Kent County Chiefs Association

Standard Operating Guidelines &

Standard Operating Procedures

Subject: Post Incident Analysis

SOG # 1-1-28

Approved

March 2025

Approved by: President James L. Price Jr.

Revised

I.   Purpose

To establish criteria for Emergency Incidents that may warrant a Post Incident Analysis.  The Post Incident Analysis it to reinforce actions that are effective and to give insight into how the operations county wife could be improved in the areas of procedures, training and equipment.

II. Definition

1. S.O.G. – Standard Operating Guideline

2. S.O.P. – Standard Operating Procedures

3. PIA – Post Incident Analysis

III. Scope

A.    It shall be the policy of the Kent County Chiefs Association to conduct a Post Incident Analysis in accordance with Kent County Chief’s Association S.O.G. 1-1-28.

IV. Responsibility

1. All personnel affiliated with Kent County Fire/EMS/Rescue Services will be responsible for ensuring strict adherence to this policy.

V. Policy

1. A formal Post Incident Analysis shall be completed for the following:

3. 1. Fire/EMS incidents that reach a 3rd Alarm or greater or incidents requiring a large scale of resources.

   2. A fire resulting in a fatality.

   3. Any incident resulting in injury to responders serious enough to necessitate admission to a medical facility.

   4. Mass Casualty Incidents

   5. At the discretion of the Incident Commander.

   6. At the discretion of OES or any Chief whose company responded on the incident.

VI. Procedure

1. When an incident is identified, the Incident Commander or Chief or OES shall notify the Chief Association President or Vice President or the EMS Council President.

2. The Chiefs Association President or Vice President or EMS Council President will notify OES and Chief of each responding company that a PIA has been requested and who requested it.  The attached format should be included in this email.

3. Each Chief and OES will have two weeks to respond via email to the PIA using the format given.  If more time is needed a request may be made and should be granted.  Once the Chiefs Association President or Vice President or EMS Council President receives all the PIA’s, they will email all Chiefs and OES in the county with all the PIA’s.

4. Any discussion regarding the PIA’s should be conducted at an official Chiefs Association or EMS Council meeting.  The Chief and OES should receive the PIA’s one week before a meeting to give them time to read and digest the material for discussion.  If they receive them less than one week before the Chiefs Association meeting or EMS Council meeting, then the discussion should be pushed back to the next meeting.

5. The PIA’s and minutes from the discussion should be turned into a file and kept for future reference if needed.

6. If the incident is large enough and requires a special meeting, the Incident Commander shall establish an appropriate date, time and location for the analysis but not exceed one month for the completion of the incident.

7. If the incident requires a special meeting, the Incident Commander and the Chief Association President or Vice President or EMS Council President shall obtain the following is applicable.

1.  CAD incident history

2.  Audio recording of 911 call and radio transmissions.

3.  Applicable S.O.G.’s.

4.  Any videos or photographs of the incident.

8. The Chief Association President or Vice President or EMS Council President should be present to facilitate the analysis, ensuring the Post Incident Analysis is conducted in a constructive manner, or controlling individual criticism or inappropriate comments.

POST INCIDENT ANALYSIS STRUCTURAL FIRE

I.            Introduction

a.           Provide a general overview of the incident including an area diagram of the building, exposures, water supply, time of day, weather conditions, etc.

b.           Indicate unique circumstances/problems, etc.

II            Building Structure/Site Layout

a.           Review type of structure

b.           What construction or design features contributed to the fire spread, or prevented fire spread, i.e. sprinklers, fire doors, etc.?

c.           Did the topography and/or type of fuel affect fire control efforts?

d.           Did fire alarm and/or suppression devices work properly?

e.           Did personnel or apparatus encounter any problems in gaining access?

f.            What is needed to correct these problems?

III           Fire Code History

a.           Review relevant Fire Code requirements and history.

IV          Communications

a.           Did dispatcher verbally provide all information available at the time of dispatch?

b.           Was the fire ground channel adequate?

c.           Were proper communications procedures followed?

d.           Were there problems communicating with Mutual Aid companies?

e.           Was the communication network controlled to reduce confusion?

f.            Did units, divisions/groups/branches and Montgomery communicate effectively?

g.           Was radio discipline effective?

h.           Did Incident Commander provide timely updates to Communications?

V           Pre-emergency Planning

a.           Were pre-fire or other plans needed on the scene?

1.   Were they available?

2.   Should they be updated?

VI          On Scene Operations

a.           What was the structural integrity of the building based on fire conditions on arrival, at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

b.           Was Command identified and maintained throughout the incident?

c.           Was a Command Post established and readily identifiable? Flag, Green Light, or other?

d.           Size up decisions by command

e.           Was additional apparatus requested in a timely manner?

f.            Strategy/action plan

g.           Did personnel, units, and teams execute tactics effectively?

h.           Were any training needs identified? provide examples.

i.            Were Standard Operating Procedures used? Were they adequate? Do they need to be updated? If not used, why?

j.            What offensive/defensive decisions were made by command?

k.           How was risk analysis applied to the incident?

l.            Were the divisions/groups used appropriate to the incident’s type and complexity?

m.         Was apparatus properly positioned? If not, why?

n.           Attack line selection and positioning

o.           Ventilation operations

p.           Salvage operations

q.           Night time and interior lighting operations

r.            Were Mutual Aid companies effective in operation?

s.           Was water supply adequate?

VII         Staging

a.           Location adequacy

b.           Site Access

VIII        Support Functions

a.           Was a Rehab group established?

b.           Were fire/rescue personnel provided with food and drinks?

c.           Was adequate shelter provided for fire/rescue personnel?

d.           Were crews relieved by fresh crews regularly and frequently?

e.           Were there any equipment or apparatus failures? Did these failures have a detrimental effect on the incident outcome?

f.            Were functions with outside agencies properly coordinated? (i.e. Red Cross, Power company, Gas Company)

IX          Safety Group

a.           Was a standby team established? if not, why?

b.           Were any fire/rescue personnel injured?

c.           Were all safety SOPs and regulations enforced?

d.           If there was a Safety Dispatch, were they used for Safety, Accountability or RIC? If not, why?

e.           What actions are necessary to change or update current safety and health programs to improve the welfare of members?

X           Accountability

a.           Were actions taken to ensure accurate personnel accountability?

b.           Was the status of units, Divisions/Groups/Branches and support personnel maintained?

c.           Did personnel provide adequate feedback?

d.           Was the incident continuously controlled and monitored?

XI          Investigations

a.           Was the fire’s origin and cause determined?

b.           What factors contributed to the fire’s spread?

XII         Lessons Learned

a.           Were specific training needs identified?

b.           Recommended improvements

XIII        Overall Analysis of Incident

-Good? Bad? Why?

Critique

If post incident analysis indicates that a positive learning experience would result, or where it may be necessary to complete the analysis of an incident, a critique may be held at the discretion of the Incident Commander or their superior.

POST INCIDENT ANALYSIS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

I.            Introduction

a.           General overview of incident

b.           Unique circumstances/problem, etc.

II            Site Review

a.           Type of structure and post incident structure analysis as appropriate, or site layout review (either diagram site, or attach aerial photographs if available).

b.           Storage/Interior-Exterior

c.           Type of container/transport involved

d.           Roadway location, access, drainage

e.           Storm drains, and sewer systems

f.            Weather conditions

III           Fire Code History

a.           Review code, laws, regulations and deficiencies

b.           Review file history on building alternatives, inspections, citations, etc.

c.           Review file on spill history

IV          Communications

a.           Did the dispatcher provide all information available at the time of dispatch?

b.           Was the fire ground channel adequate?

c.           Were the proper communications procedures followed?

d.           Were there problems communicating with Mutual Aid companies?

e.           Was the communication network controlled to reduce confusion?

f.            Did units, Divisions/groups/branches and Montgomery communicate effectively?

g.           Was radio discipline effective?

h.           Did Incident Commander provide timely updates to Communications?

V           On Scene Operation

a.           Structural/container integrity, based on arrival conditions, at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

b.           Spill/release conditions at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

c.           Size-up decisions by command

d.           Strategy/plan-Action Plan; Site Safety plan

e.           Offensive/defensive decisions by command

f.            Risk Analysis

g.           Sector operations

h.           Apparatus positioning

i.            Ventilation operations

j.            Initial actions by first responder

k.           Initial action by HazMat units

l.            Did HazMat establish all necessary sub-sectors?

m.         Evacuation process

n.           Mutual Aid

VI          Staging Operations

a.           Location Adequacy

b.           Site Access

c.           Additional resources staged and available?

VII         HazMat Operations

a.           Product Identified/when?

b.           Product hazards identified-fire, explosive and health

c.           Entry and Hazard Zone operations

d.           Clean-up process

e.           Weather monitoring

f.            Decontamination measures/process

g.           Research Data used?

h.           Instrumentation measures/practice

VIII        Agency Coordination

a.           List and review outside agency response and their legal and/or operational responsibilities

b.           Review agency coordination and use during incident

IX         Support Functions

a.           Was a Rehab group established?

b.           Were fire/rescue personnel provided with food and drinks?

c.           Was adequate shelter provided for fire/rescue personnel?

d.           Were crews relieved by fresh crews regularly and frequently?

e.           Were there any equipment or apparatus failures?

f.            Were functions with outside agencies properly coordinated? (i.e. Red Cross, Power company, Gas Company)

X           Safety Group

a.           Was a standby team established? if not, why?

b.           Were any fire/rescue personnel injured?

c.           Were all safety SOPs and regulations enforced?

d.           If there was a Safety Dispatch, were they used for Safety, Accountability or RIC?

e.           What actions are necessary to change or update current safety and health programs to improve the welfare of members?

XI          Accountability

a.           Were actions taken to ensure accurate personnel accountability?

b.           Was the status of units, Divisions/Groups/Branches, and support personnel maintained?

c.           Did personnel provide adequate feedback?

d.           Was the incident continuously controlled and monitored?

XII         Investigations

a.           What was the origin and cause of fire/hazard spread?

b.           What factors contributed to fire spread?

XIII        Lessons Learned

a.           What specific training needs were identified?

b.           What improvements are recommended?

XIV   Overall Analysis of Incident

-Good? Bad? Why?

Critique

If post incident analysis indicates that a positive learning experience would result, or where it may be necessary to complete the analysis of an incident, a critique may be held at the discretion of the Incident Commander or their superior.

POST INCIDENT ANALYSIS

 MAJOR MEDICAL INCIDENT

I             Introduction

a.           Provide a general overview of the incident.

b.           Identify unique circumstances/problems, etc.

II            On Scene Operations

a.           What was the situation on arrival, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

b.           Size-up

1.   Early call for assistance

2.   Action plan

c.           Plan of action/strategy

d.           Command Operations

e.           Division/Group Operations

1.   Extrication, treatment, transportation, staging

f.            Scene arrangement/layout. Identify positions of Groups/Divisions, apparatus positions, lighting, ambulance/medic unit access/egress, loading points, obstacles, barriers, etc.

g.           Involvement/use of outside agencies:

1.   Police

2.   Hospitals. Indicate status at time of incident, i.e. yellow, red, etc.

3.   Helicopters

4.   Medical Examiner

5.   Mutual Aid companies

III           Communications

a.           Dispatch, on-scene reports

b.           ECC operations

1.   Hospital Notifications,

2.   Problems encountered

c.           Did Incident Commander provide ECC with timely updates of incident status?

d.           Transportation Group Communications/coordination

IV          Support Functions

a.           Safety

b.           Logistics – Equipment/Supplies

c.           Rehab

V           Staging Operations

a.           Location adequacy

b.           Site Access

VI          Triage/Patient Outcomes

a.           Was triage instituted early in incident?

b.           Accuracy of Triage Decisions

VII         Lessons Learned

a.           Were any specific training needs identified?

b.           Recommended improvements

VIII       Overall Analysis of Incident

-Good? Bad? Why?

Critique

If post incident analysis indicates that a positive learning experience would result, or where it may be necessary to complete the analysis of an incident, a critique may be held at the discretion of the Incident Commander or their superior.

POST INCIDENT ANALYSIS UNIT FACT SHEET

Unit ID:                                          Officer In Charge:                          

Incident Address:                                                         Time of Arrival:       

Nature of Incident:

Describe the situation upon arrival:

Describe SOP used or assignments given and/or actions taken in chronological order:

Obstacles Encountered: Provide explanation

Coordination

Communication

Ineffective Equip. Use

Equipment Failure

Safety

Inadequate Personnel

Staff Support

Too Many Personnel

Other (Please Specify)

Betterton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Renny Grapes

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief John Darling

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Community Volunteer Fire Company of Millington, Inc.

Chief Charles Boyles

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Galena Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Albert (Bert) Piasecki, Jr.

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kennedyville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Chief James L. Price, Jr.

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent & Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad, Inc.

Chief Jason Lobley

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Mike Pinder

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent County Emergency Service Board

Chair Lynn Sutton

Submitted for Emergency Service Board Approval on __April 7th, 2025_________________

Compliance Date _______May 6th, 2025_____________________________________