8. Meeting the need for assistance
In order to execute emergency response operations effectively, it
is necessary to take the best possible advantage of the coll ective
resources. To enable this, it is important that, among other things,
one is fully aware of the capacity of the available resources, the
measures that are therefore possible and appropriate to execute
and what happens when various measures are applied at different
places in time and space. This is really what tactics is about – be-
ing able to use the available resources in the best possible way.
If you are going to take part in a game, you have to know the
rules of the game. Otherwise you can never win or even be placed.
There is even a good chance of being disqualified and banned from
participation maybe for quite some time. The situation is similar
when it comes to emergency response operations participants
have to be familiar with the rules that steer and affect the course
of events as well as the restrictions they impose. This can imply
a comprehensive understanding of fundamental physical pheno-
mena and the characteristics of the problem. If one does not fulfil
these requirements, natur ally disqualification is not the penalty,
but this could result in causing more damage than is caused by
the incident itself and subjecting personnel and others involved to
danger unnecessarily. The rules that apply to response operations
comply, in principle, with the fundamental rules of physics and
chemistry. Since the measures executed through response opera-
tions are affected by these rules and regulations in various ways,
it is on these that the structure of the response must be based.
At the same time as there are many peoplerelated aspects and
regulations to take into account. A commander must continually
relate to these rules and regulations. And the knowledge and app-
lication of them enables the effective use of resources, which in
turn enables the gain and maintenance of control.