Lesson 4: Incident Command System (ICS)

This lesson presents an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS).

Objective:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Describe the Incident Command System (ICS) Organizational Structure

(National Incident Management System, Third Edition, October 2017)

Checkmark next to NIMS Introduction, checkmark next to Fundamentals and Concepts of NIMS, checkmark next to NIMS Resource Management, checkmark next to NIMS Management Characteristics, arrow next to Incident Command System, bullet next to Emergency Operations Centers, bullet next to Other NIMS Structures and Interconnectivity, bullet next to Communications and Information Management, bullet next to Course Summary.
What Is NIMS Command and Coordination?

This lesson is about the Incident Command System (ICS). ICS is one of the four NIMS structures.  Before we explore ICS, let's briefly look at all four NIMS structures.

“NIMS is a system to provide a framework for all of the team to work together towards common goals.” Craig Fugate, former FEMA Administrator (and past Director, FL Division of Emergency Management).

What is NIMS Command and Coordination?

There are three major components of the NIMS framework:

  • Resource Management
  • Command and Coordination
  • Communications and Information Management

Together these NIMS components provide a framework for effective management during incident response.

You have already explored Resource Management and the 14 NIMS Management Characteristics. Next, we’ll cover the NIMS structures that enable incident managers to manage and coordinate incident response in a unified, consistent manner.

The four NIMS Structures are: the Incident Command System, Emergency Operations Centers, the Multi-Agency Coordination Group, and the Joint Information System. Together, these four elements comprise the NIMS Command and Coordination structures.

Multiagency Coordination Systems, or MACS, is an overarching term for the four NIMS Command and Coordination systems: ICS, EOCs, MAC Group and JIS.

The Incident Command System, or ICS, is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazard incident management concept. ICS allows its users to adopt an integrated organizational structure to match the complexities and demands of incidents.

As an incident becomes more complex, multiagency coordination and the need for additional resources becomes increasingly important. Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) support on-scene incident command from off-site through multiagency coordination and resources.

MAC Groups are high level multiagency coordination bodies that support ICS and EOCs through policy and scarce resource allocation.

The final Command and Coordination element is the Joint Information System (JIS). The Joint Information System ensures coordinated and accurate public messaging among the ICS, EOCs and MAC Group.

NIMS is summed up by former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate: [“. . .when we fail to work as a team, we fail our citizens … NIMS is a system to provide a framework for all of the team to work together towards common goals.”]

NIMS Command and Coordination Structures

NIMS structures enable incident managers to manage incidents in a unified, consistent manner.

When an incident occurs or threatens, local emergency personnel manage response using ICS.

If the incident is large or complex, off-site EOCs activate to support on-scene operations.

The incident personnel in the field and in EOCs receive policy guidance from MAC Groups.

A Joint Information Center manages the Joint Information System (JIS) to ensure coordinated and accurate public messaging among all levels: ICS, EOC and MAC Group.

The first NIMS structure we will examine is ICS.

Graphic showing NIMS Command and Coordination Structures: MAC Group, EOC, and ICS with JIS spanning across all three. MAC Group: Multi Agency Coordination Group: Offsite support of ICS and EOCs through Policy Guicance & Sarce Resource Allocation. EOC: Emergency Operations Centers: Off Site Emergency Operations Centers Support On-Scene ICS Operations. ICS: Incident Command System - On-Scene Management of Incidents. JIS spanning all 3: Joint Information System - Integrate Incident Information and Public Affairs across ICS, EOCs, and MAC Groups.
Voices of Experience: Incident Command System
George Nuñez, Emergency Management, George Washington University
"ICS is a system to allow responders to be able to organize and respond to an incident. It is specifically useful during on-scene response. It is a format, a system of tools that allow police, fire, and other personnel to respond to that incident in a systematic way to facilitate the response but also meet the needs of those impacted."
Voices of Experience: Incident Command System (Continued)
Kristy Plourde, Emergency Management Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard
"You use NIMS and ICS and you organize yourself around this structure. It’s got the common language, its common command structure. You work out who is in the Unified Command, you know, and you work this all out, and so that’s what they did, and it was, you know, it’s not perfect because we’re not there yet, we’re getting there with how we organize ourselves, but the key is, is that: is it better than when we did it before? And that’s the bottom-line answer of that is that NIMS has helped us be better structured, have less duplication, be more organized and more efficient."
Voices of Experience: Incident Command System (Continued)
Steve Grainer, Former Chief, Incident Management Programs, VA Dept. of Fire Programs
"The basic functional elements of ICS are the way everything is managed. What ICS has done has provided a template, a flexible yet standardized template that is available on a moment’s notice and is constructed in such a manner that you just basically open the book or pull the template off the shelf and identify which component parts of command or management, if you will, are needed at any moment in time. It just provides you a fill-in-the-blanks format for what is necessary, and the good thing about it is you use what you need and you don’t use what you don’t need."
ICS Introduction

The Incident Command System (ICS) provides:

  • A standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of on-scene emergency management
  • A common structure within which personnel from different organizations can work together
  • A structure for incident management that integrates and coordinates procedures, personnel, equipment, facilities, and communications

ICS is used by all levels of government and many NGOs and private sector organizations.

This system includes five major functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration.

ICS Incident Command System On-scene Management of Incidents
Incident Command Concept

The ICS term Incident Command refers to the person or group responsible for overall on-scene management of an incident.

There are two general forms of the incident command function:

  • A single Incident Commander
  • A Unified Command

Command and General Staff support the incident command in management of the incident.

Incident Command organizational chart with Incident Commander at top, Command Staff of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer in center, and General Staff of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row.
Incident Commander

When an incident occurs within a single jurisdiction and there is no overlapping responsibility, the appropriate authority designates a single Incident Commander who has overall incident management responsibility.

When incident management crosses jurisdictional and/or functional agency boundaries, the various jurisdictions and organizations may still agree to designate a single Incident Commander.

The Incident Commander establishes the incident objectives that guide incident action planning and operations.

When there is a single Incident Commander, that individual is solely responsible (within limits of authority) for:

  • Establishing incident objectives
  • Ensuring that incident activities work to accomplish objectives
Incident Command organizational chart with Incident Commander at top, Command Staff of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer in center, and General Staff of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row.
Unified Command

Unified Command is used for improved unity of effort in multijurisdictional or multiagency incident management.

Unified Command enables different jurisdictions and organizations to jointly manage and direct incident activities through a common set of incident objectives, strategies and a single incident action plan.

Each partner in the Unified Command maintains authority, responsibility and accountability for its own personnel and other resources, but the members of the Unified Command work together to:

  • Determine objectives, priorities and strategic guidance
  • Establish a single system for ordering resources
  • Execute integrated incident operations
  • Maximize the use of assigned resources

Because requirements vary based on the location and type of incident, the composition of the Unified Command structure adapts to fit the specific incident. 

Unified Command organizational chart with Unified Command at top, Command Staff of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer in center, and General Staff of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row. Note stating Organizations represented in Unified Command are determined on a case-by-case basis and may include law enforcement, fire, public health, public works, and other entities.
Command Staff

The Command Staff are incident management personnel that the Incident Commander or Unified Command assign to directly support the command function.

Command Staff positions are established by the Incident Commander or Unified Command as needed to support the management of an incident.

Command staff report directly to the Incident Commander or Unified Command and are assigned assistants as necessary to perform their duties.

The ICS Command Staff typically includes:

  • The Public Information Officer (PIO) who interfaces with the public, media, and others needing incident information
  • The Safety Officer who monitors incident operations and advises the Incident Commander or Unified Command on matters relating to health and safety
  • The Liaison Officer who serves as the incident command’s point of contact for organizations not included in the Incident Command or Unified Command
Public Information OfficerSafety OfficerLiaison Officer
Incident Command organizational chart with Incident Commander at top, Command Staff of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer in center, and General Staff of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row.
Click on a Command Staff position to access a more detailed description.
Public Information Officer
The Public Information Officer is responsible for interfacing with the public and media and/or with other agencies with incident-related information requirements. The Public Information Officer gathers, verifies, coordinates, and disseminates accurate, accessible, and timely information on the incident’s cause, size, and current situation; resources committed; and other matters of general interest for both internal and external audiences. The Public Information Officer may also perform a key public information-monitoring role. Whether the command structure is single or unified, only one Public Information Officer should be designated per incident. Assistants may be assigned from other involved agencies, departments, or organizations. The Incident Commander/Unified Command must approve the release of all incident-related information. In large-scale incidents or where multiple command posts are established, the Public Information Officer should participate in or lead the Joint Information Center in order to ensure consistency in the provision of information to the public.
Safety Officer
The Safety Officer monitors incident operations and advises the Incident Commander/Unified Command on all matters relating to operational safety, including the health and safety of emergency responder personnel. The ultimate responsibility for the safe conduct of incident management operations rests with the Incident Commander/Unified Command and supervisors at all levels of incident management. The Safety Officer is, in turn, responsible to the Incident Commander/Unified Command for the systems and procedures necessary to ensure ongoing assessment of hazardous environments, including the incident Safety Plan, coordination of multiagency safety efforts, and implementation of measures to promote emergency responder safety, as well as the general safety of incident operations. The Safety Officer has immediate authority to stop and/or prevent unsafe acts during incident operations. It is important to note that the agencies, organizations, or jurisdictions that contribute to joint safety management efforts do not lose their individual identities or responsibility for their own programs, policies, and personnel. Rather, each contributes to the overall effort to protect all responder personnel involved in incident operations.
Liaison Officer
The Liaison Officer is Incident Command’s point of contact for representatives of other governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector (with no jurisdiction or legal authority) to provide input on their agency’s policies, resource availability, and other incident-related matters. Under either a single Incident Commander or a Unified Command structure, representatives from assisting or cooperating agencies and organizations coordinate through the Liaison Officer. Agency and organizational representatives assigned to an incident must have the authority to speak for their parent agencies or organizations on all matters, following appropriate consultations with their agency leadership. Assistants and personnel from other agencies or organizations (public or private) involved in incident management activities may be assigned to the Liaison Officer to facilitate coordination.
General Staff Overview

The General Staff is a group of incident management personnel organized according to function.

The ICS General Staff consists of 4 Sections:

  • Operations
  • Planning
  • Logistics
  • Finance/Administration

Each ICS General Staff Section is led by a Section Chief who reports directly to the Incident Commander or Unified Command.

These individuals are responsible for managing tasks within their functional area.

The Incident Commander or Unified Command activates these section chiefs as needed.

The Incident Commander or Unified Command is responsible to perform each General Staff function until a section chief is assigned to manage that function.

Incident Command organizational chart with Incident Commander at top, and General Staff consisting of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief at bottom. Arrow pointing to Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief and labeled Activiated as needed to support the incident response.
General Staff Sections

Click on a General Staff Section in the diagram below to access a more detailed description.

 

Operations SectionPlanning SectionLogistics SectionFinance and Administration Section
Incident Command organizational chart with Incident Commander at top, Command Staff of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer in center, and General Staff of Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row.
Operations Section

The Operations Section plans and performs tactical activities to achieve the incident objectives established by the IC/UC. Incident objectives typically focus on:

  • Saving lives
  • Reducing the immediate hazard
  • Protecting property and the environment
  • Establishing situational control
  • Restoring normal operations
Planning Section

Planning Section personnel collect, evaluate, and disseminate incident information to the Incident Commander/Unified Command and other incident personnel.

Planning Section staff:

  • Prepare status reports
  • Display situation information
  • Maintain the status of assigned resources
  • Facilitate the incident action planning process
  • Prepare the Incident Action Plan (IAP) based on input from the General Staff, Command Staff and Incident Commander/Unified Command guidance.
Logistics Section

Logistics Section personnel are responsible for providing services and support for the incident.

Logistics Section staff provide:

  • Facilities Security (of the incident command facilities and personnel)
  • Transportation
  • Supplies
  • Equipment maintenance and fuel
  • Food services
  • Communications and information technology support
  • Medical services for incident personnel
Finance/Administration Section

The IC/UC establishes a Finance/Administration Section when the incident management activities require on-scene or incident-specific finance and administrative support services.

Finance/Administration Section Staff:

  • Record personnel time
  • Negotiate leases
  • Maintain vendor contracts
  • Administer claims
  • Track and analyze incident costs
Intelligence/Investigations Function in ICS

Intelligence/Investigations (I/I) is an ICS function identified in NIMS.

When I/I is required, the Incident Commander/Unified Command can place the I/I function in multiple locations within the incident command structure based on factors such as the nature of the incident, the level of I/I activity, and the relationship of I/I to other incident activities.

The I/I can be placed in the Planning Section, in the Operations Section, within the Command Staff, as a separate General Staff section, or in some combination of these locations.

You can learn more about the I/I function by reading NIMS and the I/I Function Guidance and Field Operations Guide available on the FEMA NIMS website.

Organizational chart with Incident Commander or Unified Command at top, Command Staff in center, and General Staff consisting of Operations Section Chief, optional Intelligence/Investigations Section, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Finance/Administration Section Chief on bottom row. Text box stating Possible Locations for the Intelligence/Investigations Function and pointing to Command Staff, Operations Section, Intelligence/Investigations Section, and Planning Section.

When I/I is required, the Incident Commander/Unified Command can place the I/I function in multiple locations within the incident command structure based on factors such as the nature of the incident, the level of I/I activity, and the relationship of I/I to other incident activities.

The I/I can be placed in the Planning Section, in the Operations Section, within the Command Staff, as a separate General Staff section, or in some combination of these locations.

You can learn more about the I/I function by reading NIMS and the I/I Function Guidance and Field Operations Guide available on the FEMA NIMS website (link provided at the end of this course).

Common Types of ICS Facilities

The Incident Commander or Unified Command determines the kinds and locations of ICS facilities based on what is required to support the incident.

The Incident Commander or Unified Command may establish several different kinds of facilities in and around the incident area.

Common ICS facilities:

  • The Incident Command Post (ICP) - location of the tactical-level, on-scene incident management (Incident Commander or Unified Command and Staff)
  • Staging Areas - temporarily position and account for personnel, supplies, and equipment awaiting assignment
  • Incident Base - location at which personnel conduct primary support activities (may be co-located with the ICP)
  • Camps - satellites to an Incident Base, established where they can best support incident operations by providing food, sleeping areas, sanitation and minor maintenance and servicing of equipment
NIMS ICS Facilities at Incident Command Post, Staging Area, Incident Base, and Camps.
Incident Management Teams

Incident Management Teams (IMT) are a rostered group of ICS-qualified personnel composed of an Incident Commander, other incident leadership, and personnel qualified for other key ICS positions.  

IMTs are:

  • Established at local, regional, state, tribal, and national levels with formal notification, deployment, and operational procedures in place.
  • Typed based on the team member qualifications.
  • Assigned to manage incidents or to accomplish supporting incident-related tasks or functions.

When assigned to an incident, IMTs are typically delegated the authority to act on behalf of the affected jurisdiction or organization.

Incident Management Assistance Teams

Some IMTs are referred to as Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMAT) to clarify that they support on-scene personnel and/or the affected jurisdiction(s).

IMATs ensure that federal activities align with local priorities through participation in Unified Command or a Unified Coordination Group with representatives from local, state, and/or tribal government.

IMATs exist at various levels of government and within the private sector.

Regardless of who owns particular IMATs or their specific missions, IMATs operate using the principles and practices of ICS. 

Example: FEMA IMATs deploy to an incident or venue to assist in the identification and provision of Federal assistance, and coordinate and integrate inter-jurisdictional response in support of an affected state or tribe.

Area Command

An Area Command organization oversees the management of multiple incidents or a very complex incident through establishing multiple ICS organizations.

  • An Area Command is activated only if necessary based on the complexity of the incident and span-of-control considerations.
  • Area Command is particularly relevant to situations with several ICPs requesting similar, scarce resources.
  • Area Commands are frequently established as Unified Area Commands and use the same principles as a Unified Command.

Additional coordination structures, such as EOCs or MAC Groups, may assist with coordinating the resource needs of multiple incidents.

Organizational chart with Emergency Operations Center, dotted line to Area Command/Unified Area Command. Under Area Command/Unified Area Command are Incident Command, Incident Command, Incident Command.
Lesson 4: Incident Command System (ICS) Summary

This lesson presented an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS).

The lesson specifically discussed:

  • Incident Command
  • Command Staff
  • General Staff
  • Incident Management Teams
  • Incident Management Assistance Teams
  • Area Command

The next lesson will introduce you to Emergency Operations Centers.

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