ICS 200 – Lesson 3: ICS Organization - USDA

1 ICS 200 Lesson 3: ICS Organization1 Lesson OverviewThe ICS Organization Lesson provides information on ICS organizational structure, initialorganizational development at an incident, organizational expansion and contraction, and transferof Lesson should take approximately 45 minutes to complete. Remember, you mustcomplete the entire Lesson to receive 3 Learning ObjectivesBy the end of this Lesson , you should be able to: Explain how the incident Organization expands or contracts to meet operational needs of theincident. Match organizational positions with appropriate ICS sections. Describe the use of Branches, Divisions, and Groups within the Operations Section, andprovide supervisory titles associated with each level.

2 List the types of information communicated during the transfer of River Flood: Scenario Update Assessments have been finalized. Incident objectives have been established and tactical operations are beginning for the nextoperational period. There is a need to expand the Organization to manage and support the incident rain has finally ended, and the river crested earlier than forecasted. The assessments confirmthe early estimates of the damage. The Incident Commander has set the incident objectives forthe next operational teams have been dispatched. Their first priority is to euthanize the next objective is to identify suitable places to relocate stranded but otherwise third objective is to begin the disposal operation of dead animals.

3 Since it will take several daysto complete this operation, the disposal teams will first target sites closest to population Plant Protection and Quarantine Branch objectives are to set traps, in order to locate the fruitflies, to eradicate the fruit flies, and to control the movement of host top priority for the food safety inspection Service Branch is to ensure that the contaminatedfood processing plants are brought back online, in compliance with all health and the scope of these incident objectives, the Incident Commander must secure additionalresources and expand the 200 Lesson 3: ICS Organization2 Key Organizational TermsKey ICS organizational terms include: Incident Commander: The Incident Commander is the individual responsible for overallmanagement of the incident.

4 Command Staff: The Command Staff consists of the Public Information Officer, SafetyOfficer, and Liaison Officer. They report directly to the Incident Commander. Officer: Officer is the ICS title for the personnel responsible for the Command Staff positionsof safety , Liaison, and Information. General Staff: The General Staff are assigned functional authority for Operations, Planning,Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The General Staff also report directly to the IncidentCommander. Section: A Section is the organizational level with responsibility for a major functional area ofthe incident ( , Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration). Section Chief: Chief is the ICS title for individuals responsible for functional sections:Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration Branch: A Branch is the organizational level having functional or geographic responsibility formajor parts of the Operations or Logistics functions.

5 Branch Director: Branch Director is the ICS title for individuals responsible for supervisionof a Branch. Division/Group: Divisions are used to divide an incident geographically. Groups are used todivide an incident functionally. Division/Group Supervisor: Supervisor is the ICS title for individuals responsible for aDivision or Group. Strike Team: A Strike Team is a specified combination of the same kind and type ofresources with common communications and a Leader. Task Force: A Task Force is a combination of single resources assembled for a particulartactical need with common communications and a Leader. Unit: A Unit is the organizational element having functional responsibility for a specificincident planning, logistical, or financial activity.

6 Task Force/Strike Team/Unit Leader: Leader is the ICS title for an individual responsiblefor a Task Force, Strike Team, or functional Unit. Resources: Resources are personnel and equipment available, or potentially available, forassignment to incidents. Resources may be described by kind and type ( , ground, water,air, etc.) and may be used in tactical, support, or overhead capacities at an 200 Lesson 3: ICS Organization3 Organizational Terminology: The ICS Organizational ChartThe graphic below shows a generic organizational chart with associated key terms. Key ICS titlesare associated with the person assigned to each managerial Organizational ChartThe ICS organizational chart is a graphic representation of the incident, including: Positions and functions activated.

7 Chain of command. Reporting relationships. Responsibilities delegated. Information a graphical representation is a simple yet valuable information tool. Therefore, it isimportant to maintain the standard terminology and layout of the organizational chart as youapply ICS on 200 Lesson 3: ICS Organization4 ICS A Flexible SystemStandardization of the organizational chart and terms does not limit its flexibility. A key principleof ICS is its flexibility. The ICS Organization may be expanded easily from a very small operationfor routine incidents into a larger Organization capable of handling catastrophic are no hard and fast rules for expanding the ICS Organization .

8 Many incidents will neverrequire the activation of the entire General Staff. Others will require some members of the staff,or all of them. Experienced Incident Commanders can predict workloads and potential staffingneeds, regardless of the kind of Commander Most usda incidents never get as big as the Roaring River Flood, so I don t usually need anorganization with all the positions activated. ICS is like a management toolbox: I just take outwhatever tool I need to do the job. To do that, though, I have to know what all those tools do! Organizing the Incident CommandAs you know, the Incident Commander has the overall responsibility for the management of theincident.

9 Even if other functions are not filled, an Incident Commander will always be establishing command, the Incident Commander will consult with Agency Administrators todetermine the type of command that is required for the incident. The Incident Commander willthen identify the initial Organization and staffing for the of CommandThe Incident Commander knows that the command function may be carried out in two ways: As a single command in which the Incident Commander will have complete responsibility forincident management. As a unified command in which responding agencies and/or jurisdictions with responsibilityfor the incident share incident CommandUnder a single command, one person the Incident Commander has responsibility for managingthe entire incident, as directed and delegated by the Agency the Incident Commander consults with other authorities as necessary, he or sheapproves the Incident Action Plan and makes the final decisions on the 200 Lesson 3.

10 ICS Organization5 Unified CommandIf a Unified Command is needed, Incident Commanders representing agencies or jurisdictions thatshare responsibility for the incident manage the response from a single Incident Command a Unified Command, a single, coordinated Incident Action Plan will direct all activities. TheIncident Commanders will supervise a single Command and General Staff Organization and speakwith one River Flood: Command StaffBased on the damage assessment and the Incident Action Plan,the Incident Commander appoints the following Command Staffofficers: Public Information Officer: This incident has gained a greatdeal of media attention, and the Organization has importantinformation to share with the public, so a Public InformationOfficer will be required.