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TOPIC: Incident Command Summary: Number of pages:9Academic level:University, Bachelor'sReferencing style:HarvardClient country:Australia (UK English)Assignment extract: BACKGROUNDEarly on Sunday 11 December 2005, a series of explosions and subsequent fire destroyed large parts of the Buncefield oil storage and transfer depot , Hemel Hempstead ,and caused widespread damage to neighbouring properties . The main explosion took place at 06.01:32 hours and was of massive proportion. It was followed by a large fire that engulfed 23 large storage tanks over a high proportion of the Buncefield site . The incident injured 43 people . Fortunately , no one was seriously hurt and there were no fatalities . Nevertheless, there was significant damage to both commercial and residential properties near the Buncefield site . About 2000 people had be evacuated from their homes and sections of the M1 motorway were closed . The fire burned for five days , destroying most of the site and emitting a large plume of smoke into the atmosphere that dispersed over southern England and beyond .CONSTRUCT A REPORTWHICH YOU WOULD PRESENT TO A MULTI AGENCY DEBRIEF MEETING. YOUR ASSIGNMENT SHOULD COVER THE FOLLOWING : 1 – The reasons as to why an effective incident command system for large scale incidents such as Buncefield needs to be established. 2 – What various levels of command are needed to deal effectively with large scale incidents ?3- Discuss an appropriate dynamic risk assessment that would have been implemented at the scene and structure an effective action plan .4- Identify and evaluate the roles and responsibilities of various public agencies that would have been involved at Buncefield . 5- Evaluate the need for effective liaison with media and other agencies during major incidents. Discuss how information would have been communicated and managed during the incident and analyse what prudent decision would have been taken during the incident. A REPORT ON INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEMS IN RELATION TO THE BUNCEFIELD DISASTER Submitted to (INSTRUCTOR’S NAME) (INSTITUTION NAME) (ADDRESS) February 15th, 2010 By (STUDENT NAME) (INSTITUTION NAME) TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents……………………………………………………………………2Abstract…………………………………………………………………..3-4Introduction:  The Reasons For The Establishment Of An Effective Incident Command System For Large Scale Incidents Such As Buncefield…………………5 The Various Levels Of Command Needed To Effectively Deal With Large Scale Incidents……………………………………………………..8 The Role Of Public Agencies In Disasters Such As Buncefield………..11 An Appropriate Dynamic Risk Assessment That Would Have Been Implemented At The Scene And Structure An Effective Action Plan….14 The Need For Effective Liaison With Media And Other Agencies During Major Incidents The Need For Effective Liaison With Media And Other Agencies During Major Incidents Conclusion References   Introduction An Incident Command System (ICS) refers to a systematic instrument used for the command, coordination and control of disaster response (Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations, 2006). ICS makes it easier for emergency services to work collectively with the use of operating procedures and common terminology controlling facilities, personnel, communications and equipment at a single incident or disaster scene. It allows for a consistent response to virtually any incident through the use of a common organizational structure which can be contracted and expanded in a coherent manner according to the level of the needed response (Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations, 2006). Incident Command Systems have been used by many emergency services such as fire services which make use of this systematic method of breaking down an incident into its constituent parts. In fact, several fire services have used ICS which is used all over the U S by fire services, counties and cities (Dispatch Magazine Online, 2007). The Reasons For The Establishment Of An Effective Incident Command System For Large Scale Incidents Such As Buncefield ICS is a very important method of dealing with incidents, accidents and disasters with a success rate in several types of incidents. ICS as a system as been developed to be organizationally flexible and interdisciplinary in nature. According to dispatch Online Magazine (2007), ICS has proven efficient for reacting forms of incidents such as natural hazards, HAZMAT (hazardous materials) incidents; fires; planned events such as concerts; and so on. It would thus have been very suitable for the Buncefield incident. The benefits obtained from ICS are immense. As the National Response Team (2003) explain, the way in which ICS has been effectively structured, agencies benefit severally. For one, ICS helps remove duplicative efforts. This is due to the command structure in place whereby there are several levels of command, one command post at each level and each level has clear functions. ICS allows emergency responders to create and execute one combine IAP (Incident Action Plan). The ICS structure spells out the functions and responsibilities lessening the likely conflicts that may arise as well as enhancing the flow of information among all agencies that are taking part. Furthermore, ICS makes use of a common response culture and language which helps optimize combined efforts. It enables the collective approval of planning, logistics, operations and finance activities. It promotes a cooperative response environment therefore time is saved. Further to that, integral to ICS is the use of shared facilities amongst various levels and agencies and this significantly lessens emergency response costs (The National Response Team, 2003). Personnel from several agencies meld into a common management structure thus creating a type of unified group. This is also highly beneficial with regards to minimizing breakdowns in communication and maximizing overall effectiveness. According to Marx (2009), there are so many different reasons why developing an effective ICS system would have been beneficial for a large scale disaster such as the Buncefield incident. One such benefit he identified is that it contributes to the total utilization of resources.  This is because of how the system is designed whereby there is a continual maintenance of a controllable span of control; it has an integrated communications system; appropriate incident control facilities and locations are identified from the onset; and there is proper execution of efficient resource management protocols (Marx, 2009). All these features give the system a holistic nature that ensures it functions optimally. Lastly, and very importantly, ICS is useful for dealing with incidents of any size or type (The National Response Team, 2003). Therefore, whether it’s an earthquake such as the recent Haiti earthquake or a nuclear accident such as Chernobyl, ICS is still applicable. Evidently, it would have been similarly applicable for the Buncefield incident. The Various Levels of Command Needed To Effectively Deal With Large Scale Incidents One of the benefits of ICS is the lack of duplication of functions due to the command structure that is in place unity in command. According to FEMA (2007), in terms of the levels of command, the ICS structural organization is arranged from the top down thus: command> operations> planning> logistics> finance/ administration. Duties and performance start with the Incident Commander (IC). The responsibility of the IC is to supervise the overall management of the incident in question. The IC is chosen according to their experience and qualifications. The command staff in the chain of command who are assigned by the IC include among others the PIO (Public Information Officer, the SO (Safety Officer), and the LO (Liaison Officer). The General Staff are the personnel in management who correspond to the main functional elements of the ICS such as the Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief and so on. The Command and General Staff have to constantly interact and share important information (FEMA, 2007). Under the operations section, on-scene tactical operations are managed so as to meet the incident objectives that have been developed by the IC. The next level of command under the planning section has the function of collecting, analyzing and distributing information on the state of the incident. The logistics section level support all the needs of the incident such as procuring resources via proper procurement authorities as well as providing transport, facilities, fueling, supplies, equipment maintenance, communications, food service and medical services for the personnel. The last level, the finances section, deals with the financing and administration of finances of the incident response. The Role of Public Agencies In Disasters Such As Buncefield The public expects excellent public agency leadership prior to, during, and after incidents. Some of these public agencies include public health agencies and the health department, transportation agencies, federal agencies and so on (Naim, 2006). The roles played by these public agencies vary from the relaying of information, removing debris, emergency medical care among others. According to Altevogt (2008, p. 6), the role of public agencies before, during, and after incidents is to carry out routine activities in line with policy development, public health’s assessment and assurance functions this role varies according to the interagency agreements, community resources and service provision roles. In these roles, public agencies collect, appraise, and broadcast information; collaborate and cooperate with other disciplines such as the health care sector to stop...