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Resources | Multi-Agency Team-Building Enhancement System (MATES)
Improving Area Skills. The U.S. Coast Guard is striving to improve the skills of responders for local Area response and preparedness efforts. This training is directed to those individuals who have or may have, command post responsibilities associated with multi-agency responses at the local level. This "decision-making process improvement" encompasses not just USCG personnel, but a mix of federal, state, and private individuals who may normally contribute in the command post. Continued improvement of these command post skills by all contributors to the National Response System is vital for achieving the best response possible for an area during an incident.
Incident Command System/Unified Command. The implementation of the National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS) version of ICS as the standard response management system within the Coast Guard for oil and hazardous substance helps ensure the local spill management team organizes for incidents the same way every time. In doing so, valuable organizational time and energy are directed toward solving the response problem in question and not wasted trying to "organize" the SMT itself. The incident command post, and the Command and general staff in particular, is the vital source of direction for all matters relating to effective incident management. It is in the ICP where team building processes need to be well understood and effectively implemented to achieve the best response possible. The use of the standard organizational approach found in NIIMS ICS will allow the USCG Captain of the Port, as the pre-designated Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC), to bring responsible parties, other federal, state, and local agencies into an effective "unified" command post team in a systematic way. In doing so, the Unified Command post team can quickly meet a primary goal of the incident management team which is to ensure successful team-building and systematic response management rather that struggling with "how to organize" the SMT.
MATES. During the past three years, in an effort to improve the decision-making process within these local, multi-agency, command post teams, the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center has developed a relatively inexpensive, sub-team training format, which has been demonstrated in a number of U.S. ports. This training strives to improve the development of a shared mental model or organizational focus toward effective team problem solving skills among potentially diverse members within the local SMT, hence the Multi-Agency Team-building Enhancement System or MATES.
Moving Local Development Efforts Forward. MATES is designed to improve the preparedness of the Area Response team by focusing on vital team interaction skills PRIOR TO an actual response. This focus on preparedness is aimed at helping individuals to work closely and effectively during a short notice, high stress creation of an incident management team. Such efforts most always take place during low-probability, high-consequence situations. As such, the Unified Command (UC) is the framework for all team building efforts in MATES. Therefore, knowledge and proficiency in ICS/UC concepts and terminology is the foundation upon which effective team building skills can be placed. The MATES session scheduled for your port will hopefully provide a vital step toward improving incident management at the local level and helping to further Coast Guard wide efforts at ICS implementation.
What the MSO Needs to Provide. Primarily, you should gain the interest and support of the vital team players that would form your Unified Command within your AOR. Personnel who might play a role at one of your larger incidents within the Incident Command Post/Unified Command are ideal candidates. Those who attend MATES should be qualified to the ICS I-300 level. If you are in need of ICS training, at the I-200 and 300 levels,please contact your nearest Strike Team or Area Coordinator to setup training. Having ICS training prior to the MATES offering will significantly increase the success and value of your session. If you have any questions regarding the importance of this concept please contact your Area Coordinator. The Area Coordinator can also help you if your unit has a serious conflict with the date of your port's MATES session. The MSO should expect to provide a space large enough to accommodate 30/60 people, an overhead projector screen, two easel board pads and easel board pens.
“The World’s Best Responders: Any Time, Any Place, Any Hazard.”
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