Measures to Be Taken to Prevent a Fire in Buncefield Oil Storage and Transfer Depot - Case Study Example

INCIDENT COMMAND Contents Contents 2 1. Introduction In December 11, 2005, Buncefield Oil Storage and Transfer depot caught fire that rapidly spread through neighbouring commercial and residential properties. There was no casualty reported but the fire and smoke lasted for five days destroying properties and covering the atmosphere with plume of smoke. Such large-scale incidents require a special approach such as the establishment of an Incident Command System to ensure effectiveness of response in complex situations. The following section discusses the need for effective Incident Command System and the various levels of command required in large scale accidents like Buncefied. It also accounts for the implementation of DRA or Dynamic Risk Assessment and Effective Action Plan to ensure the safety of responders and other people involved. In addition, it also discusses the role of various agencies and importance of media liaison in facilitating the dissemination of information regarding the incident. 2. The Need for Effective Incident Command System for Large-Scale Accidents like Buncefield ICS or Incident Command System represents the principle behind the operation, leadership, and processes in the Fire and Rescue Service. Moreover, it is recognized the nations primary system in operational management. ICS has three important elements that include organizing the incident scene, risk management, and command competence. In ground organising generally deals with site safety and resources that may required during the incident. Risk management on the other hand is assessment of risk to protect personnel working at the incident ground while command competence deals with the skills required by the Incident Commander to effectively handle the crisis (HM Government, 2008, p.7). The need for an Incident Command System driven by the complexity and danger of different incidents such as Buncefield by which Fire and Rescue Service commonly responds such as time constraints, complexity of the incident, pressures coming from people who feel that immediate action must be taken, protecting own personnel, and scrutiny from various authorities including the public. Incidents normally create an intense environment particularly when the scale of incident gets complicated and larger thus the need for more organized command environment is also required. Similarly, leadership should have a full understanding of the situation, environment, and the actions required to succeed (HM Government 2008, p.10). The application of Incident Command System requires a clear policy framework that includes policy making, organizing, planning, and measurement of performance, audit and review. Policy making is required for the organization to have a clear set of direction when dealing with incidents. Similarly, organizing is required to effectively deliver the policies and ensure appropriate staff involvement and participation. Since most incidents are critical in terms of lives and property, planning can enable the organization to approach the problem systematically and minimise the effects of risk. Along with planning is the application of risk assessment techniques that would ensure identification of right priorities and objectives. Lastly but also important is measuring, auditing, and reviewing performance to clearly identify the level of effectiveness of the existing approach. Being aware of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the approach enable correction and modifications of flawed processes thus effectiveness is ensured (HM Government 2008, p.12). A complete Incident Command System requires a good leadership such as a competent Incident Commander. The Incident Commander is responsible for the success and failure of the incident response thus he must ensure that he has a good knowledge of the overall situation of the incident. He must ensure adequate resources are available, communication facilities are in place and effective and proper actions are being taken. More importantly, he must have capability to approach the incident in a multi-agency environment where other agencies are working together (HM Government 2008, p.14). Since Buncefield is a major and complicated accident, it would benefit from the Incident Command System particularly in terms of organizing the response, allocation of resources, and effectiveness of communication between various agencies and responders. 3. Various Levels of Incident Command Required in dealing with large-scale accidents The various levels of Incident Command System is divided in three categories – the Gold, Silver, and Bronze command. The last two will be working in the incident ground while the Gold command will be the central authority for the whole operation. This command structure is intended to facilitate multi-agency working particularly in large accidents like Buncefield. The Bronze Command Level generally starts first and activated at the scene of the incident. The Incident Command assigned will have the responsibility to assess the extent of the incident, the hazards and risk present, and the resources required. Depending on his assessment, he will identify the appropriate level of command required for such incident and determine the priorities. If the incident becomes large and the need for more support is required, a multi-agency approach may be implemented. At this point, the Incident Commander will move the Silver Command Level and his former position will be replaced by other Bronze Commanders. The Silver Command is in the tactical level which means managing the overall accident. These include managing priorities, ensuring adequate resources, and obtaining additional resources if the need arise. Depending on the severity of the incident, the Incident Commander at the Silver level may consider elevating the command structure to the Gold or Strategic Level which is mostly required in large incidents like Buncefield. The Gold Level Command is intended for serious incidents where the scale of resources and level of decision making are beyond the capability of both tactical and operation commanders. Gold Command involves political level decisions and may required participation of various organizations around the country. Since Gold Command is intended for serious or large-scale accidents, the role of the Gold Commander is more complicated since he would have to establish a framework for the overall management of the incident (HM Government 2008, p.16). 4. Implementation of Dynamic Risk Assessment at the Scene and Effective Action Plan During an incident response, saving lives of people involved in the incident is not the only priority since the lives of responders also matters. According to the Health and Safety Work Act 1974, every employer needs to protect their employee from risk and ensure their health and safety at work and these include fire fighter and other emergency responders (Health and Safety Work Act 1974 p.2). Dynamic Risk Assessment or DRA is one way of protecting respondents from harm during an incident response. According to HM Government (2008), the reality the most fire-fighters are at risk when saving other people’s lives, their safety must be managed professionally, ethically, and effectively. Dynamic Risk Assessment is the constant assessment of risk that can affect people responding in an incident. These may include changing the tactics from defensive to offensive or reverse if the need arise. For instance, the building stability may become questionable during an incident thus the need to pull out all responders is required. Another is the possibility that responders are tire and fatigued due to long hours of working and exposure to different harmful elements thus rest is required. There are six steps that may be applied during the incident to effectively control the risk. These include evaluation of the situation, determining the mode of operation (Operation, Tactical, or Strategic), assessing and determining the safest system of work to be applied, introduction of other control measures if required, and constant re-assessment of work and control measures (HM Government 2008, p.69). Since the Buncefield depot contains petrol and other oil-based chemicals, the danger of explosion, harmful emissions, burning oil, and thick black smoke makes the Buncefield incident risky and hazardous to many responders. Considering the length time before the fire is controlled and the extent of damage it had done, the incident could have handled more effectively if there is an effective Incident Command System in place. For instance, according to the Buncefield report, resources to fight and control the fire was not adequate, communication is ineffective, and incident commander did not act on time. In fact, Recommendation 26 clearly states that there is a need to ensure effective communication between the Gold Command and the central government to maximize efficiency. Moreover, the level of human and technical resources should be sustained throughout the response. Clearly, there has been some issue over the handling of Buncefield that makes it a big disaster (Major Incident Investigation Board 2006, p.56). The hazards could have been controlled effectively if an effective Incident Command System was created on time and managed efficiently. For instance, the Incident Commander could have placed the incident into Gold earlier that he did so the central government can immediately provide the necessary resources and support. If this is done, the fire could have been controlled, explosions could have been minimal, hazards reduced in the earliest possible time, and further damage to property could have been prevented. 5. Roles of Various Public Agencies that should have been involved at Buncefield 5.1 The Police The police have the initial responsibility to control the area and liaison between other services. In Buncefield, the police should cordon and secure the area and coordinate its actions with the command centre and other emergency responders. These include securing the evidence since Buncefield incident may be the consequence of a criminal act. They are also responsible for controlling the flow of traffic like closing of roads leading to hazardous area like what they did in M1 motorway Another is ensuring the personnel entering the area received complete briefing and allocated with their specific tasks. In addition, in coordination with health responders, they should be responsible for identifying casualties of the Buncefiled incident (HM Government 2008, p.44-45). 5.2 Ambulance and Emergency Health Service The role of the health service is coordinate and transport casualties. Depending on the type of injuries, the agency should determine the appropriate hospital for the victim. More importantly, they should ensure that they provide effective emergency treatment at the scene. In Buncefield, emergency services should coordinate with the Incident Command System and perform the duties with outmost care since the situation at the incident ground was extremely hazardous. Since there were no reported deaths, the health services should provide all the necessary treatment and assistance to injured people particularly those with burns and suffocated by thick smoke (HM Government 2008, p.56). 5.3 Military The general responsibility of the military is to assist in rescue and other activities depending on the need and severity of the situation (HM Government 2008, p.57). However, they are seldom called particularly in small incidents. In large accidents like Buncefield, the military may assist in fire fighting and other difficult rescue. They may also perform crowd control if required and provide additional equipments for other responders. 5.4 Local Authorities Local Authorities belong to category one responders and their main duty is to provide the needed resources and assistance while other responders fight the fire. They should coordinate with other agency particularly the FRS and Health Services and ensure they are given access and other resistance required. They may also need to coordinate their effort with the central government if the need arise particularly when the incident requires a strategic level of command. Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, local authorities and other agencies should cooperate during emergency and ensure that policies are implemented, risk is assessed and actions are planned, and appropriate measures exercised (HM Government 2008, p.52). 5.5 Environmental Agency The Environmental Agencies are generally concern about the risk and possible implications of the incident in the environment. Similar to the police, fire and rescue, and local authorities, they are Category 1 responders which under the Civil Contingencies Act should responds appropriately to emergencies. For instance, the Buncefield incident spilled petrol, smoke, fire fighting foams, and other chemicals to the environment thus an environmental concern. The Environmental Agency concern should assess the severity of pollution or contamination in the environment. They should consider the possibility of the incidents effect on air, soil, and water. They should inform relevant authorities about their findings and ensure remedies are applied (HM Government 2008, p.21). 6. The Need for Effective Liaison with media and other agencies during major incidents During a multi-agency response, the Incident Commander may need to coordinate with other non-responding agencies such as the media. He also has to formulate and implement media handling and communication with the public. The need to have an effective liaison with the media and other agencies is driven by the fact the public particularly those with relatives involved in the incident has to be informed. Similarly, effective media handling can ensure that reports presented to the public are not in conflict with other unofficial reports. In liaising with other agencies, the Incident Commander can take advantage of technical expertise from these agencies which are critical in resolving the incident. It is therefore essential to establish an effective inter-agency liaison particularly in large accidents like Buncefield. Providing accurate and timely information can not only inform the public but protect them from risk. For instance, telling the public not to pass a certain area because it’s dangerous can protect them from harm. Moreover, particularly in Buncefield, telling the public to stay away from the incident site or avoiding swimming in the river until it is determined safe can save them from unnecessary injury or health problems. More importantly, they can inform the public to evacuate in the earliest time if the need arise since this will not only save the public from harm but avoid chaos and disorder. Another benefit of effective liaison is the fact that all responding agencies are aware of the current situation in the incident ground particularly fire fighters who are in often critical locations. Any change in the response plan should be disseminated to the responders working in the incident ground to avoid confusion and subsequent accident. Effective liaison includes appointing a media officer that will have the responsibility of transferring the information. Establish a link with every agency primarily with FRS, Police, and Health responders. Calling press conference may be needed to update the community about the nature of the incident and it possible effects to their daily lives. However, the Incident Commander or his appointed media officer must make sure that the choice of medium is appropriate to the situation at hand. For instance, it may be sometimes relevant to hand over a written report rather than announcing it verbally. Information must be accurate and timely to avoid confusion and misinterpretation (HM Government 2008, p.127). 7. Conclusion Large accidents like Buncefield require an effective Incident Command System that would ensure adequate flow of resources and communication among responders. An effective Incident Command System can enhance coordination, allocation of resource, and dissemination of important information to other agencies and the public. Incident Command System can also ensure the safety of fire fighter and responders as it involve constant Dynamic Risk Assessment in the incident ground. 8. References/Bibliography Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Local Arrangements For Civil Protection, UK Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, Chapter 21, Fire and Rescue Authorities, UK Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Health, Safety and Welfare in Connection with Work, and Control of Dangeous Substances and Certain Emissions into the Atmosphere, UK HM Government, 2008, Fire and Rescue Manual Volume 2: Fire Operations, 3rd Edition, Stationary Office, UK Major Incident Investigation Board, 2006, The Buncefield Incident 11 December 2005: Final Report, The Office of the Public Sector Information, UK Read More