Incident Command System

What is the Incident Command System?

• Incident Command System: management concept to standardize and organize response at the scene of an incident.

• This allows those responding to not be held up by “jurisdictional boundaries.”

Why was ICS created?

• Too many people reporting to one supervisor• Different emergency response organizational

structures• Lack of reliable incident information• Inadequate and incompatible communications• Lack of structure for coordinated planning among

agencies• Unclear lines of authority• Terminology differences among agencies; and

Unclear or unspecified incident objectives

How does ICS help with Emergency Response?

• Allows for communication , integration, and planning

• Extent of control is manageable • Emergency Response divided up into

five functions1) Command2) Operations3) Planning4) Logistics 5) Finance and Administration

Incident Command or Unified Command

• Responsible for every part of emergency response

• Examples of taskso Establish priorities that are of immediate importanceo Bring stability to the incident o Strategize and determine the objectives of the

incidento Provide organization and monitoring to the incident

organization o Approve the written or spoken incident Action Plano Make sure that appropriate health and safety

measures are in place

Command Staff Responsible for - public affairs, health and safety, and liaison activities

Information Officer - release information about incident to news, media, personnel, and other agencies/organizations Liaison Officer - point of connection for coordinating between Incident Commander and various groups/agencies

Safety Officer - recommends to the Incident Commander measures to promote personnel safety as well as accesses or anticipates dangerous situations. The Safety Officer also develops the Site Safety Plan and review the Incident Action Plan. The Safety Officer provides assessments of hazards and required controls.

General Staff General Staff: includes the following

• Operations – responsible for all operations that directly apply to the primary mission of the response. • Planning – responsible for the distribution, collection and evaluation of information that is related to the incident as well as preparing and documenting the Incident Action Plan • Logistics – responsible for facilitating the provision of a facility, services and material for incidence response• Finance/Administrative - responsible for the financial aspect as well as the administration aspect of an incident as well as the cost analysis of the incident.