Multi-Agency Operations

Scope

This Operational Guideline is to be considered for operations involving other combat agencies.

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.

Guiding Principles

• The Officer in Charge (OIC) of the first arriving appliance at an incident is to assume Control. At an appropriate time, Control is then to be handed over to the relevant agency or Officer. The hand-over/take-over procedure is to include a briefing, a formal statement of taking over (e.g., “I have control”), and advising the changeover to those immediately above and below in the chain of command.
• Where the Commissioner of the RFS, or a person delegated by the Commissioner, has taken charge of bush firefighting operations under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act the Incident Controller (IC) is the person specified by the Commissioner.
• At hazardous materials (Hazmat) incidents on land or inland waterways, the IC is the officer assigned by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW).
• Unless specified; at all other fires or similar incidents in a NSW Rural Fire District (RFD), the IC shall be:
  • For Level 1 incidents - the OIC of the first arriving appliance;
  • For Level 2 incidents - control may be passed to an appropriately qualified and experienced officer;
  • For Level 3 incidents - the person designated under the arrangements given in the local fire operations plan or the person appointed by the Commissioner under section 45A of the Rural Fires Act (applies in both RFDs and Fire Districts for bush and grass fires).
• At a joint operation involving a structure fire within a RFD, the senior RFS officer on the scene will be the IC, and the attending FRNSW officer will normally be the Operations Officer (OO).
• At a joint operation involving a bush or grass fire within a Fire District, the senior FRNSW member on the scene will be the IC and the attending RFS officer will normally be the OO.
• If the scale and complexity of a joint operation does not warrant having a separate OO, attending officers from each agency may jointly determine that the OO function is to be carried by the IC.
• Wherever possible, units operating at multi-agency incidents shall use a common incident communications network.
• Operations should be consistent with the local Mutual Aid Agreement (MAA).

Special Considerations

• Nil.

Related Information

• BFCC Policy 2/2006
• MOU between FRNSW and RFS
• RFS OPG - Hazmat Incidents
• Rural Fires Act 1997
• Service Standard 3.2.2 Assistance to Other Emergency Service Organisations