Incident Command System Policies

The Incident Command System consists of personnel, policies, procedures, facilities, and equipment that work together in an organized structure designed to greatly improve emergency response effectiveness, response time, and efficiency for all disasters, no matter how big or complex. The ICS is based off a common command structure that allows all officials in organizations, no matter private or public, in any jurisdiction to effectively communicate with each other in emergency situations. The goal of ICS is designed to reduce any problems with communication and emergency techniques in such incidents in which quick response and proper operations are critical.

The ICS focuses on a system of management and procedures on a temporary basis for an incident of any size or severity. The ICS has a general emphasis on preparedness, with all aspects of its operations practiced and personnel trained well before an incident occurs. When an incident does occur, the ICS formulates a management hierarchy that is used to control funds, employees, facilities, equipment, resources, and communications. Personnel are selected because of their training and their ability to meet the guidelines set forth by the ICS. The ICS establishes its resources and structure for emergency situations from the moment that an incident is responded to until they are no longer needed and the incident needs no further attention.

The Incident Command System is designed to not only be structural guidelines, but also to be flexible enough to adapt to unexpected circumstances. For example, in an emergency situation that would cover many jurisdictions, the ICS system is designed to meet the needs of each one of those jurisdictions and to establish firm communication with all of them. In the event of an incident, the ICS system will allow for many different agencies and organizations to quickly formulate a management structure, using common terminology for easy communication vital in a time of crisis. In addition, the ICS provides logistical support to an operational staff, is designed to be cost effective by avoiding doubled work, and delivers a unified system of organization.

History of the Incident Command System:
The ICS was formed during the 1970s during massive wildfires that took place in California that ravaged several urban areas in the state. There was a massive amount of property damage and many lives were lost in the fires. Studies that were conducted following the disaster showed that the reason why there was so much damage that ran into the millions and lives lost was because of management and communication deficiencies rather than a lack of resources or ineffective tactics. Policies of the ICS were eventually adopted into the the Homeland Security Directive number 5 with the formulation of the National Incident Management System.

The ICS improved on the following problems with emergency management and response for incidents:

* Unclear chain of command and a lack of accountability;
* Communication was poor due to equipment incompatibilities and different uses of terminology;
* No clear planning process to go by;
* There were no clear guidelines on how to integrate several organizations into a single chain of command;
* No coordination between individuals with specialized skills and those who were first responders in an emergency;
* Knowledge about terminology was either lacking or unclear during emergencies.