Drill Of The Week: First-Due Company Assignments – The Incident Commander

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The Incident Commander (IC) is responsible for all facets of an emergency operation. Some departments will have the first arriving company assume IC role while others have a dedicated or assigned IC (Battalion Chief) as part of every response. Regardless of who the IC is, the responsibility for the entire operation lies with him. The determination of initial incident actions and strategy are one of the first duties to be performed. Crew safety and integrity are the key determining factors in each decision that is made. IC will have three typical command modes, each which has distinct locations of IC as well as functions that are performed:

• Nothing Showing
  • Investigate situation
  • Hold/Slow other companies
• Fast Attack
  • Command on the move with crews
  • Pass Command to next in after their arrival
• Command Mode
  • Assume Command position at vantage point

Using the sample incident for this drill, review the IC responsibility questions according to your department procedures and incorporate any mutual aid box alarm system (MABAS) or mutual aid level procedures that will apply to this incident.

Find the incident sample for this drill at FriefighterCloseCalls.com.