Chapter 39 EMS online - Incident Command System Flashcards
Incident Command System
sometimes referred to as the incident management system
What is the purpose ICS?
- Ensure responder and public safety
- Achieve incident management goals
- Ensure the efficient use of resources
- Communication is the building block of good PT care (Common terminology and the use of “clear text” communications help responders from multiple agencies work efficiently together)
What is the ICS designed for?
to control duplication of effort and freelancing
What is the goal of the ICS?
make the best use of your resources to manage the environment around the incident and to treat patients during an emergency
What is freelancing?
when individual units or different organizations make independent and often inefficient decisions about the next appropriate action
What is the organizational principle of the ICS?
limiting the span of control of any one individual
What entails limiting the span of control?
keeping the supervisor/worker ratio at 1 supervisor to 3-7 workers
How is the ICS organized?
Into Organizational Levels that contain:
* Sections
* Branches
* Groups
What are sections in the ICS?
Responsible for a mjaor functional area such as:
* finance
* logistics
* planning
* operations
What are branches in the ICS?
Tend to be established when span of control is a problem and are in charge of activity directly related to the section such as:
* Fire
* Law enforcement
* EMS
* Etc.
What are divisions in the ICS?
Refers to crews working in the same geographic area
* The larger the incident, the more divisions there will be
What are groups in the ICS?
Refers to crews working in the same functuional area, but possibly in different locations
Roles and Responsibilities of the ICS
- Command
- Finance
- Logisitics
- Operations
- Planning
- Command staff
General staff of the ICS:
- Command
- Logistics
- Operations
- Planning
Command staff of the ICS:
- Public Information Officer (PIO)
- Safety Officer
- Liason Officer
