Command hours are time spent practicing Incident Command in the role of an

Incident Commander, Operational Commander and Functional Sector Commanders.

Command hours can be logged at incidents, as well as at practical or simulated exercises.

Why do you need to log them?

National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Incident Command National Operational Guidance

(NOG) states that ‘annual targets for time spent practicing incident command will ensure adequate exposure to maintain currency of skills. Target hours also ensure that a

corporately agreed volume of opportunities have been provided to prepare individual

commanders.’

Source: Incident command: Knowledge, skills and competence | NFCC CPO |

www.ukfrs.com/foundation-knowledge/incident-command-knowledge-skills-and-competence

From 2020, as well as a 2 yearly revalidation of knowledge test and practical command

assessment, a number of Command hours and CPD are also required to be carried out to remain competent. So essentially, if you are not practicing and logging regular command hours, you may not be classed as competent.

Once you have booked, one of our facilitators will send you virtual log-in details to the email of your choice.

To replicate a real incident, about an hour before the simulation starts, you will be sent information regarding the incident that would be supplied such as METHANE and IIMARCH messages, so you can start to prepare.

Once you log in, you will meet your online facilitator who will check you have all the necessary resources. The facilitated session uses videos of role-players and is a mix of tactical decision making and simulation and includes student briefing and orientation, briefing from the Incident Commander, preparation time for the meeting, pre-briefing with Police Chair, attendance of SCG/TCG and then feedback and professional discussion.

Once complete you will be sent a certificate to use as evidence, and if required, a recording of the simulation for your own records.

Please note that if you need extra time for reading, or any other adjustments, please just let us know. We are happy to help.

And remember, you are not being assessed, so you can come in and out of role throughout the session, to ask questions. The session is for you to get the most out of it.

Take a look at our video above, that shows you a bit more about how the sessions work.

If you would like a demonstration, or simply wish to discuss your requirement, get in touch. We are here to help you meet your training needs.

Just fill in the online contact form and we will contact you to arrange a time and date.

Each session lasts around 2 and a half hours, allowing for 2 hours of simulation and an additional 30 mins for introductions, feedback and professional discussion.

Once the simulation is complete, we send you an invoice.

Usually you will provide a cost code from your finance or procurement department to start the payment process. We kindly ask for payment within 30 days of receiving our invoice.

We are happy to carry out ad-hoc simulations based on service needs or enter into a supplier’s contract – whatever suits your needs.

We understand that situations and schedules change and that you can get called out to a shout at a moment’s notice.

Where possible, changes to appointed training times should be made at least 48 hours in advance, although we are happy if you find someone else to go in your place.

If you cannot find anyone to take your place at the allocated time, and need to cancel between 24-48 hours in advance, then you will be charged 50% of the course that was booked unless you can re-book into a free spot (if available) within 7 days.

Under 24 hours’ notice, we charge the full cost of the training, unless you can re-book into a free spot (if available) within 7 days, or find someone to take your place.

If you need to discuss this, or any booking, please get in touch with us as early as possible and we will do what we can to help.

This is a difficult one to answer!

National Guidance states that it’s down to each Fire & Rescue Service to determine depending on their risks.

We know of some FRS who have agreed 8 command hours per year, and others who have agreed 20.

Whatever you decide, we are here to help.

The NOG gives this clarity and also states that ‘Incident commanders should be

revalidated against the level at which they are operating in a command capacity.’ For

Strategic Commanders this is described as level 4 command, remote from scene attending a Strategic Co-ordinating Group.

We recognise that this is very difficult to achieve, and in our experience, what usually

happens is that when a large exercise is arranged, a Strategic Commander is invited to

attend, either as an observer/mentor or to take over the incident. Both are beneficial for

many reasons, but in the context of logging command hours described in the NOG, don’t really help. Observing cannot be logged as command hours as the observer is not in a command role. If the Strategic Commander takes command, the command hours would be logged at level 2 or 3 (on-site) rather than level 4 (remote, strategic incident command).

This is the key reason we set up Joe Hassell Command - to ensure Strategic Commanders have a place to practice at the right level – remote, attending an SCG.

Yes. All our simulations are based on NFCC Scenarios using real locations. However we are very happy to design bespoke simulations built specifically for your risks, for additional cost.