Wildfire Management
Instructions:
Resource: Incident Command System (ICS) website
https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.b
Create a FEMA Student Identification Number.
Complete the ICS-100 course and take the 25 question exam. You must achieve a minimum of 75% on the exam.
Write a 350- to 700-word incident action plan for the following scenario:
A major wildfire continues to grow. As the incident commander answer the following:
• Who needs to be notified?
• What needs to be done?
• Who is responsible for doing it?
• How do we communicate with each other?
• What is the procedure if someone is injured?
Solution
Wildfire Management
Introduction
In every calamity related situation, it is necessary for mitigation and response to work hand in hand for a solution to be found. The two aspects of disaster management are essential in the preparation of preparedness strategies. As the two aspects of disaster management work together, the transition between mitigation and response becomes easier due to the understanding developed by the relationship between the two aspects. Apart from mitigation and response, critical information identified in the solving of a calamity can also aid in finding the required solution. The Critical information is needed in order to find out ways of helping new members that are not familiar with the ways of the affected community.
Role of Incident Commander
As the incident commander, the responsibility of handling the wildfire is fundamental in suiting the needs of the community. He/she should lead the members of the community in lessons that are aimed at awakening their sense of safety in such situations (Bigley, 2001). He/she also needs to make sure that the members of the community are provided with the tools necessary to face such situations. Therefore, the response of the community members totally depends on the capabilities and leadership of the incident commander.
In the case of a wildfire, the first person that needs to be notified is the coordinator of emergency services in the ICS department. It is important to let him know the happenings as they occur so as to enable him/her arrange on how to organize the emergency response team (Donovan, 2005). Apart from the emergency services coordinator, the evacuees of the affected locations should be informed next and relevant instructions given to them accordingly. Procedures involved in this dissemination of information are mainly aimed at keeping the evacuees calm at the time the wildfire is approaching. They will also be more cooperative if they are calm in the terrifying situation.
The first thing that needs to be done after the dissemination of information is the evacuation process. Areas affected by the wildfire should be evacuated as soon as possible to avoid any calamities. As the residents are being evacuated, the rescue teams should come to the affected venues with first aid kits and other medical relief equipment to help some of the evacuees that have been affected by the smoke from the wildfire (Hammer, 2008). Medical camps should also be placed strategically near the evacuees but away from the wildfire to help the rescue teams manage the injured evacuees.
Involvement of Parties
The main parties responsible for solving the problem include the EMC, the police department, the fire department, the Mayor’s office, the incident public information officers, the public works department and the dispatch team. All these departments are involved in the organization of the rescue services. They need to obviously follow protocol in the delivery of their services and these protocols are stipulated within the county’s laws and regulations (Zane, 2004). As long as they follow the procedures set out for them, their rescue mission will be successful. Their rescue procedures are however designed in such a way that they do not involve the induction of panic into any of the evacuees or the rescue team members.
Communication
The communication channels between the involved departments are mostly radio based. The groups involved in the rescue mission are divided into different groups that are fairly distant from each other. The radio signal transmissions are only available within a certain range thus information from one group/division moves to another in an established chain of communication. Information in the furthest located group is transmitted through other groups within the radio transmission line (Zane, 2004). The communication process is also structured in such a way that event are periodically reported on the transmission line as they happen. The instructions that each department is given in handling their situation is also given through the communication channel. There are also intervals in which the events are reported. As they are communicated systematically, actions and responses are done accordingly within the capabilities of the team involved in each circumstance.
Handling of Injuries
If someone is injured, he/she is cared for by paramedics who arrive at designated points of rescue near the wildfire. They come with medical supplies necessary for the anticipated number of injured people (Thomas, 2005). They are also arranged in tents where the health services are administered to the injured people. As they are being treated, the medicals supplies are restocked when they get depleted. Diagnosis of their conditions are done at first and the necessary steps taken in helping them recuperate. Once they have been given their treatment, they are advised on what to do to keep themselves stable by the paramedics. They are then discharged and other injured people are allowed to come in.
Conclusion
Running a rescue procedure is quite tasking due to the
several departments involved in making the procedures successful. The
coordination required among the parties involved need to be top notch and
favorable to any person involved in the calamity. As long as the stipulated
procedures are followed strictly, handling the disaster becomes easier for
everyone and the matter is solved soon.
References
Bigley, G. A. (2001). The incident command system: High-reliability organizing for complex and volatile task environments. Academy of Management Journal, 44(6), 1281-1299.
Donovan, G. H. (2005). An alternative incentive structure for wildfire management on national forest land. Forest Science, 51(5), 387-395.
Hammer, R. B. (2008). Demographic trends, the wildland–urban interface, and wildfire management. Society and Natural Resources, 22(8), 777-782.
Thomas,T. L. (205). The incident command system in disasters: evaluation methods for a hospital-based exercise. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 20(1), 14-23.
Zane, R. D. (2004). Implementing the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System: an integrated delivery system’s experience. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 19(4), 311-317.
