Incident Management
ICS/NIMS Overview
Presented by
Alan Phillips
Emergency Management Coordinator
Ohio Department of Transportation
Transportation’s Role in Disaster
Response
The recent events along our Gulf Coast
drives home the importance of an
effective, coordinated response from all
agencies.
The Incident Command System and now
the National Incident Management System
are the primary structures for a
coordinated multi-agency response.
FEMA Certification Required - NIMCAST
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What are the Basics
Of the
Incident Command System?
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What the ICS is:
• A process management tool
• A flexible organizational structure
• The standard for managing emergency incidents
• Easily adapted to large or small-scale incidents
Lets take a look at the Basic ICS Structure
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ICS Organization
The Incident Commander’s “Command” Staff:
Incident Commander
Public Information Officer
Safety Officer
Liaison Officer(s)
These personnel are the IC’s
“Command” Staff
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ICS Organization
Incident Commander
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Finance/
Administration
ICS has five basic functions
Operations, Planning,
Logistics, and
Finance/Administration.
The section chiefs are the IC’s
“General” Staff.
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ICS Organization
The Incident Commander’s “Command” and
“General” Staff:
Incident Commander
Public Information
Officer
Span of
control:
3-7 personnel
Safety Officer
Liaison Officer (s)
Operations Chief
Planning Chief
Logistics Chief
Finance/Administration
Chief
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ICS Organization
The Operations Section:
Operations
Section
Branches (up to 5)
Divisions or Groups
(up to 25)
Resources
Operations develops the tactical organization
and directs all resources to carry out the
Incident Action Plan
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ICS Organization
The Operations Section: Divisions and Groups
Operations
Section
Branch I
Group A
Division B
Branch II
Groups C
Division D
Divisions and Groups are established when the
number of resources exceeds the Operations
Section Chief’s manageable span of control.
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ICS Organization
The Operations Section: Functional Groups
Operations
Section
Suppression
Group
Rescue
Group
Emergency
Medical
Services
Group
Functional groups can best be used to describe
areas of like activity (e.g., rescue, evacuation,
medical.)
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ICS Organization
The Operations Section: Multi-Jurisdictional
Operations
Section
Branch
(County)
Branch
(Tribal)
Branch
(City)
Branch
(State)
Branch
(Federal)
In the case of a multi-jurisdictional incident,
resources are best managed under the
agencies that normally control them.
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ICS Organization
The Operations Section: Air Operations Branch
Operations
Section
Air OPS
Branch Director
Air Support Group
Supervisor
Air Tactical Group
Supervisor
Helibase(s)
Fixed Wing
Base(s)
Helicopter
Coordinator
Fixed Wing
Coordinator
Heliport
Air Field
Helicopters
Fixed Wing
Aircraft
The Air Support Group establishes and operates
bases for rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
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ICS Organization
The Planning Section Staff:
Planning Section
Resources Unit
Technical
Specialists
Situation Unit
Demobilization
Unit
Documentation
Unit
Planning develops the
Incident Action Plan to
accomplish the objectives,
collects and evaluates
information, and maintains
status of assigned
resources
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ICS Organization
The Logistics Section Staff:
Logistics Section
Service Branch
Communications
Branch
Medical Unit
Support Branch
Food Unit
Supply Unit
Facilities Unit
Ground Support
Unit
Logistics provides the
resources and all other
services needed to
support the organization
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ICS Organization
The Finance/Administration Section Staff:
Finance/Administration
Section
Time Unit
Procurement Unit
Compensation/Claims
Unit
Cost Unit
Finance/Administration monitors costs
related to the incident,
provides accounting,
procurement, time
recording, cost analysis,
and fiscal guidance.
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General Guidelines
Lengthy Assignments
– Assemble a travel kit with technical information.
(maps, manuals, contacts, reference materials)
– Prepare personal items. Clothing, medications,
money etc.
– Ensure family members have a plan.
– Determine travel authorization, plans and return
information.
– Establish payroll procedures via home agency.
– Take ID’s.
– Understand assignment, reporting locations, positions
and authority prior to departure.
– Vaccinations, Logistical Supplies
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The National Incident Management
System (NIMS)
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National Incident Management
System
What is the basis for NIMS?
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 provides for
the creation of a National Incident Management System.
Response agencies must use ICS/NIMS to maintain Federal
Funding.
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National Incident Management
System
Why was NIMS established:
To allow responders to focus more on the response
instead of organizing the response. This, along with
enhancement to teamwork and assignments to all
authorities, will provide for a better coordinated response.
NIMS provides logistical and technical support to
responders.
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National Incident Management
System
NIMS will provide:
• A consistent nationwide approach to incident management
• Interoperability and compatibility among Federal, State, local, and Tribal
Governments
• A core set of concepts, principles, terminology, and technologies
• The Incident Command System
• Multi-agency coordination system
• Unified command
• Training
• Identification and management of resources
• Qualifications and certification
• Collection, tracking, and reporting of incident information and incident
resources
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NIMS Component Parts
The Basic Six NIMS Components:
• Command and Management
• Preparedness
• Resource Management
• Communications and Information Management
• Supporting Technologies
• On-going Management and Maintenance
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National Incident Management
System
What are the NIMS Sub-Components?
• Command and Management
- Incident Command System
- Multi-agency Coordination System
- Public Information Systems
• Preparedness
- Planning
- Training
- Exercises
- Qualification and Certification
- Equipment Certification
- Publications Management
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National Incident Management
System
What are the NIMS Sub-Components? (cont.):
• Resource Management
- Describe
- Inventory
- Track
- Dispatch
- Mobilize
- Recover
• Communications and Information Management
- Incident Management Communications
- Information Management
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National Incident Management
System
What are the NIMS Sub-Components? (cont.):
• Supporting Technologies
- Systems
- Capabilities
• Ongoing Management and Maintenance
- Strategic Direction
- Oversight
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NIMS Incident Management
Area Command:
• Oversees the management of multiple incidents
• Oversees the management of large or multiple incidents to which
several Incident Management Teams have been assigned
• Develops overall strategy and priorities
• Allocates resources according to priorities
• Ensures proper management of incidents
• Ensures objectives are met and strategies are followed
• Ensures effective communications
Area Command becomes Unified Area Command
when an incident becomes multi-jurisdictional.
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NIMS Incident Management
Area Command Organization:
Area Commander
Area Command
Logistics Chief
Area Command
Planning Chief
Area Command
Support Positions
Area Command
Critical resources
Unit Leader
Area Command
Situation Unit Leader
Area Command
Public Information Officer
Area Command
Liaison Officer
Area Command
Aviation Coordinator
Area Command becomes Unified Area Command
when an incident becomes multi-jurisdictional. It
operates under the same basic principles as ICS.
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NIMS Incident Management
Multi-Agency Coordination Systems (MACS):
• What is MACS:
- It is a mechanism for combining facilities, equipment, personnel,
procedures, and communications into a common operating system
with responsibility for coordinating and supporting domestic
incident management.
• MACS Elements:
- Emergency Operations Centers – the physical location at which the
coordination of information and resources to support incident
management takes place
- Multi-Agency Coordinating Entities – typically consist of principals,
or their designees, from organizations or agencies with direct incident
management responsibility, or with significant incident management
support or resource responsibilities
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NIMS Incident Management
Unified Command:
• Advantages
-
A single set of objectives for the entire incident
A collective approach to develop strategies to achieve objectives
Improved information flow and coordination
All agencies with responsibility for the incident understand
priorities and restrictions
- No agencies’ legal authorities compromised or neglected
- Combined efforts optimize performance
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NIMS Incident Management
Public Information Systems:
• Systems and protocols for communicating timely and accurate
•
•
•
•
information to the public are critical during crisis or emergency
situations
The PIO supports the Incident Command
Public Information functions must be coordinated and integrated
across all jurisdictional and functional boundaries
Organizations participating in Incident Management retain their
independence
Public Information Systems Components:
- Joint Information System – a mechanism
- Joint Information Center – a location
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NIMS Incident Management
Public Information Systems Wiring Diagram
Joint Information Center
Press Secretary
Research Team
Liaison
(as required)
Media Operations
Logistic Team
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Support Multi-Agency Approach
The Executive must plan for an Area Command approach
prior to the incident :
• Hold planning meetings and prepare mutual aid agreements
• Involve other agencies’ personnel in your ICS organization
• Advocate the use of “Area and/or Unified Command”
• Conduct interagency training and exercises
• Revise plans based on findings of exercises and training
events
“The last place I want to meet you
for the first time, is at an incident
site.”
(Unknown)
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Executive Responsibilities
(summary)
The Executive has four major responsibilities:
• Articulate Policy
• Assess the Response
• Plan for Multi-Agency Response
• Provide input to the Incident Commander establishing
priorities, goals, and direction
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NIMS Conclusions
NIMS:
• Incorporates best practices of current incident management
(e.g., ICS, Joint, Multi-Agency, Unified Incident Management)
• Recognizes need to integrate Crisis and Consequence
management
• Recognizes the need to establish standards and common
operating systems..
• Stresses interoperability in communications, equipment and
operational response.
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Conclusions
• There are no quick or easy fixes to these issues
• Open the dialogue process with other agencies
• Revise your preparedness plans based on lessons learned
(a plan is a living document; it evolves based on your
collective experiences and evolving best practices)
• Deploy your personnel to ICPs and EOCs – half the battle is
maintaining good communications
Now is the time to develop
agency’s goals, priorities, and
policies. Develop multiple scenarios
based on different potential events in your area.
Make sure your staff is trained!
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Parting Thoughts
Interoperability
We’ve all seen and heard the discussions and attempts to
define interoperability. To some, it’s radios being able to
“talk” to one another. To others, it’s being able to interchange
air tanks among different response organizations.
At your level, what is interoperability? One more idea for the
mix.
Decision-makers must have the ability to see a common operating
picture, and to anticipate the consequences of decisions on their
own jurisdiction, as well as the consequences to surrounding
jurisdictions.
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Three Key Points to Remember!
Establish ICS early at any incident and keep it
simple.. This will be your foundation for the
incident. If you don’t you will be chasing after
the incident instead of managing it!
Think of ICS as a toolbox full of tools you may or
may not choose to use, use what you need,
remember to pick the tools up!
Practice ICS at every incident so when the “Big
One” hits you will be ready!……
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Are You Ready?
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Questions?
Contact Information:
Al Phillips 614-799-9237
alan.phillips@dot.state.oh.us
FEMA EMI Training
www.training.fema.gov
Click on “Online Training (NETC Virtual Campus)”
Click “OK” for FEMA then “New Student”
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