On Sunday 22 November 2015, the Coastal Group in District 7 held a Level 2 ICC Group exercise at the Torquay Fire Brigade Local Command Facility (LCF). The participating brigades were Lorne, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet and Torquay.
The exercise consisted of simulating a level 1 fire, transferring control to a level 2 Incident Management Team (IMT) set-up in the Torquay LCF, and practising sectorisation on the fireground.
The scenario was an out-of-control fire along the Great Ocean Road. Other known factors were extreme weather conditions the following day,people trapped on a no-through road and a car accident.
The roles for the day were divided according to knowledge and experience. The firefighters on the fireground and the IMT officers received separate briefings of the scenario to keep the exercise as real as possible.
In the debrief, some of the learning points discussed were:
- Clearer identification of who the incident controller is during various stages of the incident from level 1 to level 2, and during sectorisation, would help smooth transitions
- Having an operations officer placed on the fireground prior to formal transfer of control would help quicken the transfer process
- Being careful when providing map coordinates to help the IMT make accurate decisions
- Labelling all LCF phones with extension and outlet numbers will improve efficiency in the facility.
The exercise gave the fire brigade a good opportunity to set up the LCF, test the IT and equipment and highlight possible improvements for the facility.
The exercise was concluded with a delicious barbecue.
Overall, it was a successful exercise. A big thanks to all the participants.
Author: Alexis Vorvis