

The timing of Assigning a Safety Officer is dependant on a number of factors: including span of control, complexity and nature of the incident, and available personnel. The Safety Officer should be qualified and knowledgeable in firefighting tactics, structural integrity and well versed with Department Guidelines, Policies & Procedures

Swimming pools, open excavations, downed power lines, elevation changes, blocked egress points, significant changes in fire dynamics, traffic & indications of illicit and illegal activity or any other hazard to personnel.Īt large scale & complex incidents, Assistant Safety Officers may be assigned to assist the ISO. Will continuously walking the scene, the Safety Officer will note and identify life safety hazards including but not limited to: Prevent injury and loss of life through risk management and hazard reduction May stop activity if personnel are in imminent danger. Monitoring safety conditions and develops measures for ensuring the safety of all assigned personnel.Ĭorrects unsafe situations via the chain of command.
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This authority is clearly stated in national standards, including NFPA 1521 “Standard for Fire Dept Safety Officer Professional Qualifications.” General Safety Officer Duties Include: The Safety Officer is an advisor to the incident commander but has the authority to stop or suspend operations when unsafe situations occur.
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While the IC has the overall responsibility for the safety of the responders, the ISO has the direct responsibility to focus on the safety aspects of the incident. This position is a member of the ICS organization’s command staff. To help minimize the risk to responders, one of the ways the Incident Command System (ICS) provides for responder safety is by giving the Incident Commander (IC) the ability to appoint and use a Safety Officer. Incident safety should be a primary concern of all those who respond to the aid of the community or jurisdiction they serve. These functions are performed by the Incident Commander until the Span of Control or Incident Nature dictate they be delegated.īy nature of the duties they perform, emergency responders are at risk of death, injury or illness. Units within the Finance/Administration Section include: Time Unit, Procurement Unit, Compensation/Claims Unit and Cost Unit Command Staff FunctionsĬommand Staff Positions include Safety Officer, Liaison Officer & Information Officer. The Finance/Administration Section is responsible for the accounting and financial aspects of an incident, as well as any legal issues that may arise.

Units within the Planning Section include: Resources Unit, Situation Unit, Documentation Unit, Demobilization Unit and Technical Specialists This Section reports directly to the Incident Commander. The Planning Section is responsible for the collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information relevant to the incident. Note – Staging reports to Operations when established if not, Staging will report to Command All tactical positions and operations report through the Operations Section Chief. This section carries out tactical goals identified by the Incident Commander including fighting the fire, performing rescues, treating patients, and other tasks to deal with the emergency. The Operations Section is responsible for all tactical operations at the incident. When an incident is too large or too complex for just one person to manage effectively, the Incident Commander may appoint General Staff Positions, called Section Chiefs, to oversee major components of the Operation.

These features and positions of ICS are explained in more detail. modular organization (can be easily expanded or contracted as needed).The ICS is a usable, adaptable and well-tested approach to emergency management, that is used by government, first responder agencies and industry. The ICS is used to manage an incident or a non-emergency event and can be used equally well for both small and large situations. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized on-site management system designed to enable effective, efficient incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure. Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC)
