C4 Risk Management Group Ltd

COORDINATED INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

Unit Standard 6523

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Respond to Emergencies and critical incidents as a security officer

Introduction

This study guide is designed to prepare you for assessment against NZQA Unit Standard 6523 Respond to emergencies & critical situations as a security officer.

This Unit Standard is a compulsory requirement of the National Certificate in Security Level 3 and 4.

This is a knowledge based module with a practical component and can be achieved by completing the following distance learning modules.

1. Introduction to CIMS2. Bomb Threats3. White Powder Threats4. Fire5. Natural Hazards 6. SMEAC7. Evacuations8. Practical Assessment

Trainer/Assessor

Your trainer and assessor will issue you this module and give a time frame for it to be completed by.

If you have any questions at any time you can contact your assessor at any time. Once you have completed this module your assessor will discuss this it with you to ensure your knowledge is sufficient to pass assessment.

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References

The following references may assist you in gaining further knowledge on this subject.

Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002

The New Zealand Coordinated Incident Management System

Recommended Study Technique

1. Browse or read through this workbook to get the general idea of what it is about.

2. Study each section and complete the Self Assessments at the end of the workbook.

3. Complete the activities indicated at the end of this workbook and hand the evidence to your assessor for marking.

4. You will be advised of any areas that you may require further evidence on5. You will be advised when you have successfully completed this unit

standard.

Note: This module is an introduction to CIMS. Unit Standard 17279 Demonstrate knowledge of the coordinated incident management system (CIMS) is a larger module and forms part of the Senior Security Officer and Team Leader strands available as part of the National Certificate in Security Level 4. Talk to your trainer/assessor if you wish to progress to this unit standard.

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Coordinated Incident Management

Introduction

Every year the New Zealand government spends almost $3 billion on responding to emergencies across the country. These emergencies include fires, vehicle accidents, flood, storms as well as earthquakes and pandemics.

The response to these emergencies is conducted by a number of different agencies, from fire, police, ambulance, civil defence, department of conservation, health and many others. An uncoordinated response system can affect the effectiveness and efficiency of the response. It also increases the cost of the response significantly.

When various emergency service groups come together there are a lot of common areas where they work together but there are also some problem areas. For instance each emergency service uses terminology, codes or jargon that is not understood by the other groups. Sometimes they way the agencies responded were different than the others.

Internationally, coordinated incident management systems had been started, particularly in the United States as well as Australia.

In 1997 the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) was commenced in NZ. The mission statement of the NZ CIMS project was determined as ‘Safer communities through integrated emergency management’.

The CIMS model is now fully integrated into the planning and response to emergencies in NZ and is well known to emergency services as well as many members of the public volunteer system.

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When is CIMS used?

CIMS is used every day when police, fire and ambulance attend incident such as vehicle accidents and has been used in the nationwide response to the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ pandemic. However it is also used at incident and events such as;

Search and rescue operations

Whale & Dolphin strandings

Sports events such as rugby, soccer games

Health emergencies

Vehicle accidents

Fire emergencies

Civil defence emergencies

Hazardous substance incidents

Maritime incidents

Security officer’s roles in a CIMS incident or event

Many security officers currently operate under a CIMS model operation. As an example every NCP rugby game or international sports game has been planned using the CIMS model. CIMS is also becoming the primary model on which all site security is based. Many large sites such as power stations, mines, ports etc already use CIMS as their model for planning responses to emergencies.

Security officers are also often part of the emergency response teams that have to evacuate buildings and sites. A basic understanding of CIMS will assist the security officer to understand the response process and be an effective member of the team.

CIMS elements

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There are a number of principle elements to the CIMS model, they are;

Common terminology

Responding agencies should use terminology that is understood by everyone. This prevents confusion and the possibility of misunderstandings which may affect the safety of some one of the objective of the operation.

Modular organization

This means that the responding group of emergency service agencies can be a small single unit group or it can grow to become a multi layered organization. Then as the incident dies down it can become smaller again as modules are closed down or sent home.

Integrated communications

A common communications plan is better than each group using their own. Ideally everyone is able to communicate on a radio channel or everyone has all the cell phone numbers of each other group.

Consolidated Incident Action Plans

These days emergency services sit down together and draw up a combined plan on how they will respond to incidents. This is better than the old system of each agency having their own plan.

Manageable span of control

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This means having only a handful of people reporting to one incident controller. The ideal span of control or number of people or groups reporting to one person is between 3 and 5. This is far more effective than having 10 or more people reporting.

Designated incident facilities

A CIMS run emergency response has a number of facilities. These are common sense things like an incident control point and assembly areas. However CIMS states what they are and sets their common name so everyone knows what it is.

Resource management

It is important at an emergency to manage the resources needed for a response. The most effective way is to have someone manage the resources available so they are not wasted or sent to the wrong place.

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The CIMS Structure

The CIMS structure is simple and not much different at all from previous police, military and fire service.

The following diagram shows the positions and indicates what each person is doing. The combined group is called the Incident Management Team (IMT) and they have the responsibility of managing the entire incident.

CIMS operations also include a safety officer, and staff that liaison with other groups as well as the media.

Incident controller

This person is responsible for the overall direction and coordination of the response to an incident.

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INCIDENT CONTROLLER

PLANNING/INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS LOGISTICS

Operations

The operations manager is responsible for carrying out the activities required to conduct the response.

Planning & Intelligence

At larger incidents there is a planning and intelligence manager or team. Their job is to gather information and assess how it might affect an operation. An example of this might be the number of hospital beds required and those that are available, or it may be that the weather is getting worse overnight and this will have an effect on the staff.

Logistics

This manager or section is responsible for obtaining the resources that are required for the operations manager to carry out the response activities. This will include getting the right agencies involved, people with the right skill, the equipment, meals, clothing, portable toilets etc.

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Incident facilities

A CIMS model has a number of designated incident facilities and names for these facilities. The following are the main facilities;

Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)

The EOC is normally an established facility at council level and is operated when major incidents are being responded to by emergency services. They act in a support role to the incident controller.

Incident Control Point (ICP)

The incident controller and the IMT are based at the ICP. This is where they run the incident response from. At times the ICP can be located at the EOC.

Assembly Area (AA)

All vehicles and staff attending a major event or emergency first go to the assembly area. This is more preferable than having everyone turn up and get too close to the emergency. The AA may be a large car park, school ground or just an area of roadway.

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Staging Areas (SA) & Safe Forward Point (SFP)

Staging areas are secure places where staff and resources are gathered before heading towards the dangerous area.

A Safe Forward Point is a safe area close to the event or emergency from where the operational emergency staff can enter the danger zone.

Helipad (HP)

This is a safe place where a helicopter can land near the emergency. Ideally it is a large grassed area like a field but at times it can be the road, a paddock or the beach.

Cordons, Road blocks & Checkpoints

Cordons help keep unwanted people out of areas. The inner cordon surrounds the emergency site or danger zone. The outer cordon keeps the public out. Within these two cordons the emergency service groups can get on with their work.

Road blocks are locations where the road is blocked from all access. Checkpoints are strategic entry and exit locations to allow traffic into and out of an emergency area.

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Coordinated Incident Management Name…………..………………..

Question 1 What is the acronym for the coordinated incident management system?a. COMSb. CIMSc. CIIMSd. CAMS

Question 2 What year was CIMS started in New Zealand?a. 1997b. 2007c. 1957d. 1977

Question 3 At which of the following events would the CIMS model be used;a. NPC Rugby b. Americas Cup c. Firesd. Natural disasters

Question 4 The person in charge of the Incident Management Team is known as the;a. Incident managerb. Senior police officerc. Resources managerd. Incident controller

Question 5 After an earthquake at a beach you should;a. head for the hillsb. watch the big waves come inc. get back to your sun bathingd. swim to help you relax

Question 6 When a storm warning is issued you should;a. Pick up debris from around your houseb. Bring rubbish bins indoorsc. Bring pets insided. Listen to the radio

Question 7 The acronym ICP stands for;a. Incident control pointb. Incident command pointc. Incident control placed. Incidental control point

Question 8Which statement best describes what happens at the ICP;a. The IMT coordinate the responseb. Lunch is served herec. Management meetings with mediad. All emergency staff meet here

Question 9 A checkpoint is where;a. Anyone can go through b. Authorised traffic only can move throughc. Names are taken d. People can enter but cannot leave

Question 10 What does an inner cordon do;a. Stops media getting to the fireb. Stops police getting to the crime scenec. Stops injured people getting outd. Seals off the danger zone except for emergency staff

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