| Managing an emergency response, especially a | | | | Communications |
| complex, multidimensional response in | | | | One of the critical success factors of this system |
| geographically diverse locations, is one of the | | | | is the ability to effectively communicate internally |
| most important challenges facing a management | | | | as well as externally. This requirement is often |
| team of any company. | | | | confused with the availability of suitable |
| The analysis of a number of emergency response | | | | communications hardware. |
| activities established that emergency response | | | | The importance of communications hardware is |
| problems resulting from inadequate management | | | | not disputed however an essential component for |
| of the emergency contributed much more that | | | | ensuring effective communications is the utilization |
| any of the other identified causes of problems. | | | | of a common emergency response language. This |
| These studies concluded that incident | | | | implies that standard terminology is used and that |
| management was often plagued by the following | | | | codes, such as those normally used during radio |
| factors. | | | | communications, are kept to the absolute |
| - The absence of a clear chain of command and | | | | minimum. |
| specifically accountability that is defined in | | | | Structure |
| executive and supervisory role statements. | | | | An effective organizational structure to manage a |
| - The absence of effective communication as a | | | | crisis is one that can be deployed in a modular |
| result of the ineffective use of available | | | | way, based on the size and complexity as well as |
| communications systems and the lack of a | | | | the specific hazard associated with the incident. |
| common language. | | | | The structure should be implemented in a |
| - A deficient planning process that is not done in a | | | | top-down manner congruent with the extent and |
| logical organized systematic and methodical | | | | severity of the emergency that needs to be |
| manner. | | | | dealt with. |
| - The presence of a rigid management structure | | | | It is the norm to expand the emergency |
| that is not designed for changing situations such | | | | response organization structure from the top |
| as those present during an emergency situation. | | | | down as the complexity and extent of the |
| This manifests as an inability of commanders to | | | | incident increases and the functional responsibilities |
| effectively delegate and manage critical tasks | | | | are delegated. |
| effectively. | | | | The ideal organizational structure should be flexible. |
| - The absence of techniques to seamlessly | | | | When needed, separate functional elements should |
| integrate functions across departments, | | | | be established and subdivided to enhance internal |
| operational units and external emergency | | | | organizational management and external |
| response service providers. | | | | coordination. |
| - The absence of practiced routines to effectively | | | | As the emergency unfold, so should the |
| respond to different types of emergencies. | | | | organizational structure to deal with it expand. This |
| A well designed incident command system is one | | | | implies that the number of management roles will |
| of the best on-site tools available to manage such | | | | expands to ensure adequate management |
| emergency response incidents. It can be utilized to | | | | responses, at the correct level, to address the |
| effectively manage emergencies that are | | | | required actions as indicated by the situation |
| affecting geographically diverse locations such as a | | | | created by the incident. If these roles and |
| retail outlet chain having poisoned food in their | | | | responsibilities, as well as the milestones when the |
| stores, as well as localized emergencies such as a | | | | next management module should be activated, |
| response to a site based hazardous substance | | | | have not been determined before the |
| release. | | | | emergency, confusion will result. |
| The Incident Command System | | | | Benefits |
| The Incident Command System is a standardized | | | | The implementation of an incident command |
| on site incident management model intended to | | | | system has many benefits. One of the primary |
| allow responders to adopt a temporary integrated | | | | benefits is that it contributes significantly toward |
| organizational structure. This emergency response | | | | the complete utilization of resources. This is |
| structure should result in an incident management | | | | achieved as a result of the: |
| model aligned with the complexity and demands | | | | - Constant maintenance of a controllable span of |
| of any single incident or multiple incidents without | | | | control. |
| being hampered by the limitations of the | | | | - Prior selection of suitable incident control |
| operational management structure. The | | | | locations and facilities. |
| operational management structure is normally | | | | - Implementation of effective resource |
| designed to achieve the optimum management | | | | management protocols. |
| ability in a stable and structured environment. | | | | - Integrated communications systems that are |
| During emergencies it has been demonstrated | | | | utilized. |
| that the normal management model utilized in a | | | | Conclusion |
| company is not the best structure to effectively | | | | In the current complex business environment |
| manage the incident. | | | | where one single corporation can spans the globe |
| A well designed command system for | | | | with resource acquisition sites on one continent, |
| emergencies should be designed to have a | | | | production facilities on another and outlets on |
| significant ability of structural flexibility. It should be | | | | several others, the implementation of an incident |
| able to expand or contract, dependant on the | | | | command system to manage the variety of |
| needs of any particular emergency. This designed | | | | emergencies that can occur, is a sound business |
| in flexibility is one of the primary factors that | | | | decision. This strategy however does not absolve |
| makes it an effective, practical and commercially | | | | executives from instituting sensible preventative |
| viable alternative to the traditional way of | | | | measures. |
| managing both small and large emergencies. | | | | |