INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS)

OVERVIEW OF THE BASICS

This is intended to provide those without any formal training in ICS to be able to
work within an incident response, and recovery where incident command is
being utilized.

GLOSSARY

Incident Command System: a management system for single and/or

multiple emergency agency response and recovery for natural or human caused
disasters. A system of common terms, and defined areas of responsibilities and
functions to respond to and recover from emergencies; saving lives and
protecting property.

Unified Command: a multiple response agency function of command for a

centralized decision making with a consensus decision reached via participating
agency input.

Incident Commander: the person in charge of the response and recovery;

this individual is the central command and control function in establishing
response priorities and goals, referred to as IC.

Span of control: the ability for an individual to effectively supervise staff, for
ICS not recommended to exceed 5.

Safety Officer: Part of the Incident Command staff that ensures the health and
safety of the responders; has authority to cease tactical operations if not safe;
can be the IC.

Liasion Officer: Part of the Incident Command staff that performs interagency
coordination and communication; can be the IC.

Information Officer: Part of the Command staff that is responsible for the
distribution of official public information; can be the IC.

Planning Section: Part of the general staff responsible for planning and
forecasting all aspects of the next period(s) of operation; conducts the planning
meetings
Operations Section: part of the general staff, responsible for the tactical,
special operational aspects to reduce, eliminate, the threat, stabilize the
situation, save lives and protect property. Pointed end of stick.

Logistics Section: Part of the general staff responsible for the acquisition,
inventory, staging, delivery, receipt, and readiness of all labor, equipment, and
supplies.

Finance/Administration Section: Part of the general staff responsible for the

incident administration section record keeping, files, paperwork, invoices, time
recording.
Period of Operations: The assigned shift, usually not to exceed 12 hours in
24 hour operations, day and night of operation only.

UTILIZATION OF ICS

Incident Command has become a standard management system for the

organization of single or multiple agencies in disaster response and recovery.

Incident Command can be applied to very small incidents, example: single

vehicle accident to extremely large incidents, example: wild land fires and
hurricanes.

Incident Command is also a management system that can expand or contract to

meet the response and recovery needs of the incident to save lives and property.

The basic concept of ICS is that single or multiple agencies have a common ICS
language and functional area of specific responsibilities.

A contracted small incident probably will have a single person in charge and
functioning as the incident commander. This individual will most likely also
handle the command functions of safety, liaison, and public information. In
addition, with the small incident, the IC will also perform all the functions in the
planning, logistics, operations and finance/administration. A small incident is
probably able to be handled in this fashion.

However, as the duration, complexity, and threatening impacts on lives and

property of the incident increase, expansion of ICS is warranted. This is often
referred to as “filling the boxes” or, in other words, assigning other staff to
perform the some responsibilities. Example: assigning logistics to a subordinate
staff. Also assigning a specific PIO to interact with media in releasing/updating
official information. The IC can, at any point in time, decide and announce that
a particular function is being offloaded and delegated to another individual.

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Example: This also means that at any one slice of time, a realistic scenario is an
IC handling operations and planning, while having assigned, logistics, and
finance/administration.

The bottom line is that someone or multiple people are clearly assigned the four
section functions in a formal manner. This can be accomplished in a
combination of multiple individuals. Various branches, divisions, groups, task
forces and strike teams are further divisions of labor that can exist from the basic
four sections.

FIGURE 1 – ICS BOXES

BASIC ICS STRUCTURE

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 INCIDENT COMMANDER
SAFETY
LIASION
PUBLIC INFORMATION

OPERATION PLANNING LOGISTICS FINANCE/ADMIN

SECTION SECTION SECTION SECTION

FIGURE 2

“FILLING THE BOXES”

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 IC (all)
Tim Ryan

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

Tim Ryan Tim Ryan Mary Mallin Rob Toland

FIGURE 3

“FILLING THE BOXES”

IC
Tim Ryan

Safety, Jim Robson

PIO, Sally Jones

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

Jim Somers Mike Talb Mary Mallin Tom Sharpe

FIGURE 4

“POINTED END OF THE STICK”

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 General Finance/ Planning Logistics
Public Admin

Operations

Disaster

Incident Commander

¾ Operation performs the on scene tactical activities to stabilize the incident

save lives and protect property (applies the resources)
¾ Logistics performs the acquisition of labor, supplies, materials, and special
technology required (asked for) by IC (obtains resources)
¾ Planning performs the meetings to develop and implement an Incident
Action Plan (schedules the resources)
¾ Finance/Administration performs the payment, record keeping, purchase
and throughput (keep administration track/use of resources)
¾ Incident Commander performs the overall command and control of the on
scene stabilization of the incident establishes period of operation goals
and objectives (requests resources)

WHO UTILIZES THE ICS?

Incident Command System is a required method of conducting disaster

management for all NYS agencies (Gov. Pataki Executive Order #26).
Incident Command System is the foundation for the Federal Department of
Homeland Security National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Incident Command System is the foundation of NIMS which is included in the

federal National Response Plan.

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Incident Command System is an OSHA required procedure for disaster first
responders.

Incident Command System is a growing disaster response procedure for fire,

police, and EMS.

Incident Command System for all levels of government is a recommendation of

the 9/11 Commission.

Incident Command System can be applied to all natural and human caused
disasters.

Incident Command System can be applied to small or large public gatherings,

events, examples: county fairs, concerts, and political conventions, pre event
managment.

Incident Command System can be applied to the single vehicle accident to a

multi car train derailment.

Incident Command System is here to stay.

NEED FOR A COMMON INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

(MODULE 17 ICS FOR EXECUTIVES)

The complexity of incident management, coupled with the growing need for
multi-agency and multifunctional involvement on incidents, has increased the
need for a single standard incident management system that can be used by all
emergency response disciplines.

Factors affecting emergency management and which influence the need for a
more efficient and cost-effective incident management system are listed below.
Not all of these will apply to every incident

¾ Population growth and spread of urban areas

¾ Language and cultural differences
¾ More multi-jurisdictional incidents
¾ Legal changes mandating standard incident management systems
and multi-agency involvement at certain incidents
¾ Shortage of resources at all levels, requiring greater use of mutual
aid
¾ Increase in the number, diversity, and use of radio frequencies
¾ More complex and interrelated incident situations

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 ¾ Greater life and property loss risk from natural and human caused
technological disasters
¾ Sophisticated media coverage demanding immediate answers and
emphasizing response effectiveness
¾ More frequent cost-sharing decisions on incidents

HISTORY OF ICS DEVELOPMENT

ICS resulted from the obvious need for a new approach to the problem of
managing rapidly moving wildfires in the early 1970’s. At that time, emergency
managers faced a number of problems.

¾ Too many people reporting to one supervisor

¾ Different emergency response organizational structures
¾ Lack of reliable incident information
¾ Inadequate and incompatible communications
¾ Lack of a structure for coordinated planning between agencies
¾ Unclear lines of authority
¾ Terminology differences between agencies
¾ Unclear or unspecified incident objectives