Incident Command 2027: The Hybrid Approach (37MA)

Fire Chief Michael Barakey’s book, titled "Critical Decision Making, Point-to-Point Leadership in Fire and Emergency Services," is the platform for this 4-hour workshop. Chief Barakey uses the writings and case studies throughout the book to provide a hand-on approach for all fire service members to consider their decision-making processes for routine to large-scale critical incidents. Everyone in the fire service, regardless of their rank or apparatus assignment, are required to, and often, “take command” of incidents. From small scale incidents to large scale and complex incidents, being “in command” is not just a statement said over the radio, it is the most difficult and “scary” position on the emergency incident scene. It takes years and many repetitions to gain the experience and wisdom to be “in command” yet everyone in fire and EMS “takes command” when they are first on the scene. The purpose of this workshop is to utilize case studies and real life incidents, highlighted in Chief Barakey’s book, and breaking down the incident and command decision making process based on traditional and legacy ICS classes and merging the known decision from the case study with the student’s new decisions based on the new process I teach that utilizes a hybrid approach to Incident Command. The hybrid approach is a way to be relevant to today’s new Incident Commanders, yet “feel comfortable and execute with confidence.” The hybrid approach to Critical Decision Making by the Incident Commander is Incident Command in 2027.  Once we learn the hybrid approach, based on his book on Critical Decision Making, review relevant case studies and the decisions on selected fire and rescue incidents, review video and pictures of the selected incidents, and then, through class participation and interactive handouts, make our own decisions from the new perspective that was taught in the workshop, “the Hybrid approach to Incindet Command.”  There is no “cookie cutter” solution to incident command and decision making, and traditional ICS classes are not providing reality-based instruction to new or seasoned incident commanders. Learning to be a competent Incident Commander is a journey (from one point to another) and overcoming the obstacles to achieve a successful outcome is not based on “checklists” or protocols, it’s the confidence and competence that comes from proper training and repetitive engagements to include case studies and practical incidents. The “Hybrid method” being taught is for the firefighter all the way up to the command officer of 2027 to develop the skills to be successful on the incident scene to progress from point “A” to point “B” with confidence.