By Chris Du Bois
The wildland fire season in Southern California stretches from spring through late fall, peaking in October and November when the dry northeast Santa Ana winds arrive. Incidents can range from simple initial action one-acre fires to month-long campaign fires devastating thousands of acres with hundreds of properties destroyed in the wake. Many fire departments in Southern California share response areas with either the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) or CAL FIRE. Thus, each entity sends its own response.
Due to these bordering jurisdictions, a wildland fire ignition will often receive two complete first-alarm assignments on initial dispatch. This is a huge response matrix and a vast number of resources dispatched to an initial action (IA) incident. These resources consist of Type 1 and Type 3 engines, hand crews, dozers, water tenders, patrols, rotary wing aircraft, fixed wing aircraft, and overhead. For example, a first-alarm assignment from the Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department yields approximately 23 individual resources while a first-alarm assignment from the USFS is approximately 17 resources for a total of approximately 40 resources.
1. A first-alarm assignment can involve 40 resources. Organizing, managing, and assigning this number of resources is a complex and dynamic task for the first-in company officer. (Photo by author.)
It must be noted that response matrices will vary based on predicted fire weather forecasts. The theory behind these large response matrices is to protect life and property, keep the fire small, and try to prevent the fire from going into multiple operational periods. For the first-in company officer to organize, manage, and assign this number of resources is a complex and dynamic task, to say the least.
How does one person manage these resources effectively and efficiently within the first 15 minutes of an IA response while waiting for additional overhead? The process starts prior to the bell going off. It starts with relationships—relationships with those people above you, below you, and around you in the chain of command. It starts with truly knowing the individuals on your engine, knowing their capabilities and how they operate under pressure. The process continues with the relationships forged with neighboring stations within your department and relationships with the stations outside your department (i.e., the USFS). How do you build and strengthen those relationships? By using the three Ts: time, talking, and training.
Time
Great relationships cannot be forced. It takes time to build rapport and facilitate trust, thus opening communication pathways. Rapport extends beyond the responsibilities of the job. Rapport is built through getting to know an individual. However, this must be genuine in nature, not robotic or forced. This can be forged through informal meetings over coffee or a meal, inviting outside agencies to the fire station, or through after-action reviews, for example. It will take time to build this rapport and to earn the trust of others. Time is also required to understand the communication style of those you are working with.
Talking
Communication comes in two forms: words and actions. When you couple together compelling words with consistent action, you get influence. Although words have impact, they have little power on their own—thus the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” As a leader, you need to “talk the talk” and “walk the walk.”
Avoid hypocrisy in words and actions. This is the fastest way to destroy credibility and trust up and down the chain of command. This can contribute to communication failure, which is almost always listed as a contributing factor in most line-of-duty-death and serious injury investigations. Face-to-face communication is essential as you engage in both verbal and nonverbal communication.
Unfortunately, many barriers to effective face-to-face communication will get in the way. It may be intimidating to some and it takes time, attention, and intentionality. Despite the challenges, we can all benefit from seeing the nonverbal cues expressed by both parties. While a phone call, text, or e-mail may be more time efficient and convenient, the lack of nonverbal communication can lead to miscommunication, damaging rapport and trust. While it is not always feasible to facilitate this face-to-face communication while you’re on duty, it should become a priority when possible.
Effective radio communication is even more challenging. Company officers often struggle to make clear and concise assignments to resources arriving on scene to any type of incident. To improve radio communication, practice what you would say in the quiet of your car or office. This will remove the pressure of the incident, allowing you to focus on the logistics of the conversation. Repeated experience allows the logistical aspects to become more “natural,” affording focus on the intricacies of the incident while also dealing with the pressure of seeing a fire staring back at you. When you are assigning resources on a wildland incident, it is imperative that you provide the assignees four pieces of information. These will aid in the unity of command, tracking of resources, and span of control for any size incident.
- Who they will be working for.
- Where they will be working.
- What their assignment will be.
- The radio frequency they are assigned.
Other inherent difficulties in radio communication include technical issues, unskilled in handheld radio manipulation, incorrect frequencies assigned by dispatch centers, and excessive radio traffic. Frequent training can help minimize these challenges.
Training
Real-world hands-on training evolutions with strategies and tactics that match the incident priorities are essential. Examples include small- and large-scale operations with progressive hoselays, handline construction, dozers, and aircraft. These mock incidents force communication between resources of all kinds and types, place a fair amount of stress on company officers, and uncover areas of strength and areas of needed improvement.
Training also builds better relationships and facilitates effective communication. Company officers can learn the communication style and response of others at low-stakes incidents. Like radio communication practice, running through a training scenario with others in a nonthreatening situation removes one intimidating factor when commanding an actual incident. The more effective the communication, the stronger the team. This relies on the relationships that have been built during casual interactions, training, and incident responses. However, these relationships can only be built out of genuine care and concern and that means asking questions, listening, giving respect, having humility, and checking your ego. These relationships are the building blocks for the successful flow of operations and a successful mission. Note that once forged, it takes the same attention and care to maintain these relationships. While trust takes a long time to build, it is quick to break. Continued genuine care and respect are essential.
Incident Action Plan
Once these critical relationships are established and maintained, company officers can focus on the process for developing a conceptual incident action plan (IAP). Throughout this process, effective communication facilitating a comprehensive and cohesive attack is essential. Thus, all the aspects discussed below rest on the foundation of relationships and communication. While logistics are equally important, poor communication or damaged relationships (weakened foundation) can result in mismanagement of resources, ineffective execution, and the loss of property or life.
In LA County, within two minutes of being dispatched, the jurisdictional engine captain must assign an engine to the closest or most appropriate helispot. This helispot engine will secure the landing zone and water supply for rotary-wing aircraft. Company officers then validate the assigned communications plan, ensuring that the frequencies assigned by dispatch are appropriate for the jurisdictions responding and the geographical location of the incident. They will attempt to identify whose jurisdiction the fire is in and which jurisdiction has the greatest potential for loss. The dispatch center or company officer will then name the incident. A short one- to two-syllable name will roll off the tongue more easily than a more complicated name, thus facilitating communication.
On arrival, the first-in company officer will broadcast a size-up over the dedicated frequency. The size-up should include fire location by address or intersection, size (in acres) and fuel type, rate of spread and direction, values at risk, wind speed and direction if significant, estimated potential in acres, and any special instructions or hazards.
The initial attack IC will then take appropriate action based on preestablished incident priorities including life, incident stabilization, and property preservation. In line with the incident priorities, the IC will confirm that any life threat has been mitigated to the extent possible. ICs need to investigate the information given to them by the dispatch center, what they see with their own eyes, and any pertinent information from witnesses or bystanders. This may include evacuations of threatened homes, vehicles, or encampments. This step can occur very quickly or take a considerable amount of time. It is important to remember that the number one priority is protecting the lives of those we serve.
Following along with the incident priorities, ICs should then turn their focus to incident stabilization through perimeter control. The IC will assign engine companies to initiate progressive hoselays with secure anchor points on the left and right flanks, which will later be reinforced with fire line constructed by hand crews. The engine companies assigned to an interface or intermix response areas usually have some configuration of a preloaded hose specifically for the wildland. Once pulled and stretched to the fire, crews will deploy 100 feet of hose at a time until the fire is flanked and pinched.
Once rotary-wing aircraft arrive on scene, the IC will orient the aircraft to the fire using prominent landmarks (easily identified by air) and communicate the incident priorities and any special air hazards. The priorities the IC can see from the ground vantage point may very well differ from those priorities seen from the sky. Communication between the air and ground must continue throughout the incident and is key when reevaluating the initial priorities and validating perimeter control measures. Having the benefit of rotary-wing aircraft above the fire within the first 10 to 15 minutes of a wildland ignition is a great asset for water dropping but also instrumental for scouting, mapping, and fire behavior predictions.
Property preservation is the next IA incident priority. Complex structure defense challenges often present themselves within the interface and intermix areas of southern California, where homes are built in close proximity to flammable vegetation. This can be a difficult distraction to the IC when placing resources based on incident priorities. All too often, when faced with a sizeable structure defense problem, the IC will overcommit resources to protect homes. A noble tactic, however, without sufficient resources assigned to perimeter control, the structure defense problem only grows. It has been said, “The best structure defense is perimeter control.” If there is a significant structure defense issue, request additional resources as soon as possible.
The initial attack IC will then provide follow-up reports to dispatch including the current situation, progress, and needs of the incident. By this point, additional command staff should arrive on scene and a transfer of command can take place. Ideally, this occurs face to face; however, in the wildland environment, that is not always feasible. The transfer of command briefing should include an overall status report, current incident conditions, extent of the fire, problems you have encountered, current strategy and tactics, a simple drawing of your IC structure (including the company assignments and where crews are located), safety considerations, and expected resource needs. The initial attack IC can then transition into another incident role including but not limited to division supervisor (DIVS), structure defense group supervisor, or engine company officer.
Plan Before the Incident
Effective wildland fire management starts well before the incident through relationships, training, and planning. The logistical aspects are an essential part of the plan and should be practiced regularly to allow for an appropriate execution when the situation arrives. While this is often a priority in the fire service, it is not the only area on which effective wildland fire management rests. Communication and teamwork are essential pieces of the puzzle that we sometimes undervalue. Teamwork is often fostered in the firehouse with workouts, meals, training, and time together; however, building these relationships with neighboring fire stations and adjoining agencies requires additional time and intent.
It must also be recognized that incidents do not always happen on your shift at your station. Thus, this intentionality should be carried even into the overtime shifts worked. While the depth of relationships cannot be achieved, simple breakthroughs can have a huge impact on the overall execution of the plan.
Finally, “Control the controllables.” Every incident will vary in complexity, but through training (individual, station, and multiagency), the basics (consistent logistics, radio technicalities, comfort with communication) can be learned, becoming automatic. Therefore, when an incident is outside what you have trained for or you find yourself in a situation that you never imagined, you have the mental capacity to simply focus on its unique aspects, allowing you to stay calm, cool, and collected in what may have otherwise overloaded you. While you can’t control mother nature, at the most fundamental level, you can control your response to what ensues—and time, relationships, and training all contribute to that response.
Chris Du Bois has 21 years of fire experience and is a captain with the Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department. For the majority of his career, he has worked at wildland fire stations. He has served as an instructor in the LA County Recruit Academy, Fire Behavior Cadre, and promotional training, where he has taught on the topics of radio communications, fire behavior, and incident management.
