Mutual aid is received through the TTEMAS Staging Area, which is under the control of TTEMAS Emergency Coordinator.

With the exception of Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, unless requested all responding personnel and resources are required to report to the designated TTEMAS Staging Area and on arrival, responding personnel should notify the TTEMAS Emergency Coordinator. The latter will release the resources as requested and dispatch same to the Staging Area of the distressed facility. At no time will TTEMAS take control of the management of the emergency response actions, these remain under the direct control of the on scene Incident Commander of the affected plant.

All responding personnel will respond with the necessary protective gear including SCBA’s for each responder. Special radio procedures will be used to communicate emergency traffic.

The facility activating this Plan shall activate an on scene Incident Command Post at the facility. The Command Post will be located in a safe area upwind and up slope of the incident if possible. The purpose of the Command Post is to provide a location for the management of the emergency. The Command Post may simply be a vehicle, or other mobile or portable facility.

The Staging Area at the affected site is a designated location where responding mutual aid companies, or government agencies will report to. It shall be located upwind and up slope of the emergency, in an accessible but secure location away from the Command Post. The Staging Area shall be a large area, such as a parking lot where vehicles, equipment and personnel may be held at pending assignment.

Each member should provide a suitable EOC, or EOCs, to formulate policy decisions regarding mutual aid, incident mitigation, public relations, economic matters, care of the displaced and injured, and their return to normalcy after the incident is over. The EOC also provides a location for interface with the media and governmental agencies.