Where's The IC?

[x635 4,066]

When an incident occurs, there's often numerous official vehicles at the scene. Especially with volunteer departments, where each Chief has a vehicle in some cases. It can be very confusing.

If you need to find the command post, how do you do so? Do you just know who to go looking for?

I feel that THE command post should be clearly established with a flag or green light.

[ex-commish 490]

When an incident occurs, there's often numerous official vehicles at the scene. Especially with volunteer departments, where each Chief has a vehicle in some cases. It can be very confusing.

If you need to find the command post, how do you do so? Do you just know who to go looking for?

I feel that THE command post should be clearly established with a flag or green light.

Good argument for not putting "Incident Command" on a chiefs car. Seen it done ( thankfully didn't stay on too long). What if you go M/A?

[Guest alsfirefighter]

If the IC gives the CP location that does help. It is important to realize that the IC should stay at the CP and rely on his other personnel when put in the right position to keep him updated. There is nothing worse than having to play where's waldo when looking for the IC and they certainly should not be running an incident from inside the structure.

[texastom791 31]

Since we're on the topic of command posts has anyone ever seen this before this is and interesting way to mark where the command post is it looks like it's a tent that attaches to the hatch of the truck. http://www.odysseyauto.com/vehicles/suburb...-ss/slide7.html

[mfc2257 464]

Any IC who is worth his turnout gear clearly establishes command & location upon arrival.

Chief: "Car XYZ to communications on location, (insert confirmation of address, type of alarm, and structure here), establishing command at my vehicle infront of the neighbors house at 123 On Fire Street"

Communications: "10-4... Chief XYZ is on location at 121 On Fire Street, he'll have the command infront of the neighbors house at 123 On Fire Street"

Once this is done, communications can repeat the location to all arriving apparatus.

Truck Company: "Truck XYZ" is on location"

Communications: "10-4 Truck XYZ Car XYZ has command infront of the neighbors house at 123 On Fire Street by his vehicle.

[Remember585 815]

Not sure if this is "right," but in many career departments the Duty Chief or Duty Officer is going to be the IC. For example, if New Rochelle goes on a box and 2302 is going, then 2302 will be the IC. Bnechis can correct me if I am wrong.

Three Departments I can think of that use NIMS very well are Fairview, White Plains and Scarsdale. The most important thing in my eyes isn't so much declaring "command" but giving a quick size up to incoming units. Many times when I arrrive on scene, I will state something like, "Car 2083 on location, nothing showing from the exterior, establishing Half Moon Bay Command." Before NIMS was all the hype, we sent our people thru the old ICS training and we've been using it (in some form) almost 10 years if not more.

I think it is vital whenever your agency is operating at multiple incidents to have a unit declare command for each incident location. It eliminates confusion to on scene / responding units, as well as dispatch.

[EJS1810 7]

To locate the Command Post I look for the most antennas

[PVFD113 6]

To locate the Command Post I look for the most antennas

Good thing Louie doesn't buff as many calls as he used to then huh Ed?!?

Antennas and velcro!!!

[helicopper 1,050]

Broadcasting the location over your own radio with the size-up is nice but the really important thing is how the CP is identified as the incident continues to grow and additional resources/departments/municipalities become involved. Unless your regional dispatch center (you know, the single 911 answering point, multi-jurisdictional/multi-agency, centralized point for all public safety communications) continually rebroadcasts the location on all applicable talkgroups, people aren't going to know where it is. Compound that with the numerous vehicles proclaiming that they are the incident commander (how a vehicle is the IC is another question ) and the ready identification of the CP is a challenge to those arriving later.

The use of a command post flag or single green light is generally considered the standard identification for it but I don't see that being practiced anywhere around here. At a Newark, NJ airport exercise years ago the ICP was clearly marked by both a flag (daylight) and then a green light (once it got dark).

This still assumes that the location will be readily visible to all responding resources.

[smwells 7]

Good thing Louie doesn't buff as many calls as he used to then huh Ed?!?

Antennas and velcro!!!

OK !! - Who requested a porcupine to this location !!!! - I can't find it in the M/A plan anywhere

[PFD165 1]

If the IC gives the CP location that does help. It is important to realize that the IC should stay at the CP and rely on his other personnel when put in the right position to keep him updated. There is nothing worse than having to play where's waldo when looking for the IC and they certainly should not be running an incident from inside the structure.

Very nicely put ALS, I could not agree more.

[x635 4,066]

Here's a photographic example of excatly what I'm talking about. Austin-Travis County EMS, TX has these on their District Commander vehicles (their EMS version of a Battalion Chief)

These are activated at MCI's by the District Command Vehicle that has Medical Command. It's a simple green light on a pole that can be raised up in the air.

[PHIL78 129]

workin in new ro for the last nine years i have never had a problem knowing whos the IC is.The man in the big white hat with the gold shield standing in front of the building.I dont claim to know how volunteer or combo depts run incidents but with two three or four chief cars responding to an incident not to mention ex or past chiefs showing up in personal vehicles and if mutual aid shows up with more chiefs it could get very confusing im sure.

[ny10570 745]

At the vast majority of incidents so long as those in command were doing their job and staying at the command post, its never hard to find. I never saw the need for those lights and truthfully they wind up blending into the background of all the other flashing lights.

[Guest]

My .04 cents (do to inflation) hopefully if its your department you know who is in command as far as mutual aid goes hopefully your reporting to a staging area or a particuliar officer (interior, water etc...) not to the command post

[markmets415 524]

If the IC gives the CP location that does help. It is important to realize that the IC should stay at the CP and rely on his other personnel when put in the right position to keep him updated. There is nothing worse than having to play where's waldo when looking for the IC and they certainly should not be running an incident from inside the structure.

Here Here, exactly, to many times trying to find the IC is like looking through one of those Where's Waldo books.

[helicopper 1,050]

workin in new ro for the last nine years i have never had a problem knowing whos the IC is.The man in the big white hat with the gold shield standing in front of the building.I dont claim to know how volunteer or combo depts run incidents but with two three or four chief cars responding to an incident not to mention ex or past chiefs showing up in personal vehicles and if mutual aid shows up with more chiefs it could get very confusing im sure.

That's great in a single jurisdiction with a single agency (or a couple of agencies) involved but the original question asked about multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency events where there are multiple white helmets or black fords with tinted windows on scene.

With a large scale fire operation, how do you know who the IC is when there are 10 white helmets milling about?

As for lights being lost/blending in on the scene, as an incident grows and perimeters are properly established the need to leave all the lights going on all the vehicles decreases. Someone really ought to walk around and start shutting them off so everyone doesn't go blind.

And you're right, the only thing worse than having to play "where's Waldo" looking for the IC is trying to figure out which ICP is the ICP and which IC is really the IC when they set up three command posts at the same incident.

[Beekman 5]

Easy. ANSI Class II or III Vest with COMMAND on the back. Solves the vests/roadways issue too.

[JM15 386]

One thing that I would like to chime in on is staging. How many times at fires in N.Westechester do you see staging areas properly set up? I think that this is a big concern especially with multiple agencies on scene. Staging shouldn't be at the ICP.