Twenty-five fire chiefs and chief officers from the Texas Fire Chiefs Association spent three days in Phoenix earlier this summer. Their mission was to experience the Phoenix Fire Department's Command Training Center and its state-of-the art technology for training command officers.

The Emergency Services Training Institute is working with the association to promote advanced training for officers. “We wanted the fire chiefs to be immersed in the CTC program and see that it was well-worth sending people to Phoenix,” says Mike Wisby, ESTI program manager.

The CTC program is the Incident Management System component of ESTI's Texas Fire Officer Program, which is based on NFPA 1021, Fire Officer Professional Qualifications. The program's goal is for Texas fire officers to be trained in a standardized response. The program offers Fire Officer I, II, III, and IV courses at its College Station, Texas, facility and at locations across the state. Personnel enrolled in the program are eligible to complete the 20-hour Phoenix IMS component.

Center start-up

The Phoenix Fire Department's Command Training Center was created in an old fire station. Under the direction of Emergency Services Asst. Chief Steve Kreis and overseen by Tactical Services Deputy Chief Kevin Riley and Project Manager Don Abbott, the center took one year to create and opened in September 2002.

The CTC's foundation is based on the second edition of Fire Command, written in 2002 by Chief Alan Brunacini of the Phoenix Fire Department. The curriculum for the CTC programs was developed by the department's North District Commanders Nick Brunacini, John Hinton and Terry Garrison.

The program revolves around a classroom presentation, dealing with one of the functions of command; “sets and reps,” or incident scenes and actions; and then two or three 15- to 30-minute simulations. Each incident is a realistic and a practical exercise in incident command operations.

In terms of the Phoenix Fire Department's training program, the three commanders train battalion chiefs, who in turn present the information to captains and firefighters/engineers on the captain promotion list. The training also is provided to command officers of the 21 other automatic aid departments in the valley. Several of these departments, including Chandler, Glendale and Peoria, use the CTC to conduct their own training, substituting their own buildings in the simulations.

More than 700 officers train at the CTC each year, with each trimester based on a different function of command. According to Nick Brunacini, the entire Phoenix command structure trains on a rotation basis to ensure everyone is on the same page: “We live in an odd area where we have got to manage quickly. Ten or 15 minutes and it's over.”

Realistic divisions

The Command Training Center is divided into several sections to replicate an incident as realistically as possible, from dispatch to knockdown.

Communications

An actual dispatching console, located in a side room, allows a 911 fire dispatcher to “dispatch” the incidents. This provides experience for the dispatcher and allows instructors to track the communications that can be used later in the critiques.

Classrooms

Two classrooms are used for various training sessions, and during simulations they serve as a staging area and as a place to conduct critiques of the incident. The critiques are used to reinforce the positive results and provide discussion of those areas that need to be reviewed. A portable cart is used to hold the mobile computer terminal that provides preplans, maps, response vehicle locations via GPS and communications. The terminal is that same as the one installed in all Phoenix apparatus.

Sectors

There are 10 cubicles or kiosks that allow responders to receive or give assignments based on their fire conditions, activities or tasks. Each kiosk has a computer monitor, radio and a headset that allow for communication and interaction, but each participant sees only pictures of his or her assigned area and actions. The responders position apparatus and initiate tactics and tasks, which for a variety of actions such as laying hose, pulling pre-connects, pulling ceilings and venting roofs.

Command vehicle

The arriving command vehicle is actually the front two-thirds of a surplus Chevy Suburban, which includes everything found in a real battalion vehicle. A large screen sits in front of the vehicle to display elements of the simulation. The results of the tasks being performed by the sectors at the individual kiosks are displayed for the incident commander. Every attempt is made to make these simulations as realistic as possible.

Command van

A full scale mock-up was created of the department's Command Van 1, which is dispatched on all first alarms and greater. The mock-up contains computers, radios and TVs — everything that's found on the original. When an incident is escalated, the van houses the IC, support officer and senior adviser, along with any other command staff positions that may be required. A large screen is just outside the side windows to provide the IC a realistic view of the action.

Control room

This hub for the various sections being tasked is operated by captains who are trained in the equipment's operations and have related field experience. The control room provides all the images to all kiosks and command vehicle props using Fire Studio 3.0 Digital Combustion. The sequence of images is determined by storyboards that account for potential actions of participating officers.

Simulation development

The creation of a simulation is quite a challenge in itself. Capt. John Brunacini, Capt. Randy Roberts and Firefighter/Paramedic Tim Gift build the simulations for the participants.

“We try to develop sector simulations for every conceivable assignment an incident commander might make,” says Gift, “but every now and then an IC may throw us a curve ball.”

After determining the type of simulation to be developed, the team scouts for a location to base the simulation on and shoots dozens of digital pictures to be used for as many as 10 sectors and command sequences. They develop a storyboard which is used to guide the control room facilitators through the simulations and then build the simulation in Fire Studio software. Each simulation can take between 30 and 60 hours to create.

A simulation lasts from 15 to 20 minutes with eight to 10 people participating in an incident. Participants playing the roles of responding companies stage via radio in the classroom, and then take their assignment at the kiosks. As the incident escalates and the IC begins to sectorize, additional officers assume the command responsibilities for each sector on the incident ground. If the goal is to take the incident to the next level, the IC moves from the battalion chief's vehicle to the command van, and the command team continues to grow with the incident.

During the simulation, it's possible that instructors will role-play victims, media representatives or others to try to distract the commanders, as in real life. After the incident is complete, the participants reconvene in the classroom to dissect the incident.

Broad application

How does the CTC program fit into FEMA's new National Response Plan? According to Wisby, “It reinforces the five common levels that NIMS uses and also complements what the NFA is offering. It does incorporate the five core functions, and we don't see that part changing.

“The CTC training program provides the initial command officer with tools to ensure safer operations and also challenge them in a controlled environment,” Wisby says. Eventually, he hopes ESTI can digitally link their Emergency Operations Training Center in College Station with the CTC and provide the classes to an even broader group of officers and emergency management personnel.

“We continue to market this program to everybody we can touch with it, not only people in our state, but nationwide. We want to get the word out on this to book into the CTC classes,” says Wisby. “It's all about safety and working together.”

For further information about this program, contact Wisby at 979-845-3605 or go to http: teex.com/esti.