1. Hazardous Materials for
First Responders
4th Edition
Chapter 5 — Incident Management

2. Incident Management Elements
• Priorities
- life safety
- incident stabilization
- property and environment protection
• Management structure
- command system (i.e. NIMS)
- SOP’s, SOG’s
• Problem solving process
- analysis of incident
- pre- plan strategic goals
- tactical objectives and assignments
- evaluation of progress
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–2

3. Incident Priorities
5–3

4. There are three incident priorities
for all haz mat incidents.
5–4

5. Variables for weighing life safety of
responders versus the public.
5–5

6. Incident Management System
Forms a framework for control and
structure, to effectively manage an
incident
• ICS-established in the 70’s (FIRESCOPE)
• NIMS-HSPD 5 (2003)
5–6

7. IMS (Cont.)
• NFPA 1561- requires adoption of an IMS
system for all emergencies
• OSHA HAZWOPER- mandates an ICS
system as a requirement for all haz mat
responses
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–7

8. Incident management systems
offer certain advantages.
5–8

9. U.S. NIMS
• Implemented and adopted after 9/11
• Designed to be applicable to both small
and large incidents
• Builds from the ground up
• Can grow from small- to large-scale
• Incident Commander (IC)
responsibilities
5–9

10. The National Response Framework
(NRF) explains how the U.S.
manages all-hazards response.
5–10

11. The command and coordination
structures of the NRF reflect
that of NIMS.
5–11

12. NRF’s mission in the case of a
catastrophic terrorist attack
addresses four goals.
5–12

13. NRF resources include six different
response and rescue teams.
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Courtesy of FEMA News Photos,
photo by Andrea Booher
5–13

14. IMS Operational Functions
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5–14

15. Incident Commander
• Must make it know when command is taken or changed
• Can delegate functions top others
• Required to perform these functions at haz mat incidents
- establish site safety plan
- implement a site security and control plan
- designate a safety officer
- identify materials or conditions involved in the incident
- ensure all responders are wearing appropriate PPE
- establish a decontamination plan
- implement post-incident emergency response procedures
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–15

16. The safety officer performs many
duties at an incident scene.
5–16

17. Safety Officer (requirements)
• Must be trained at the level of operations being
conducted
• Obtain briefing from IC
• Identify hazardous situations
• Participate in the preparation and monitoring of
incident safety considerations(medical monitoring)
• Maintain communication with IC
• Alter, suspend, or terminate unsafe activity
• Conduct safety briefings
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–17

18. Safety Briefings
• ID of hazard
• Description of site
• Tasks to perform/anticipated duration
• PPE requirements
• Monitoring requirements
• Identified risks
• Additional pertinent info
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–18

19. Establishment of the command post
is vital to a smooth operation.
Courtesy of Ron Jeffers
5–19

20. Terminology
• Division- geographical responsibility
• Group- functional assignment(equal to a division)
• Branch- functional or geographic responsibility(used
when division exceed their span of control)
• Resources- all personnel or tools, may be individual
companies, task forces or strike teams
• Supervisor-individual in command of a division, group
, or branch
Haz Mat for First Responders
5–20

21. The operations section directs
tactical activities and safety of
operations personnel.
5–21

22. The planning section gathers
and processes information.
5–22

23. The logistics section is the support
mechanism for organization.
5–23

24. The finance/administration
section is established when
there is a specific need.
5–24

25. Staging Area
• Where personnel and equipment
awaiting assignment to the incident are
held
• Keeps responders and their equipment
a short distance from the scene until
they are needed
• Minimizes confusion at the scene
5–25

26. Resources must be tracked so
they can be assigned when and
where needed.
5–26

27. Incident command establishment
and transfer follows a specific chain.
(Continued)
5–27

28. Chain of Incident Command
Establishment and Transfer
cont.
(Continued)
5–28

29. Chain of Incident Command
Establishment and Transfer
cont.
5–29

30. Unified Command
• Accomplishes control of an incident
involving multiple agencies with
overlapping authority and responsibility
• All agencies that have a jurisdictional
responsibility at a multijurisdictional
incident contribute to the process
through various actions
(Continued)
5–30

31. Unified Command
• Memorandum of understanding
• Agencies that may be involved in
controlling hazardous material incidents
• Responsible or lead agency
• Objectives that can be accomplished
when organizations work together to
develop haz mat pre-incident surveys
5–31

32. IMS Haz Mat Positions
5–32

33. IMS Haz Mat Positions
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5–33

34. Communications(guidelines)
• Plain language
• Only essential information
• Appropriate channels and number of
• Know how and what to request
• Know how to transmit emergency
signals
• Know how to broadcast evacuation
signals
5–34

35. Communications is vital for incident
management and mitigation.
5–35

36. Summary
• Emergency response to haz mat
incidents must be conducted with a
certain management framework and
structure to ensure successful
mitigation of the incident.
• IMS must be implemented at all
incidents.
5–36