Pre-Incident Planning

Scope

This Operational Guideline covers the considerations for pre-incident planning (PIP), conducted by brigades and/or districts in anticipating their response to potential incidents .

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

• PIPs are a localised plan, outlining the approach to all aspects of an emergency response to be undertaken prior to and in the event of an emergency occurring.
• PIPs ensure a state of readiness, identifying actions to be executed in line with the potential level of danger and class of fire.
• PIPs should identify key incident planning information such as: area mapping, details of access, any significant assets at risk, safety protocols, and any exclusion zone/s impacting responding firefighters.
• Firefighters should be familiar with the general characteristics and layout of their brigade area, and the equipment and procedures they are expected to use.
• Officers should have a detailed knowledge of their brigade area of operation and/or have access to detailed information about that area.
• Officers should have a detailed knowledge, or immediate access to information, about the strategy and tactics to be used at the type of incidents they could reasonably be expected to encounter. All firefighting vehicles should have access to mapping for the area, and information (e.g., Pre-Incident Planning Data Sheets), about significant fire risks in their area.
• At a District level, PIPs shall be developed and maintained to cater for large scale incidents.
• At State and Area level, guidance and support shall be provided to standardise the format and improve the ease of use of PIPs.

Special Considerations

• Nil.

Related Information

• RFS District Information Packs