The placement of any incident command system facility is closely tied to its function.

The National Incident Management System ICS has six facilities: Command Post, Base, Staging, Camp, Helispot and Helibase.

For the majority of the response community, the command post (CP or ICP) is the facility used most often and of most importance. Also of importance is the conversation that swirls about the incident management community regarding the effectiveness of a fixed vs.mobile command post.

The Incident Commander has overall responsibility for the activities of every responder on scene. These responsibilities increase in complexity proportional to the complexity of the incident. As the ability to meet the IC’s responsibilities becomes more complex, so does the perspective necessary to assess the incident and make critical command decisions.

The command post needs to be positioned in a location that allows the IC to both to monitor the overall safety of those engaged in the important work of mitigating the incident, while ensuring that the command function is not distracted by issues that the IC cannot or chooses not to control.

But the issue of perspective is a “two way street.” The IC needs to be able to see the big picture and have a clear understanding of the overall progress of the incident and the resources deployed to mitigate the incident. Those in the hazard zone also need to be able to focus on who is in charge.

The continuity of command also must not be threatened by the incident. For this reason, the command post should NEVER be in the hot zone of the incident.

Regardless of the weather, time of day or other environmental factors, the command post functions better with some form of shelter, but shelter from the elements is but one reason. A shelter also separates you as IC from things and people that are distracting to your primary function, that being the safety of those operating at the scene. Generally the command post can be sheltered in a response vehicle, a specially-designed command vehicle or a structure of some kind.

Examples of CP positions may include:

• At a structural fire, near the corner of the exterior of the structure, generally on an unexposed side, in keeping with the common tactic of attacking from the unexposed to the exposed side.
• At a mass casualty incident, in a position outside the rapid triage area.
•  In a technical rescue incident, outside the immediate rescue environment.
• In a hazmat incident, in the cold zone.
  

The least effective command position is the “mobile command” position.  A mobile command post does not give the IC a consistent view from which to evaluate overall safety concerns. Mobile command also makes it difficult for those reporting to command to find the Command Post if necessary for face-to-face support or information. A mobile commander is more likely to be distracted by tactical activity such that they will loose sight of the big picture. Also, the types of shelter available for a mobile command post are limited.

The initial arriving unit may choose to investigate or go into a fast attack mode. This does not constitute a “mobile command.” Command is not in question until another unit arrives on scene. Whenever command is established, the most effective command post is one that is in a fixed position, with appropriate perspective, sheltered and outside the hazard zone.

I. David Daniels is fire chief of the Fulton County (Ga.) Fire Department, a metro department surrounding the city of Atlanta. He holds a masters degree in human resources management and is certified as a Safety and Health Specialist and Fire Service Health & Safety Officer. A member of Institution of Fire Engineers, Daniels is chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Health and Safety Committee.