Incident effectiveness is the culmination point of effective training and dedication. This implies that the specific incident was controlled with minimum loss to property and no loss to incident victims or fire station personnel. This is a product of professional behaviour, sensible management of resources and manpower, innovative action patters and improvisation. Each incident has its own characteristics and unique challenges. Since the unpredictability of the public safety scenario, training, re training, rehearsals, drills; procedures etc need to be a function of incremental improvement from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Specialisation in the different sub disciplines is essential to ensure the maximum utilisation of personnel potential. The climate to encourage incident effectiveness is based on standardization, mutual support and maintaining a common goal in the department.
Participative leadership with an element of regimentation is necessary to ensure teamwork and to guarantee a disciplined organisation. Discipline is to a great extent conforming to standards and norms without losing individuality. Performance standards, skills development, skills maintenance and skills assessment are the essence of maintaining a pre-emptive – proactive – reactive – retroactive response mode which will influence the overall readiness of fire-fighters (voluntary, career or part time).
Knowledge of the tools, techniques, and all the other instruments of the trade which forms the “nuts and bolts” of the fire-fighter industry is primarily dependent on quality training.
Summary
Incident effectiveness can be achieved by following the four guiding principles of drill, equipment maintenance, programs and station maintenance.
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