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Response to Critical Incidents

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... Mass 1999 6 Firefighters Dead. Branch Davidian ... is not the Kill/Hot zone. ... area keeps your resources from responding directly to the kill/hot zone. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Response to Critical Incidents


1
(No Transcript)
2
Training Objectives
  • Recall the most common characteristics of a
    critical incident response.
  • Analyze the difference between uncontrollable and
    controllable incident factors.
  • Generalize the main characteristics of each
    incident response phase.
  • Develop the appropriate strategies for each
    incident phase.

3
Training Objectives
  • Evaluate the value of tactical leadership in the
    crisis phase.
  • Appraise the value of a universal game plan for
    a crisis response.
  • Describe each of the Seven Critical Tasks.
  • Given a critical incident in a practical setting,
    develop a response strategy and assemble a list
    of resources that your agency can bring to bear
    on a critical incident.

4
Some History
  • 1993 World Trade Center, the bombing was
    initially reported as an electrical transformer
    fire.
  • 1995 Murrah Federal Building bombing in
    Oklahoma City was initially reported as a gas
    main explosion.
  • 1999 Columbine High School, the initial call
    was to investigate a student down in the parking
    lot.

5
Define a Critical Incident as
  • An extraordinary event that places lives and
    property in danger and requires the commitment
    and coordination of numerous resources to bring
    about a successful conclusion.

6
Types of Critical Incidents
Criminal Activities
  • Bombing/Explosions

Branch Davidian Waco, TX 1993
Worcester, Mass 1999 6
Firefighters Dead
Columbine, CO 1999
Oklahoma Federal Building 1995
  • Active Shooter(s)
  • Hostage Incidents
  • Arson
  • Civil Disorder
  • High Risk Warrant/Search

7
Types of Critical Incidents
Terrorist Activities / Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD)
  • Terrorist attack

3 Mile Island Radiation Spill 1979
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown 1986
Sarin Gas Japan Subway 1996
  • Chemical
  • Biological
  • ANTHRAX
  • PLAGUE
  • SMALLPOX
  • Radiological
  • Nuclear

8
Types of Critical Incidents
Fires/hazardous materials accidents
  • Hazardous Chemical Spills or Explosions
  • Industrial Fires/Accidents
  • High Rise, Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Fires

9
Types of Critical Incidents
Transportation Accidents
  • Plane Crash
  • Train Derailment or Collision
  • Motor Vehicle Accident (Truck, Car, Bus)
  • Shipping/Boating Accidents

10
Types of Critical Incidents
Natural Disasters
  • Earthquakes
  • Hurricanes
  • Tornadoes
  • Floods
  • Ice Storms/Blizzards

11
Common Characteristics
All critical incidents share many common
characteristics. This is true regardless of
12
What Are the Common Characteristics?
  • Communications
  • Whos in charge?
  • Resources and resource coordination
  • Intelligence gathering/problem assessment
  • Crowd and traffic control (perimeters)
  • Environment
  • Planning and training
  • The media
  • Politics

13
Uncontrollable vs. Controllable Factors
Incidents accelerate and decelerate based on
uncontrollable and controllable factors.
  • Obviously, you cannot change factors beyond your
    control.
  • So focus on the factors that you can control.

14
Uncontrollable Factors
  • Time
  • Weather
  • Location
  • Initial Injuries/ Death
  • Weapons
  • Chemicals

15
Controllable Factors
  • Access to the scene
  • Limiting crowd size
  • Evacuating adjacent areas
  • Rerouting traffic flow
  • Requesting additional personnel and equipment
  • Where and how you use personnel
  • Establishing communication with personnel
  • Your own command presence

16
Phases of a Critical Incident
  • All critical incidents share common traits.
    Besides sharing these traits, critical incidents
    can progress through four distinct phases

Termination
17
Crisis Phase
  • Typical duration 0-60 minutes
  • Characteristics
  • Confusion
  • Panic
  • Rush to scene
  • Gridlock

18
Response
Crisis Phase
  • Goals
  • Stabilize the scene
  • Limit acceleration and growth of the incident
  • Ensure citizen and responder safety

19
Strategy
Crisis Phase
  • Response strategies
  • Initiate tactical management style
  • First responding supervisor initiates Seven
    Critical Tasks
  • Identify initial ICS functions needed
  • Evaluate resource requirements
  • Evaluate evacuation and/or shelter-in-place
    requirements.

20
Outcomes
Crisis Phase
  • Outcomes
  • Safety of citizens and responders is provided
  • Scene stabilized
  • Proactive management of scene to move ahead of
    incident acceleration
  • If not resolved, move to Scene Management Phase.
  • If resolved, move to Termination Phase.

21
Scene Management Phase
  • Typical duration Hours to several days
  • Characteristics
  • Potential for danger continues
  • Continuation of incident for longer duration
  • Arrival of crowd, resources, and media
  • Requires increased management

22
Scene Management Goal
  • GOAL

Establish an organized decision-making team with
ICS to bring about a safe and successful
resolution of the event
23
Strategy
Scene Management Phase
  • Response strategies
  • Select site for scene/field command post
  • Expand ICS with specific functions
  • Develop and implement incident action plan
  • Evaluate resource requirements
  • Assess communications requirements
  • Initiate evacuation plan (if required)
  • Deploy specialists to bring about incident
    resolution

24
Outcomes
Scene Management Phase
  • Outcomes
  • A unified command structure is established (if
    required)
  • An organized decision-making team with ICS is
    established
  • If not resolved, move to Executive Management
    Phase.
  • If resolved, move to Termination Phase.

25
Executive Management Phase
  • Typical duration Several hours, a week or longer

Characteristics
Size, scope and seriousness of the event is
beyond the ability of scene/field command post to
manage
26
Goal
Executive Management Phase
  • Goal

Establish a fully expanded ICS to bring about a
safe and successful resolution of the event.
27
Strategy
Executive Management Phase
  • Response strategies
  • Establish Emergency Operations Center (EOC) by
    expanding ICS
  • Establish unified command structure (if required)
  • Appointment of the IC is determined by the nature
    of incident, by the type of resources required,
    and through policy and/or legal authority.
  • Evaluate current incident action plan and update
    as appropriate
  • Support field operations
  • Review and evaluate evacuation plan

28
Outcome
Executive Management Phase
Outcome A fully expanded Incident Command System
brings about an organized team approach for the
safe and successful resolution of the event
  • When resolved, move to Termination Phase.

29
Termination Phase
  • Typical duration Accomplished over several days
    or weeks
  • Characteristics
  • Incident resolved
  • Order restored

30
Goals
Termination Phase
  • Goals
  • Ensure scene integrity
  • Bring about a smooth transition to normal
    operations
  • Improve agency responses to the next critical
    incident
  • Maintain emotional and physical well-being of the
    organization

31
Strategies
Termination Phase
  • Response strategies
  • Implement plan for returning to normal operations
  • Account for all personnel
  • Assess damage/injuries
  • Reassign personnel
  • Re-establish evacuated areas
  • Conduct debriefs and reviews
  • Conduct stress debriefing and provide counseling
  • Prepare after-action reports
  • Review policy and assess training needs
  • What happened?
  • What was our response?
  • What would we do better next time?

32
Outcomes
Termination Phase
  • Outcomes
  • Event activity and agency response is properly
    documented.
  • Information is provided that will benefit the
    profession.
  • Opportunities are provided for all personnel to
    receive assistance with any emotional and/or
    physical needs

33
Universal Game Plan
34
Seven Critical Tasks
  • Establish control and communications
  • Identify the kill/hot zone
  • Establish the inner perimeter
  • Establish the outer perimeter
  • Establish the on-scene command post
  • Establish a staging area
  • Identify and request additional resources

35
Establish Control and Communications
  • Control
  • Dont assume that you are in control or that
    others will know this. Announce that you are
    taking control.
  • Problem Assessment
  • What is the nature of the incident?
  • What is the exact location of the incident?
  • How many suspects am I dealing with?
  • What is the number and type of weapons involved?
  • What type of chemical is involved?
  • Is this a possible terrorist threat?
  • Communications
  • The 1 issue that impacts every critical
    incident.
  • Make sure communication lines are open and they
    stay open.

36
Identify the Kill/Hot Zone
  • Kill/Hot Zone - The area of imminent danger to
    responders and citizens.
  • Size of Kill/Hot Zone influenced by
  • Nature of the threat
  • Surrounding buildings and structures
  • Terrain
  • Weather conditions

37
Identify the Kill/Hot Zone
38
Establish the Inner Perimeter
  • The inner perimeter is not the Kill/Hot zone. It
    surrounds the Kill/Hot zone and thereby keeps it
    from moving or expanding.
  • The inner perimeter can be an offensive position,
    but it must afford cover, concealment, and/or
    proper safe distance for responders.
  • The inner perimeter gives you the breathing room
    you need to develop and implement more detailed
    response strategies in the scene management phase.

39
Establish the Inner Perimeter
Inner Perimeter - The area just beyond the
kill/hot zone and within which responders operate
to directly control the situation.
  • Officers A and B - First responding officers who
    answered the initial call and got pinned down by
    gunfire.
  • Cars C and D - Positioned to isolate Main Street
    between Second and Third Avenues.
  • Officers E, F, G and H - Positioned to contain
    the kill zone and possible points of egress for
    the gunman.

40
Establish the Outer Perimeter
  • The outer perimeter is not an offensive position.
  • If it becomes one, it is too close.
  • Its primary function is to control movement to
    and from the scene. Prevents gridlock caused by
  • Responders rushing to the scene
  • Media and bystanders gathering to watch
  • Actual size depends on the nature of the event.
  • During events affecting a wide area, you may not
    be able to adequately staff an outer perimeter.
  • At a minimum, set up work areas that are large
    enough to hold staging and command functions but
    small enough to control access.

41
Establish the Outer Perimeter
The outer perimeter completely encloses the inner
perimeter and provides a safe work area for
responders.
42
Establish the On-Scene Command Post
  • A command post should NOT be located within the
    line of sight of an incident.
  • This makes it easier to focus on the big picture,
    not just on one aspect of the incident.
  • If you can see armed suspects, they can see you.
  • Always consider the effects of wind when
    establishing a CP.
  • You dont want to be downwind of a chemical
    spill.
  • If tear gas is used against barricaded gunmen,
    you dont want to be suffering as much as your
    suspects.
  • Be prepared to transition to a fixed or larger
    command post once resources arrive.
  • You need a CP that allows response leaders to
    meet and make decisions.

43
Establish the On-Scene Command Post
Any command post must be conducive to
communications and decision-making. It should
minimize stress factors, such as noise, confusion
and panic, and the distracting effects they can
have on those in charge.
  • A command post (CP) should be located outside the
    kill zone but between the inner and outer
    perimeters.
  • Command posts can be mobile or fixed. Often the
    initial CP is the first supervisors vehicle, as
    shown in the example.

44
Establish a Staging Area
  • Establishing a staging area keeps your resources
    from responding directly to the kill/hot zone.
  • Keeps them safe.
  • Prevents gridlock.
  • Keep the staging area separate from the command
    post.
  • Combining the two leaders to an area that is
    crowded, noisy and hard to accessnot exactly the
    calm decision-making atmosphere we want in a
    command post.
  • Be sure to appoint a staging area supervisor.
  • Arriving resources need to be briefed.
  • The staging manager can advise when resources are
    available for deployment.

45
Establish a Staging Area
The staging area is a specific location to which
resources respond and await deployment.
The staging area should be well out of the
kill/hot zone but between the inner and outer
perimeters. It must be Large enough to
accommodate all of the responding
resources Close enough for a quick transfer to
and from the scene Parking lots and blocked-off
streets are optimum locations.
46
Identify and Request Additional Resources
  • The last task discussed but not the last task to
    do.
  • The sooner you identify and request resources,
    the sooner theyll be ready for deployment.
  • Be proactive. Dont just request what you need
    right now think about what you might need later.
  • Always request EMS support.
  • Critical incidents by their very nature pose a
    threat to lives.
  • EMS personnel should be standing by in the
    staging area for every critical incident.

Dont just think of the Fire Service for scenes
involving flames or hazardous materials.
  • Specialized equipment such as tear gas and
    distraction devices can create fire hazards.
  • Fire trucks have tools and equipment not readily
    available in law enforcement vehicles.

47
Identify and Request Additional Resources
  • Other Considerations
  • Personnel - Who has special skills, such as
  • Special skills and experience
  • Advance first aid experience
  • Media experience
  • Equipment
  • Whats available through the agency?
  • Whats available through the community?
  • What are some possible sources of unofficial
    resources?
  • Other sources
  • Utility companies (Power, Telephone,
    Cable/Satellite TV)
  • Media
  • Be prepared to improvise
  • The date and time of the incident may have an
    impact.
  • An unofficial resource might be more readily
    available. Going through normal channels may take
    too much time.

48
Exercise
Practical
  • Response to Critical Incidents

49
ALLEY
ALLEY
ALLEY
7-11 Store
FOURTH STREET
550
Doughnut Heaven
410
GREEN STREET
Gas For Less
Adult Book Store
Laundrymat
SCHOOL
ALLEY
Utility Poles
Parked Cars
Bushes
Sidewalk
Fence
50
Summary
  • Critical incidents have common characteristics.
    We can use a universal game plan.
  • The universal game plan uses the Seven Critical
    Tasks.
  • Learn and use the ICS.
  • Develop a respect for Hazmat.
  • Take care of your people.
  • Develop, assess, revise, and train your plans.

51
Training Objectives
  • Recall the most common characteristics of a
    critical incident response.
  • Analyze the difference between uncontrollable and
    controllable incident factors.
  • Generalize the main characteristics of each
    incident response phase.
  • Develop the appropriate strategies for each
    incident phase.

52
Training Objectives
  • Evaluate the value of tactical leadership in the
    crisis phase.
  • Appraise the value of a universal game plan for
    a crisis response.
  • Describe each of the Seven Critical Tasks.
  • Given a critical incident in a practical setting,
    develop a response strategy and assemble a list
    of resources that your agency can bring to bear
    on a critical incident.
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