ICS 200.c Lesson 2 - Incident Command and Unity of Command Flashcards
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Describe the Incident Command System (ICS). Describe the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Chain of Command
An orderly line of authority is used for the flow of task assignments and resource requests. This line of authority flows down through the organizational structure.
Unity of Command
Unity of command means that each individual involved in incident operations will be assigned – and will report – to only one supervisor.
Chain of command and unity of command help to ensure that clear reporting relationships exist and eliminate the confusion caused by multiple, conflicting directives. Incident managers at all levels must be able to control the actions of all personnel under their supervision.
Unity of command clears up many of the potential communication problems encountered in managing incidents or events because each individual maintains a formal communication relationship only with his or her immediate supervisor.
Don’t confuse unity of command with Unified Command!
Unified Command
When no one jurisdiction, agency, or organization has primary authority and/or the resources to manage an incident on its own, Unified Command may be established. There is no one “Commander.” The Unified Command can allocate resources regardless of ownership or location.
Unifies Command:
- Enables all responsible agencies to manage an incident together by establishing a common set of incident objectives and strategies
- Allows Incident Commanders to make joint decisions by establishing a single command structure at one Incident Command Post (ICP)
- Maintains Unity of Command. Each employee reports to only one supervisor
This illustration shows three responsible agencies managing an incident together under a Unified Command.
Advantages of Unified Command
Advantages of using Unified Command include:
- A single set of objectives guides incident response.
- A collective approach is used to develop strategies to achieve incident objectives.
- Information flow and coordination are improved between all involved in the incident.
- All agencies have an understanding of joint priorities and restrictions.
- No agency’s legal authorities will be compromised or neglected.
- Agencies’ efforts are optimized as they perform their respective assignments under a single Incident Action Plan.
Integrated Communications Overview
Formal communications follow the lines of authority. However, information concerning incident or event can be passed horizontally or vertically within the organization without restriction.
Full Organizational Chart description-Incident Command: Command Staff consists of the Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer; General Staff consists of Operations Section (Branch Director & Air Operations Branch Director), Planning Section, Logistics Section (Service Branch Director & Support Branch Director), Finance Section.
Formal Communication
As illustrated on the previous screen, formal communication must be used when:
- Receiving and giving work assignments
- Requesting support or additional resources
- Reporting progress of assigned tasks
Other information concerning the incident or event can be passed horizontally or vertically within the organization without restriction. This is known as informal communication.
Informal Communication
Informal communication:
- Is used to exchange incident or event information only
- Is NOT used for:
- Formal requests for additional resources
- Tasking work assignments
Within the ICS organization, critical information must flow freely!
Examples of informal communication are as follows:
- The Communications Unit Leader may directly contact the Resources Unit Leader to determine the number of persons requiring communications devices.
- The Cost Unit Leader may directly discuss and share information on alternative strategies with the Planning Section Chief.
Common Leadership Responsibilities
A good leader:
- Communicates by giving specific instructions and asking for feedback.
- Supervises the scene of action.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan.
- Understands and accepts the need to modify plans or instructions.
- Ensures safe work practices.
- Takes command of assigned resources.
- Motivates with a “can do safely” attitude.
- Demonstrates initiative by taking action.
The safety of all personnel involved in an incident or a planned event is the first duty of ICS leadership. This is the overall responsibility of Team Leaders, Group or Division Supervisors, Branch Directors, Sections Chiefs, and all members of the Command or Unified Command staff. Ensuring safe work practices is the top priority within the ICS common leadership responsibilities.
Leadership & Values
A leader commits to excellence in all aspects of his or her professional responsibility. Leaders should know, understand, and practice the leadership responsibilities and recognize the relationship between these responsibilities and the leadership values. Commitment to duty, respect, and integrity are essential values that must be demonstrated in order for a leader to be effective.
Commitment to Duty
What can you do, personally, that demonstrates your commitment to duty to those you lead? As a leader, you should try to:
- Take charge within your scope of authority.
- Be prepared to step out of a tactical role to assume a leadership role.
- Be proficient in your job.
- Make sound and timely decisions.
- Ensure tasks are understood.
- Develop your subordinates for the future.
Leadership & Respect
In order to maintain leadership and respect, a leader should:
- Know their subordinates and look out for their well-being. A leader’s workforce is their greatest resource. Not all workers will succeed equally, but they all deserve respect.
- Keep their subordinates and supervisor informed by providing accurate and timely briefings and giving the intent behind assignments and tasks.
- Build the team. Conducting frequent briefings and debriefings with the team enables a leader to monitor progress and identify lessons learned. Considerations made during these meetings should include team experience, fatigue, and physical limitations when accepting assignments.
Communication Responsibilities
To ensure sharing of critical information, all responders must:
- Brief others as needed
- Debrief their actions
- Communicate hazards to others
- Acknowledge messages
- Ask if they do not know
While not always possible, the most effective form of communication is face-to-face.
Briefing Elements
Provide complete briefings that include clearly stated objectives and the following elements:
Incident Management Assessment
Assessment is an important leadership responsibility and is conducted after a major activity in order to allow employees and leaders to discover what happened and why. Assessment methods include:
- Corrective action report/After-Action Review (AAR)
- Debriefing
- Post-incident critique
- Mitigation plans
Using Common Terminology
ICS establishes common terminology that allows diverse incident management and support entities to work together.
Major functions and functional units with incident management responsibilities are named and defined. Terminology for the organizational elements involved is standard and consistent.
ICS Organization: Review
The ICS organization:
- Is typically structured to facilitate activities in five major functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration
- Is adaptable to any emergency or incident to which domestic incident management agencies would be expected to respond
- Has a scalable organizational structure that is based on the size and complexity of the incident
However, this flexibility does NOT allow for the modification of the standard, common language used to refer to organizational components or positions.
NIMS Management: Manageable Span of Control
The optimal span of control for incident management is one supervisor to five subordinates; however, effective incident management frequently necessitates ratios significantly different from this. The 1:5 ratio is a guideline, and incident personnel use their best judgment to determine the actual distribution of subordinates to supervisors for a given incident or EOC activation.
Modular Organization
The ICS organization adheres to a “form follows function” philosophy. The size of the current organization and that of the next operational period is determined through the incident planning process.
Because the ICS is a modular concept, managing span of control is accomplished by organizing resources into Teams, Divisions, Groups, Branches, or Sections. When the supervisor-to-subordinate ratio exceeds manageable span of control, additional Teams, Divisions, Groups, Branches, or Sections can be established. When a supervisor is managing too few subordinates, Sections, Branches, Divisions, Groups, or Teams can be reorganized or demobilized to reach a more effective span of control.
Typical Organizational Structure
The initial response to most domestic incidents is typically handled by local “911” dispatch centers, emergency responders within a single jurisdiction, and direct supporters of emergency responders. Most responses need go no further.
Approximately 95% of all incidents are small responses that include:
- Command: Incident Commander and other Command Staff
- Single Resource: An individual, a piece of equipment and its personnel complement, or an established crew or team of individuals with an identified work supervisor that can be used on an incident
Expanding Incidents
Incidents that begin with single resources may rapidly expand requiring significant additional resources and operational support.
Use of Position Titles
At each level within the ICS organization, individuals with primary responsibility positions have distinct titles. Using specific ICS position titles serves these important purposes:
- Provides a common standard
- Ensures qualified individuals fill positions
- Ensures that requested personnel are qualified
- Standardizes communication
- Describes the responsibilities of the position
ICS Supervisory Position Titles
Titles for all ICS supervisory levels are shown in the table below:
Organizational Level
Title
Support Position
Incident CommandIncident CommanderDeputyCommand StaffOfficerAssistantGeneral Staff (Section)ChiefDeputyBranchDirectorDeputyDivision/GroupSupervisorN/AUnitUnit LeaderManagerStrike Team/Task ForceLeaderSingle Resource Boss
