The Incident Command System
by Randall D. Larson
| Illustration: (select thumbnail to view detail image) |
 The modular nature of the Incident Command System allows it to expand and contract based on incident needs. An initial attack incident may fill out only an Incident Commander position, directing fire crews involved in suppression Operations. Extended and major attack incidents require additional positions to be filled as necessary. Vera Milosavich |
The Incident Command System (ICS) has become the modern standard of fire fighting. It's no longer a matter of showing up and throwing water on whatever's burning. In this day of hazardous materials, wildland-urban interface conflagrations, and an All-Risk fire service, Incident Management has become the way of doing business.
ICS came about in the early 1970's as a direct result of some problems encountered during a particularly rough series of firestorms in Southern California. Among them:
- too many people reporting to one supervisor
- different emergency response organizations structures
- lack of a structure for coordinated planning between agencies
- unclear lines of authority
- terminology differences between agencies
- unclear or unspecified incident objectives
- inadequate and incompatible communications
A group of fire service representatives calling themselves FIRESCOPE was formed with the intention of creating a comprehensive method of managing fire responses and maintaining responder safety and accountability. The result was ICS.
The Incident Command System is a modular system of emergency management which can expand and contract in size and complexity based on the needs of the incident at hand. Central to ICS is a manageable span of control which allows for the subdivision of components when one's ability to supervise is compromised by too many direct subordinates. ICS standardizes the use of common terminology between users, consolidated action plans, integrated communications, predesignated incident facilities, and comprehensive resource management.
The Incident Commander (IC), along with such aides as a Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer, make up the Command Staff. The IC has overall responsibility for the incident, and usually represents the jurisdiction in which the incident occurs. Unified Command allows for joint representation between multiple jurisdictions or disciplines when necessary. Based on the input of subordinate Sections, the Command Staff sets the objectives and priorities in the mitigation of the incident at hand.
The IC is directly responsible for four Sections, which make up the General Staff.
The Operations Section conducts the tactical operations to carry out the objectives set by the IC. Dividing tactical resources into manageable divisions, groups, and branches, this is where the actual firefighting takes place, and is thereby the most visible component of ICS. However, on a large incident, it cannot effectively function without support from the other Sections.
The Planning Section is responsible for managing all information relevant to an incident. Plans develops the action plan to accomplish the objectives set by the Command Staff, collects, evaluates, and disseminates situation information, and maintains status of all resources assigned to the incident.
All incident support needs are provided by the Logistics Section (except for aviation support which is part of Operations). Logistics coordinates provision of incident facilities, transportation, communications, supplies, food and medical services to support the planning and suppression operations.
Finally, the Finance/Administration Section is responsible for managing all financial aspects of an incident, including procurement, timekeeping, compensation and claims, and incident costs.
Most fire departments that use ICS establish it at the scene of any multiple-unit response. The first-arriving unit establishes Incident Command. Often that may be the only position necessary to be filled if the incident can be handled by the initial attack personnel. But if the incident escalates, the modular ICS components are expanded and filled to meet the needs of the incident.
Although created by and for the fire service, ICS has proven to be as effective for managing EMS, law enforcement, Search and Rescue, and disaster scenarios. It has proven time and time again to be an effective and dependable means of managing the response to an emergency.
