more like micromanaging. Nearly everything he was ordering or talking about are automatic tasks here. You would not hear anywhere near that amount of radio from a scene here. I suspect this might be because the chief is ON the scene able to see exactly is going on, not IN his car ordering what lines are to be used off of which engine and what hydrant to use and who should get it. When the crew asked (three times before the chief understood them) for ventilation I had to ask - what were the trucks doing? Not opening the roof, thats for sure. Why would you have to ask for that? At a fire here, the engines get hydrants, lead out lines and attack the fire while the trucks are making the roof, venting, forcing entry, searching, laddering the building - all automatically without the chief having to say a word to anyone. Everyone knows their job and does it and when the chief gets there he pretty much knows where all his companies are and what they are doing. If this is their system, I guess it's ok - I just don't think it's much of a system.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Seemed to be micromanaged a bit. However, the men made a nice stop on the fire. Whatever works to get the job done.

[ChicagoFF]

Seemed to be micromanaged a bit. However, the men made a nice stop on the fire. Whatever works to get the job done.

Oh sure, make me look like the jerk.... I never said it wasn't a nice stop!

[Dickey]

IC should not be running around on the fireground with the distractions going on there. They should be sitting back, taking in the big picture and thinking two steps ahead of what is going on. I don't like the idea of companies just doing things without being ordered, that could make the situation worse. "Pretty much knows whats going" is not good enough for me. This a textbook example how IC should work.
Not ripping on you or your department FF but that is how it's done here and most places across the country. But if your department varys it, more power to you. I guess each his own, whatever works to get the job done. There is no universal answer to everything!

I would agree it is a little micro managing, slightly. Instead of telling a crew to ventilate with a saw and blah blah blah, or the first in engine to pull a line and do this or that.....IC should give the order, not tell them how to carry out that order.

What I do, and is standard practice in my area, is when I arrive, I do a walk around noting any hazards, hydrant locations, etc. and then get back to my truck. After the initial walk around, I rarely leave the vehicle.