1. ICS Overview
Chief Coy Porter
Provo Fire & Rescue
09 August 2006

2. 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.

3. 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 to match the complexities and demands of single or multiple incidents without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries.

4. ICS Purposes Using management best practices, ICS helps to ensure:
The safety of responders and others.
The achievement of tactical objectives.
The efficient use of resources.

5. History of ICS Weaknesses in incident management were due to:
Lack of accountability.
Poor communication.
Lack of a planning process.
Overloaded Incident Commanders.
No method to integrate interagency requirements.
The identification of these areas of management weakness resulted in the development of ICS.

6. Homeland Security Presidential Directives (HSPDs)
Management of Domestic Incidents
HSPD-8
National Preparedness
Mandates
National Preparedness Goal
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
National Response Plan (NRP)

7. National Preparedness Goal
To engage Federal, State, local, and tribal entities, their private and nongovernmental partners, and the general public to achieve and sustain risk-based target levels of capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major events to minimize the impact on lives, property, and the economy.

8. NIMS & NRP
NIMS: Standardizes incident management processes, protocols, and procedures for use by all responders. Mandates use of ICS.
NRP: Establishes . . .
Federal coordination structures/mechanisms.
Direction for incorporation of existing plans.
Consistent approach to managing incidents.
Preface & Page 1
Review the key points on the visual. Augment the discussion using the following additional key points:
In Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5, the President directed that the Department of Homeland Security develop a new National Response Plan (NRP) to align Federal coordinating structures, capabilities, and resources into a unified, all-discipline, and all-hazards approach to domestic incident management.
The National Response Plan is based upon the belief that incident are typically managed at the lowest possible geographic, organizational, and jurisdictional level.

9. NIMS Components & ICS Command and Management Incident Command System
Preparedness
Resource Management
Multiagency Coordination Systems
Communications and Information Management
Supporting Technologies
Public Information Systems
Ongoing Management and Maintenance
Additional Information:

10. Other ICS Mandates Hazardous Materials Incidents
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) – 1986
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Rule
State and Local Regulations

11. ICS Benefits Meets the needs of incidents of any kind or size.
Allows personnel from a variety of agencies to meld rapidly into a common management structure.
Provides logistical and administrative support to operational staff.
Is cost effective by avoiding duplication of efforts.

12. Summary
ICS . . .
Is a standardized management tool for meeting the demands of small or large emergency or non-emergency situations.
Represents "best practices," and has become the standard for emergency management across the country.
May be used for planned events, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism.
Is a key feature of NIMS.

13. Basic Features of ICS

14. Basic Features Common terminology. Modular organization.
Management by objectives.
Reliance on an Incident Action Plan (IAP).
Chain of command and unity of command.
Unified Command.
Manageable span of control.

15. Basic Features (continued)
Predesignated incident locations and facilities.
Resource management.
Information and intelligence management.
Integrated communications.
Transfer of command.
Accountability.
Mobilization.

16. Why Plain English? EMT = Emergency Medical Treatment
EMT = Emergency Medical Technician
EMT = Emergency Management Team
EMT = Eastern Mediterranean Time (GMT+0200)
EMT = Effective Methods Team
EMT = Effects Management Tool
EMT = El Monte, CA (airport code)
EMT = Electron Microscope Tomography
EMT = Money Transfer

17. “Charge the Line!” What would this phrase mean to you if you were:
A Military Officer
An Electrician
A Firefighter
A Shopper

18. Overall Priorities
Incident objectives are established based on the following priorities:
#1: Life Saving
#2: Incident Stabilization
#3: Property Preservation

19. ICS Organization In the ICS organization:
There is no correlation with the administrative structure of any other agency or jurisdiction. This organization’s uniqueness helps to avoid confusion over different position titles and organizational structures.
Someone who serves as a chief every day may not hold that title when deployed under an ICS structure.

20. Chain of Command
Chain of command is an orderly line of authority within the ranks of the incident management organization.
Authority

21. Unified Command
Enables all responsible agencies to manage an incident together by establishing a common set of incident objectives and strategies.
Allows Incident Commanders to make joint decisions by establishing a single command structure.
Maintains unity of command. Each employee only reports to one supervisor.
Incident Command Post
Agency Agency Agency 3
Agency 1 Incident Commander
Agency 2 Incident Commander
Agency 3 Incident Commander

22. Don’t confuse unity of command with Unified Command!
Under unity of command, personnel:
Report to only one supervisor.
Receive work assignments only from their supervisors.
Don’t confuse unity of command with Unified Command!

23. 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).

24. Incident Commander
The Incident Commander performs all major ICS command and staff responsibilities unless the ICS functions are delegated and assigned.
Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer
Command Staff
Liaison
Officer
Safety
Officer
General Staff
Operations
Section Chief
Planning
Section Chief
Logistics
Section Chief
Finance/Admin
Section Chief

25. Maintaining Span of Control
The following supervisory levels can be added to help manage span of control:
Divisions
Divide an incident geographically.
Groups
Describe functional
areas of operation.
Branches
Used when the number of
Divisions or Groups exceeds the span of control. Can be either geographical or functional.

26. Operations Section Chief
Expanding Incidents
Divisions
Groups
Units
Branches
Single Resources
Sections
Incident Commander
Operations Section Chief
Command
Expanding incidents may add supervisory layers to the organizational structure as needed.

27. Initial Incident Briefing
Make sure that you receive an initial incident briefing.
Current situation assessment and objectives
Specific job responsibilities
Location of work area
Procedural instructions for obtaining additional resources
Safety hazards and required safety procedures/Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as appropriate

28. Incident Command System
Provides organizational structure for response to any single incident or multiple incidents without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries
Integrates communication and planning by establishing a manageable span of control
Divides emergency response into five functions: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration
OPERATIONS
PLANNING
LOGISTICS
FINANCE/ ADMINISTRATION
SAFETY
INFORMATION
LIAISON
INCIDENT COMMANDER
An ICS provides an organizational structure for all emergencies, including response to oil spills and discharges and hazardous substance emergencies. In the inland zone, the ICS is typically implemented at the local level by first responders (e.g., fire, police, emergency management agencies). ICS integrates communication and planning by establishing a manageable span of control. While ICS is an optional, but strongly endorsed, tool for use by EPA, USCG has formally adopted the use of ICS USCG-wide under Commandant Instruction USDA also has adopted ICS – the U.S. Forest Service originally established ICS for fighting forest fires. FEMA and other federal agencies also endorse ICS.
The ICS divides an emergency response into five manageable functions that are essential for emergency response operations:
Command;
Operations;
Planning;
Logistics; and
Finance and Administration.
The following is a list of the duties generally associated with each ICS function: Command staff is responsible for public affairs, health and safety, and liaison activities within the incident command structure; the Operations staff undertake operations directly applicable to the primary mission of the response, the Planning staff collect, evaluate and disseminate the tactical information related to the incident, and prepare Incident Action Plans, the Logistics staff provide equipment and services, and the Finance and Administrative staff manage finances and administrative support. The Command includes the Incident Commander, as well as his or her “Command Staff,” as included in the Safety, Information, and Liaison positions. Each of the other sections (Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance) are managed by a section chief and supported by other functional units.
Depending on the magnitude and impact of the discharge or release, the Congressional liaison position will be handled by the liaison officer. Similarly, any legal issues will be handled by a legal technical specialist. Technical specialists are under the direction of the “Planning” function, but can be assigned anywhere in the ICS organization.

29. Relationship between ICS and UC
Unified Command
Participants
May Include:
Local Official(s)
State Official(s)
Federal Official(s)
Responsible Party Representative(s)
Safety
Liaison
Information
Operations
Finance and Administration
Logistics
Planning
As a component of an ICS, the UC provides the organizational management tool to facilitate and coordinate the effective involvement of the various agencies. It creates the link between the organizations responding to the incident and provides a forum for these agencies to make decisions that all responders can agree with. Under this single UC, the various jurisdictions and/or agencies are blended together throughout the Incident Command System to create an integrated response team.
It is important to recognize that the key players in the response management system maintain a separate internal management infrastructure during a response; they do not relinquish agency authority, responsibility, or accountability. Modification of the ICS into a UC enables responders to carry out their own responsibilities, while working cooperatively within one response management system. Depending on the needs of the incident, it may be appropriate to modify the ICS with a UC, while in other circumstances it may not. This decision will be based in large part upon the level of the response and the need for additional resources.
With the evolution of UC, when an incident escalates and more than one agency or jurisdiction becomes involved, the ICS can be expanded to manage the increasing demands of the incident, utilizing personnel and facilities as dictated by the incident.
The roles of the various ICS participants will vary depending on the incident and may even vary during the same incident. Based on a consensus decision by members of the UC, one agency may fulfill the duties of the Operations function, whereas several state agencies may be needed to the fulfill the duties of the Planning function during an incident. In addition, these two functions may be responsible for their own logistics and finance support. The key to successful implementation of an ICS/UC is planning and exercising at the regional and area levels to help all participants understand their roles and responsibilities.

30. ICS Organization The Incident Commander’s “Command” and
“General” Staff:
Span of control:
3-7 personnel
Note span and control, it is very important to stay around 5… Discuss ODOT deployments.

31. ICS Organization The Operations Section:
Branches are an organizational level having functional or geographic responsibility for major parts of the Operations or Logistics functions. They are headed by a Director.
Divisions are used to divide an incident geographically. Groups are used to divide an incident functionally. They are headed by a supervisor.
Resources are based on their type or kind…More later.
Operations develops the tactical organization
and directs all resources to carry out the
Incident Action Plan

32. ICS Organization The Operations Section: Multi-Jurisdictional
In the case of a multi-jurisdictional incident,
resources are best managed under the
agencies that normally control them.

33. ICS Organization The Logistics Section Staff: Logistics provides the
resources and all other
services needed to
support the organization

34. ICS Organization The Planning Section Staff:
Planning develops the Incident Action Plan
to accomplish the objectives, collects
and evaluates information, and maintains
status of assigned resources

35. ICS Organization The Finance/Administration Section Staff:
Finance/Administration monitors costs
related to the incident, provides
accounting, procurement, time
recording, cost analysis,
and fiscal guidance.

36. Three Key Points to Remember!
Establish ICS early at any incident and keep it simple.. This will be your foundation for the incident. If you don’t you will be chasing after the incident instead of managing it!
Think of ICS as a toolbox full of tools you may or may not choose to use, use what you need, remember to pick the tools up!
Practice ICS at every incident so when the “Big One” hits you will be ready!……

37. Are We Ready?

38. Questions & Comments…..