The operational period brief is a crucial information-sharing session before the start of an incident. It provides essential details and instructions for the upcoming operation, and it also gives supervisory personnel the opportunity to raise emergent issues Who Facilitates the Operational Period Brief?
The OPB facilitator is responsible for ensuring that the meeting runs smoothly and that all relevant information is conveyed to participants. They possess leadership, agenda development, information dissemination, and conflict resolution expertise.
The Planning Section Chief
The planning section chief is the person responsible for ensuring that everyone involved in an incident knows what’s going on. They also help to coordinate the activities of each section. This is why they are sometimes referred to as the situation unit leader.
Conducts planning meetings with Command Staff, Section Chiefs, and the Incident Commander to review and update the Incident Action Plan (IAP). Monitors progress on completing key tasks or objectives. Prepares situation and resource status reports with maps and intelligence.
Ensures that resources are properly positioned, configured, and equipped for the response. Performs other duties as assigned by the Incident Commander. Requires NIMS Level 3 and ICS Position-Specific Training.
The Incident Commander
An adept operational period brief facilitator is a linchpin in ensuring seamless communication and coordination during an incident. Their expertise in gathering information, facilitating effective communication, coordinating diverse teams, demonstrating leadership presence, and fostering continuous improvement contributes significantly to the success of any operation.
Incident commanders are responsible for managing critical incidents and making decisions under pressure. They are expected to gather and assess all available information, determine an incident’s scope and priorities, and establish immediate goals for the response.
The IC is also required to delegate tasks and establish a hierarchy of authority, which helps ensure efficient collaboration among the different teams in a situation. They also conduct post-resolution follow-ups and analyze lessons learned to identify areas for improvement.
The General Staff
There are other people who play a role in the operational period briefing process. The first is a person who normally works under the planning section chief. This person will be responsible for the day-to-day monitoring and reporting of the incident site.
This person will also be responsible for gathering data and information from various departments and sources in order to create a comprehensive incident status report. They will then present this report to the Incident Commander and other key personnel.
Another important person who is part of the operational period briefing process is a Liaison Officer. This is a person who will provide any kind of interagency information to the incident management team. They will also be responsible for ensuring that the briefing runs smoothly and that all relevant information is conveyed to those who need it. This is a very important role and one that should not be taken lightly. In fact, it is critical to the success of any incident response effort.
The Support Elements
Support elements are the people and resources who help to conduct an operation. They are responsible for things like arranging transportation, providing security, and handling the logistics of an incident. They also handle specialized material labeling requirements and provide maintenance planning and management.
The PSC is responsible for ensuring that the operational period briefing runs smoothly and that all relevant information is conveyed to those who need it. They must have effective communication skills and the ability to coordinate diverse teams. They must also be able to demonstrate leadership presence in stressful situations and foster continuous improvement. A proficient operational period brief facilitator is a vital part of a successful response effort. They are a critical component of seamless communication and coordination throughout the designated timeframe. They can be an invaluable asset during an emergency situation. The operational period briefing is a great opportunity to convey important information and discuss emerging issues that might affect the situation.
