Incident Command - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... Also, fire that followed the explosion lasted five days and razed most of the site "emitting a large plume of smoke into the atmosphere that dispersed over South England and beyond" (Assignment Brief).
Hence, the available information provides enough evidence to prove that it was a major incident in a large area and it was sheer providence that only 43 people were injured and none of them seriously although 2000 people had to be evacuated from the location of the fire to safer places (Assignment Brief).
The need for ICS at the Buncefield depot cannot be overstated. The devastating effects of not having ICS were already felt at the depot in 2005 when a series of explosions ripped through the depot. It is therefore primarily important to have an ICS in place at the Buncefield depot. Having a relevant ICS will help limit damages arising from situation like the one that occurred in 2005. Indeed, it must be made statutorily compulsory for organizations such as the Buncefield oil storage and transfer depot to keep in place an ICS (Freeman, John; 2006).
The ICS is time tested to effectively avert and counter disasters that could otherwise lead to destruction to lives and properties on a mass scale.
It is a state-of-the-art system designed to cater to a particular industry taking into consideration the known threats and risks to the industry and their updated technological solutions (Incident Command System (ICS) Overview).
Oil is a highly inflammable and powerful substance that can cause lot of damages if not stored in foolproof, fireproof, and impregnable containers. Even after they are stored in the safest and most secure zones one must take extra precautions to ensure nothing of relevance to safety and security is left to chance. Even after taking all precautions, there must be a system in place to minimize destruction should any mishap occur (Freeman, John; 2006).
The ICS becomes necessary because of the inflammable and volatile nature of the substance stored in large quantities. Even a small spark could lead to widespread damages in such situations. Apart from the mandatory warning signs, there is the need to constantly monitor the area in such a manner that not even a square inch is left unnoticed at any point of time.
By and large, the ICS is specifically designed for a particular industry and its location taking into consideration various factors such as the nature of the industry, its size, the destructive nature of the substance dealt with by the company, the damages the substance is capable of causing, and the answers to these problems. The ICS cannot be applied uniformly to all industries as a one-solution-for-all system. The ICS functions under various disciplines such as the firefighters, environmental organizations, wildlife agencies, health organizations, various governmental functions such as the federal, state, tribal and local bodies, etc (Incident Command System (a), 2007).
Various levels of command needed to deal ...Download file to see next pagesRead More