Handling Chaos Requires Knowledge From An Incident Command System Training Course

By Tara Daniels


There is a something common to every contingency whether man-made or natural; the chaos that engulfs the people affected. When a disaster begins to unfold, fear, confusion and panic are the first hurdles a group must overcome. The knowledge gained from an Incident Command System Training Course helps a leader eliminate the disarray.

It is natural for any people who voluntarily submit to the structure of society to hold its leaders responsible for safety and security. Even when the disorder a community is subjected to is as unpredictable as an earthquake, people feel their government should be prepared. But even having a good plan and the foresight to marshal resources is not enough to handle disastrous events.

Handling emergency situations requires a structured approach, a deliberate analysis of science dealing with catastrophes, developed largely from the actions after historical efforts. What is known is that the time to make preparations is before there are signs of impending damage. The resources and energy required demand a thought process capable of understanding future crises in advance.

History is a great teacher, but only for those willing to learn and accept that catastrophic events can occur anywhere, and the wisest groups make the positive decision to be ready for them. Studying the error from the past reveals much in how to deal with future problems. Problems with communication and coordination can create a nightmare in situations requiring fast effective action to save lives.

No group can be ready for every possible contingency, and yet there is a body of knowledge which can help them prepare or the most likely scenarios. In addition, if the response process is designed to allow for expansion and contraction to accommodate even unforeseen problems, the probability of savings lives and property are greater. Knowing how to get the right kind of assistance and from where is almost as good as having it.

With all of the disasters that have befallen the US, there is much experience to be gained from studying past events. Following what many believe was a flawed response to hurricane Katrina, a nationwide effort to create a better process was implemented. The National Incidence Management System was developed to ensure a standardized way of tackling crisis management.

With instruction and certification, every part of this team learns their individual role in handling the crisis. They also learn they are part of a larger team, so they can focus on their area of responsibility confident that others will handle theirs. Standardized instruction means that when a crisis is larger than local resources can handle, another increment of expertise can be requisitioned from almost anywhere.

There is an old combat adage that no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and plans confronting natural disasters have a similar fate. Response teams need leaders with the knowledge to function within a prepared framework, yet be flexible enough to adapt to crises as they develop and change. An incident command system training course provides the necessary training for leaders to handle the disarray and implement an effective response.




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