Incident Command System (ICS)

Incident Command System (ICS)

• Describe the role, responsibility and
command considerations for the
following:
– Operations Section
– Planning Section
– Logistics Section
– Finance and Administration Section
 What Is ICS?
• The Incident Command System:
– Is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazard
incident management concept.
– Allows its users to adopt an integrated
organizational structure
• Matching the complexities and demands of single
or multiple incidents
 What Is an Incident?
•An incident is:
. . . an occurrence, either
caused by human or
natural phenomena, that
requires response actions
to prevent or minimize loss
of life, or damage to
property and/or the
environment.
 Overall Priorities
• Incident objectives are established
based on the following priorities:
• #1: Life Saving
• #2: Incident Stabilization
• #3: Property Preservation
 Regulatory Agencies

Recognize in a catastrophic event life saving measures
will be a priority.

Regulatory standards still apply during emergency and
disaster events:
– Division of Facility Services
– Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
– Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
(EMTALA)
– Fire Marshall Having Jurisdiction
– Environmental Protection Agency
– Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
– Medical and Nursing and Allied Health Practice Boards
 Purpose of ICS
• Using best practices, ICS ensures
– Safety of responders and others
– Achievement of tactical objectives
– Efficient use of resources
 ICS Principles
• Emergencies require certain tasks or
functions to be performed.
• Every incident needs a person in charge.
• No one should direct more than 7 others.
• No one should report to more than 1
person.
• If the number of reporting elements is not
within this range, expansion or
consolidation of the ICS organization may
be needed
ICS Management: Span of Control
• ICS span of control for any supervisor:
– Is between 3 and 7 subordinates
– Optimally does not exceed 5 subordinates
 ICS Principles
Everyone should:
• Know common terminology before an
emergency.
• Make use of common terminology to refer
to the situation.
• No codes should be used unless absolutely
necessary.
• When codes are necessary, ensure the
staff know them in advance.
 Why Plain English?
What does EMT mean?

• EMT = Emergency Medical Treatment

• EMT = Emergency Medical Technician
• EMT = Emergency Management Team
• EMT = Eastern Mediterranean Time
(GMT+0200)
• EMT = El Monte, CA (airport code)
• EMT = Electron Microscope Tomography
• EMT = Email Money Transfer
 Practical Problems in
Information Exchange
• You don’t have a way to receive
information
• You don’t have a way to send information
• You don’t know to whom information
should be sent
• You don’t know whether the information
you have is accurate
• You can’t inventory/control/safeguard the
information you do have
 Common Terminology
• Using common terminology helps to
define:
– Organizational functions.
– Incident facilities.
– Resource descriptions.
– Position titles.
 Common ICS Terminology
• Organizational Functions:
– Operations, Intelligence, Logistics, and Finance.
– Functions pre-designated and named for the ICS.
• Resources:
– Refers to the combination of personnel and equipment
used in response and recovery.
• Facilities:
– Common identifiers used for those facilities in and
around the incident area which will be used during the
course of the incident. These facilities include the
command center, staging areas, etc.
 Communication

• NOAA radios
• Families
• Staff
• Memorandums of Understanding
• Receiving facility
• Consider Agreements with local
HAM Radio Operators
 Communication

Systems will rapidly become overloaded

and the ones you use on a daily basis will
FAIL!
 Integrated Communications
• Incident communications are facilitated
through:
– The development and use of a common
communications plan.
– The interoperability of communication
equipment, procedures, and systems.

Before an incident, it is critical to develop an

integrated voice and data communications system
(equipment, systems, and protocols).
 ICS Management Functions
• Five management functions
– Command
– Operations INCIDENT
COMMANDER

– Planning
– Logistics
– Finance/Administration

OPERATIONS PLANNING LOGISTICS FINANCE/ADMIN.

SECTION SECTION SECTION SECTION
 Modular Organization
• ICS's organizational structure is modular.
• As the need arises, functional areas may be
developed.
• Several branches may be established.
• Structure based upon the needs of the incident.
• One individual can simultaneously manage all
major functional areas in some cases.
• If more areas require independent management,
someone must be responsible for that area.
 5 ICS Management Functions
• Identify the critical functions that have
been pre-identified for each type of
incident
• Not intended that every position will be
activated for each incident or event
• Positions are assigned to personnel
only as indicated by an assessment of
the scope and magnitude of the
incident or event
 Resources: Tactical & Support
• ICS resources include:
– Tactical Resources:
Personnel and major items of
equipment used in the
operation
– Support Resources: All
other resources required to
support the incident (e.g.,
food, communications
equipment,
or supplies)
 ICS Management: Command
• Command
– Sets the objectives
– Devises strategies and priorities
– Maintains overall responsibility for managing the
incident
• The Incident Commander
– Is the only position always filled in on an incident
regardless of its nature
– May be able to accomplish all five management
functions alone on small scale incidents
– On larger incidents the Incident Commander may
appoint other Staff personnel to assist as the
situation and resources warrant
 Command Center Information Flow
Your Organization

External Employee Customer Contractor Call Center ERT

State/Fed
Govt. Command Emergency
Input
Center
Organization Incident Executive
Local Govt. Established
Group Stake-
Post to holders
Operations Log
Supplier Incident Executive
Response Mgm’t Briefing

Contingency
Other SOP Checklist
Businesses
Plan Activated
Activated
Public
Task Plan Response Relations
Tracking Tasking
Public
Vendor
Emergency
Response Task Assigned
Teams
Performance Procedures
Tracked Implemented

Teams Resources
Personnel Resources
Deployed Assigned
 ICS Management: Operations
• Operations
– Conducts the tactical operations
– Carries out the plan using defined
objectives
– Directs all needed resources
 ICS Management: Planning
• Planning
– Collects and evaluates information for
decision support
– Maintains resource status
– Records and tracks resident movement
– Maintains documentation for incident
reports
 ICS Management Planning -
Documentation

• Documentation of
response to event is
often uncoordinated
and is generally the
weakest link

• Many decisions may

go undocumented
 ICS Management: Logistics and
Finance/Administration
• Logistics
– Provides support, resources, and other
essential services to meet the
operational objectives

• Finance/Administration
– Monitors costs related to the incident
– Provides accounting, procurement, time
recording, and cost analyses
??? Questions ???
Thank You!