Incident Command
System
Paul Schroeder, M.Ed.,
Health/Safety Instructor,
Firefighter, Safety
Consultant
Objectives
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Describe the Incident Command System
Describe Your Role within the ICS
Ascertain when the ICS is Use
Ascertain the importance of your Safety at
Incidents
• Describe the History of the ICS
• Ascertain the Organizational Chart for ICS
Disaster Recovery and Incident Command
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Every town is required to have an
Emergency Action Plan
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This plan is suppose to prepare
public and private entities for
potential disasters and
emergencies that strike the town
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Each town has to have an
Emergency Management
Coordinator and Emergency
Operations Center
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Sometimes, all you can do is call
for Help!
What is the Incident Command System
• It is the model used for Command, Control, and
Coordination of a response
• Provokes a means to coordinate the efforts of individual
agencies as they work toward the common goal of
stabilizing the incident and protect life, property, and the
environment
• ICS uses principles that have been proven to improve
efficiency and effectiveness in a business setting and
applies to the principles to emergency response
Emergency On Scene Management in a
Disaster Situation is Needed To:
• Maintain the safety of the
disaster workers- Rescuer
safety is the number one
concern, accountability of team
members is very important,
members work in a buddy
system always
• Provides for clear leadership
and organizational structure,
develops a chain of command,
who to report to and functions
• Improve the effectiveness of
rescue efforts, rescuer
response is prioritized based
on rescuers safety
Need for CERT Organization
• Common Terminology that
contributes to effective
communications and shared
understanding
• Effective communication
among team members
• Well defined management
structure with leadership and
functional areas
• Provides for accountability
CERT Organization Fulfills These
Requirements
• Common Terminology
• Consolidated Action Plans- Coordinates strategic golas,
tactical objectives, and support activities
• Comprehensive Resource Management- Facilitates
application of available resources to the right incident in
a timely manner
• Manageable Span of Control- Provides for a desirable
rescuer/supervisor ratio of between 3-7 rescuers per
supervisor
Objectives of CERT Organization
• Identifies the scope of the
incident (What is the
Problem?)
• Determines an overall strategy
(What can we do, and how will
we do it?)
• Deploys teams and resources
(Who is going to do What?)
• Documents actions and results
Incident Command
• CERT’s are part of an ICS
• All CERT’s through the Incident Commander will report to the first
fire or law enforcement official at their location
• They will take directions from that person until told that the
command system has changed, or until relieved
History of the ICS
• Developed in the 1970’s in
response to a series of major
wildfires in California
• At that time, municipal, county,
State and Federal fire
authorities collaborated to form
the Firefighting Resources
California Organized for
Potential Emergencies or
FIRESCOPE
• There have been changes
based on need and location in
the country you are in
regarding the ICS
What types of Incidents Require the Use of
ICS?
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Every type of incident require the
use of some type of Incident
Command
Most common are:
Hazardous Material Incidents
Planned events such as parades
or official visits
Natural Hazards such as
hurricanes or blizzards
Single and multi-agency law
enforcement incidents
Fires
Private sector emergency
management programs
Multi-jurisdictional and multiagency incidents
Responders that have to be trained include:
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Firefighters
Police Officers
Public Works Department Personnel
Healthcare Personnel
CERT Team Members
Hazardous Material Team Members
Each CERT Must Establish a Command
Structure
• CERT Leader or ICS- Appointed to direct team activities,
may be appointed, however, during activation of a
disaster, person who is first on the scene is the ICS at a
staging area
• Central point for command and control is called the
Command Post, careful consideration must be give as to
location of the Command Post
• CERT leaders may appoint members for certain
functions
• CERT team may operate as a single team or divided into
smaller teams
Command Post Is Responsible For
• Incident Location
• Access Routes
• Identified Hazards
• Support Locations
• Always be aware of the
potential hazards!
ICS Structure
• First person who arrives on the
scene will become the Incident
Commander
• This can change depending on
rank of the person from that
agency
• Typically, the Chief or his/her
designate is the Incident
Commander
Under the Incident Commander you Have
The Following
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Operations Section
Logistics Section
Planning Section
Finance Section
As the incident expands, you may assign other personnel in each
section to handle specific aspects of the response
Functions of Various Sections- ICS
• Command
• Directed by the Incident
Commander
• Protects life and property
• Controls personnel and
equipment resources
• Maintains accountability for
responder and public safety as
well as task accomplishment
• Establishes effective liaison
with outside agencies including
the Emergency Operations
Center if open
Right Under the Incident Commander are
Important Functions
• Information Officer- Handles all
media inquiries and
coordinates release of
information to the public
• Safety Officer- Monitors safety
conditions, develops measures
for ensuring the safety of all
assigned personnel
• Liaison Officer- On scene
contact for other agencies
assigned to the incident
Planning Section
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In smaller incidents, the Incident
Commander is responsible for
planning
• When the incident becomes
larger, the IC can appoint
someone as Planning Section
Operations
• Planning Section includes:
*Collection, evaluation,
dissemination , and use of
information about the
development of the incident and
status of resources
* Functions can also include creation
of the Incident Action Plan
Operations Section
• Responsible for carrying out
the response activities in the
Incident Acton Plan
• Direct and coordinate all
operations, ensuring safety of
Operations Section personnel
• Assists the IC in developing
response goals and objectives
for the incident
• Implements the IAP- Incident
Action Plan
• Requests resources through
the IC
• Keeps the IC informed of
situation
Logistics Section
• Responsible for providing
facilities, services and
materials
• Includes getting personnel to
operate equipment for the
incident
• Takes on more significance in
long term incidents such as
flooding
• This section is geared to
support the Incident
responders
Finance Section
• Critical for tracking incident costs and reimbursement
accounting
• Unless costs and financial operations are carefully
recorded and justified, reimbursement of costs is difficult
• Very important in a situation where the President
declares an area a Disaster Area
Incident Commander Will Base The
Decision to Expand on 3 Incident Priorities
• Life Safety
• Incident Stability
• Property Conservation
ICS Structure Should Include
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Common Terminology
Modular Organization
Integrated Communications
Unity of Command
Unified Command Structure
Consolidated Incident Action
Plans
• Designated incident facilities
• Comprehensive resource
management
Note:
• CERT team members should always be assigned to
teams consisting of at least 3 persons!
• One person will serve as a runner and communicate with
the Command Post
• Two people will buddy up to respond to the immediate
needs
Decision Making- Your Efforts to Rescue
Will Be Based On:
• Degree of Damage
• Heavy- Too Dangerous to
enter
• Moderate- Yes, only a quick
check and safe removals, limit
onsite medical care to
checking for the ABC’s,
bleeding and shock
• Light- Yes, you can triage,
move victims to designated
treatment area
Damaged Structure: Strategies- Light
Damage
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Secure building utilities
Establish and coordinate search
and rescue teams with medical
triage personnel
Primary Mission- Locate, triage,
and prioritize removal of victims to
designated treatment area
Always reassess structural
stability and available resources
for heavy rescue problems
Communicate and document
location of trapped and missing
persons to Incident Command
Damaged Structures- Moderate Damage
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Secure the buildings utilities, gas,
electric, water
Get victim locations
Establish a control person at the
exit and entry points
Establish 2-4 person rescue
teams
Primary Mission- Locate, stabilize,
immediately evacuate victims to a
safe area, minimize the number of
rescuers inside building
Perform triage and medical care in
a safe area
Always continue size up of
structure
Damaged Structure Strategy- Heavy
Damage
• Communicate the location and
extent of damage to
emergency personnel
• Secure building perimeter and
warn untrained volunteers
about the danger
• If possible, from the exterior of
the building, attempt to shut off
gas
• Gather information for
professional rescue teams
Importance of Documentation
• Vital to document and
communicate all information
about the disaster situation
and resource status
• Efficient flow of information
makes it possible for resources
to be deployed effectively and
for professional emergency
services to be applied
appropriately
• Documentation also assists
with getting money after the
incident
Support Locations Include
• Staging Area- Area where personnel and equipment are
staged, then called upon when needed
• Medical Treatment and Triage area
• Morgue- Where fatalities go if any
• Note: This information needs to be relayed to responders
on scene
It is Your Turn
• You are called to assist the
Fire Department at the scene
of a Structure Fire
• Identify the Scope of the
Incident
• Determine the CERT strategy
• Set priorities and deploy
resources
• Consider Your Safety in this
Situation
It is Your Turn
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A tornado comes through the town and does major damage
Identify the scope of the incident
Determine an overall CERT strategy for this incident
Set Priorities
What are Safety precautions to take in this incident?
Power lines are down, several structures with significant damage
It is Your Turn
• A blizzard has come through
the area
• Identify the scope of the
incident
• Determine an overall CERT
strategy
• Set priorities
• What are the safety problems
with this incident?
• Trees are down in this incident
• Power lines are down
• People are using emergency
generators
It is Your Turn
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We are asked to assist emergency
services after a flood
Identify the scope of the incident
Determine an overall CERT
strategy
Set priorities and deploy
resources for this incident
What are some safety
considerations
Remember flood waters affect
structural stability
If the power shut off is in the
basement and it is flooded, have
the utility company shut of the
power
It is Your Turn
• You come across a small fire
you believe you can put out
• What are some safety
considerations you need to be
aware of before putting out this
fire
• Answers on the next slide!
Be aware of:
• How big the fire is
• Is there a lot of smoke, remember, smoke kills!
• Do not turn your back on the fire, remember, the fire can
re ignite
• Be aware of what is burning, there are several things
that give off extremely toxic products of combustion
• Be aware of how you are dressed, do you have the
correct PPE on before fighting the fire, you can be
burned easily
Look at this Slide: Remember-Your Safety
Comes First
• What types of PPE are missing
with this type of operation?
• It is important to wear all
available PPE
CERT’s
• CERT’s can do many things
• Be aware of your limitations
• You are not an emergency
response person
• You do not have respirators
• You do not have fire turn out
gear
• You do not have bullet proof
vests
• Always have Situational
Awareness