Incident Management Skills

Incident Management Skills concentrates on the personal strengths and skills of the Incident Controller.  It reinforces the concept, outlined in learning manual 4.03, Operational Management, that the fire or emergency response officer is in the management business, whether administratively or operationally.  The tasks that a business manager performs:

 Planning

Organising                Directing

Delegating

Communicating                   Coordinating

Evaluating

 are also applied by the effective Incident Controller at the incident ground.

 This manual examines the role of the Incident Manager under the headings of:

·         Managerial skills

·         Delegation

·         Financial management

·         Decision making

·         Liaison procedures

·         Stress management

·         Critical incident stress.

Relationship to competency standards

 The training module, Incident Management Skills is linked to the Australian Fire Competency Standards 1994, specifically: Level 5, Unit 3 Command/Control a Major Incident.

 Recognition of prior learning

 If you wish to gain recognition for completing the training module, Incident Management Skills, you must answer the following questions:

 Should I have completed anything before attempting the training module?

For this training module you need to have achieved a credit for the following Modules:

·      3.04 Fireground Operations

·      4.03 Operational Management

·      4.04 Incident Control System-Agency Specific

·      or their equivalents.

What do I do if I already feel competent in this area?

If you feel that you have completed the appropriate training and experience, and think that you have the required skills/competencies outlined in the training module, see your training officer.  You may be granted credit.

To be granted credit, what do I need to do?

·      show your skills and knowledge by demonstrating what you can do

·      talk with your training officer

·      produce certificates for courses you have completed successfully.

 Learning outcomes

This manual is based on the Advanced Diploma of Firefighting (Management), 1995, Module 5.04 Incident Management Skills.

The learning outcomes of Module 5.04 are:

·      identify and demonstrate the managerial skills required of an Incident Controller

·      describe and demonstrate the delegation of responsibilities and coordination of staff for a given scenario

·      outline and apply a system of financial management and accountability for a given scenario

·      demonstrate problem solving skills for a given scenario

·      describe and apply appropriate liaison procedures for a given scenario

·      describe techniques for managing personal stress during an incident

·      describe the symptoms of critical incident stress and, for a given scenario, apply the appropriate preventative/remedial actions.

The course module and unit of competency are both Commonwealth of Australia copyright.