Pam Stephens Jefferson County Public Health Emergency Planning and Response Incident Command System primarily the Incident Command Structure Three steps for learning comprehension: Step One: See and hear what is being taught Step Two: Apply new information to something already familiar Step Three: Use what has been learned in a hands on activity What is it? The concept of ICS was formalized more than 40 years ago following a series of devastating wildfires in Arizona and California Wildfire in California Claimed 16 lives 700 structures were destroyed Over one-half million acres were burned Overall cost and loss totaled more than $18 million dollars per day, or about $235 million dollars Responding agencies made heroic efforts Issues related to coordination and communication, rather than tactical ability or resources, compromised their effectiveness Congress mandated that the U.S. Forest Service needed to design an emergency response system to: Coordinate response activities Align communication Allocate resources Manage personnel, facilities, and equipment U.S. Department of Homeland Security mandates ICS for emergency response as a condition for federal preparedness funding Emergency response agencies use ICS to manage their response activities Businesses and community organizations recognize the value Organizational system that provides the basis for: Clear objectives Effective organizational structure Efficient resource management Common terminology Everyone understands their role and responsibilities We all organize events Birthday party, business meeting, community event We use organizational techniques and systems ICS establishes How things will get done Who is going to do what How supplies and resources will be tracked How information will be shared Safe and effective Flexible enough to manage: Small, single agency events Incidents involving multiple agencies and hundreds of emergency response personnel It provides a system for people from different agencies/areas of expertise to work together in a unified and organized manner When we are planning an event, it helps if we can visualize the organizational structure and identify roles and responsibilities Sample ICS Structure General Staff Roles Overall responsibility for incident Provides the leadership and oversight for response activities Determines response strategies and goals Defines the organizational structure Sets incident objectives and priorities The Incident Commander is responsible for all tasks and objectives related to the incident response until delegated to other personnel Safety Officer Monitors safety issues related to the response Develops the Incident Safety Plan Liaison Officer Primary contact for supporting agencies Both information for the agencies regarding response activities and information from those agencies to assist with the response Public Information Officer Provides information to stakeholders, including the public and the media, regarding response activities Command staff report directly to the Incident Commander General Staff Roles Boots on the ground Coordinating and completing hands on activities Dispensing medication Managing volunteers Greeting the public Maintaining security The work being done by the Operations Section is directed by the event being responded to and may include: Firefighters Law enforcement Medical personnel Volunteers Responsible for working with the Incident Commander to establish the response goals and objectives The primary activities of the Planning Section include: Developing and maintaining the incident response plan Organizing and maintaining information and documentation related to the incident response Maintaining the status of supplies and resources Developing plans for demobilization The Logistics Section is responsible for resource and support needs related to the response, including: Ordering and maintaining supplies and equipment Accessing facilities and transportation resources Maintaining an inventory of available and committed supplies Obtaining food and medical resources for responders The Finance/Administration Section is responsible for: Monitoring, tracking, and approving expenses related to response Maintaining compliance with contract agreements Ensuring that personnel and equipment records are tracked accurately Maintaining response documentation required for reimbursement Although ICS was primarily developed for response to emergencies, ICS can also be used to manage non- emergency type events Weddings Business meetings Community events Family gatherings ICS isnt only useful in emergencies, but can help organize any event, like your next family gathering It has been quite awhile since Grandmas family has been together Grandma decides on a timeline She considers the people needed to help organize, primarily daughters, Emily and Casey She asks Emily if she would be willing to have the event at her house And she identifies the objectives for the gathering: To get all of the family together for a BBQ To have her son-in-law, Freddie, make his delicious barbecued ribs To wear the new hat she just bought for a special occasion Grandma is Incident Commander Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member Overall responsibility for event Provides leadership and oversight for event activities Determines the roles and responsibilities Sets the objectives and priorities Plans the menu, the guest list, and works with Grandma to decide who will do what Inventories the list of ingredients and supplies she already has, and what will need to be bought at the store She offers to help organize clean up process when the event is over Emily is the Planning Chief Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member Assisting Grandma with determining the event objectives Organizing event plans and documentation Keeping track of supplies and resources Making plans for clean up when the event is ended Concerned about the date big game Offers to pay for the food and supplies if he can watch the game after dinner Asks Emily to go to the Value Store instead of the more expensive all natural food market to save money Needs a receipt to balance his checkbook and manage the budget Jeremy is the Finance Chief Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member Approving and tracking expenses related to the event Maintaining financial documentation required for balancing the budget Asks her Aunt to prepare a salad Asks her cousin to bring dessert Asks Freddie to work the BBQ grill and to cook ribs Asks Grandma about renting some extra tables and chairs She makes sure there is enough propane for the grill She thinks about people she can ask to help with set-up Casey is the Operations Chief Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member The Operations Section completes the hands on activities required for running the event, such as preparing the food and operating the grill Makes sure the grill is a safe distance from the house Makes sure there is a working fire extinguisher on hand Bringing a first-aid kit to have on hand Plans on talking with the children about safety around the hot grill Where is Freddie on the ICS Chart? Freddie is the Safety Officer Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member Plan for and respond to any safety issues related to the event Buys the groceries so they are ready to be prepared for the event Orders ribs from the butcher Makes transportation arrangements for Grandma Gets a key from Emily so that everyone can get in to help with set up Makes sure there are enough people to help with the event Arranges for snacks for the people helping Where is Kayde on the ICS Chart? Kayde is the Logistics Chief Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member The Logistics Section is responsible for support needs related to the event Ordering and maintaining supplies and equipment Accessing facilities and transportation Obtaining food and supplies needed for the people helping with the event Grandma wants to make sure everyone remembers what to bring and when to arrive Alex develops a reminder has Grandma review and approve Grandma former mayor considers an announcement to be posted in the local newspaper During event, takes photographs to post on Facebook Where is Alex on the ICS Chart? Alex is the Public Information Officer Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Division Supervisor The Public Information Officer makes sure everyone associated with the event receives the information they need, as well as provides information to the media and posts information on social media type websites Asked by Casey, the Operations Chief: To set up the tables and chairs To clean the BBQ grill To set up the play area for the kids To organize the place settings and utensils To mow the grass at Emilys house Where are Abbey and Mark in the ICS Chart? Abbey and Mark are Operations Section Strike Team Members Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations Chief Planning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Operations Section Strike Team Member Operations Section Strike Team Member The Strike Team Members carry out the responsibilities required of the Operations Section and Fun Event!!! We Planned a Safe, Well-Coordinated, and Fun Event!!! Incident Commander Grandma Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations ChiefPlanning ChiefLogistics ChiefFinance Chief Strike Team Member Everyone knew their role and responsibilities and what they needed to do to help get ready for the event. ICS allowed for the event to be well organized and to run smoothly Envelope Incident Briefing (instructions for completing exercise) Cards representing ICS roles Choose roles by handing out cards Fill all Command and General Staff Roles Remaining people will be Strike Team Member Dont be concerned about roles, your team will be completing tasks together INCIDENT COMMANDER READS - Event/Situation Summary: It is after lunch and the Foothills Healthcare Coalition members have spent the last hour in a meeting. They are going to be driving back to their offices soon, and some of them have a long drive. They need a snack for the trip. They are going to use what they have learned today regarding the Incident Command Structure to put together snack bags to take with them. The snack items need to be packaged into individual bags for each participant, and time is limited, so this activity needs to take place quickly and efficiently. SAFETY OFFICER READS - Safety Message: There is a possibility that some of the FHCC members may have food allergies to items being provided. Because hand washing resources are not available in the briefing room, bacteria contamination to the food items is a risk. We are not sure when the tables were last cleaned, so bacteria contamination on the tables is also a risk. PLANNING SECTION CHIEF READS - Current Objectives: To fill a bag of snacks for each FHCC member to take with them. To observe safety considerations and follow guidance from Safety Officers. To have all of the bags filled within 20 minutes. To have fun and learn more about the Incident Command Structure. Go through the steps listed in this section to complete the activities for the Command and General Staff roles to complete the exercise. Incident Commander Planning Section Chief Safety Officer Logistics Section Chief Finance Section Chief Operation Section Chief Strike Team Members Public Information Officer Thank you If you do not want your picture taken, please notify the PIO. Questions, Feedback, Comments Additional information in the Incident Command System https://training.fema.gov/is/ IS-100: Introduction to Incident Command System
