FM-3-81 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Download
Page 85 of 188
Support Area Responsibilities 09 November 2021 FM 3-81 4-15 units. Within an assigned AO, the designated support area land owner may keep centralized control of some area damage control assets to permit allocation at the critical point and time. 4-74. Area damage control may include such measures as— Establishing fire breaks and lanes. Hardening structures. Dispersing key capabilities and resources. Coordinating with higher headquarters and CA to use host-nation support for area damage control. Locating, isolating, and containing the incident. Isolating danger or hazard areas. Mitigating personnel and material losses. Reestablishing security. Assessing the situation and damage. Supporting decontamination operations. Searching and rescuing entrapped personnel. Eliminating pockets of enemy resistance. Providing civil control. Removing and exposing of explosive ordnance. Clearing rubble. Clearing down trees. Providing electrical power services. Providing fire protection services. Controlling flood damage. Determining contaminated areas. Reorganizing or reconstituting a response force or reserve. Repairing facilities. Improving security or defenses. Integrating and assisting with mass casualty incident plans. Replacing or shifting information collection assets and observers. Recovering and repairing damaged equipment. Repairing critical facilities, routes, or LOCs within the AO. LOCAL SECURITY 4-75. Local security is low-level security activities conducted near a unit to prevent surprise by the enemy (ADP 3-90). Local security provides immediate protection to friendly forces and is typically performed by a unit for self-protection, but it may also be provided by another unit when the security requirements are greater than the unit security capabilities. Local security may include countermobility and survivability activities. Area security activities take advantage of the local security measures performed by all units (regardless of their location) in an AO, and all local security activities should be linked to the broader area security activities. 4-76. Local security includes any local measure taken by units that protect against enemy actions. It involves avoiding enemy detection or deceiving the enemy about friendly positions and intentions. Local security prevents a unit from being surprised, and it is an important part of maintaining the initiative. The requirement for maintaining local security is an inherent part of all operations. Units use active and passive measures to provide local security. 4-77. Active local security measures include but are not limited to― Observation posts. Patrols. Unmanned aerial systems.