Incident Commander Role by Phase
Your responsibilities move through three distinct phases. Preparation builds the foundation, execution tests your command decisions, and evaluation turns the exercise into real improvement.
Preparation
- Review the AEP — confirm command structure, authorities, and agency roles.
- Understand scenario & objectives — know the emergency type and what is being tested.
- Confirm your role — ensure official IC designation and ICP-to-EOC reporting lines.
- Join planning meetings — help design the exercise around the systems you rely on.
Execution
- Establish command & the ICP — set up a clearly identifiable command location.
- Conduct size-up — gather information fast, prioritize, task resources.
- Build & communicate the IAP — state objectives, strategy, critical functions.
- Assign command staff — Safety Officer, PIO, Liaison Officer.
- Coordinate multi-agency response — fire, police, EMS, ops, tenants.
Evaluation
- Hot Wash — immediate feedback on what worked and what did not.
- After Action Report — document strengths, gaps, corrective actions, timelines.
- Update the AEP — fold lessons learned back into procedures.
Tabletop Exercise Team Labels
Two distinct sets of labels matter: the staff who run the drill, and the simulated response teams that play in it.
Exercise Staff — Who Runs the Drill
Players / Participants
Actively role-play their real-world positions — including you as IC — and respond to the scenario.
Facilitators
Present scenario updates (injects) and guide discussion. They do not participate in response decisions.
Evaluators / Observers
Subject matter experts who watch and document performance against objectives without intervening.
Note-takers / Scribes
Record the timeline, key decisions, and identified gaps for the After Action Report.
Controllers
Ensure safety and scenario progression as scripted. More common in full-scale exercises.
Simulated Response Teams — Functional Groups
🎯Incident / Unified Command
Core leadership: IC, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer, PIO.
🚒Fire / Rescue & ARFF
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting plus structural fire response.
🚑EMS / Medical / Triage
Emergency medical services, casualty collection, hospital coordination.
🚔Law Enforcement / Security
Airport police, perimeter control, scene security.
🛫Airport Operations / Airside
Runway closures, NOTAMs, airfield management.
👨👩👧Passenger / Family Assistance
Uninjured passenger gathering, Friends & Relatives Center, reunification.
📢Public Information / Media
Press briefings and public messaging.
📦Logistics / Finance
Resource ordering, tracking, cost documentation.
🏢Airlines / Tenant Reps
Airline operations and ground handler coordination.
Key Locations — Kulhudhuffushi Airport
Schematic matched to the real airport layout: Runway 12/30 runs north–south, parallel taxiway and apron on the west side, passenger terminal beyond the apron, Marine Drive curving along the east coast, Mashi Kulhi lake to the southwest, and the island's town grid to the south. Hover any numbered marker to highlight it.
Aircraft Incident Zones
The scene is organized into three concentric safety zones, adapted from hazardous materials response. Aircraft accidents involve high fuel loads and composite materials, so the boundaries matter.
Hot Zone
Red / Exclusion Zone
The immediate hazard area: wreckage, active fire, fuel, structural collapse, and hazardous cargo.
Warm Zone
Yellow / Transition Zone
A controlled buffer between the hazard and the safe area. Hosts triage, casualty collection, decontamination, and PPE donning/doffing.
Cold Zone
Green / Support Zone
The safe area outside the hazard, free from contamination. Contains the Command Post, staging areas, media briefing area, and the temporary morgue.
Perimeters
Inner Cordon
Controls access to the immediate hazard area — roughly the Hot / Warm boundary.
Outer Cordon
A larger secure perimeter for emergency vehicle movement and crowd control, encompassing the whole operation.
Casualty Flow Through the Zones
Types of Airport Emergencies
Categorizing potential emergencies helps you test specific response plans and resource coordination. Frameworks from ICAO, EASA and the FAA group them broadly like this.
Aircraft-Related
- Accidents on or off the airport
- In-flight emergencies — Full Emergency and Local Standby
- Gear-up landing, disabled aircraft on runway
- Ground collisions and taxiway incidents
Non-Aircraft
- Structural fires — terminal, hangar, cargo
- Fuel farm / storage fires
- HazMat / Dangerous Goods spills
- Radiological incidents
- Utility failures (e.g. movement area lighting)
- Water rescue situations (island perimeter)
Security & Unlawful Interference
- Sabotage and bomb threats
- Unlawfully seized aircraft (hijack)
- Armed attacks and hostage situations
- Acts of sabotage at airport installations
Public Health & Environmental
- Communicable disease spread via air travel
- Severe outbreak affecting airport staff
- Natural disasters — earthquake, flood, tornado
- Volcanic ash events
Compound Emergencies
- Two or more emergencies simultaneously or in quick succession
- Example: aircraft accident + fuel fire + HazMat spill
- Excellent stress test for your Incident Command System and resource management
Aircraft Used on Maldivian Domestic Routes
Reference specifications for the turboprop types operating into Kulhudhuffushi Airport (VRBK). Figures are typical published values — always confirm against the operator's current type manual before an exercise.
Quick Comparison
| Aircraft | Pax | Crew | Total | Fuel Capacity | Wheels | Boarding Door | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATR 72-600 | 70 | 2 + 2 | 74 | 5,000 kg | 4 | Rear left | Fwd + aft holds |
| ATR 42-600 | 48 | 2 + 2 | 52 | 4,000 kg | 4 | Rear left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8 Q400 | 78 | 2 + 2 | 82 | 6,530 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8-300 | 50 | 2 + 2 | 54 | 3,160 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8-200 | 37 | 2 + 1 | 40 | 3,160 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dornier 228 | 19 | 2 + 1 | 22 | 1,885 kg | 4 | Left main door | Fwd + aft holds |
Aircraft Detail Cards
ATR 72-600
Maldivian · FlyMe — workhorse of the domestic network
ATR 42-600
Maldivian — shorter-fuselage regional variant
Dash 8 Q400
Maldivian — high-speed, high-capacity turboprop
Dornier 228
Maldivian — short-field utility, resort and atoll routes
Where Everything Is — Diagrams
Fuel at Kulhudhuffushi Airport (VRBK)
The national supply chain runs through STO (State Trading Organisation): jet fuel is stored at the Funadhoo fuel terminal near Malé, distributed to Velana International Airport, and then onward to domestic airports that have fuelling capability. A bunkering / oil terminal project for Kulhudhuffushi has been discussed but is not operational.
Passenger & Baggage Flow at VRBK
Emergency Planning Implications
Evacuation Routes
- ATR 72: four main exits (two per side) plus overwing exits
- Dash 8: two main passenger doors (front and rear) plus overwing exits
- Do 228: main left door plus rear exit
- Survivors will exit onto the apron or runway surface — plan triage accordingly
Fuel Load & Fire Risk
- An ATR 72 may carry up to 5,000 kg of Jet A-1 in the wings
- Wing tanks mean a wing strike can release large volumes of fuel
- Dash 8 Q400 carries up to 6,530 L — the largest fuel load on the domestic fleet
- No on-airport fuel means a long-duration fuel fire has no local resupply concern, but also no foam concentrate stock beyond ARFF inventory
Baggage & Security
- Forward and aft holds must be identified early for any security or HazMat scenario
- Do 228 holds have low weight limits (90–210 kg) — expect light loads
- Hold access doors are on the right side for ATR types — useful for ARFF positioning
Disabled Aircraft Recovery
- All domestic types use tricycle retractable gear
- A gear-up landing means the aircraft rests on its engine nacelles and rear fuselage
- Runway 12/30 is the only runway at VRBK — a disabled aircraft closes the airport entirely
- Recovery equipment must come by sea or air — factor this into your timeline
TTX Flow & IC Checklist
A recommended build order for your tabletop exercise, followed by a working checklist for the day itself. Tap any item to tick it off — the progress bar updates live.