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The National Fire Incident Management System
Consortium is an organization of fire service professionals whose goal was to merge the
two most popular incident command systems used by the American fire service into a single
common system. These two systems are the Fire Ground Command System, developed by the
Phoenix, Arizona, Fire Department, and the Incident Command System, developed in
California by the FIRESCOPE program.
This
effort involved the participation of 23 major fire service organizations, including
FIRESCOPE, Phoenix Fire Department, National Fire Academy, International Association of
Fire Chiefs, The International Society of Fire Services Instructors, the Emergency
Management Institute, IFSTA/Fire Protection Publications, among others. (See Appendix A).
The
merger was achieved through a consensus process representing the American fire service.
Background
As previously noted, the two most popular fire service
incident command systems were the Fire Ground Command (FGC) system and the Incident
Command System (ICS). Both were developed in the early 70’s. Fire Chief Alan
Brunacini developed the Fire Ground Command System in Phoenix, Arizona. The system
emphasized structural fire application and other urban related emergencies such as
hazardous materials, mass casualty, etc.
The
National Fire Protection Association adopted Fire Ground Command and published several
related training materials. These included the textbook “Fire Ground Command”
authored by Chief Brunacini, as well as video and slide training programs. In addition,
Chief Brunacini had taught a very popular multi-day FGC workshop for many years throughout
the country.
The
FIRESCOPE Incident Command System was developed in Southern California as a result of the
catastrophic wildland fire siege of 1970. From the very beginning, the major fire
departments in California committed to the concept realized that ICS must be used on a
daily basis to be successful. Further, that it must be all risk in nature, expandable to
meet every type of incident complexity, and have common components so that agencies could
work together effectively. The system has proven very successful in managing the
day-to-day incidents as well as the largest of resources that respond to major incidents.
As a result, many urban fire departments nationwide began to apply the system to
structural fires and other urban emergencies. ICS was adopted by National Fire Academy in
1982 for its incident command training programs.
Throughout
the 1980’s, fire service leaders debated the benefits of each system and the
possibilities of merging the best components of the two into a single system. During the
1989 International Association of Fire Chiefs annual conference in Indianapolis, a panel
discussion was conducted on the merger possibilities. Based on comments from the audience,
there appeared to be strong support for a merger.
Progress
In July 1990, the Phoenix Fire Department hosted the
first of a series of AdHoc Committee meetings with Phoenix and FIRESCOPE representatives,
with staff assistance from the National Fire Academy. Additional AdHoc committee meetings
were held at the National Fire Academy (September 1990) and Sacramento, California
(January 1991). A groundbreaking meeting between the AdHoc committee and the FIRESCOPE
board of directors occurred in Chesterfield, Virginia in August 1991. As additional
meetings occurred, more and more fire service organizations participated, thus increasing
representation.
During
the August 1991 meeting in Chesterfield, Virginia, the AdHoc Committee was re-organized
into a more formalized organization. The organization selected the title “National
Fire Service Incident Management System Consortium” to better describe the
organization’s mission. An organizational chairperson was elected and committee
chairpersons were assigned to three working committees.
During
the February 1993 meeting in Houston, Texas, the Consortium made some adjustments in the
organization structure and officers and completed its Constitution and By-Laws and
initiated the process of incorporation. Also at the Houston Meeting, the Consortium
completed the successful merger of ICS and FGC. The title “Incident Management System
(IMS)” was chosen to identify the merger. Shortly thereafter, the incorporation was
complete. The Consortium is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in the
State of Texas.
Accomplishments
The Consortium has successfully merged the Incident
Command System’s organizational design and structure with the tactical and procedural
components of Fire Ground Command. They have incorporated these elements in several
documents titled “Model Procedures Guides”. Fire Protection Publications of
Stillwater, Oklahoma publishes and distributed the guides. To obtain model procedure
guides, call Fire Protection Publications at 1-800-654-4055 or go to www.ifsta.org. The various guides include:
The
Consortium policy is to schedule revisions and updates every five years using a public
comment period. This will ensure the “system” remains current to the “users”
needs and experience.
The
objective of the model procedure guides is to provide fire departments an example of a
procedure that will aid in the adoption and implementation of IMS. The model procedures
reflect a natural escalation of the “system” from first arriving units to a
major command organization. The guide’s focus is on organization design for the first
25 companies on scene.
The
merger includes the strength of ICS for incident management and the simplicity of FGC for
ease of application. There is a strong integration of strategy and tactics in the model
procedures. The new system will permit early implementation of command and smooth
escalation of the command organization to meet the needs of a major incident or disaster.
The
Consortium has also adopted a 13-step decision procedure to use for developing and
revising changes in IMS. Key points of the procedure include two separate 120-day public
comment periods and an automatic review of all published model procedures every five
years.
Consortium
members also assisted the National Fire Academy in integrating appropriate IMS Model
Procedure Guide material into NFA’s incident command training curriculums. That
integration is complete and reflected in NFA’s training documents.
The
Consortium co-sponsored with the Phoenix Fire Department starting in 1992 the first of a
series of national seminars, held in Phoenix each year, dedicated to incident management
systems. This effort has now been assumed by the Phoenix Fire Department and is
co-sponsored by the Fire Engineering/FDIC.
Future Work
The
Consortium is committed to continuing its efforts to maintain, refine, and develop model
procedures relating to IMS. Revision of existing procedures will continue on the 5-year
cycle. New model procedures are considered when a need it identified. The Consortium
remains strong supporter for the adoption of the Incident Management System by fire
departments.
APPENDIX A
National Fire Service Incident Management System Consortium
Charter Member Organizations
California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Channel
Industries Mutual Aid Organization
Emergency
Management Institute
Fire
Ground Command
FIRESCOPE
International
Association of Fire Chiefs
International
Association of Fire Fighters
International
Fire Service Training Association
International
Society of Fire Service Instructors
National
Advisory Committee on Integrated Emergency
Management
System
National
Fire Academy
National
Fire Protection Association
National
Volunteer Fire Council
National
Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)
Bureau of Indian
Affairs
Bureau of Land
Management
National
Association of State Foresters
National Park
Service
U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest
Service
Society
of National Fire Academy Instructors
U.S.
Fire Administration
Women
in the Fire Service
Other Participating Organizations
Federal
Emergency Management Agency
U.
S. Coast Guard
U.
S. Department of Energy
Oklahoma
State University Fire Protection Publications
Volunteer
Fireman’s Insurance Services
California
Office of Emergency Services
California
State Fireman’s Association
FDNY
United
States Department of Transportation
Maryland
Fire & Rescue Institute
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