It has been my experience and it has been said before in many
different ways, that there are ten cardinal sins that
bushfire controlers, sector leaders, crew leaders and some
bushfire fighters are continually being accused of committing
at some time or other. These sins are often brought up during
fire debriefs, are:
-
Failure to make an immediate attack with sufficient
force;
-
Failure to sectorise the incident;
-
Indecision as to the method and point of attack;
-
Failure to set up a comand structure and assigh tasks;
-
Failure to set up proper communication arrangements;
-
Failure to monitor all factors of the incidentand the
weather situation;
-
Failure to send regular situation reports to the next
superior officer, so finding support not available when
most required;
-
Failure to take advantage of "lulls" during the period
when the incident slows down;
-
Failure to "mop-up" and "patrol" the incident properly,
with subsequent breakaways; and
-
Failure to brief fellow bushfire fighters about what
the fire is doing, and what we are doing about the
fire.
So you don't find yourself wishing you have not committed
any of these sins, remember these simple rules:
-
Consider the general situation and make an appreciation
of action required;
-
Set yourself a clear objective and manage that
objective, (e.g. To contain the fire to 1 hectare in 30
minutes);
-
Assign tasks and resources to meet that objective;
-
Maintain, where possible, a 1 to 5 span of control;
-
Ensure effective communication arrangements are
established;
-
Ensure that every person on that fire knows who is in
charge;
-
Brief your people at every opportunity; and
-
Continually emphasis, that safety considerations are
paramount.
Peter Lucas-Smith
Chief Fire Control Officer
2 February 1998
|