Tactics, command, leadership

can be the case, when there are several simultaneous operations

underway, that one of the operations needs to be corrected from

the point of view of system command, if, for example, there is an

imbalance between the likelihood of the respective operations ac-

hieving their goals. In such a case a conflict of interests or rather

competition for resources could arise. Another example could be

that system command becomes aware that a single response ope-

ration is falling short of meeting the assistance need in a parti-

cular situation. System command can then, as part of maintaining

the direction for the whole system, affect the goal of the operation

During an emergency response operation the incident commander assesses
the resource requirement prior to a relief takeover. The fire chief sees that
the incident commander, perhaps due to tiredness, is underestimating the
situation. The fire chief then acts by planning for additional resources,
talking to the incident commander about the needs and making sure that
it is understood that the aim in extinguishing the fire remains and that
considerable effort is called for in order to achieve this aim. The result is that
a higher goal must be met, which the fire chief contributes to by providing
additional resources. Through clarifying or possibly revising the aim of the
operation, system command can influence the response operation. The fire
chief should also, perhaps, consider whether the incident commander should
be relieved.

Example 31