Othello School District - #147

Incident Command System Flow Chart

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

The Incident Commander is the only position that is always staffed in ICS applications. On small incidents and events, one person—the Incident Commander—may accomplish all management functions.

As incidents grow, the Incident Commander may delegate authority for performance of certain activities to the Command Staff and the General Staff.  The incident Commander will add positions only as needed.

If you are mobilized or assigned a position, follow the Mobilization Procedures.  If you are demobilized or the incident has been resolved, follow the demobilization procedures. 

If you have not been mobilized or assigned a position, you should continue to do your everyday role in the district. 

Mobilization Procedures:

• Check in for your initial briefing that should include:
  • An assessment of the current situation
  • Identify your specific job responsibilities
  • Identify who you will be working with
  • Location of assignment
  • Identification of break areas
  • Operational periods/work shifts
  • Procedural instructions for obtaining needed resources
  • Required safety procedures and personal protective equipment (PPE), as appropriate

Demobilization procedures:

• Complete all tasks and required forms/reports to Finance and Administration.
• Brief replacements, subordinates, and supervisor if replaced.
• Return any incident-issued equipment or other nonexpendable supplies to logistics and sign out.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

INCIDENT COMMANDER/UNIFIED COMMAND

Incident Commander's Overall role:

The Incident Commander has overall responsibility for managing the incident by establishing objectives, planning strategies, and implementing tactics.

The Incident Commander must have the authority to manage the incident and must be briefed fully. In some instances, a written delegation of authority should be established.

Personnel assigned by the Incident Commander have the authority of their assigned positions, regardless of the rank they normally hold within their organizations.

Incident Commander Operational duties:

• Ensuring overall incident safety.
• Providing information services to internal and external stakeholders, such as disaster survivors, agency executives, and senior officials.
• Establishing and maintaining liaison with other agencies participating in the incident.
• Authorize the release of information
• Activate and deactivate functions or positions as need for the specific incident

The Incident Commander may appoint one or more Deputies. Deputy Incident Commanders must be as qualified as the Incident Commander.

Selecting and Changing Incident Commanders:

The Incident Commander is always a highly qualified individual trained to lead the incident response. Therefore, as an incident becomes more or less complex, command may change to meet the needs of the incident.

A formal transfer of command at an incident always requires a transfer of command briefing for the incoming Incident Commander.

Unified Command

The Unified Command organization consists of the Incident Commanders from the various jurisdictions or agencies operating together to form a single command structure.

Example:  District’s Incident Commander, Chief of Police, and Fire Chief.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER (PIO)

Public Information Officer’s role:

When assigned by the Incident commander, the PIO acts as the official spokesperson for the district in emergency situations.

The PIO reports directly to the Incident Commander. The PIO is the primary contact for anyone who wants information about the incident and the district’s response to it.  The PIO will provide information to the media, public, and parents. School incidents attract a lot of media attention. Without a PIO, media requests would overwhelm the Incident Commander. The PIO will also coordinate communications to our internal audiences including both incident staff and school personnel. It's very important for the PIO to coordinate with other public information staff to ensure that we do not issue confusing or conflicting information.

Accurate information is essential. In the end, the Incident Commander will approve all information that the PIO will release. During a complex incident, the PIO will probably need several Assistant Public Information Officers to help.

The PIO will refer to the guidelines for communicating with media section of this comprehensive safe schools plan for all communications. 

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

SAFETY OFFICER

Safety Officer’s role:

When assigned by the Incident Commander, the safety officer’s job is to make sure everyone is safe. The safety officer will advise the Incident Commander on issues regarding incident safety. 

Safety Officer’s duties:

Will work very closely with responders to make sure they are as safe as possible under the circumstances.

Conduct risk analyses and implement safety measures.

Have the authority to stop any unsafe activity that are observed.

During a complex incident, he/she may need quite a few assistants to be the eyes and ears of the safety officer.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

LIAISON OFFICER

Liaison Officer’s role:

The Liaison officer is the go-between person for the Incident Commander

Liaison Officer’s duties:

Assist the Incident Commander by serving as the point of contact for other response organizations participating in the operation.

Provide briefings to school administration and other agencies involved in the operation.

Respond to requests from incident personnel for contacts among the assisting and cooperating agencies.

Monitor incident operations in order to identify any current or potential problems between the school and response agencies.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

OPERATIONS SECTION

The Incident Commander will determine if there is a need for an Operations Section and if so, will designate an Operations Section Chief. If no Operations Section is established, the Incident Commander will perform all Operation’s functions. It is up to the Operations Section Chief to activate any needed additional staffing.

Operations Section Chief Role:

Typically, the Operations Section Chief is the person with the greatest technical and tactical expertise in dealing with the problem at hand. The Operations Section Chief:

• Develops and implements strategy and tactics to carry out the incident objectives.
• Organizes, assigns, and supervises the response resources.

Operations Section Chief's duties:

Take direction from the Incident Commander.

Responsible for developing and implementing strategy and tactics to accomplish the incident objectives.

Organize, assign, and supervise all the tactical or response resources assigned to the incident.  Such as:

• Student care and Release
• Student supervision
• Health services/First Aid
• Search and Rescue
• Student Reunification
• Manage the Staging Area, if one were established.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

PLANNING SECTION

The Incident Commander will determine if there is a need for a Planning Section and if so, will designate a Planning Section Chief. If no Planning Section is established, the Incident Commander will perform all planning functions. It is up to the Planning Section Chief to activate any needed additional staffing.

Planning Section Chief's role:

In a school incident, the Planning Section helps ensure responders have accurate information, such as the number of students remaining in the building. The Planning Section Chief can also provide resources such as maps and floor plans. In addition to developing plans, he/she can provide an invaluable service by recording a chronology of incident events for legal, analytical, fiscal, and historical purposes.

Planning Section Chiefs duties:

The major duties of the Planning Section may include:

• Collecting, evaluating, and displaying incident intelligence and information.
• Preparing and documenting Incident Action Plans.
• Tracking resources assigned to the incident.
• Maintaining incident documentation.
• Developing plans for demobilization.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

LOGISTICS SECTION

The Incident Commander will determine if there is a need for a Logistics Section and if so, will designate a Logistics Section Chief. If no Logistics Section is established, the Incident Commander will perform all logistics functions. It is up to the Logistics Section Chief to activate any needed additional staffing.

Logistics Section Chief's role:

Logistics can assist the Incident Commander and Operations Section Chief by providing the resources and services required to support incident activities. During a school incident, Logistics is responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient food, water, and sanitation supplies. They are also responsible for arranging buses for evacuations and communication equipment.

Logistics and Finance have to work closely to contract for and purchase goods and services needed at the incident.

Logistics Section Chief’s duties:

The Logistics Section is responsible for all of the services and support needs, including:

• Ordering, obtaining, maintaining, and accounting for essential personnel, equipment, and supplies.
• Providing communication planning and resources.
• Setting up food services.
• Setting up and maintaining incident facilities.
• Providing support transportation.
• Providing medical services to incident personnel (not injured students).

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

The Incident Commander will determine if there is a need for a Finance and Administration Section and if so, will designate a Finance and Administration Section Chief. If no Finance and Administration Section is established, the Incident Commander will perform all Finance and Administration functions. It is up to the Finance and Administration Section Chief to activate any needed additional staffing.

Finance/Administration Section Chief's role:

The one who worries about paying for the response efforts for the incident.  Responsible for all financial aspects associated with an incident.

Finance/Administration Section duties:

The Finance/Administration Section is set up for any incident that requires incident-specific financial management. The Finance/Administration Section is responsible for:

• Contract negotiation and monitoring.
• Timekeeping of personnel and equipment.
• Cost analysis.
• Tracking and compensation for injury or damage to property occurring at the incident.
• Keep a running tally of the costs associated with the incident.
• Work closely with Logistics to be sure that we are able to contract for and procure the resources necessary to manage the incident.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

STUDENT AND FAMILY REUNIFICATION UNIT TEAM LEADER

Role:   Assure the reunification of students with their parents, guardian or authorized adult.

Responsibilities:     

• Follow Mobilization procedures outlined in this plan
• Request the parent/guardian shows valid picture ID and completes the student release form.
• Verifies the identification and that the person requesting a student is on file for student to be released to.
• Sends runner with release form to retrieve student from classroom.
  • If the student is with their class:
    • The teacher signs release form.
    • The runner escorts the student to the release area.
    • Runner gives release form back to release personnel.
  • If the student is not with the class:
    • The teacher makes the appropriate notation on the release form
      • “Absent” if the student was never in school that day
      • “Missing” if the student was in school but do not know the current location.
    • The runner would then take the student release form to the command post.
    • The command post verifies the location of the student and directs the runner accordingly.
    • If the command post cannot verify the location of the student, the runner will return to the student release area and notify the Student release and Family Reunification Unit Team Leader.
  • Release students to verified parent, guardian or authorized adult.
  • Have a staff member notify parents, guardians or authorized adults if any student is absent, or missing. Assure them that the command post is working on locating the student.

When all students have been released and the Operations Chief does not require your services anymore, follow the demobilization procedures in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

HEALTH SERVICES/FIRST AID MEDICAL UNIT TEAM LEADER

Role:   Provide emergency medical response, first aid, and counseling for personnel assigned to the incident, and prepares procedures for a major medical emergency.

Responsibilities:     

• Follow mobilization procedures outlined in this plan
• Review safety procedures and assignments with assigned personnel.
• Set up medical or first aid area in a safe place, away from students, parents, or emergency personnel.
• Obtain first aid supplies as needed.
• Establish scope of disaster with the Incident Commander and determine probability of outside emergency medical support and transportation needs.
• Oversee assessment and treatment of patients.
• Ensure caregiver and rescuer safety.
• Make sure accurate records are kept.
• Brief new personnel as requested from logistics.
• Schedule breaks and reassign staff within the section as needed.
• At the Incident Commander’s direction, release medical staff no longer needed.
• At the Incident Commander’s direction, follow the demobilization procedures outlined in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

SEARCH AND RESCUE UNIT TEAM LEADER

Role:   At the direction of the Operations Chief, lead the search and rescue team(s).

Responsibilities:

• Follow the mobilization procedures outlined in the plan.
• Assign two persons to a team. (Buddy System)
• Provide appropriate safety equipment to personnel.
• Explain operational and safety procedures to all personnel.
• Report any gas leaks, water leaks, electrical sparks, fires, or structural damage to the Operations Chief upon discovery. Control the hazard if possible and use yellow caution tape to mark off hazardous areas.
• Do not enter severely damaged areas.
• If building appears safe, enter and conduct systematic search of ALL When entering, mark the door with a “slash”; when leaving the room complete the “slash” to make an”X”.
• Keep radio communication with all search and rescue staff.
• Use brief and simple radio communication with search and rescue staff.
• At the direction of the Operations Chief, follow the Demobilization procedures outlined in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

TRANSPORTATION UNIT LEADER

Role:   Ensure that all transportation resources are available as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Follow mobilization procedures outlined in this plan
• Keep documentation of:
  • All messages received
  • Actions taken
  • Request filled
• Dispatch buses and/or vehicles as directed by the Logistics Chief
• Think ahead and anticipate any problems or situations before they occur.
• Keep the Logistics Chief advised of your status and activity.
• Keep the Logistics Chief advised of any problems encountered and in need of solutions.
• When directed by the Logistics Chief, follow the demobilization procedures outlined in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

FOOD SERVICES UNIT LEADER

Role:   This unit is responsible for supplying basic food and potable water for all incident facilities and personnel, and obtains the necessary equipment and supplies to operate food service facilities at bases and camps.

Responsibilities:

• When mobilized by the Logistics Chief, follow mobilization procedures outlined in this plan.
• Provide a list of available food and water supplies to Logistics Chief.
• Make arrangements for more food and water supplies if needed to cover the scope of the assignment.
• Keep detailed records of supply requests and distributions.
• Review safety procedures and assignments with food services unit staff.
• Provide appropriate safety equipment to personnel in the food service unit.
• Schedule breaks and lunches within the food services unit.
• At the direction of the Logistics Chief, follow the demobilization procedures outlined in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES UNIT TEAM LEADER

Role:   This unit orders, receives, stores, and distributes supplies, services, and nonexpendable equipment.

Responsibilities:

• When mobilized by the Logistics Chief, follow the mobilization procedures outlined in this plan.
• Determine the type and amount of supplies needed to support the incident.
• Set up a supplies container or other storage facility if necessary.
• Maintain inventory of supplies.
• Maintain log of requests and distribution of supplies.
• Maintain security of equipment and supplies storage facility.
• Distribute supplies and equipment as needed.
• At the direction of the Logistics Chief, follow the demobilization procedures outlined in this plan.

Incident Command System Roles and Responsibilities

PROCUREMENT UNIT/TIMEKEEPING UNIT/COST UNIT/CLAMS UNIT

Role:   To assist the Finance and Administration Chief:

• Procurement Unit: Responsible for administering all financial matters pertaining to vendor contracts, leases, and fiscal agreements.
• Time Unit: Responsible for incident personnel time recording.
• Cost Unit: Collects all cost data, performs cost effectiveness analyses, provides cost estimates, and makes cost savings recommendations.
• Compensation/Claims Unit: Responsible for the overall management and direction of all administrative matters pertaining to compensation for injury-related and claims-related activities kept for the incident.