Why is the study of the Incident Command System so important to the professional firefighter? Describe the history of ICS and NIMS.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: The Importance of the Incident Command System for Professional Firefighters: A Historical Overview of ICS and NIMS
Introduction:
The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized management framework used by emergency responders, including professional firefighters, to effectively manage incidents of all sizes and complexities. Understanding the history and principles of ICS and its connection to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) is crucial for professional firefighters to ensure efficient incident response and enhance overall safety.
Importance of the Incident Command System:
Standardized Approach: ICS provides a standardized approach to incident management, ensuring consistent terminology, organizational structure, and operational procedures. This common framework allows firefighters from different agencies and jurisdictions to seamlessly collaborate during emergencies, increasing overall effectiveness.
Clear Command Structure: ICS establishes a clear command structure with designated roles and responsibilities, including the Incident Commander (IC) who has ultimate authority and decision-making power. This clear chain of command facilitates efficient communication, coordination, and resource allocation, enabling firefighters to respond promptly and effectively.
Scalability and Flexibility: ICS is scalable and can be adapted to incidents of varying sizes and complexities. Whether it’s a small fire or a large-scale disaster, ICS principles remain consistent, allowing firefighters to manage incidents of any magnitude with confidence.
Interagency Cooperation: ICS promotes interagency cooperation by fostering collaboration among various emergency response agencies, including fire departments, law enforcement, medical services, and public works. By working together seamlessly under the ICS framework, different agencies can pool their resources and expertise to address multifaceted incidents more effectively.
History of ICS and NIMS:
Development of ICS: The origins of ICS can be traced back to the 1970s in Southern California, where wildfires frequently challenged traditional incident management approaches. As a result, the Firefighting Resources of Southern California Organized for Potential Emergencies (FIRESCOPE) program developed the initial concepts that eventually evolved into ICS. These concepts were refined and standardized over time, leading to the widespread adoption of ICS across the United States.
Introduction of NIMS: The National Incident Management System (NIMS) was established in 2003 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a comprehensive framework for incident management. NIMS integrates various components, including ICS, into a single system that encompasses preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts. NIMS ensures interoperability among different jurisdictions and agencies, promoting a coordinated national response to incidents.
Adoption and Implementation: Following its introduction, NIMS became a requirement for federal grant funding related to emergency management. This requirement led to widespread adoption and implementation of NIMS, including ICS, by emergency response agencies at all levels of government across the United States. Today, NIMS serves as the foundation for effective incident management across various disciplines.
Conclusion:
The study of the Incident Command System is vital for professional firefighters as it provides them with a standardized approach, clear command structure, scalability, and interagency cooperation during incident response. Understanding the history of ICS and its connection to NIMS allows firefighters to effectively manage incidents of all sizes and complexities while enhancing overall safety. By embracing ICS principles and training consistently in its implementation, professional firefighters can ensure efficient incident management and contribute to a more coordinated and effective national emergency response system.
