2009 NASAR CONFERENCE May 29, 2009 Little Rock, Arkansas “Regardless of What You’ve Heard, NIMS is Not a Four Letter Wo

1. 2009 NASAR CONFERENCEMay 29, 2009Little Rock, Arkansas“Regardless of What You’ve Heard, NIMS is Not a Four Letter Word” or “The 5 Minute ICS Class” By: Fred Mullen Franklin County OEM SAR Produced by: Melissa Francis

2. Objectives • Explore distinction between/among Political, Agency, Incident Command Structures • Discuss difficulties in teaching and learning • Examine Barriers to Implementation • Review Important Local Cases • Demonstrate the 5 minute ICS Class • Demonstrate the 1 minute Advanced ICS Class

3. Who’s In Charge? • Political Structure • Day to day operations • Declared Emergency • Agency Structure • Chiefs, Directors, Captains, etc. • Incident Structure

4. Who’s In Charge? • Incident Command Structure • Made up of Agency Personnel • Mission driven • Most qualified person for function • Assignments not dependent on agency or rank • IC answers to AHJ • Not known by name or rank but by a “skills bundle”

5. Political Structure • Elected Officials • Primary Concern—get re-elected • Missions to go well • Look good while going well • Avoid looking bad if things go badly • Bureaucracy— cut through or use • Back Channels • Influences Everything • Personality Driven

6. Agency Structure • Appointed Officials • Primary Concern—get boss re-elected • Missions to go well • Give boss and subordinates credit when going well • Take blame and explain inadequacies when going badly • Secondary Concern—Budget Impact • Success usually breeds bigger budget and more influence • Smart ones will use failures to breed bigger budgets • Image Driven

7. Incident Structure • Overhead to Crew Member • Primary Concern—get re-tasked • Missions to go well • Give boss and subordinates credit when going well • Take blame and explain inadequacies • Mission Driven

8. Sometimes it’s simple… • Example: Sheriff makes a car stop • Political—Sheriff is out working. • Agency—Sheriff made a car stop, I better make one… • Incident—Single Resource • Results: • No Ticket Issued—ball scores and cattle prices discussed. or • Felony arrest made

9. Sometimes it’s not too confusing… • Example: 2 Fire Engines at a dumpster fire • Chief and Fire Fighter on 1st Engine • 2 Fire Fighters on 2nd Engine • Agency—Chief on scene • Incident—Chief probably IC • Political—mayor probably not coming down for a photo op.

10. Sometimes it’s complicated… • Example: 9-1-1 Call: “My 6 year old daughter has been missing on the Ozark Highlands Trail for 45 minutes” • List of who will not be there is shorter than the list of who will be there. • No single agency or discipline can handle this incident.

11. Traditional CommandChoosing Process

12. No ON

13. Works Most of the Time… • Major shortcoming is that folks from one discipline has not learned to supervise or be supervised by ones from another discipline

14. Better Way When we all know there’s a better way hint, hint: ICS …why don’t we use it?

15. Barriers to Implementation • Cultural—Political and Agency • ICS training process and materials

16. Barriers to Implementation • “What we do has always worked” Interpretation: Circle the appropriate choice • Nobody • Only 1 person • Only a few people have been killed by our team so far. KEY—Examine near misses in light of how ICS might have helped • Quail Ridge Road and Valley Creek Story

17. Barriers to Implementation • “If its guys from one agency or discipline we know how to work together on anything—like magic” (If this were only true) Interpretation: Magic… stand by for tragic KEY—When does it not work like magic? • LEO Fatality Story

18. Barriers to Implementation • “I don’t want to use ICS terms on the radio” Interpretation: Embarrassment—people will think I’m trying to be a big shot or know it all if I use those terms on the radio. KEY—A little discomfort now while you transition or continual embarrassment as missions go poorly. • Quail Ridge Road and Valley Creek Road Story

19. Barriers to Implementation • “You put too big a load on 1 person, we’re just volunteers.” Interpretation: Remove the ambiguity so I cannot use the fog of battle as an excuse. KEY—Ask had you rather be in charge with everybody having an assignment and knowing their superior or letting people freelance? • VFD Fatality Story

20. Barriers to Implementation • “My agency has jurisdiction, no need to get briefing from these volunteers.” Interpretation: These slobs have been here 2 hours and haven’t done a darn thing—I’ll show them how to git-r-done! KEY—Two hours—This is more complicated than it seems • LEO Hazmat Story

21. Barriers to Implementation Lack of Reinforced Training • “Sure, I know ICS—I took the I-100 and I-200 online…” Interpretation: I am here to mess your day up KEY—That’s going to help, but did you learn CPR, belaying, shoring, or tracking online? Must Practice: Table tops, drills, events, monthly training session

22. ICS Online Accomplishes 3 things: • Paper compliancy with NIMS Standards • Introduction to terms • False perception you don’t need to learn anything else about ICS

23. Barriers to Implementation Lack of Follow Through • “Well, nobody else is going to check in, lets go get in our boat and look for the fellow.” Interpretation: We’re the only ones here that actually see the big picture KEY—Your assignment success depends on other people completing theirs • Water Rescue Story

24. Barriers to Implementation • Training Process—I Classes • Overwhelming • Overly redundant without additional clarification or evolution • Online emphasized

25. Barriers to Implementation • Training Materials—Text • No or few case examples for primary classes • Explains what but not how

26. Two Shortcomings for Us • No easily definable way to communicate what is expected, required, needed on every incident. • Leaves Political and Agency people • Without understanding that they are still in control • How to wield that control effectively.

27. STROKE OF GENIUS SOMEWHERE SMART PEOPLE SAID • Let’s develop some classes to help people manage incidents • Let’s teach people from different agencies and disciplines to work together • Let’s teach all these people how to use a common terminology …so far, so good….

28. Now—Just the Stroke • Let’s encourage it to be taken ONLINE by: • A person sitting alone with no interaction with others • So they can take the test over and over until they pass it without even reading the materials

29. Using Lessons Learned/Best Practices • Develop an ICS Core • What are the essentials of ICS that everyone on the scene must understand and utilize? • Had to be short or they wouldn’t listen. • Had to make sense—not confusing • Had to have something for them

30. Result • 5 Minute ICS Class • 1 Minute Advanced ICS Class

31. 5 Minute Basic ICS Class • Boss—Fancy Title • Briefing—Expect it, Demand it • Assignment—Understand it • Turndown or Accept • Do It—NOT SOMETHING ELSE • Debrief

32. 1 Minute Advanced ICS Class • You May be a Boss—Get Fancy Title • Repeat steps 2 through 6 from Basic Course

33. Overcoming Barriers “Mr. NIMS, tear down these walls!” • Keep it simple—teach the 5 Minute ICS Class at your next meeting • Give people a choice: • Don’t come if you don’t do ICS • Other places to serve

34. Overcoming Barriers • Emphasize Standard of Care • Always upgrade responder skills—CPR • Always upgrade technology—Better equipment ICS is a Responder Skill—it is software for the brain

35. Overcoming Barriers • Emphasize Legal Aspects • Homeland Security Directives • CFR 29 and 49 • State Statutes • Local Ordinance • M.A. and M.O.U.

36. Overcoming Barriers • Proven Management/Leadership Tools • Built in Check list • Framework for Management • Framework for Leadership/Followship • Develops atmosphere of cooperation

37. Overcoming Barriers • Emphasize Safety and Mission Performance • Reduced Chaos and Reduced Pressure • Emphasize Grant Performance

38. How to Put Together 3 Interests • Use Agency Reps • Use Unified Command • Keep Political and Agency in loop • Find a chink in Agency armor • Find a chink in Political armor • Don’t oversell or undersell your capacity and ability.

39. Unique Challenges • Federal and State have 100,000’s of Responders to expose to this material and to develop paper compliance. • Locals—where it must actually be learned AS IS EVERY RESPONDER SKILL

40. Remember • Just like the development of any other RESPONDER SKILL you will make mistakes. • It will take time to get used to too like any other responder skill • No one would say “The new CPR is too hard, let’s do it the old way.” • Must train with the other Stake Holders

41. Influencing Politicians • Invite to training, drills, mocks—Use ICS • Emphasis that ICS is most likely method of having competent people performing a function. • Emphasis that needed changes are most quickly and effectively made through an ICS structure. • Emphasis that TRAINED MUTUAL AID PARTNERS are more likely to come help us if an effective ICS structure is in place

42. Summary • Look for receptive ears. • Determine a way to help it fit. • Spoon full of sugar • Scare the stuffing out of them • Appeal to senses, vanity, order, status, astrologers, Dali Lama, interpretative dance, anything that helps it work. • Simple way to get key points across

43. Summary • Emphasize agencies and individuals hot buttons. • Emphasize “this is a RESPONDER SKILL” • Standard of Care for patient • Safety for Responders • Enhance performance • Develop a likable ICS subject matter expert for your team

44. Questions / Comments Fred Mullen Franklin County Office of Emergency Management 300-A Airport Rd. Ozark, AR 72949 Office: (479) 667-4909 Cell: (479) 209-0818 Email: fc_oem@hotmail.com www.fcoes.com