FireNuggets, Inc
Accountability Issues
As a foundation of safe fireground operations, a
strong accountability system based on solid
SOP’s being followed by solid and disciplined
Officers and firefighters is the rock on which the
Incident Commander builds his organization.
This month, I will use a couple of slides from my
Accountability class to drive this point home.
The slide below depicts a sort of flow chart that
shows how the Command Post must be the
organizational manifold through which all orders
and directives flow. Notice that from arrival
through to release, which incudes the three
operational statuses (staged, operating, and
rehab) no company should change that status
without first going through the Command Post.
This is best done fac e-to-face, but may be done
via radio ONLY if authorized by the Incident
By Firefighters, For Firefighters
May 2017
Commander. The key point to be made here is
that there are no arrows running between any
of the operational status locations. So, going
from staged to operating, operating to rehab, or
rehab to staging cannot be done without first
following the arrows to the Command Post.
Anything else is an example of freelancing.
Don’t let your fireground look like anything
different or you will be wondering where
everyone is and what they are doing.
Think of it this way: Whatever you think is the
right thing is the wrong thing if it does not go
through the Command Post. Easy enough??
The next slide is the Company Officer’s
responsibility in accountability. Notice the
emphasis on “No Independent Action Ever”.
That is because the only way Command can
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