Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the Public Safety Training Package.

This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge manage all activities and personnel deployed to resolve Level 2 incidents through use of internal and external resources.

It includes establishing a control facility, developing and maintaining control structures, developing and maintaining coordination arrangements, assessing situation and determining priorities, providing public information, developing an incident action plan and complementary plans, maintaining control of incident, managing implementation of incident plans, concluding incident activities and reviewing incident activities.

Level 2 incidents are characterised by the need for deployment of resources beyond the initial response or sectorisation of the incident or the establishment of functional sections due to the levels of complexity or a combination of the above.

A person performing this role is appointed by the organisation with the legislative responsibility for overall management of the incident. The Incident Controller may delegate one or more functions to members of the Incident Management Team (IMT) based on the requirements of the incident. Authorisation to perform this role is subject to organisational policies and procedures.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or organisations that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services.

It is essential that the prerequisite units listed below are obtained prior to the issuance of this unit to individuals within the fire sector or the units contributing to the attainment of a fire qualification.

PUAOPE012 Control a Level 1 incident

Operations

Public Safety

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1  

Establish control 

1.1 

Control is assumed, in accordance with designated authority and briefing is received

1.2 

Communication is established, and the identity of the Incident Controller is communicated to participating and other pertinent organisations or authorities

1.3 

Key personnel and support organisations are identified and notified, and communication channels are established to allow for the exchange of information

1.4 

Nature, extent and potential of incident is identified through liaison with previous incident management team and relevant personnel and authorities

1.5 

Security is established for the incident

2 

Establish control facility 

2.1 

Control facility is established, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures

2.2 

Establishment of the facility is communicated to participating and pertinent personnel and authorities

2.3 

Communication systems and procedures are established to facilitate the functions of control and coordination with regional emergency managers and participating and pertinent organisations and authorities

3 

Develop and maintain control structure 

3.1 

Existing control structure is reviewed, with a control structure planned and developed commensurate with current and forecast nature and complexity of the incident

3.2 

Functional roles within the control structure are delegated and briefings are conducted

3.3 

Flow of information is managed ensuring reliable recording and reporting systems are established and maintained

3.4 

Control systems are identified and managed, in accordance with the control structure

3.5 

Control structure is scaled up or down in response to changes within the incident

4 

Develop and maintain coordination arrangements 

4.1 

Coordination arrangements are established, reviewed and maintained commensurate with current and forecast nature and complexity of the incident

4.2 

Requirements for coordination with emergency management structures at a regional level are identified, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures

4.3 

Requirements for coordination with government agencies are confirmed, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and communication methods are established

4.4 

Requirements for coordination with infrastructure and other community support organisations are confirmed, in accordance with organisational policies and procedures

5 

Assess situation and determine priorities 

5.1 

Information about the incident and its context is obtained from participating organisations and approved sources, including local knowledge

5.2 

Incident Controller’s statement of intent is developed and communicated to participating and pertinent personnel and authorities

5.3 

Risk assessment, including community and environmental risks, is conducted

5.4 

Constraints which may impede response options are identified

5.5 

Information is analysed and processed to establish priorities for dealing with the incident

5.6 

Incident objectives are determined and are communicated internally and externally to the incident

5.7 

Incident Controller’s intent and incident objectives are reviewed against information updates, reports and feedback

6 

Provide public information 

6.1 

Timely and tailored warnings and information are issued to the community using approved strategies

6.2 

Media liaison requirements are identified and managed, in accordance with organisational procedures

7 

Develop Incident Action Plan and complementary plans 

7.1 

Written Incident Action Plans (IAPs) and complementary incident plans are developed, in accordance with approved operating procedures

7.2 

Options analysis is conducted to determine appropriate course of action

7.3 

Strategies in the IAP are developed and updated commensurate with current and forecast nature and complexity of the incident

7.4 

Resources to implement the IAP are identified and sought

7.5 

Stakeholders are consulted about content of the IAP and complementary incident plans

7.6 

IAP and complementary incident plans are approved by the Incident Controller

8 

Maintain control of incident 

8.1 

Planning meetings are scheduled and conducted with the incident management team and key agency commanders to support progress towards achieving incident objectives

8.2 

Leadership is provided to support the incident management team’s shared purpose and direction

8.3 

Oversight is maintained, and performance of leaders of functional sections and Deputy Incident Controllers is managed

8.4 

Incident records are maintained, in accordance with organisational procedures

8.5 

Health, safety and welfare of personnel working on the incident is considered and arrangements are maintained to support it

9 

Manage implementation of incident plans 

9.1 

IAP and complementary incident plans are communicated to teams, in accordance with organisational procedures

9.2 

Incident strategies are implemented through the control structure and coordination with participating and pertinent organisations is maintained

9.3 

Environmental effects of incident are managed

9.4 

Progress towards objectives and success of incident strategies is regularly evaluated and corrective action is taken, as required

9.5 

Requirements for briefing regional emergency management structures and government agencies are met, in accordance with organisational procedures

10 

Conclude incident activities 

10.1 

Incident management structures and delegations are scaled down, in accordance with the needs of the incident

10.2 

Coordination occurs with regional managers and support and recovery organisations or agencies to ensure transition and continuity of relief and recovery activities

10.3 

Information to support mitigation and rehabilitation of environmental effects of incident and response activities is collated and communicated to all stakeholders

10.4 

Human and physical resources are accounted for and demobilised, in accordance with organisational procedures

10.5 

Organisational standards and requirements for financial accounting are met

11 

Review incident activities 

11.1 

Performance of incident management team is evaluated and communicated through the chain of command

11.2 

Debriefing plan is compiled and executed, in accordance with identified needs for debriefing

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUAOPE018A Control a Level 2 incident.

Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the Public Safety Training Package.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and includes

• analysing incidents both functionally and strategically
• applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• approving plans and strategies to control the incident
• communicating within incident management structure and monitoring and reviewing progress towards achievement of the incident action plan
• completing reports and documentation
• concluding incident activities
• conducting briefings and debriefings
• developing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing a written Incident Action Plan
• establishing and maintaining a control structure
• identifying and responding to areas impacted by a hazard and those directly affected by the impact
• implementing agreements and operating procedures including resolving conflict and negotiating outcomes
• leading and managing a team in a dynamic environment and monitoring performance
• maintaining shared situational awareness
• reacting strategically to changes within the incident
• selecting, prioritising, implementing and evaluating courses of action
• working with organisational and government personnel as well as with stakeholders

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions and includes knowledge of:

• Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) including incident control structure and principles
• codes of practice and other legislative requirements
• communication requirements for emergency management agencies, stakeholders, government, other agencies and community
• community and environmental constraints on decision making
• control facility and systems
• coordination arrangements
• decision making processes in time critical and dynamic situations
• emergency management plans
• financial management requirements including financial delegations
• incident action plans and complementary plans
• organisational documentation policies and procedures
• relief and recovery arrangements
• risk controls for hazards relevant to incident type
• sources of local knowledge
• types of incidents
• Work Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in industry approved simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Resources for assessment must include access to

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, equipment, tools and personal protective clothing and equipment currently used in industry
• applicable documentation including organisational procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.