UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ICS INTRODUCTION TO … that you will need to know to function in an ICS structure. This unit will form the foundation for the re- mainder of this Independent

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ICS

Basic Incident Command System (ICS) ) Independent Study Page 1-1

INTRODUCTION TO THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This unit will introduce you to and define ICS.The unit will provide you with a brief history ofICS and its evolution into an effective system foremergency management. The unit also will in-troduce the ICS organization and describe eachICS function and its responsibilities during anincident. This unit will include the key conceptsand principles of ICS and introduce importantterms that you will need to know to function in anICS structure.

This unit will form the foundation for the re-mainder of this Independent Study and thecourses that follow. Because many of the terms,concepts, and principles presented in this unitwill be new to you, be sure to spend enough timeon this unit to ensure that you thoroughly under-stand the material. When you complete the unit,test your understanding of the material by com-pleting the Self-Check Exercise that follows theunit. If you cannot answer all of the questionscorrectly, review the appropriate section(s) ofthis unit before proceeding to Unit 2.

OBJECTIVES

After completing this unit you should be able to:

♦ Define ICS.

♦ Identify the main ICS functions and theirresponsibilities during an incident.

♦ Identify the key concepts and principles ofICS.

♦ Describe the advantages of using ICS as anorganized approach to the management ofemergency incidents.

♦ Describe where you might be assigned withinan ICS structure and list possible job respon-sibilities.

TIME

Completion of this unit should take approxi-mately 2 hours.


Page 1-2 Basic Incident Command System (ICS) Independent Study

WHAT IS ICS?

ICS is the model tool for command, control, andcoordination of a response and provides a meansto coordinate the efforts of individual agencies asthey work toward the common goal of stabilizingthe incident and protecting life, property, and theenvironment. ICS uses principles that have beenproven to improve efficiency and effectiveness ina business setting and applies the principles toemergency response.

Why do you need to know about ICS? We live ina complex world in which responding to emer-gencies, from single-car accidents to large-scaledisasters, often requires cooperation among sev-eral agencies. In an emergency, you and otherpersonnel from your agency may be called uponto help with the response. Given the currentmovement toward using an ICS structure foremergency response, it is likely, therefore, thatyou will function in an ICS environment. In anemergency, you may not be working for yourday-to-day supervisor, or you may be working ina different location. Thus, emergency responseoperations are not “business as usual.”

This unit will provide you with information thatyou will need to work in an ICS environment,including the rationale for using ICS and howICS can be used to manage all types of incidents.It also will describe the basic ICS organization,how ICS can form the basis for an effectiveemergency management system, and how ICScan enhance EOC operations.

When Is ICS Used?

ICS has been proven effective for responding toall types of incidents, including:

♦ Hazardous materials (HazMat) incidents.

♦ Planned events (e.g., celebrations, parades,concerts, official visits, etc.).

♦ Response to natural hazards.

♦ Single and multiagency law enforcement in-cidents.

♦ Lack of comprehensive resource manage-ment strategy.

♦ Fires.

♦ Incidents involving multiple casualties.

♦ Multijurisdictional and multiagency inci-dents.

♦ Air, rail, water, or ground transportation ac-cidents.

♦ Wide-area search and rescue missions.

♦ Pest eradication programs.

♦ Private sector emergency management pro-grams.

Federal law requires the use of ICS for responseto HazMat incidents. Many States are adoptingICS as their standard for responding to all typesof incidents. ICS has been endorsed by theAmerican Public Works Association and the In-ternational Association of Chiefs of Police andhas been adopted by the National Fire Academyas its standard for incident response. ICS is in-cluded in the National Fire Protection Associa-tion (NFPA) “Recommended Practice for Disas-ter Management” (NFPA1600). ICS is also partof the National Interagency Incident ManagementSystem (NIIMS).

ICS History

ICS was developed in the 1970s in response to aseries of major wildland fires in southern Cali-fornia. At that time, municipal, county, State,and Federal fire authorities collaborated to formthe Firefighting Resources of California Organ-ized for Potential Emergencies (FIRESCOPE).FIRESCOPE identified several recurring prob-lems involving multiagency responses, such as:

♦ Nonstandard terminology among respond-ing agencies.

♦ Lack of capability to expand and contractas required by the situation.

♦ Nonstandard and nonintegrated communi-cations.

♦ Lack of consolidated action plans.

♦ Lack of designated facilities.



ICS History (Continued)

Efforts to address these difficulties resulted in thedevelopment of the original ICS model for effec-tive incident management. Although originallydeveloped in response to wildfires, ICS hasevolved into an all-risk system that is appropriatefor all types of fire and nonfire emergencies.Much of the success of ICS has resulted directlyfrom applying:

♦ A common organizational structure.

♦ Key management principles in a standardizedway.

The remainder of this unit will introduce theseconcepts and principles.

ICS ORGANIZATION

Many incidents—whether major accidents (suchas HazMat spills), minor incidents (such ashouse fires and utility outages), or emergenciesand major disasters (such as tornadoes, hurri-canes, and earthquakes)—require a responsefrom a number of different agencies. Regardlessof the size of the incident or the number of agen-cies involved in the response, all incidents requirea coordinated effort to ensure an effective re-sponse and the efficient, safe use of resources.

To understand this concept better, review theexamples of incidents that are included on thenext page and record the agencies that probablywould be involved in each incident and the re-sources that each agency would offer.



ICS ORGANIZATION (Continued)

Example 1: A multicar traffic accident has occurred, in which two people have been injured. There ispotential damage to a bridge abutment.

Potential Response Agencies: Potential Resources:

Example 2: A water main break has disrupted all major utilities. The break has caused local flooding of amajor road and several local businesses.





Example 3: High winds from a coastal storm have caused widespread loss of electricity and have left de-bris cluttering most of the roads in a 50 square-mile area. Several electric wires have been knocked downand are lying across the roadway. Damage is so widespread that the electric company expects that it willtake several days to repair the damage. The wind chill for the area is expected to be below zero degreesduring that timeframe.





Example 1: A multicar traffic accident has occurred, in which two people have been injured. There ispotential damage to a bridge abutment.


♦ Law Enforcement Police officers Flares, blockades, etc. Communications equipment

♦ Fire Department Firefighters Fire apparatus HazMat cleanup equipment Communications equipment

♦ EMS Paramedics♦ Ambulance(s)

Emergency medical equipment Communications equipment

♦ Public Works/Highway Dept. Structural engineer(s)

Road signs, blockades, etc.Communications equipment

Example 2: A water main break has disrupted all major utilities. The break has caused local flooding of amajor road and several local businesses.


♦ Law Enforcement Police officersFlares, blockades, etc.Communications equipment

♦ Utility Companies Repair personnelTrucksRepair equipmentCommunications equipment

♦ Public Works/Highway Dept. Repair personnelRepair equipmentCommunications equipment

♦ Fire FirefightersFire ApparatusNatural gas detection equipment

♦ Emergency Management EOCCommunications equipment




Example 3: High winds from a coastal storm have caused widespread loss of electricity and have left de-bris cluttering most of the roads in a 50 square-mile area. Several electric wires have been knocked downand are lying across the roadway. Damage is so widespread that the electric company expects that it willtake several days to repair the damage. The wind chill for the area is expected to be below zero degreesduring that timeframe.


♦ Emergency Management EOCEquipment

♦ Law Enforcement Police officersFlares, blockades, etc.Communications equipment

♦ Electric Company Repair personnelTrucksRepair equipmentCommunications equipment

♦ Public Works/Highway Dept. Repair personnelRoad signs, blockades, etc.Communications equipment

♦ The American Red Cross Shelter personnelShelter facilitiesFeeding stations

♦ Fire FirefightersFire apparatus

♦ Emergency Management EOC

NOTE: This incident may be large enough to require activation of the EOC. Other agencies (Departmentof Transportation (DOT), schools, and National Guard) also may respond in these examples. The agenciesand equipment in this example are for illustration only.




As you can see from reviewing the examples, nosingle agency or department can handle an emer-gency situation of any scale alone. Everyonemust work together to manage the emergency.To coordinate the effective use of all of the avail-able resources, agencies need a formalized man-agement structure that lends consistency, fostersefficiency, and provides direction during a re-sponse.

The ICS organization is built around five majorcomponents:

♦ Command.

♦ Planning.

♦ Operations.

♦ Logistics.

♦ Finance/Administration.

The relationship among these components isshown in the graphic below.

These five major components are the foundationupon which the ICS organization develops. Theyapply during a routine emergency, when prepar-ing for a major event, or when managing a re-sponse to a major disaster.

In small-scale incidents, all of the componentsmay be managed by one person, the IncidentCommander. Large-scale incidents usually re-quire that each component, or section, is set upseparately. As you will see later in this unit,each of the primary ICS sections may be dividedinto smaller functions as needed.

The ICS organization has the capability to ex-pand or contract to meet the needs of the incident,but all incidents, regardless of size or com-plexity, will have an Incident Commander. Abasic ICS operating guideline is that the IncidentCommander is responsible for on-scene manage-ment until command authority is transferred toanother person, who then becomes the IncidentCommander.

IncidentCommand

Finance/Administration

Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection




Each of the major components of the ICS organi-zation is described in the sections that follow.

The Command Function

IncidentCommand


Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

The command function is directed by the IncidentCommander, who is the person in charge at theincident, and who must be fully qualified to man-age the response. Major responsibilities for theIncident Commander include:

♦ Performing command activities, such as es-tablishing command and establishing theICP.

♦ Protecting life and property.

♦ Controlling personnel and equipment re-sources.

♦ Maintaining accountability for responder andpublic safety, as well as for task accom-plishment.

♦ Establishing and maintaining an effectiveliaison with outside agencies and organiza-tions, including the EOC, when it is acti-vated.

Incident management encompasses:

♦ Establishing command.

♦ Ensuring responder safety.

♦ Assessing incident priorities.

♦ Determining operational objectives.

♦ Developing and implementing the IncidentAction Plan (IAP).

♦ Developing an appropriate organizationalstructure.

♦ Maintaining a manageable span of control.

♦ Managing incident resources.

♦ Coordinating overall emergency activities.

♦ Coordinating the activities of outside agen-cies.

♦ Authorizing the release of information to themedia.

♦ Keeping track of costs.

An effective Incident Commander must be asser-tive, decisive, objective, calm, and a quickthinker. To handle all of the responsibilities ofthis role, the Incident Commander also needs tobe adaptable, flexible, and realistic about his orher limitations. The Incident Commander alsoneeds to have the capability to delegate positionsappropriately as needed for an incident.

Initially, the Incident Commander will be thesenior first-responder to arrive at the scene.As additional responders arrive, command willtransfer on the basis of who has primary author-ity for overall control of the incident. As inci-dents grow in size or become more complex, theresponsible jurisdiction or agency may assign amore highly qualified Incident Commander. Attransfer of command, the outgoing IncidentCommander must give the incoming IncidentCommander a full briefing and notify all staff ofthe change in command.




As incidents grow, the Incident Commander maydelegate authority for performing certain activi-ties to others, as required. When expansion isrequired, the Incident Commander will establishthe other Command Staff positions shown in thegraphic below.

IncidentCommand

Information Officer

Safety Officer

Liaison Officer

♦ The Information Officer handles all mediainquiries and coordinates the release of in-formation to the media with the Public Af-fairs Officer at the EOC.

♦ The Safety Officer monitors safety conditionsand develops measures for ensuring thesafety of all assigned personnel.

♦ The Liaison Officer is the on-scene contactfor other agencies assigned to the incident.

The Incident Commander will base the decisionto expand (or contract) the ICS organization onthree major incident priorities:

♦ Life safety. The Incident Commander’s firstpriority is always the life safety of the emer-gency responders and the public.

♦ Incident stability. The Incident Commanderis responsible for determining the strategythat will:

◊ Minimize the effect that the incident mayhave on the surrounding area.

◊ Maximize the response effort while usingresources efficiently.

The size and complexity of the commandsystem that the Incident Commander devel-ops should be in keeping with the complexity(i.e., level of difficulty in the response) of theincident, not the size (which is based on geo-graphic area or number of resources).

♦ Property conservation. The Incident Com-mander is responsible for minimizing damageto property while achieving the incident ob-jectives.

As incidents become more involved, the IncidentCommander can activate additional General Staffsections (that is, Planning, Operations, Logistics,and/or Finance/Administration), as necessary.Each Section Chief, in turn, has the authority toexpand internally to meet the needs of the situa-tion.

The Planning Section

IncidentCommand


Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

In smaller events, the Incident Commander isresponsible for planning, but when the incident isof larger scale, the Incident Commander estab-lishes the Planning Section. The Planning Sec-tion’s function includes the collection, evaluation,dissemination, and use of information about thedevelopment of the incident and status of re-sources. This section’s responsibilities can alsoinclude creation of the Incident Action Plan(IAP), which defines the response activities andresource utilization for a specified time period.(IAPs will be described in more detail later in thiscourse.)




The Operations Section

IncidentCommand


Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

The Operations Section is responsible for carry-ing out the response activities described in theIAP. The Operations Section Chief coordinatesOperations Section activities and has primaryresponsibility for receiving and implementing theIAP. The Operations Section Chief reports to theIncident Commander and determines the requiredresources and organizational structure within theOperations Section. The Operations SectionChief’s main responsibilities are to:

♦ Direct and coordinate all operations, ensur-ing the safety of Operations Section person-nel.

♦ Assist the Incident Commander in developingresponse goals and objectives for the inci-dent.

♦ Implement the IAP.

♦ Request (or release) resources through theIncident Commander.

♦ Keep the Incident Commander informed ofsituation and resource status within opera-tions.

The Logistics Section

IncidentCommand


Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

The Logistics Section is responsible for provid-ing facilities, services, and materials, includingpersonnel to operate the requested equipment forthe incident. This section takes on great signifi-cance in long-term or extended operations. It isimportant to note that the Logistics Section func-tions are geared to support the incident respond-ers. For example, the Medical Unit in the Logis-tics Section provides care for the incident re-sponders not civilian victims.

The Finance/Administration Section

IncidentCommand


Section

LogisticsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

Though sometimes overlooked, the Fi-nance/Administration Section is critical fortracking incident costs and reimbursement ac-counting. Unless costs and financial operationsare carefully recorded and justified, reimburse-ment of costs is difficult, if not impossible.

The Finance/Administration Section is especiallyimportant when the incident is of a magnitudethat may result in a Presidential Declaration.

Each of these functional areas can be expandedinto additional organizational units with furtherdelegation of authority. They also may be con-tracted as the incident deescalates.



ICS CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

The adaptable ICS structure is composed of ma-jor components to ensure quick and effective re-source commitment and to minimize disruption tothe normal operating policies and procedures ofresponding organizations. Remember that ICSconcepts and principles have been tested andproven over time—in business and industry andby response agencies at all governmental levels.ICS training is required to ensure that all whomay become involved in an incident are familiarwith ICS principles. In this section you will findhow the application of these concepts and princi-ples makes ICS work.

An ICS structure should include:

♦ Common terminology.

♦ A modular organization.

♦ Integrated communications.

♦ Unity of command.

♦ A unified command structure.

♦ Consolidated IAPs.

♦ A manageable span of control.

♦ Designated incident facilities.

♦ Comprehensive resource management.

Common terminology is essential inany emergency management system,especially when diverse or otherthan first-response agencies are in-volved in the response. When agen-

cies have slightly different meanings for terms,confusion and inefficiency can result. Do youknow what a Staging Area is? Will all respond-ers understand what a Staging Area is? In ICS,major organizational functions, facilities, andunits are predesignated and given titles. ICSterminology is standard and consistent among allof the agencies involved.

To prevent confusion when multiple incidentsoccur at the same time within the same jurisdic-tion, or when the same radio frequency must beused for multiple incidents, the Incident Com-mander will specifically name his or her incident.

For example, an incident that occurs at 14th andFlower might be called “Flower Street Com-mand.” One that occurs at 14th and Penn couldbe called “Penn Street Command.” Other guide-lines for establishing common terminology in-clude:

♦ Response personnel should use commonnames for all personnel and equipment re-sources, as well as for all facilities in andaround the incident area.

♦ Radio transmissions should use clear text(that is, plain English, without “ten” codes oragency-specific codes).

All common terminology applies to all organiza-tional elements, position titles, and resources.

A modular organization developsfrom the top-down organizationalstructure at any incident. “Top-down” means that, at the very least,

the Command function is established by the first-arriving officer who becomes the Incident Com-mander. As the incident warrants, the IncidentCommander activates other functional areas (i.e.,sections). In approximately 95 percent of all in-cidents, the organizational structure for opera-tions consists of command and single resources(e.g., one fire truck, an ambulance, or a towtruck). If needed, however, the ICS structure canconsist of several layers. In this unit, we havedescribed the two top layers: Command and Gen-eral Staff. Other layers that may be activated aswarranted will be described in Unit 2.

Integrated communications is asystem that uses a common commu-nications plan, standard operatingprocedures, clear text, common fre-

quencies, and common terminology. Severalcommunication networks may be established,depending on the size and complexity of the inci-dent.



ICS CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES(Continued)

Unity of command is the conceptby which each person within anorganization reports to only onedesignated person.

A unified command allows allagencies with responsibility for theincident, either geographic or func-tional, to manage an incident by es-

tablishing a common set of incident objectivesand strategies. Unified command does not meanlosing or giving up agency authority, responsibil-ity, or accountability. The concept of unifiedcommand means that all involved agencies con-tribute to the command process by:

♦ Determining overall objectives.

♦ Planning jointly for operational activitieswhile conducting integrated operations.

♦ Maximizing the use of all assigned resources.

Under unified command, the following alwaysapply:

♦ The incident functions under a single, coor-dinated IAP.

♦ One Operations Section Chief has responsi-bility for implementing the IAP.

♦ One ICP is established.

Some examples of how unified command is ap-plied are shown in the visual below.

Consolidated IAPs describe re-sponse goals, operational objec-tives, and support activities. Thedecision to have a written IAP is

made by the Incident Commander. ICS re-quires written plans whenever:

♦ Resources from multiple agencies are used.

♦ Several jurisdictions are involved.

♦ The incident is complex (e.g., changes inshifts of personnel or equipment are re-quired).

IAPs should cover all objectives and support ac-tivities that are needed during the entire opera-tional period. A written plan is preferable to anoral plan because it clearly demonstrates respon-sibility, helps protect the community from liabil-ity suits, and provides documentation when re-questing State and Federal assistance. IAPs thatinclude the measurable goals and objectives to beachieved are always prepared around a timeframecalled an operational period. Operational peri-ods can be of various lengths, but should be nolonger than 24 hours. Twelve-hour operationalperiods are common for large-scale incidents.The Incident Commander determines the lengthof the operational period based on the complexityand size of the incident.

A manageable span of controlis defined as the number of in-dividuals one supervisor can

manage effectively. In ICS, the span of controlfor any supervisor falls within a range of threeto seven resources, with five being the opti-mum. If those numbers increase or decrease, theIncident Commander should reexamine the or-ganizational structure.Incidents that affect more

than one political jurisdictionB

C

A

B

D

A

C

E

AFireLaw

Medical

Incidents involving multipleagencies within a jurisdiction

Incidents that impactmultiple geographic andfunctional agencies



ICS CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES(Continued)

Designated incident facilitiesinclude:

♦ An ICP at which the Incident Commander,the Command Staff, and the General Staffoversee all incident operations.

♦ Staging Areas at which resources are keptwhile awaiting incident assignment.

Other incident facilities may be designated forincidents that are geographically dispersed, re-quire large numbers of resources, or requirehighly specialized resources.

Comprehensive resource manage-ment:

♦ Maximizes resource use.

♦ Consolidates control of single resources.

♦ Reduces the communications load.

♦ Provides accountability.

♦ Reduces freelancing.

♦ Ensures personnel safety.

All resources are assigned to a status condition.

♦ Assigned resources are performing activefunctions.

♦ Available resources are ready for assign-ment.

♦ Out-of-service resources are not ready forassigned or available status.

Any changes in resource location and status mustbe reported promptly to the Resource Unit by theperson making the change.

Personnel accountability is provided throughoutall of ICS. All personnel must check in as soonas they arrive at an incident. Resource units, as-signment lists, and unit logs are all ways for per-sonnel to be accounted for. When personnel areno longer required for the response, they mustcheck out so that they can be removed from theresource lists.

The ICS principles can and should be used for alltypes of incidents, both small and large—from awarrant execution to a hostage situation or asearch for a missing child. Because ICS can beused at virtually any type of incident of any size,it is important that all responders use the ICSapproach.

ICS AND THEEMERGENCYOPERATIONSCENTER

Most jurisdictions maintain an EOC as part oftheir community’s emergency preparedness pro-gram. An EOC is where department heads, gov-ernment officers and officials, and volunteeragencies gather to coordinate their response to anemergency event.

The proper interface between the EOC and theon-scene management should be worked out inadvance, if possible.

In the following scenario, you will see how hav-ing people work together during an emergencysaves time and lives.



ICS AND THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER (Continued)

Scenario: A train derailment has caused a hazardous materials spill along a railroad track in a commu-nity of 10,000. Fire, law enforcement, and public works authorities have responded to the incident. AnICS Incident Command Post is established with the fire Battalion Chief as Incident Commander.

As the situation deteriorates, the Incident Commander orders a limited evacuation of 150 people in theimmediate area, which is within the Incident Commander’s statutory authority. Recognizing the threat ofan explosion, the Incident Commander wants a larger area cleared as a precautionary measure andtransmits this concern to the Fire Chief at the main station. The Fire Chief asks the Mayor to issue anevacuation order for over half the city. The Mayor does so under the State statutes and directs that theEOC be activated.

The Incident Commander is in overall command of the incident scene, with the committed resources un-der his command and direction. The large-scale evacuation, which is beyond the capabilities of the ICSICP to manage effectively, will be managed by the EOC.

The EOC manages the community-wide resources necessary to complete the evacuation. The EOC re-quests resources through mutual aid and establishes traffic control points at key evacuation junctions.The EOC establishes shelters with the cooperation of the city’s social services agency and the AmericanRed Cross. The EOC transmits regular public service messages with evacuation directions over theEmergency Alert System (EAS). Meanwhile, the ICS Information Officer briefs reporters at the scene ofthe emergency on the current events surrounding the incident.

After a period of time, the Incident Commander sends a request to the EOC for personnel to relieve inci-dent scene teams. The EOC locates the resources, directs them to staging areas established by the ICSoperation, and releases them to the Incident Commander’s control.

Meanwhile, the EOC requires status updates from the Incident Commander to determine how long theshelters must remain open. The EOC determines resource distribution of food and sanitation facilitiesamong the shelters operating under the ICS network.

As you can see from the scenario, the IncidentCommand structure and the EOC function to-gether with the same goals, but function at differ-ent levels of responsibility. The Incident Com-mand operation is responsible for on-scene re-sponse activities, and the EOC is responsible forthe entire community-wide response to the event.(Note that the EOC also can function under anICS structure.)

If the EOC does operate under the ICS structure,it must be careful not to confuse personnel at theEOC with the same personnel on site.

As you can see, ICS is a management system thatworks both for the responding agencies and forthe community.



UNIT SUMMARY

This unit has covered the main com-ponents of an ICS structure:

♦ Command.

♦ Planning.

♦ Operations.

♦ Logistics.

♦ Finance/Administration.

The Incident Commander has overall controlover the incident. In a small incident, he or shemay assume the responsibilities of all compo-nents. In larger or more complex incidents, theIncident Commander may assign other membersof the Command Staff, including an InformationOfficer, a Safety Officer, and/or a Liaison Offi-cer. The Incident Commander also may assignGeneral Staff, who serve as Section Chiefs forthe Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Fi-nance/Administration Sections. The SectionChiefs have the authority to expand or contracttheir operations as the demands of the incidentincrease or decrease.

ICS operates according to basic principles to en-sure quick and effective resource commitmentand to minimize disruption of usual operatingpolicies and procedures of responding organiza-tions. These principles include:

♦ Common terminology, which ensures that allresponders use terms that are standard andconsistent.

♦ A modular organization, which enables theICS structure to expand or contract to meetthe needs of the incident.

♦ Integrated communications, which estab-lishes a common communications plan, stan-dard operating procedures, clear text, com-mon frequencies, and common terminology.

♦ Unity of command, where each personwithin an organization reports to only onedesignated person.

♦ A unified command structure, which allowsall agencies with responsibility for the inci-dent, either geographic or functional, to man-age an incident by establishing a common setof incident objectives and strategies.

♦ Consolidated IAPs, which describe responsegoals, operational objectives, and supportactivities.

♦ A manageable span of control, which limitsthe number of resources that any supervisormay control to between three and seven, withfive being optimal.

♦ Designated incident facilities, which includean ICP and may include Staging Areas.Other incident facilities may be designated,depending on the requirements of the inci-dent.

♦ Comprehensive resource management,which maximizes resource use, consolidatescontrol of single resources, reduces the com-munications load, provides accountability,reduces freelancing, and ensures personnelsafety.

These principles should be used for all types ofincidents, both small and large.

At larger or more complex incidents, the ICSstructure in the field will work with personnel inthe EOC (which also may be organized underICS principles). The Incident Command and theEOC function together and work toward the samegoals, but their responsibilities are at differentlevels. The Incident Command operation is re-sponsible for on-scene response activities, andthe EOC is responsible for community-wide re-source management.



NEXT STEPS

If you believe that you have mastered theinformation included in this unit, completethe Self-Check Exercise that begins on thenext page. When you have completed theSelf-Check Exercise, compare your an-swers with those provided

following the Self-Check Exercise. If you an-swered all of the questions correctly, continue toUnit 2. If you answered any questions incor-rectly, review the appropriate section of this unitto ensure that you have learned the material.Then, proceed to Unit 2.

UNIT 1: SELF-CHECK EXERCISE


Instructions: Use this Self-Check Exercise to test how well you learned the material presented in Unit 1.When you complete the exercise, check your answers against those in the Answer Key following this Self-Check Exercise. If you answered any questions incorrectly, be sure to review the corresponding section ofthe unit before proceeding to Unit 2.

1. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a tool for:

a. Command, control, and coordination at an incident.b. Interagency responses only.c. Multijurisdictional responses only.d. Responses involving first-response personnel only.

2. ICS can be used to manage all types of incidents.

a. Trueb. False

3. Federal law requires that ICS be used for all natural disasters.

a. Trueb. False

4. The ICS General Staff includes:

a. Branch, Division, Group, and Unit managers.b. All managers of operational resources.c. Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Finance/Administration Section Chiefs.d. The Incident Commander and the Information, Safety, and Liaison Officers.

5. All incidents, regardless of size, will have an Incident Commander.

a. Trueb. False

6. In an ICS environment, the optimum span of control is:

a. Three resources.b. Seven resources.c. Five resources.d. Ten resources.

UNIT 1: SELF-CHECK EXERCISE


7. Which section is responsible for providing incident facilities?

a. Planningb. Operationsc. Logisticsd. Finance/Administration

8. Which section is responsible for documenting the status of resources, incident response, and devel-oping the IAP?

a. Planningb. Operationsc. Logisticsd. Finance/Administration

9. The Incident Commander is responsible for all of the following EXCEPT:

a. Protecting life and property.b. Controlling resources assigned to the incident.c. Maintaining accountability.d. Coordinating the community-wide response.

10. Given what you know about your agency, your job, and your capabilities, where would you mostlikely be assigned in an ICS structure? To whom would you report? Use the space below to recordyour answer.

UNIT 1: SELF-CHECK EXERCISE ANSWER KEY


1. a. Command, control, and coordination at an incident. (Page 1-2)

2. a. True (Page 1-2)

3. b. False (Page 1-2)

4. c. Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Finance/Administration Section Chiefs(Page 1-10)

5. a. True (Page 1-8)

6. c. Five resources (Page 1-13)

7. c. Logistics (Page 1-11)

8. a. Planning (Page 1-10)

9. d. Coordinating the community-wide response. (Page 1-9)

10. Answers will vary.

Documents

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ICS INTRODUCTION TO … that you will need to know to function in an ICS structure. This unit will form the foundation for the re- mainder of this Independent