"Control the incident or it will control you!"

1. Always have an Emergency Operations Plan, keep it simple.
2. Have Standard Operating Guidelines that are written, accepted, known to everyone and utilized.
3. Review and revise the EOP and SOGs as needed, at least annually.
4. Have realistic training, have everyone practice every role.

1. Be direct but polite. Remember to say thank you.
2. Lead, don't push. Leaders lead, pushers ruin peoples lives.
3. Use written instructions to minimize misunderstandings.
4. Make copies of everything.
5. Limit work time to 12 hours, then enforce mandatory rest.
6. Provide good food and a place to warm up, cool down, dry out, rest, eat, relax, and to avoid bothersome people and press.
7. Compliment EVERYONE, not just specific individuals.
8. Remember that individuals (and SAR dogs) need to mentally " shift gears" at both ends of an incident.

1. Failure to immediately establish a single unified command.
2. Failure to request more resources early enough.
3. Failure to establish a staging area.
4. Failure to delegate authority and trust subordinates.
5. Failure of the managers to stay out of the treatment (tie your hands, not your mouth).
6. Failure to develop and utilize adequate communications systems.
7. Failure to document with pictures notes, names and times.

Original by Bill Pierce, revised by Tom Richardson, 1996