Tactics, command, leadership

purpose and the aim is to offer assistance to people in dangerous

situations.

Within control theory, from which the term control is taken,

the general control problem is described as to determine input,

based on output, such that the tracking of the reference signal is

maintained. Control theory is most commonly applied to process

control and automation, but it can also be used as a metaphor,

i.e. as a figurative expression, which is the case here. In the above

figure, for example, the goal of the operation can be the reference

signal (r), that which is to be achieved. The output signal (z) is the

ongoing result at the incident site, i.e. the actual course of events

at the incident site. The input signal (y) is the information that

contiually comes from the incident site, for example, in the form

of situation reports or visual impressions. The input signal is af-

fected by a number of disturbing elements, disturbance signals (w)

and measure ment errors (n) such as poor situation reports, inade-

quate grounds for evaluation or poor light conditions. In addition

the system that shall be affected (the incident, s) will have inherent

variation that can be difficult to identify and directly influence,

such as technical shortcomings in the construction or other in-

built faults.

In principle, control theory concerns how one gets a process

to handle another process so that the controlled process pro-

ceeds in the desired manner. Consequently control involves a

degree of information exchange. An emergency response ope-

ration is a process aimed at controlling another process (Breh-

mer, 2000). By using equipment such as pumps, hoses and nozz-

les to shoot water into a fire, the fire is exting uished and the

surround ings cooled down. The complete chain with the pump,

u

Source of disturbance

Reference

signal

Controlling

system

Controlled

system Output

signal

Source of

measurement

error

Feedback

r

w

z

y n

The general control
problem states that: In
a given system (S), with
available measurement
signals (y), the input
signal (u) determines so
that the output signal
(z) follows the reference
signal ®, under the
influence of disturbance
signal (w),
measurement error (n)
and system variation
(i S), and that the input
signal is held within
reasonable limits.