Overview of the Incident
Command System as Practiced in
the United States
US Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Basic ICS Concepts
The ICS is a disaster response management
organization structure: specific technical
competency skills are integrated in the ICS
organization
ICS used on day-to-day basis for routine
incidents as well as for major emergencies;
activated at first response
For Example:
Day to Day Routine Incident
Structure Fire or Motor Vehicle
Accident
ICS Features
Clear objectives and priorities
Defined operational objectives and organization
Incident Action Plan
Objectives and Priorities Organization Chart
Tactical Assignments Medical Plan
Communication Plan Air Operations Plan
Weather Safety
Travel Routes/Maps
Common terminology
ICS Features (cont)
Common communications
Uniform resource typing
Written Position Descriptions
Roles and responsibilities defined
Clear lines of authority, chain of command and
reporting requirements
Standardized personnel qualifications and
training national coordinating group
Five Major Management
Activities
Command
Sets objectives
Sets priorities
Overall responsibility at the incident
Planning
Develops the action plan to accomplish the
objectives
Collects and evaluates information
Maintains resource status
Maintains incident documentation
Five Major Management Activities
Logistics
Provides support to meet incident needs
Provides resources and all other services needed
to support the incident
Finance/Administration
Monitors costs related to incident
Provides accounting, procurement, time recording,
and cost analyses
Five Major Management Activities
Operations
Conducts tactical operations to carry out the plan
Develops the tactical objectives, organization, and
directs all resources
ICS
Major Organization Functions
Incident
Commander
Information Safety
Liaison
Operations Planning Logistics Finance/
Administration
Incident
Commander
Planning
Information Safety
Liaison
Finance/
Operations Planning Logistics
Administration
Planning
Section Chief
Situation Resource Demobilization Documentation
Unit Leader Unit Leader Unit Leader Unit Leader
For Example:
World Trade Center
The World Trade Center
11 September, 2001
The planning section was asked to develop
a comprehensive plan for the rescue and
recovery of the World Trade Center
Disaster
The Incident Action Plan included a
summary of the cooperating agencies (26+),
objectives, daily assignments and accounted
for resources.
Incident
Commander
Information Safety
Liaison
Finance/
Logistics
Operations Planning Logistics
Administration
Logistics
Section Chief
Service Support
Branch Branch
Communications Supply
Unit Unit
Medical Facilities
Unit Unit
Food Ground
Unit Support Unit
For Example:
Hurricane Rita
The challenge of bringing supplies
while the evacuation is occurring
Hurricane Rita
Texas
An incident base was
developed and managed
to support in excess of
3,000 rescue personnel
assigned to Eastern
Texas.
Incident
Finance/
Commander
Information Safety
Administration
Liaison
Finance/
Operations Planning Logistics
Administration
Finance/Administration
Section Chief
Compensation
Time Procurement Cost
And Claims
Unit Unit Unit
Unit
For Example:
The Columbia Shuttle Recovery
Incident
Information
Commander
Safety
Operations
Liaison
Finance/
Operations Planning Logistics
Administration Operations
Section Chief
Air Operations
Branches
Branch
Divisions & Air Tactical
Groups Group
Strike Teams & Air Support
Task Forces Group
Single
Resources
Initial Response
Span of Control
Number of resources
Complexity of the incident
What is needed
Safety
Cost effectiveness
Resource protection
Effective leadership
Flooding
Flood Example
Branches & Divisions
D E
Branch I C
B F
A
I G
J Branch II
H
Earthquake Example
Using Roads as Divisions
B
C
E
A
H G
F
Earthquake Example
Functional Groups
Operations
Section
Chief
Branch 1 Branch 2 Branch 3 Branch 4
Medical Aid Site Search and Commodity
Security Rescue Shelter
Example: Small Incident
Mt. Saint Helens Volcano
The responsible official requested an
Incident Management Team comprised
of the Command and General Staff to
monitor and develop a public safety and
education program while the volcano was
active and presented a potential threat to
local communities.
Example: Small to Complex Incident
Fire Dynamic
Example of a Complex Incident
Hurricane Ivan: Multi-Branch
Unified Commander
Law/Fire
Other Agencies with Jurisdiction
Safety Information
Liaison
Operations Section Planning/IntelSection Logistics Section Finance/Admin Sct
Staging Situation Unit Time Unit
Support Brnch Services Branch
Resource Unit Procurement
SF/SAR Spclst Communication Supply Unit
USAR Spclst Medical Unit Ground Suprt
Document Unit Food Unit Facilities Unit
SF/SAR Law Public Works Multi-Casualty Air/Operations
Branch Branch Branch Branch Branch
Division A Scene Security Heavy Equip Medical Helicopter
(Group) Group Group Coordinator
Division B Traffic Control Utilities Patient Helibase
(Group) Group Transport Gp Manager
Fire Suppress. Evacuation Debris
Group Group Removal Gp
USAR Group
USAR Group
USAR Group
Multi-Branch Organization
Responsible
Official
Local
Incident
Commander
Type 2 Incident
Commander
Type 1 Incident Commander
International
Assistance
National
Coordination Centers
Response Agencies, State Coordination Responsible
Equipment and Centers
Official
Supply Caches
Contracts Local Coordination
Centers
Resource
Requests
Incident Commander
Incident
Multi-Agency
Responsible
Coordination
Official Groups
Incident Status
Situation Summary
Resource
Availability EOCs
Response Agencies
Police
Incident
Medical
Commander
Fire & Rescue
Incident
Public Works
etc.
Responsible Official
Area Command
Incident Commander Incident Commander Incident Commander
Incident A Incident B Incident C
Key Points of ICS
Delegation of Authority
Flexible and dynamic
Provides consistency
Relies on functionalism
Works on all incidents no matter the scope
or size
Summary
Incident Command System
Provides a Plan
Organizes the resources
Implements the actions
Supports all personnel
Effective Leadership Model
Questions?
