Emergency Response Training
and Incident Command
ACHA 2009 Annual Meeting
May 26-30, 2009
San Francisco, CA
1
Presenters
Paul M. Cell
Chief of Police
Montclair State University
Donna M. Barry
Director, University Health
Center
Montclair State University
2
Workshop Objectives
 Describe the National Incident
Management System (NIMS),
Incident Command System (ICS)
and key emergency management
principles as they apply to campus
health care providers
 Explain the importance of
preparedness exercises and the
impact on mitigation, response, and
recovery
3
Workshop Objectives
List strategies for effective
emergency response
preparedness and
communications for diverse
audiences
 Describe an example of the
application of the Incident
Command Structure on campus
and the role of health care
providers through a case
presentation
4
“Imagine the Unimaginable”
5
Campus Incidents
• Virginia Tech
• Northern Illinois
• H1N1 Novel Influenza
6
National Mandates
HSPD-5
Management of Domestic Incidents
HSPD-8
National Preparedness
Mandates
7
HSPD 5 Management of
Domestic Incidents
 Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 5
(HSPD-5) directed the
Secretary of Homeland
Security to:
• Develop and administer
a National Incident
Management System (NIMS).
• Develop the National
Response Framework (NRF).
8
Part of a Broader Strategy
The National Response
Framework is required by,
and integrates under, a
larger National Strategy for
Homeland Security.
9
National Strategy for Homeland Security Goals
1. Prevent and disrupt terrorist
attacks.
2. Protect the American people
and our critical infrastructure
and key resources.
3. Respond to and recover
from incidents that do
occur.
4. Continue to strengthen the
foundation to ensure our longterm success.
10
Framework Purpose
The purpose of the National
Response Framework is to
ensure that all response
partners:
 Understand domestic
incident response roles,
responsibilities, and
relationships.
 Respond effectively to any
type of incident.
11
Scope: Domestic Incident Response
 Response includes:
 Immediate
actions to save
lives, protect property and
the environment, and meet
basic human needs.
 The execution of emergency
plans and actions to
support short-term
recovery.
12
NRF Premises

The Framework is always in effect
and can be implemented at
any level at any time.

Incident management activities are
initiated and conducted using
the principles contained in the
National Incident Management
System (NIMS).
13
Response Doctrine
 Response doctrine
defines basic roles,
responsibilities, and
operational concepts
for response across all
levels of government and
with the private sector
and nongovernmental
organizations.
14
Response Doctrine
Engaged Partnership
Tiered Response
Scalable, Flexible, and Adaptable
Operational Capabilities
Unity of Effort Through Unified
Command
Readiness To Act
15
Key Principle: Engaged Partnership
 Engaged partnership means
that leaders at all levels
develop shared response
goals and align capabilities
so that no one is
overwhelmed in times of
crisis. Engaged
partnerships are essential
to preparedness.
16
Key Principle: Tiered Response
 A basic premise of the
Framework is that incidents
are generally handled at the
lowest jurisdictional level
possible.
17
Key Principle: Scalable, Flexible,
Adaptable
 As incidents change in size,
scope, and complexity, the
response must adapt to meet
requirements.
18
Key Principle: Unified Command
Unity of effort through Unified
Command:
 Is a collective, strategic
approach.
 Enables different agencies and
jurisdictions to coordinate, plan,
and interact effectively.
 Uses joint priorities and resource
allocation.
 Relies on a single plan and set of
objectives.
19
Key Principle: Readiness to Act
 Readiness is a collective
responsibility. Effective
national response depends
on our readiness to act.
20
NIMS Mandate
 HSPD-5 requires all Federal
departments and agencies to:
• Adopt and use NIMS in incident
management programs and
activities.
• Make adoption of NIMS
a condition for Federal
preparedness assistance (through
grants, contracts,
and other activities).
21
NIMS Overview
What ? . . . NIMS provides a
consistent nationwide template . . .
Who? . . . to enable Federal, State,
tribal, and local governments, the
private sector, and nongovernmental
organizations to work together . . .
How? . . . to prepare for, prevent,
respond to, recover from, and
mitigate the effects of incidents
regardless of cause, size, location, or
complexity . . .
Why? . . . in order to reduce the loss
of life and property, and harm to the
environment.
22
Builds on Best Practices
 NIMS integrates emergency
management best practices
that:
• Lay the groundwork for the
components of NIMS.
• Provide for the further
development and refinement of
supporting national standards,
guidelines, protocols, systems,
and technologies.
23
NIMS: What It Is/What It’s Not
NIMS is . . .
 A flexible framework of:
 Doctrine
 Concepts
 Principles
 Terminology
 Organizational
processes
 Applicable to all hazards
and jurisdictions
24
NIMS is not . . .
 An operational incident
management plan
 A resource allocation
plan
 A terrorism/WMDspecific plan
 Designed to address
international events
Collaborative Incident Management
NIMS:
• Is not an operational
incident management or
resource allocation plan.
• Represents a core set of
doctrines, concepts,
principles, terminology,
and organizational processes
• Enables effective, efficient, and
collaborative incident management.
25
NIMS Is Dynamic
NIMS:
• Is not a static system.
• Fosters the development of
specialized technologies that
facilitate response.
• Allows for the adoption of
new approaches that will
enable continuous
refinement of the system.
26
Flexibility
Planned Events
Forecasted Events
No-Notice Events
27
Standardization
Standardized organizational
structures:
• Improve integration
and connectivity among
jurisdictions
and disciplines.
• Allow those who adopt
NIMS to work together.
• Foster cohesion among
various response
organizations.
28
NIMS Components
Preparedness
Communications and
Information Management
Incident
Command
System
Resource Management
29
Command and Management
Multiagency
Coordination
Systems
Ongoing Management and
Maintenance
Public
Information
ICS
Incident Command Structure
30
ICS Features

Standardization of
terminology

Planned, Organized
Structure

Definitive Chain of
Command

Facilities/Resources
Management

Unity of Command

Communications and
Information
Management
31
Standardization: Common Terminology
Using common terminology helps to define:

Organizational functions.
 Incident facilities.
 Resource descriptions.

Position titles.
32
Chain of Command
Chain of command is an orderly line of authority within
the ranks of the incident management system that may
be different than your campus line of authority.
Authority
33
Unity of Command
Under unity of command,
personnel:
• Report to only one
supervisor within the ICS
structure.
• Receive work assignments
only from the ICS
supervisors.
34
ICS Organization
In the ICS organization:
• There is no correlation with the administrative
structure of the University.
• Someone who serves as a Manager every day
may not hold that title when deployed
under an ICS structure.
35
ICS for Campuses
36
Management by Objectives
ICS is managed
by objectives that
are communicated
throughout the
entire ICS system.
37
Reliance on an Incident Action Plan
Every incident must have an Incident
Action Plan (IAP) that:
• Specifies the incident objectives.
• States the activities to be completed.
• Covers a specified timeframe, called
an operational period.
Your campus Pandemic Response
Plan is an example of an Incident
Action Plan
38
Comprehensive Resource Management
Resource management includes processes for:
• Categorizing resources.
• Ordering resources.
• Dispatching resources.
• Tracking resources.
• Recovering resources.
It also includes processes for reimbursement for
resources, as appropriate.
39
Integrated Communications
Incident communications are facilitated through:
• The development and use of a common
communications plan.
• The interoperability of communication
equipment, procedures, and systems.
Before an incident, it is critical to
develop an integrated voice and data
communications system (equipment,
systems, and protocols).
40
Incident Commander and
Command Staff Functions
41
Incident Commander Role
The Incident Commander:
• Provides overall leadership for incident response.
• Delegates authority to others.
• Takes general direction from agency
administrator/official.
Incident Commander
42
Command Staff
Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer

Provide information,
liaison, and safety services
for the entire organization

Report directly to the
Incident Commander
Health Officer
Liaison Officer
Safety Officer
43
Public Information Officer (PIO)
• Advises Incident Commander on information dissemination
and media relations. Incident
• Commander approves information that the PIO releases.
• Obtains information from and provides information to
Planning Section.
• Obtains information from and provides information to
community and media.
• Reports directly to Incident Commander
44
Health Officer
• Advises Incident
Commander on issues
regarding medical and
public health response
• Obtains information from
and provides information to
Liaison and Public
Information Officers,
Section Chiefs
• Reports directly to Incident
Commander
45
Liaison Officer
• Assists Incident Commander by serving as point
of contact for agency representatives who are
helping to support the operation.
• Provides briefings to and answers questions from
supporting agencies.
• Reports directly to Incident Commander
46
Safety Officer
• Advises Incident Commander on issues regarding
incident safety.
• Works with Operations to ensure safety of field
personnel.
• Ensures safety of all incident personnel.
• Reports directly to Incident Commander
47
General Staff Functions
48
General Staff
Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer
Liaison
Officer
Command
Staff
Safety
Officer
Operations
Section
“Doers”
49
Planning
Section
“Thinkers”
Logistics
Section
“Getters”
Finance/Admin
Section
“Payers”
General
Staff
Operations Section “The Doers”
Incident
Commander
The Operations Section:





Directs and coordinates all
incident tactical operations.
Is typically one of the first
organizations to be assigned to
the incident.
Expands from the bottom up.
Has the most incident resources.
May have Staging Areas and
special organizations.
50
Operations
Section
Staging
Area
Rescue
Group
Investigation
Group
Operations Section Chief
The Operations Section Chief:


Operations Section Chief

51
Develops and implements
strategy and tactics to carry
out the incident objectives.
Organizes, assigns, and
supervises the tactical field
resources.
Supervises air operations
and those resources in a
Staging Area.
Planning Section “ The Thinkers”







Maintains resource status.
Maintains and displays situation
status.
Prepares the Incident Action
Plan.
Develops alternative strategies.
Provides documentation
services.
Prepares the Demobilization
Plan.
Provides a primary location for
Technical Specialists assigned
to52 an incident.
Planning Section Chief
The Planning Section Chief:


Planning Section Chief


53
Gathers, analyzes, and
disseminates information
and intelligence.
Manages the planning
process.
Compiles the Incident
Action Plan.
Manages Technical
Specialists.
Logistics Section “The Getters”
Responsible for:
 Communications.
 Medical support to incident
personnel.
 Food for incident
personnel.
 Supplies.
 Facilities.
 Ground support.
54
Logistics Section
Service
Branch
Support
Branch
Commun.
Unit
Supply
Unit
Medical
Unit
Facilities
Unit
Food
Unit
Ground
Unit
Logistics Section Chief
The Logistics Section Chief:


Logistics Section Chief

55
Provides resources and
services required to support
incident activities.
Develops portions of
Incident Action Plan and
forwards them to Planning
Section.
Contracts for and purchases
goods and services needed
at the incident.
Finance/Administration Section
“The Payers”
Finance/Admin
Section

Time
Unit
Compensation/
Claims Unit
Procurement
Unit
Cost
Unit
56
Contract negotiation
and monitoring
 Timekeeping
 Cost analysis
 Compensation for
injury or damage to
property
Finance/Administration Section Chief
The Finance/Admin Section Chief:




Finance/Administration
Section Chief
57

Is responsible for financial and
cost analysis.
Oversees contract negotiations.
Tracks personnel and equipment
time.
Processes claims for accidents
and injuries.
Works with Logistics to ensure
resources are procured.
Training and Exercises
•Training (NIMS Compliance)
•Tabletops
•Full Scale Exercises
58
Incident Action Plans
Having a plan is not good enough!
Remember the three “R”s:
 Review
 Rehearse
 Revise
59
ICS Simulation
Planning – blue
Logistics – pink
Operations – green
Finance/Administration – yellow
Assign Section Chief and Scribe
60