The Incident Management Team (IMT) – A new perspective

This blog summarizes our previous six-part blog series on Incident Management Teams. Active Shooter 360 will reexamine IMT functions by addressing new perceptions to give you a clearer IMT picture.

Incident Commander:

Incident Commanders stay at a command post and run the show; when commanders float around, teams have trouble finding them. The idea that senior managers/administrators are the equivalent of crisis Incident Commanders is not always realistic. Leading and managing day-to-day operations may not provide the skillset for leading an IMT. This means the Incident Commander position is often not equivalent with one’s rank in the hierarchy. Select Incident Commanders based on their background and experience, ensure they are trained, and challenge them with periodic exercises.  By the way, you need at least two Incident Commanders on each shift to ensure coverage. 

Operations:

Operations functions are misunderstood because practitioners think their normal operational performance somehow translates into crisis operations proficiency. Crisis operations are beyond the pale of everyday experience because you get hit with an unexpected surprise that may render your infrastructure unsafe or untenable. The roof is leaking or gone, there is no electricity for air conditioning or critical equipment, people smell chemicals, and the toilets don’t flush. Do your homework by studying reports and listening to California fire stories or Florida hurricane stories where recovery Operations were a demanding function for months or years.

Logistics:

Your just-in-time supply chain works well almost all the time. But remember that a crisis incident is when you run out of stuff; we mean resources such as people, supplies, and equipment. The Logistics Chief orders resources far beyond the usual supplies. Logistics needs include equipment, vehicles, materials, fuel, generators, food/water, temporary housing, communications, relief people, and the list goes on. Never forget that Command, Operations, and Planning capabilities rapidly degrade in a logistics-scarce environment.

Planning:

Organizations usually have a daily plan and a big binder with long-term strategic plans. However, crisis events require on the fly plans. The IMT Planning Chief begins with the Incident Commander’s verbal incident action plan that soon morphs into a series of formal Incident Action Plans developed in an information-scarce and rumor-infested environment. The Planning Chief must assign and track resources (from Logistics), utilize technical advisors, keep the IMT appraised about the changing situation, and conduct planning briefings during long term events.

Safety:

A disaster or crisis is a dangerous environment that may cause injury or death. That’s why the IMT needs a certified Safety Officer with the sole responsibility of monitoring all operations to ensure that safety is a key part of the Incident Action Plan. Most important, the Safety Officer must have the authority to suspend and modify unsafe activities. Safety responsibilities include mandating personal protective equipment for addressing hazards such as respiratory, ballistic, or biological threats. In addition, the safety officer may need assistance from outside specialists such as industrial hygienists.

Key Takeaway:

Revisit your perceptions about IMT functions. Select the right people, train them, and exercise them at least quarterly (more is better). Remember that a proficient IMT may reduce property loss, death, or injury.

What are your thoughts?

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About Hank Christen

Dr. Hank Christen was an Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief, Emergency Manager, and Director of Emergency Services for Okaloosa County, Florida. He has responded to multiple disasters in his career and was the Incident Commander for Hurricane Erin, Opal, Earl, and Georges, and responded to Hurricane Andrew (Miami), and Hurricane Marilyn (U.S. Virgin Islands). He co-authored eight books on crisis management and the incident command system in the disaster response field. Dr. Christen has served on a team that evaluated a biological non-traditional syndromic surveillance program during the 2000 George Bush Presidential Inauguration. Dr. Christen has also responded with a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-1 DMAT) to the 2001 World Trade Center Attack, and served as team commander during the team’s deployment to the Atlanta Olympic Bombing. Additionally. Dr. Christen has served on a panel that evaluated the medical response to the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2014. Dr. Hank Christen EdD currently is responsible for developing curriculum, technical writing, and instructing courses with Active Shooter 360, LLC. The materials developed and taught by Dr. Christen include Active Shooter Awareness, Threat Intervention Practices, Incident Command System (ICS), Crisis Decision Making, and Emergency Operations Planning.

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