Overview of the Incident Command System (ICS) Part 1

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to incident management that:
Is used for all kinds of incidents by all types of organizations and at all levels of government; ICS is applicable to small incidents as well as large and complex ones.
Can be used not only for emergencies, but also for planned events.
Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and agencies.
Establishes common processes for incident-level planning and resource management.
Allows for the integration of resources (such as facilities, equipment, personnel) within a common organizational structure.

The Incident Command System (ICS) can be used to manage any type of incident, including a planned event (e.g., the Olympics, the Governor's inauguration, state fairs, a local parade, etc.). The use of ICS is applicable to all types of incidents, regardless of their size or cause.
As a system, ICS is extremely useful. Not only does it provide an organizational structure for incident management, but it also guides the process for planning, building, and adapting that structure.
Using ICS for every incident or planned event provides the practice that will help to maintain and improve skills needed to effectively coordinate larger or more complex efforts.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a systematic, proactive approach to guide all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. NIMS provides a consistent foundation for all incidents, ranging from daily occurrences to incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response.
NIMS is organized into three major components:
Resource Management
Command and Coordination - including the Incident Command System
Communications and Information Management
It is important to note that the Incident Command System (ICS) is just one part of NIMS

The Incident Command System (ICS) has positively impacted incident management efforts by:
Clarifying chain of command and supervision responsibilities to improve accountability.
Leveraging interoperable communications systems and plain language to improve communications.
Providing an orderly, systematic planning process.
Implementing a common, flexible, predesigned management structure.
Fostering cooperation between diverse disciplines and agencies.

The Incident Command System (ICS) has been tested for more than 40 years of emergency and nonemergency applications by all levels of government; and in nongovernmental and private-sector organizations.
ICS helps to ensure:
The safety of responders, community members, and others.
The achievement of incident objectives.
The efficient use of resources.

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You have completed the Course Welcome and Incident Command System (ICS) Overview lesson. This lesson presented the following key points:
ICS is a standardized management tool that allows better coordination and use of resources.
ICS represents organizational "best practices" and has become the standard for emergency management.
ICS can be used to manage the response for all incidents and planned events.

ICS works! It saves lives!

This lesson presents the National Incident Management System (NIMS) management characteristics. These characteristics are the foundation of all NIMS command and coordination components, including the Incident Command System (ICS).

This lesson presents the National Incident Management System (NIMS) management characteristics. These characteristics are the foundation of all NIMS command and coordination components, including the Incident Command System (ICS).

Objective:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Describe the 14 NIMS management characteristics.

Effective incident management relies on a common organizational structure for managing resources, making decisions, and assigning tasks. The Incident Command System (ICS) uses a standardized management approach to ensure that incidents are properly managed and communications are effectively coordinated during an incident.
As an incident occurs, you may be called upon to assist -- making you a part of this organizational structure. To ensure success, you should understand how this structure works.

The Incident Command System (ICS) is based on the following 14 proven NIMS management characteristics, each of which contributes to the strength and efficiency of the overall system:
Common Terminology
Modular Organization
Management by Objectives
Incident Action Planning
Manageable Span of Control
Incident Facilities and Locations
Comprehensive Resource Management
Integrated Communications
Establishment and Transfer of Command
Unified Command
Chain of Command and Unity of Command
Accountability
Dispatch/Deployment
Information and Intelligence Management

The Incident Command System (ICS) establishes Common Terminology that allows diverse incident management and support organizations to work together across a wide variety of emergency functions and hazard scenarios. This common terminology covers the following:
Organizational Functions: Major functions and functional units with incident management responsibilities are named and defined. They remain standard and consistent.
Resource Descriptions: Major resources - including personnel, equipment, teams, and facilities - are given common names and are "typed" with respect to their capabilities.
Incident Facilities: Common terminology is used to designate the facilities in the vicinity of the incident area.
During an incident:
Communications should use common terms.
Organizations should avoid radio codes, agency-specific codes, acronyms, or jargon. Usage of these types of codes may cause confusion or possibly compromise life safety due to a misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
The goal is to promote understanding among all parties involved in managing an incident.

The Incident Command System (ICS) organizational structure develops in a modular fashion based on the incident's size and complexity.
The responsibility for the establishment and expansion of the ICS modular organization rests with the Incident Commander.
As the incident grows more complex, the ICS organization may expand as functional responsibilities are delegated.

The Incident Commander or Unified Command (which will be discussed later), establishes incident objectives that drive incident operations.
Management by Objectives includes the following:
Establishing specific, measurable incident objectives.
Identifying strategies, tactics, tasks and activities to achieve the objectives.
Developing and issuing assignments, plans, procedures, and protocols to accomplish identified tasks.
Documenting results for the incident objectives.

Incident action planning guides effective incident management activities. An Incident Action Plan (IAP) is a concise, coherent means of capturing and communicating overall incident priorities, objectives, strategies, tactics, and assignments in the context of both operational and support activities. The IAP should focus on addressing the needs of future timeframes (called operational periods).
To be effective, an IAP should:
Cover a specified timeframe
Be proactive
Specify the incident objectives
State the activities to be completed
Assign responsibilities
Identify needed resources
Specify communication protocols
For smaller/less complex incidents, the IAP may be oral or written, except for hazardous materials incidents, which require a written IAP. FEMA has developed a series of ICS Forms for use in developing a written IAP.

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It focuses on previous operational periods in order to provide lessons learned.

Depending on your role within the Incident Command System (ICS) structure, you may be asked to manage the activities of others.
Span of control refers to the number of individuals or resources that one supervisor can manage effectively during an incident. The optimal span of control is one supervisor to five subordinates (1:5). However, effective incident management may require ratios significantly different from this. This ratio is a guideline--incident personnel should use their best judgement to determine the appropriate ratio for an incident.
If too much responsibility is given to the supervisor, the span of control may become unmanageable. A manageable span of control on incidents may actually vary depending upon the type of incident, nature of the task, hazards and safety factors, and distances between personnel and resources.
Maintaining a manageable span of control is particularly important at incidents where safety and accountability are a top priority.

Depending upon the incident size and complexity, various types of support facilities may be established by Incident Command. These designated facilities typically include:
Incident Command Post (ICP)
Incident base, staging areas, and camps
Mass casualty triage areas
Point-of-distribution
Emergency shelters

Comprehensive Resource Management describes standard mechanisms to identify requirements, order and acquire, mobilize, track and report, demobilize, and reimburse and restock resources such as personnel, teams, facilities, equipment and supplies.
Key resource management activities include:
Resource Identification and Typing
Qualification, Certification and Credentialing Personnel
Planning for Resources
Acquiring, Storing and Inventorying Resources

Incident communications are facilitated through the development and use of a common communications plan and interoperable communication processes and systems that include voice and data links.
Integrated Communications are necessary to:
Maintain connectivity
Achieve situational awareness
Facilitate information sharing

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