Incident Command System

Even a single-car accident with injured victims, and, perhaps, a vehicle fire, is an incident that can be handled within routine capabilities of the local emergency medical services. When the number of events, be they injuries or poisonings, fires, infrastructure collapse, etc., is beyond the capability of the local organization, it invokes the Incident Command System (ICS), which is a doctrine of emergency management almost universal in North America, and widely used worldwide. ICS extensions are most directly concerned with managing the response of local units that either do not usually work together, or may lack certain relevant skills or equipment. ICS provides a systematic means to ask for assistance from neighboring emergency services all the way up to national-level response (i.e., [[National Incident Management System[[ (NIMS) in they U.S., and to coherently bring these additional resources into a coherent response under centralized and hierarchical command.

Incident Command System
Some of the reasons to use ICS is that it fits into a larger framework of resources outside the immediate area. It is designed
 * Handle incidents of any kind or size, although the command structure evolve the incident becomes more complex
 * Blend personnel, from a variety of agencies, nto a common management structure.
 * Provides logistical and administrative support to operational staff.
 * Is cost effective by avoiding duplication of efforts.
 * Predefined mechanisms exist for health and hazardous material (HAZMAT) incidents.

The key things standardized by ICS include:
 * Terminology
 * Command
 * Planning and organizational structure
 * Facilities and resources
 * Communications and Information Management
 * Professionalism

Avoiding confusion
A fundamental starting port is standard terminology for
 * Organizational functions.
 * Incident facilities.
 * Resource descriptions.
 * Position titles.

Communications uses plain English,without departmental codes and jargon that not may be universally understood. "What is your position" is far less ambigious than "Report your 10-20."

Command
A basic of ICS is that one and only one person in command of a function. Responsiblities will change, but persons above and below the commander always knows current responsiblity. At a given level of command, ICS assumes unity of command: only one person is need, certainly with advice, to make a decision. The ultimate commander has a legal basis of authority, and guidance on what can and cannot be delegated.

ICS will not spring into existence at the moment of a disaster. All relevant commanders and angencies will need to be rained on its principles and procedures. *Within that structure, it forms a standardized management tool for meeting the demands of small or large emergency or nonemergency situations.
 * Represents "best practices," and has become the standard for emergency management across the country.
 * May be used for planned events, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism; it scales up to the NIMS level

Transfer of command takes place veriously when a more qualified commander arrives, or simply that it is time for the commander to rest. An incident commander is not necessarily the senior officer. For example, the Incident Commander of the Arlington County (Virginia) Fire Department was an Assistant Chief; the Chief determined he could be more effective both running other services in the jurisdiction, and coordinating requensts for help outside it.

Planning and organization
The basic organizational structure of an ICS response is standard; larger incidents use subcommanders when necessary, always with someone clearly in charge. No commander has more direct reports than is reasonable to manage under stressful condition.

Facilities and Resources
There will be standardized ways of requesting resources, standarizing ways to receive them at staging areas, and a disciplined way to get them where they are needed.

Information and communications
Systems are verified, prior to an urgent need, that they can work together. Incident locations and facilities