MODULE 2: ORGANIZATION

AND STAFFING
 Module 2 Objectives
Upon completion of this module, the
participants will be able to:
1. Describe the ICS organization;
2. Explain the Responsible Official, Incident
Commander, Command Staff and General
Staff positions and responsibilities; and
3. Explain the information flow within the ICS
organization

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Scope of Presentation
1. ICS Organization
2. Responsible Official (RO)
3. Incident Management Team
a. Incident Commander (IC)
b. Command Staff
c. General Staff
4. Information Flow

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

ICS ORGANIZATION
 ICS Organization
• Built around five (5) major functions
• Only those parts of the organization
required are filled
• Establishes lines or supervisory authority
and formal reporting relationships

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 ICS Position Titles

Organizational Leadership Support

Element Position Titles Positions
Command Incident Deputy
Commander
Command Staff Officer Assistant
General Staff Section Chief Deputy

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 ICS Position Titles
Organizational Leadership Support
Element Position Titles Positions
Branch Director Deputy
Division or Group Supervisor
Group Supervisor
Unit Leader Assistant;
Manager
Strike team Leader Assistant
Task Force Leader Assistant
Single Resource Leader Assistant
BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE
 Summary: ICS Position
Titles
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS SUPPORT POSITIONS
Commander Deputy: Acts as substitute
Officer
Chief Assistant: Must have
Director technical capability
Supervisor
Leader

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Important
• ICS positions are
international standards
• .
• Do not confuse ICS
positions with your own
office titles.

Photo credits: Google Images

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL
 Responsible Official (RO)
Person vested with overall
decision-making authority:
• Local Chief Executive
• Department Secretary
• Head of Agency/
Organization / Office
• Chairperson of DRRMC

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Responsible Official (RO)
Roles:
• Provides overall policy direction, guidance
and priorities
• Serves as link to other higher authorities
• Delegates authority to Incident
Commander

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Delegation of Authority
• Verbal or written instruction by the RO

• Grants authority to the IC to assume

command and carry out specific functions.

• Does NOT relieve the RO of the overall

responsibility for the incident

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL

delegates
authority

INCIDENT COMMANDER

takes
command

INCIDENT
Can the RO assume
the command as the
IC?
Why or Why Not?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Delegation of Authority
WHEN NOT NEEDED? WHEN NEEDED?
The IC is acting based on Incident is outside the IC’s
existing mandate or within mandate or jurisdiction
jurisdiction.

The person in charge have Scope is complex or

the authority and capacity to beyond the capacity of the
deploy resources person in charge.

Part of official job Stated in the law, policies

description or guidelines
 Delegation of Authority
Common Elements
Legal authorities Political implications
and restrictions Agency priorities
Financial authorities Plan for public
and restrictions information
Reporting management
requirements Process for
Demographic communications
issues Incident evaluation

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT
TEAM
Incident Management Team
Composed of the Incident Commander and
appropriate Command and General Staff

Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer

Liaison Command
Officer
Staff
Safety
Officer

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

General
Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief
Staff

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Incident Commander

Incident
Commander

ICS organization begins with the IC

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Command Staff

Incident
Commander

Public Information
Officer

Liaison Command
Officer
Staff
Safety
Officer

The IC may designate Command Staff to provide

information, liaison, and safety services.

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 General Staff
Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer

Liaison
Officer

Safety
Officer

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

General
Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief
Staff
As the incident expands in complexity, the IC
may add General Staff Sections.

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Incident
Commander
 Incident Commander (IC)
• Receives authority from the RO

• Sets incident objectives

• Leads the tactical incident response

Note: First responder is automatically the IC.

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Other Responsibilities
• Assesses the situation
• Receives briefing from RO or outgoing IC
• Establishes the Incident Command Post
(ICP)
• Establishes appropriate ICS organization
based on the situation

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Other Responsibilities
• Establishes response priorities
• Coordinates activities for all Command and
General Staff
• Ensures planning meetings are scheduled
as required
• Approves and authorizes the
implementation of the Incident Action Plan

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Other Responsibilities
• Ensures that adequate safety measures are
in place
• Approves requests for additional resources
and for their release
• Coordinates with key people and officials
• Reports progress and updates on the
operations to the RO
• Authorizes release of information to the media

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Response Priorities
Life Safety
(responders,
victims, public)
The IC decides and sets
objectives based on the Incident
following priorities: Stabilization

Property
Protection /
Conservation

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Characteristics of an
Effective IC
• Understands ICS • Quick thinker
• Has command presence • Good communicator
• Proven manager • Adaptable and flexible
• Puts safety first • Realistic about personal
• Proactive limitations
• Decisive • Politically astute
• Objective • Has courage and conviction
• Calm • God-fearing

Module 2:
BASIC ICS Organization
TRAININGand COURSE
Staffing
Functional Responsibilities
Planning Logistics

Command Information

IC performs all ICS

Operations functions until Safety
additional positions
are filled.
Finance/
Admin. Liaison

B-17
BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE
Command
staff
 Command Staff

Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer

Liaison Command
Officer
Staff
Safety
Officer

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Public Information Officer
(PIO)
• Focal person for
information dissemination

• Works closely with other

PIOs and the media

• May have assistant(s)

Photo credits: Google Images

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Work Location for PIO
• Separate from Incident Command Post
(but close enough to access information)
• Area for media relations and briefings
• Information displays and hand-outs may be
required
• Tours and photo opportunities may be
arranged

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Liaison Officer (LOFR)

Contact point for

agency
representatives
(AREPS)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Safety Officer (SOFR)

• Works with Operations

• Anticipates, detects, and
corrects unsafe situations
• Has emergency authority
to stop unsafe operations
• May have assistant(s)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Agency Representatives
• NOT part of the Command Staff
• Assigned to an incident by assisting/
cooperating agency
• Have authority to make decisions for their
agency
• Report to the IC (or LOFR if designated)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Agency Representatives
ASSISTING AGENCIES COOPERATING AGENCIES
Directly provide tactical Provide assistance other
resources. than tactical resources.

Examples: Examples:
• BFP • Fast food chains
• AFP • Utility companies
• DOH
• DSWD

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

General
staff
 General Staff

Incident
Commander
Public Information
Officer

Liaison
Officer

Safety
Officer

Operations Planning Logistics Finance/Admin

General
Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief Section Chief
Staff

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Operations
Section
 Operations Section
• Directs execution of all tactical operations

• Usually the first organization assigned to

the incident

• Headed by Operations Section Chief

(OSC)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Expanding the Operations
Section
• Generally dictated by the number of tactical
resources involved
• Influenced by span of control considerations.

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Components of Operations
Section
Ground or Surface
Based Tactical
Resources

Aviation (Air)
Resources

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

If you are the OSC, how do
manage these resources?
You

Your Tactical Resources

 Divisions/
Groups /
Branches

Composition of Task Forces

Operations
Section Strike Teams

Single
Resources

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Divisions
• Geographic
Operations Section
subdivision of areas of
operations Division A Division B

• Labeled using alphabet

characters (e.g.
A B
Division A, Division B)
• Managed by a
Supervisor

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Groups

Operations Section

Health
Relief Group
Group

• Functional subdivision of areas of operation

• Labeled according to the function (e.g. Health
Group and Relief Group)
• Managed by a Supervisor

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Divisions and Groups
• Can be used together in an incident
• Are at an equal level in the organization

Operations Section

Division A Health Group

Module 2:
BASIC ICS Organization
TRAININGand COURSE
Staffing
What will you do if you already have
several Divisions or Groups?
You

Your Divisions and Groups

DIVISION
GROUP

GROUP
 Branches
• Used when the number of Operations
Divisions or Groups
exceeds the span of Branch Branch
control
• Either geographical or Division Division

functional Division Group

• Identified by Roman Group Group

numeral or functional name Group

• Managed by a Director
Module 2:
BASIC ICS Organization
TRAININGand COURSE
Staffing
 Special Operations Branch
• Example: Air
Operations Branch
• Activated to
coordinate the use of
aviation resources
• Managed by the Air
Operations Branch
Director

Module 2:
BASIC ICS Organization
TRAININGand COURSE
Staffing
Do you always need to
organize Divisions,
Groups or Branches?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Task Forces
• Combination of mixed
Operations
resources from with Section

common
communications Task Force

Strike Team

• Supervised by the Task Single Resource

Force Leader

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Strike Teams
• Resources of the same kind
Operations
Section

• With common
Task Force
communications
Strike Team

Single Resource
• Supervised by the Strike
Team Leader

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Single Resources
May be:
Operations
• Individual personnel Section

• A piece of equipment
Task Force
and its personnel
complement Strike Team

• A crew or team of Single Resource

individual personnel with

an identified supervisor.

Module 2:
BASIC ICS Organization
TRAININGand COURSE
Staffing
What is Staging Area?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Staging Area
• Facility where resources
can wait for tactical
assignment “Available”

• Managed by the Staging

Area Manager (STAM)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Staging Area Chain of
Command
Incident
Commander

Operations
Section

Staging
Area Available

Health Search and Rescue

Division A
Group Group

Canine Strike
Searchers
Team

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Where do the
Response Clusters
come in?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Response Clusters
Response clusters, when on-scene, can be
organized as groups under Operations

Search and Health Group Relief Group Food and Non-

Rescue Group Food Item Group
Camp Coordination and Camp Law and
Management Group Order Group

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Planning
Section
 Planning Section
• Collects, evaluates and processes
information

• Develops Incident Action Plan

• Maintains situation and resource statusAvailable

• Headed by Planning Section Chief (PSC)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Units in Planning Section
UNITS FUNCTIONS
Monitors, consolidates and reports
Resources Unit
resource status
Monitors, consolidates and reports
Situation Unit
situation status
Documents meetings and
Documentation Unit
consolidates all reports
Facilitates demobilization of
Demobilization Unit
resources

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Technical Specialists
Assigned wherever needed
depending on the
requirements of the incident.
Examples:
• Structural engineers
• Geologists
Available
• Environmentalists
• Meteorologists
Photo credits: ulongnuno.blogspot.com

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Logistics
Section
 Logistics Section
• Provides resources and all other services
to support the responders:

 Facilities  Equipment Maintenance

 Transportation  Fuel
 Communications  Food Services
 Supplies  Medical Services Available

• Headed by Logistics Section Chief (LSC)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE
 Units in Logistics Section
UNITS FUNCTIONS
Manages supplies and
Supply Unit
equipment
Facilities Unit Manages facilities
Ground Support Unit Manages ground resources
Communications Unit Manages communication
Food Unit Manages food requirements
Manages medical
Medical Unit
requirements

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Branches
SUPPORT BRANCH Supply Unit
Facilities Unit
Ground Support Unit
SERVICE BRANCH Communications Unit
Food Unit
Medical Unit

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Finance/
Administration
Section
 Finance/ Administration
Section
• Monitors incident costs
• Maintains financial records
• Administers procurement contracts
• Performs time recording
• Headed by Finance/Admin Section Chief
(FSC)

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Units in Finance/ Admin
Section
UNITS FUNCTIONS
Records time of service rendered by
Time Unit
personnel or equipment
Monitors, consolidates and reports
Procurement Unit
procurement status
Compensation/ Responsible for concerns such as
Claims Unit property damage, injuries, etc.

Cost Unit Tracks operations costs

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 If you are designated as
Unit Leaders, what will be
your responsibilities?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Common Responsibilities of
Unit Leaders
• Obtain briefing from Section Chief
• Participate in planning meetings
• Determine current status of unit activities
• Confirm dispatch and estimated time of
arrival of staff and supplies
• Supervise and assign specific duties to
staff

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Common Responsibilities of
Unit Leaders
• Develop and implement accountability,
safety, and security measures
• Supervise demobilization of unit
• Provide supply unit leader with list of
supplies to be replenished
• Maintain unit records and documents

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

FLOW OF INFORMATION
 Flow of Information

INFORMATION Open and free for all

EXCHANGE
ORDERS, DIRECTIVES, Follow chain of
REQUESTS, STATUS command
CHANGES

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Where is ICS in the
broad organization of
disaster response?

Photo credits: Google Images

 Three Elements of Response
Priorities
RESPONSIBLE POLICY
OFFICIAL (Strategic)
Decisions

EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER Resource
Providers
COORDINATION Support
(Operational)
Reporting
RESPONSE CLUSTER

COMMAND
INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT &
Implementation
TEAM CONTROL
(Tactical)

Adapted from US Forest Service Disaster Management Seminar, 2017

MODULE EXERCISE
See Activity Packet for Instructions
QUESTIONS?
 Module Summary
• ICS organization is built around Command,
Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance and
Admin.

• ICS follows standards when it comes to

position titles and responsibilities.

• Activate positions needed for response only.

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

 Module 2 Objectives
Upon completion of this module, the
participants will be able to:
1. Describe the ICS organization;
2. Explain the Responsible Official, Incident
Commander, Command Staff and General
Staff positions and responsibilities; and
3. Explain the information flow within the ICS
organization

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE

Learning Insight

BASIC ICS TRAINING COURSE