Indiana Fire Chiefs Association

Download the plan (version 1.4) and a presentation.

The purpose of the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) Statewide Mutual Aid Response Plan (hereafter known as the Plan) is to provide local fire chiefs with easy access to large quantities of fire service resources that may be needed to mitigate a major fire, disaster or other significant emergency. The Plan is based on a series of observed occurrences and shared experiences during recent disasters and major emergencies in the State of Indiana. It is also an evolution of our past experiences in dealing with the day-to-day incidents that continually challenge our resources and competencies. Most importantly, it is a practical approach to provide fire service resources in quantities beyond the means of any single fire department.

The Indiana Fire Chiefs Association created the Plan to provide for the systematic mobilization, deployment, organization, and management of fire service resources to assist local agencies in a major fire, disaster or other major emergency. The local fire service agency is the first tier of defense in responding to the ravages of a disaster. However, no community has the resources sufficient to cope with all emergencies.

As with other states in the Midwest, Indiana is susceptible to natural and man-made disasters. The effective management of emergency response personnel during the incipient stage of any major incident and throughout its extended operations will by far, have the most significant impact on life loss and the severity of injuries to the affected population.

The Plan provides for the rapid activation and response of aid to a community in the event of a localized disaster. These events can include a major fire, train derailments, hazardous materials incidents, wildland fires, domestic terrorism and other events that may overwhelm the local fire department serving the community and its normal mutual aid resources.

KEY CONCEPTS OF THE PLAN

The Plan is directed towards enhancing disaster management at the local, county, and state level of government by:

1. Providing a simple method to immediately activate large quantities of fire department personnel and resources.
2. Establishing the positions, roles, and responsibilities necessary to activate and maintain this plan.
3. Complimenting other disaster plans at the local and state level.
4. Utilizing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as a model to manage large scale incidents.
   

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