This course will introduce students to the Incident Command System (ICS). This system is used nationwide to manage incidents regardless of size or type.

This is the first in a series of ICS courses for all personnel involved in incident management. Descriptions and details about the other ICS courses in the series may be found on our web site: http://training.fema.gov.

The overall course goal is to promote effective response by:

• Familiarizing you with the Incident Command System (ICS) and the NIMS principles used to manage incidents.
• Preparing you to coordinate with response partners from all levels of government and the private sector.

IS-100.c provides information on ICS which is part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). To learn more about NIMS following completion of this course, you can take IS-700.b: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System.

At the completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Explain the principles and basic structure of the Incident Command System (ICS).
• Describe the NIMS Management Characteristics that are the foundation of the ICS.
• Describe the ICS functional areas and the roles of the Incident Commander and Command Staff.
• Describe the General Staff roles within ICS.
• Identify how NIMS management characteristics apply to ICS for a variety of roles and discipline areas.

This course is divided into five lessons: 

• Unit 1: Course Welcome and ICS Overview
• Unit 2: NIMS Management Characteristics
• Unit 3: ICS Functional Areas and Command Staff Roles
• Unit 4: General Staff Roles
• Unit 5: How ICS Applies to You

Lesson 1 provides an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS). At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the Whole Community approach to ICS.
• Identify the basic concept and benefits of ICS.

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to incident management that:

• Is used for all kinds of incidents by all types of organizations and at all levels of government; ICS is applicable to small incidents as well as large and complex ones.
• Can be used not only for emergencies, but also for planned events.
• Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and agencies.
• Establishes common processes for incident-level planning and resource management.
• Allows for the integration of resources (such as facilities, equipment, personnel) within a common organizational structure.

The Incident Command System (ICS) can be used to manage any type of incident, including a planned event (e.g., the Olympics, the Governor's inauguration, state fairs, a local parade, etc.). The use of ICS is applicable to all types of incidents, regardless of their size or cause.

As a system, ICS is extremely useful. Not only does it provide an organizational structure for incident management, but it also guides the process for planning, building, and adapting that structure.

Using ICS for every incident or planned event provides the practice that will help to maintain and improve skills needed to effectively coordinate larger or more complex efforts.

Video Transcript:

Disaster can strike anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms—a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, or an act of terrorism. An incident can build over days or weeks, or hit suddenly, without warning.

A poorly managed incident response can undermine our safety and well being. With so much at stake, we must effectively manage our response efforts.

Although most incidents are handled locally, partnerships among local, tribal, State, and Federal agencies as well as nongovernmental and private-sector organizations may be required.

As partners, we must respond together in a seamless, coordinated fashion.

The Incident Command System, or ICS, helps ensure integration of our response efforts. ICS is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazards approach to incident management. ICS allows all responders to adopt an integrated organizational structure that matches the complexities and demands of the incident while respecting agency and jurisdictional authorities. Although ICS promotes standardization, it is not without needed flexibility. For example, the ICS organizational structure can expand or contract to meet incident needs.

In this course, you’ll learn ICS principles. And more importantly, you’ll learn to interface better with your response partners.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a systematic, proactive approach to guide all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. NIMS provides a consistent foundation for all incidents, ranging from daily occurrences to incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response.

NIMS is organized into three major components:

• Resource Management
• Command and Coordination - including the Incident Command System
• Communications and Information Management

It is important to note that the Incident Command System (ICS) is just one part of NIMS.

The Incident Command System (ICS) has positively impacted incident management efforts by:

• Clarifying chain of command and supervision responsibilities to improve accountability.
• Leveraging interoperable communications systems and plain language to improve communications.
• Providing an orderly, systematic planning process.
• Implementing a common, flexible, predesigned management structure.
• Fostering cooperation between diverse disciplines and agencies.

The Incident Command System (ICS) has been tested for more than 40 years of emergency and nonemergency applications by all levels of government; and in nongovernmental and private–sector organizations.

ICS helps to ensure:

• The safety of responders, community members, and others.
• The achievement of incident objectives.
• The efficient use of resources.

You have completed the Course Welcome and Incident Command System (ICS) Overview lesson. This lesson presented the following key points:

• ICS is a standardized management tool that allows better coordination and use of resources.
• ICS represents organizational “best practices” and has become the standard for emergency management.
• ICS can be used to manage the response for all incidents and planned events.

ICS works! It saves lives!