Tactics, command, leadership

vious actions and to choose subsequent actions that correspond to
the previous. The choice of the subsequent action is made with con-
sideration to the possible effects of the action and plans are used as
a foundation for choosing actions. Most people can also deal with
more than one objective when decisions are made. But not everyo-
ne is able to take such consideration, neither when it comes to pre-
vious actions or to anticipated results. The choice of a subsequent
action appears to be random and only one objective at a time is con-
sidered. Some individuals can be fully aware of what is happening
and make calculated plans for dealing with the situation. Certain
types of situations also demand initiation, execution and coordina-
tion of special actions. The range of possible actions must in such
cases relate both to previous actions and future developments.
One can also have considerable help of a model of the situation
that describes and explains the sequence of events. It can be a
mental model with various degree of abstraction, but it can also
be a physical model that describes the actual conditions, such as a
drawing of a building or of the damage sequence. The individual’s
capability to create such models is sometimes based on, among
other things, past knowledge of resource capacities and the effects
of various actions. All individuals who are involved in an emergen-
cy response operation must have a fundamental understanding of
emergencies and of how different types of sequences of events
can be influenced. With the help of response intent, senior com-
manders communicate what is to be achieved by an emergency
response operation. These response plans are also used by senior
commanders to clarify which boundaries the emergency respon-
se operations must stay within, with respect to time, resources,
orientation, etc. With unambiguous objectives for response opera-
tions, incident commanders indicate what is to be achieved by an
individual emergency response operation. Both response intent
and objectives are important tools for guiding the sequence of
events in the desired direction, i.e. to gain and maintain control.
The intent of conducting an emergency response operation is
to gain and maintain control using available resources. The entire
process – from a municipal structure for providing rescue services
being notified that someone needs assistance, to dispatching units
and the sequence of events at the incident site – must be based on
the capability to actually be able to influence developments.
The quality of the information that is provided and received
is often crucial for the results of emergency response operations.