The level of accountability on any incident is pre-determined to an extent by the culture that exists in the response system before the alarms sound. Consistent, accurate accountability practices will result when we address system-wide issues to promote a culture where accountability is a shared responsibility among all the players.
Fireground accountability involves maintaining a consistently accurate picture of where units are deployed on the incident, what their assignments are, and what the current level of progress is on those assignments. Accountability is critical for the incident commander (IC) to be able to react to the unexpected as soon as it occurs, in a way that fixes the problem and keeps everyone safe while doing so. If we want to find ways to improve our collective level of fireground accountability, we can look at the federal aviation system for some insight.
The commercial air travel system operates very safely due to a culture of accountability that includes common procedures, a system of communication, accountability tools and, most importantly, training. The system develops a consistent set of expectations among all the participants—pilots, ground personnel, tower controllers and other air traffic control (ATC) staff. When the rules are followed by everyone in a consistent and disciplined fashion, things generally go very well.
Commercial aircraft are very expensive to replace. As a result, the accountability culture in the aviation industry is built around strict “no-touching” rules. Planes aren’t allowed to touch each other, ever, in the air or on the ground. Once airborne, they are not allowed to touch the ground or anything else, except when they get to the runway. And they should not touch any weather systems that would make the passengers sick or the wings fall off. The idea is to get everyone to the destination safely without incident on the ground or in the air. To do this, the system requires coordination, communications and positive control among ATC staff and all of the aircraft they are managing at all times.
Command procedures
Before your plane ever leaves the gate, the pilots are in contact with a ground controller, who keeps track of the movement of all aircraft between the gate and the runway. Once pilots receive taxi instructions and drive to the end of the runway, they are handed off to the tower controller who keeps things organized and orderly as you leave the ground and climb into the air. Once airborne, the risks go up for all involved, just like when we enter the IDLH environment at a fire scene. Your pilots will talk to a succession of air traffic controllers who are responsible for different sectors or divisions of airspace as you head for your destination. Flights are directed around weather, kept a safe distance apart and spaced out so they don’t all arrive at the same airport all at once. No deviations from assigned routes or altitudes are made without permission from the person in charge of a given section of airspace. The system of federal aviation rules and procedures that they use to do this are the industry’s version of command procedures. There is only one set of rules, and everyone in the system follows the rules to avoid getting in trouble or accidentally participating in some unwanted touching.
Just as ATC procedures supervise the deployment of aircraft in and out of various airspace areas, fire department command procedures control the movement of units in and out of the incident. Crews arrive at the scene where they stage or receive an assignment to the interior or other division. In order to maintain an awareness of the location, assignment, and condition of each unit the IC or head controller may use other controllers at division or functional levels to keep track of units as they move about the fire scene. The IC cannot lose track of or lose contact with any unit and must be prepared with resources on hand to send help if things begin to go wrong. You can see that when we have units from different departments (airlines) operating together at a fire scene (airspace), there is a need for standardized rules and procedures to ensure that control is maintained until everyone lands safely back at their station.
Radio communications
During your flight, there are numerous radio communications between ATC and your pilots. Having spent some time in this system as a pilot, I can tell you that the expectation for radio communications leave no room for missed radio calls, aircraft being on the wrong frequency or the need for repeated attempts to explain instructions. The air traffic radio environment is very fast paced at times, and disciplined radio procedures are a must. Strict adherence to a common order model and terminology keeps the system working well. Pilots also use a variety of radio headsets, ear pieces and a second set of ears in the cockpit to ensure that they hear a call for their aircraft the first time every time. We can say that those pilots wouldn’t communicate so well if we filled their cockpit with smoke and made them use a portable radio while wearing an SCBA. But we all agree that maintaining reliable two-way communication between all parties on the fireground is a continual challenge, a challenge that greatly affects the level of accountability during the incident.
Teamwork
Another key factor regarding safety in the ATC system is the teamwork that exists in the cockpit. Modern aircraft fly just fine with one person at the controls. However, with cockpit workloads very high at certain times during the flight, pilots rely on a two-person cockpit team working together to manage all the important details and any emergencies that arise. The crew resource management (CRM) practices of the two-person team have proven effective through many well-documented incidents, allowing flight crews to maximize the outcomes of very bad situations. In the fire service, however, we still at times promote the IC position as the solitary commander making all the really important decisions on their own without the back-up of another crew member in their command cockpit.
Technology
ATC centers and modern aircraft are full of the latest technologies to keep commercial air travel safe and maintain accountability. There are radar systems that track flights and systems that warn of impending contact with the ground or other aircraft. There are sophisticated navigation systems that allow zero visibility approaches along with backup systems and paper charts to use if the electronics fail. The aviation industry has integrated technology in a way that makes operations safer and more reliable by presenting a clear electronic picture of the position of all participants as they move throughout the system. The fire service could see improvements to accountability by incorporating some of these same technologies into emergency operations.
Training
Even with the best in command procedures, radio discipline, technology and teamwork in the cockpit, the ATC system does not run well without regular, consistent training in those procedures and practices by all parties. Pilots, regardless of who they fly for, participate in the same system of regular training that helps keep skills sharp. The training requirements allow all parts of the system to absorb changes and incorporate new procedures in a training or simulated environment before taking to the skies. Changes to the system are also done in a fashion that keeps the change of pace manageable and includes a thorough review prior to implementation. The result of consistent common command procedures, communications, teamwork and training is an air travel system that is safe and responsive to the unexpected in the air or on the ground. The efficiency and effectiveness of the system are protected by an underlying culture of accountability where error-free professional conduct is the expected norm among all the players.
If we translate the aviation system strengths discussed above to the fire service, we will see improvements in the level of accountability and safety regardless of the size or makeup of our department. Additionally, building consistent practices in these areas will improve our ability to successfully maintain accountability when resources from different departments respond together for the best outcome.
A regional approach
In South King County, WA, near Seattle, we have worked hard in these areas to promote a culture of increased accountability on the emergency scene. Fire departments have come together to address the issues of command, communications, technology, teamwork and training in a way that is working.
There is a commitment among all the departments that respond together to share a common set of command procedures. Blue Card is used as a template for consistent training, and regional differences are worked out in a common command procedures document. Compliance with the command procedures are monitored by the training division through a proactive after-action review (AAR) process, and changes are approved by the operations chiefs of each department. With standard command procedures, everyone expects standard actions by the IC, and there are few surprises or non-standard outcomes.
Departments have adopted the use of radio earpieces with incorporated hearing protection to improve communication performance during incidents. The inexpensive addition to individual PPE has greatly reduced the occurrence of missed radio calls, or unreadable transmissions. The addition of a mask-mounted microphone in the SCBA facepiece dramatically improves the clarity of transmissions from the high noise environment of the fire. As a result, the radio traffic and task assignments on the fireground have become more precise. With greater precision, the IC maintains a clear deployment picture of unit locations and progress on the action plan of the incident. There are still occasional challenges, but the cultural expectation for reliable communication is now closer to the aviation industry standard than before.
We are working to implement an electronic incident management tool. This tablet-based system provides for quick and efficient deployment and tracking of units throughout the incident and creates a detailed record of the command assignments made from start to finish. Deployed regionally, this technology will allow better situational awareness by chief officers and improve overall accountability. In addition to trying new technology, there has been a regional shift to move the IC from the front of the building to the front of the command vehicle. Commanding from inside the vehicle puts the IC in a position to communicate with companies in a clearer fashion without external noise or distraction. This greatly improves the communications discipline and flow of the incident. The second-arriving chief officer also joins the IC in the command vehicle to function as a second set of ears, and to help manage the details of the high workload command post. The teamwork of a two-person command post has improved command, communication and accountability on a regional level.
Our improvement in these areas has been easier due to a common training program. The majority of the departments share a single regional training division. The South King County Fire Training Consortium serves 10 departments with a staff of 17 uniformed training officers and two administrative staff. By pooling their training resources, the departments are able to accomplish more together than they could individually. By delivering the same training to all 10 departments, operations are becoming safer as everyone follows the same rules and procedures. The result of unified training is a unified culture across jurisdictional boundaries.
Final thoughts
If we work to address these areas within our departments and promote a culture of accountability within our response systems, we can have the same outcome as the airline industry. We can make the dangerous job of firefighting safer and make high-risk events seem routine. Think about that next time you are on a routine flight enjoying your favorite beverage. Consider that you are five miles above the ground, going 500 mph through air that is too thin to breathe and at a temperature that is way below zero.
Eric Tomlinson
ERIC TOMLINSON is a deputy chief with the Kent Regional Fire Authority in Washington State, where he has worked since 1989. He currently serves as the training chief for the South King County Fire Training Consortium, a regional training division focused on improving operational consistency, implementing industry best practice, and creating a shared culture of excellence among the departments of South King County.
