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Knowledge Center

Command: Board Section

Purpose Statement

The Command Board Section in the Command Module serves as the central operational interface for incident commanders to manage all aspects of tactical operations by organizing command staff positions, tracking unassigned units, managing tactical assignments, conducting personnel accountability reports, and maintaining comprehensive resource accountability. This unified interface provides real-time visibility of resource allocation, assignment progress tracking with timers, personnel accountability capabilities, and systematic documentation of all operational actions throughout the incident lifecycle.

Background Information

The Command Board is the primary working interface within the Command Module, providing incident commanders with a comprehensive view of all incident resources and tactical operations in a single, organized display. Understanding the layout, functionality, and interaction patterns of the Command Board is essential for effective incident management.

Command Board Layout - Three Primary Areas

1. Command Staff Section (Left Side)

  • Displays command and chief officer positions
  • Position order is established by template configuration in Command Setup and cannot be modified on the board
  • Positions can be filled by dragging and dropping units from unassigned units
  • Filled positions can be cleared back to unassigned units by dragging them out

2. Unassigned Units Section (Center)

  • Displays all units tied to the incident not currently assigned to tactical operations
  • Initially populated with dispatched units from the original alarm
  • Automatically updates with units from upgrades or additional alarms
  • Shows units manually added by command board users
  • Serves as the resource pool for assignment to command staff or tactical assignments

3. Assignments Section (Right Side)

  • Displays tactical assignments organized as groups or tasks
  • Shows assignment completion ratio (completed assignments / total assignments)
  • Default assignments and initial arrangement based on template configuration
  • Assignment field order can be rearranged by command board users
  • Each assignment tracks overall assignment timer and individual unit timers

Unit Management Capabilities

  • Add Units: Manually add additional units from system lists or create custom units
  • Edit Units: Modify unit names or identifiers
  • Clear Units: Remove units from command board (does not affect dispatch call)
  • Duplicate Units: Clone units for split crew operations
  • Add Notes: Attach unit-specific documentation
  • Make Lead: Designate units as lead within assignments (shows blue banner, controls map visibility)

Assignment Management Capabilities

  • Assignment Timers: Track overall assignment duration from first unit assignment
  • Unit Timers: Track individual unit time within specific assignments
  • Timer Warnings: Yellow at one minute before threshold, red when threshold reached
  • Timer Reset: Can be reset at any time
  • Edit: Modify assignment details
  • Delete: Remove assignments (returns units to unassigned)
  • Complete: Mark assignments finished (shows green check mark, stops timer, returns units to unassigned)
  • Assign to Division: Move assignments to specific divisions
  • Duplicate: Clone assignments for similar operations
  • Add Notes: Document assignment-specific information
  • Log History: View filtered log entries for specific assignments

PAR Check Integration

  • PAR timer with configurable threshold and audio/visual warnings
  • Shield icon initiates PAR check process
  • Command board dims to read-only except for unit PAR status marking
  • Only units in assignments can be marked for PAR (unassigned units and command staff excluded)
  • Three status states: Yellow (warning/no response), Green (PAR confirmed), Red (issue reported)
  • PAR counter tracks units marked as having PAR
  • Options: "All Units PAR", "Incomplete PAR", "Pause PAR", "Resume PAR"
  • PAR timer auto-resets upon completion

All command board actions are automatically logged in the Log Section with complete timestamps, user information, and action details for comprehensive incident documentation.

Required Permissions

Users must have the appropriate level of the Incident Commands permission configured in their role:

  • Read: View command boards in read-only mode
  • Update: Modify command board settings and information
  • Create: Initiate new command boards and add custom items
  • Delete: Remove command board elements and complete incidents

Alert
Additional permissions may be required for specific functions like messaging and roster access based on integrated modules.

Video 


Step by Step Guide

1. The Board Section is split into 3 areas:
  1. Command Staff
  2. Unassigned Units
  3. Assignments






2. The Command Staff Section is configured in Command Setup. Units can be placed in the positions in the Command Staff area but positions cannot be edited or added.







3. The Unassigned Units section shows all units that are dispatched to your incident including additional alarms and upgrades. Units can be dragged and dropped into command staff positions or assignments.






4.  The following options are available in the Unassigned Units area:
  1. 4A.  Additional Units can be added by selecting the + Unassigned Units Button
  2. 4B.  Users can search for Units within the Unassigned Units Area
  3. 4C.  Each Unit Unassigned Unit has the follow options available in the Stacked Menu
    1. Edit Unit (change name or switch to another unit)
    2. Clear Unit (only clears unit from the Command Board not the incident)
    3. Duplicate Unit
    4. Add Notes to that specific Unit







5. In the Assignments area the assignments are arranged as configured in the specific Template within Command Setup. The assignments can be rearranged into any order. The Assignments Ratio displays the ratio between the total number Completed Assignments and the number Assignments that are assigned to the Command Board. (Completed/Total Assignments)







6.  Each Assignment has a unique timer that can have a set threshold which is designated in Command Setup.

7. The Assignment Timer will begin counting when a Unit is placed into the Assignment. A Unit timer will also start on the Unit to show how long it has been assigned within the Assignment. These timers are independent of each other. The Unit Timer only reflects how long the Unit has been assigned within the assignment.






8. Assignment Timers have visual cues that depend on the way the Assignments were created in Command Setup.
8A. If a Assignment Timer has a threshold time, when the timer reaches 1 minute prior to the Threshold time, the timer will be highlighted in YELLOW.
8B.  If a Assignment Timer has a threshold time, when the timer reaches the Threshold time, the timer will be highlighted in RED.  The timer will continue to count until the assignment is marked complete or deleted.
8C.  All Timers will be highlighted in Grey if the Timer has does has not hit the criteria noted above or if the Assignment does not have a set threshold time.
8D.  Assignment Timers can be reset using the reset button.







9. When a Unit is placed in an assignment, a new menu item becomes available--Make Lead.  This allows the Unit to be designated as the Lead Unit within that assignment by displaying a blue banner across the top of the unit. Only one unit a time can be marked the lead within the assignment.






10.  Each assignment has a menu that can be accessed by the stacked icons that includes:
  1. Edit 
  2. Delete 
  3. Complete  (any units within the assignment will be returned to the Unassigned Units Area)
  4. Log History (Takes user to the Log Section and filters the entries to that specific assignment)
  5. Duplicate
  6. Add Notes (attached to that assignment)






11.  Add Assignment--Additional assignments can be added from an established list or custom assignments can be created.






12.  Complete All--Will mark all Assignments completed. Any Units within the individual assignments will be returned to the Unassigned Units Section






13.  The PAR timer is displayed in the center of the Board section and is set in Command Setup. The following features apply to the PAR Timer:
11A.  Current elapsed PAR Time
11B.  Reset PAR Timer
11C.  PAR Check






12.  When PAR Timer reaches 1 minute before PAR Time threshold the timer will Turn YELLOW.






13. When the PAR Timer reaches the PAR Time Threshold, the timer will turn RED and stop & remain RED until the timer is reset.





14. To conduct a PAR Check select the PAR Check (Shield) icon. This will dim the Command Board into a Read Only State except for the Units that are within an Assignment. Units within the Command Staff or within Unassigned Units can not be included in the PAR Check.  Units can now be marked as having PAR (GREEN) on the first click or Not Having PAR (RED) on the second click. The third clock will return the unit to default (YELLOW).






15.  The PAR Check can be paused to allow for edits or changes on the command board and then resumed by selecting the shield icon again. The PAR Check will start from where the last PAR Check was paused.






16. Users can mark all Units as having PAR with the All Units PAR or the PAR can be marked Incomplete. Units will be marked accordingly within the Log Section.





17.  Once a PAR in completed, the PAR timer will restart.




Best Practices

Do's

  • Organize command staff positions immediately upon assuming command to establish clear incident organization
  • Keep the unassigned units section organized by clearing units that have left the scene or been released
  • Assign units to tactical assignments promptly to ensure accurate timer tracking and accountability
  • Monitor both assignment timers and unit timers to maintain awareness of operational duration and accountability
  • Use the assignment completion ratio as a quick reference for overall tactical progress assessment
  • Designate lead units within assignments to ensure proper visibility on the Map Section

Don'ts

  • Don't forget that clearing units from the command board does not clear them from the dispatch call
  • Don't ignore assignment or PAR timer warnings—they indicate accountability thresholds have been reached
  • Don't delete assignments without understanding that units will return to unassigned units
  • Don't mark assignments complete prematurely before tactical objectives are actually achieved
  • Don't rush through PAR checks—accurate accountability takes precedence over speed
  • Don't forget to utilize the command board's comprehensive logging for post-incident documentation

Tips & Recommendations

  • Configure templates in Command Setup with appropriate command staff positions, default assignments, and timer thresholds
  • Establish department protocols for command board organization and assignment naming conventions
  • Train all command personnel on drag-and-drop functionality and menu options during non-emergency periods
  • Use assignment duplication to quickly create multiple similar tactical assignments
  • Leverage the log history feature on assignments to review assignment-specific timeline during operational transitions
  • Coordinate timer thresholds across assignments, divisions, and PAR checks for integrated accountability management

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Can I change the order of command staff positions on the command board?
A: No. The order of command staff positions is established by template configuration in Command Setup and cannot be modified on the command board. Contact your system administrator if position order needs to be changed at the template level.

Q: Why do units in the same assignment have different timer values?
A: Individual unit timers track only the time each specific unit has spent in that particular assignment. Units assigned at different times will have different timer values. The assignment timer at the top tracks the overall duration of the assignment itself.

Q: What's the difference between deleting and completing an assignment?
A: Both actions return units to unassigned units and update the assignment ratio. However, "Complete" marks the assignment with a green check mark indicating tactical success, while "Delete" simply removes the assignment. "Complete" is the appropriate action when tactical objectives are achieved; "Delete" is used when an assignment was created in error or is no longer needed.

Q: Why can't I include unassigned units or command staff in PAR checks?
A: The PAR check system only includes units assigned to tactical assignments because they are actively engaged in hazardous operations requiring accountability tracking. Unassigned units and command staff are not in tactical assignments requiring the same level of PAR accountability.

Q: What happens to the PAR timer after I complete a PAR check?
A: The PAR timer automatically resets to zero and begins counting toward the threshold again after completing a PAR check (either "All Units PAR" or "Incomplete PAR"). This establishes the timeline for the next accountability cycle.

Q: Can I move units directly from one assignment to another without going through unassigned units?
A: Yes. Units can be dragged directly from one assignment field and dropped into another assignment field. The unit's individual timer restarts to track time in the new assignment.