Incident command system

Incident Command System

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective.

History

ICS was developed in the 1970s following a series of catastrophic fires in California's urban interface. Property damage ran into the millions, and many people died or were injured. The personnel assigned to determine the causes of these outcomes studied the case histories and discovered that response problems could rarely be attributed solely to lack of resources or failure of tactics. Surprisingly, studies found that response problems were far more likely to result from inadequate management than from any other single reason.

Structure

The ICS structure is a key feature of the NIMS (National Incident Management Assistance Team). It is a standardized, on-scene, all-hazard incident management concept in the United States. It is a management protocol designed specifically to allow responders to adopt an integrated organizational structure equal to the complexity and demands of any single incident or multiple incidents without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries.

Principles

The Incident Command System is based on several key organizational systems and principles. These include the use of common terminology and clear text, modular organization, management by objectives, reliance on an Incident Action Plan (IAP), chain of command and unity of command, unified command, manageable span of control, predesignated incident facilities, and comprehensive resource management.

Applications

ICS has been summarized as a "first-on-scene" structure, where the first responder of a scene has charge of the scene until the incident has been declared under control. ICS is widespread in use from coalitions of organizations throughout the country, throughout the federal government, and even worldwide.

See also

• National Incident Management Assistance Team
• Emergency response
• Incident Action Plan