Module 4:

Organizing and
Managing Incidents
and Events
 Module 4 Objectives
Upon completion of this module, the
participants will be able to:
1. Explain how ICS can be applied in pre-
planned special events and major
incidents;
2. Identify the issues and initial organizational
activities for all incidents; and
3. Identify the challenges in managing major
incidents.
 Give examples of
planned/special events
in your own jurisdictions
in which ICS can be used
 Use of ICS to organize for
planned/special events
To organize for a major field training
exercise or simulated emergency.
Use of ICS to organize for
planned/special events
Use of ICS to organize for
planned/special events
 Special Event Planning
Considerations
• Type of incident/event
• Location, size, expected
duration
• Single or multiple-agency
participation
• Single or multiple-
jurisdictional or multi-
national events
• Command staff needs
• Kind, type, number of
resources
Special Event Planning
Considerations
• Air operations involved

• Staging Areas required

• Other facilities such as

communication,
sanitation, medical, etc.

• Any known limitations or

restrictions
 Module 4 Activity 1
INSTRUCTIONS:
• In your groups, discuss what types of
planned events could be managed using
ICS.

• Select a spokesperson. Be prepared to

present in 5 minutes.
 Initial Steps in Organizing for
Any Incident
1. Size up the situation
2. Determine if there are lives at immediate
risk
3. Establish the immediate objectives
4. Determine if there are enough and
necessary resources on scene and / or
requested
5. Develop an Incident Action Plan
6. Establish initial ICS organization
 Initial Steps in Organizing for
Any Incident
7. Consider the following:
• If span of control is or will soon
approach practical limits
• Personnel safety factors
• any environmental issues that need
to be considered
8. Monitor work progress
9. Review and modify objectives and adjust
the IAP as necessary
 Factors in determining the size
of the ICS Organization
• Administrative and jurisdictional complexity
• Geographical areas involved
• Span of control considerations
• Functional specialties required
• Incident logistical, planning, and other
support needs
• Potential for growth
• Political importance
 Organizing Incident
Operations
• Operations is organized bottoms-up
• The organizational structure expands as the
number of resources increase, such as:
• Divisions – define areas of incident
geographically
• Groups – organize in areas of the
incident functionally
• Branches – when complexity increases,
Divisions/Groups can be clustered in
Branches
 Major Incidents

• Earthquakes
• Typhoons/Cyclones
• Floods
• Chemical Spill
• HAZMAT situations
• Terrorist acts
• Civil disturbance
• Outbreak of pests,
etc.
 Characteristics of
Major Incident
• Some may start as a
major incident.
• Others occur with little of
no advanced warning:
Examples:
•Earthquakes
•Typhoons/Cyclones
•Flash Floods
•Tanker spill
 Characteristics of
Major Incident
• May start as small such as:
• Small HAZMAT/gasoline spill (e.g. Aug
2005 gasoline tanker leakage in
Commonwealth, QC)
• Small disease outbreak due to
• Environmental conditions;
• Delays in response;
• Poor initial management;
• Lack of resources
• However, the incident may keep growing!
(e.g. SARS, Avian Flu, meningococcemia )
 Issues in Major Incidents
• More injuries, death, and illness
• Heavy damage incurred to infrastructure,
property, and the environment
• Longer duration
• More than one agency or organization
involved
• More than one political jurisdiction or
country involved
• More complex management and
communications problems
 Issues in Major Incidents
• Require more experienced, qualified
supervisory incident management personnel
• Require large numbers of tactical and
support resources
• Have extreme elements of crisis/
psychological trauma that diminish human
capacity to function or cope
• Require extensive mitigation, recovery, and
rehabilitation
• Have greater media interest
 Challenges in Responding
to Major Incidents
• Time is critically important
• The situation is unstable
• Potential to expand rapidly
• Communications and info may be incomplete
• Staff not necessarily experienced in
managing expanding incidents
Too many expectations
Too few resources
Too many actors
Too many needs
Too little time
 Challenges in Responding
to Major Incidents
• All of the command and general staff
positions are filled while a large organization
is in place or is developing.
• Most or all of the functional organizational
units within sections are needed.
• Divisions/ Groups are established to maintain
span of control
• Operations Branch Directors may be
required if the number of divisions/groups
exceeds span of control
 Challenges in Responding
to Major Incidents
• Multiple operational periods are probably
required.
• There will be a transition to a more qualified
incident commander and the most qualified
personnel will be used throughout the
organization.
• Other agencies or jurisdictions will be
assisting.
 Challenges in Responding
to Major Incidents

• Operations personnel may exceed several

hundred per operational period
• Written Incident Action Plans will be required
• Costs associated in responding to the
incident are high
 Examples of an
Expanded
Operations Section
 ICS Organization During Initial
Response to an Incident

1. Single Command

Incident
Commander

Fire
Ambulance Police
Engine
If the incident is getting larger/more
complex, functions and resources
are added
Incident
Commander

Plans Operations Logistics

Strike Team Medical Police

Engines Team Units
 As the incident size/complexity
increases, divisions/groups are added
Incident
commander

Plans Operations Logistics Finance/Admin

Division Division Group Group Division

• As resources are added, the use

Strike Team
of the ICS organization becomes
Strike Team more important;
Task Force • The expansion/increase is
mostly in the Operations Section.
Task Force
• Span of Control for Operations in
Task Force
this example is 5 to 1
For very large incident with branches…
Incident
Commander

Operations Logistics Finance Plans

Branch Branch Branch Branch Branch

Division The incident can be organized:
Task Force Task Force
• Geographically with Divisions
Task Force Task Force
• Functionally with Groups (e.g.
Task Force Medical SAR…)
Division • Jurisdictionally – Agency, City,
Division Province …
• And Branching gives even more
Division
flexibility for very large/complex
Group
incidents
 Incident
Management
Options
 Incident Management
Options
• Single Command
• Unified Command
• Incident Complex - Multiple incidents
managed by a single IMT
• Dividing Single Incident into 2 incidents
• Area Command
 Incident Management Options
Single Unified Incident
Area Command
Command Command Complex
• may be applied • used for multi- • multiple incidents • oversees the
when there is no jurisdictional, are managed by management of
overlap of multi-agency a single Incident multiple
jurisdictional events or both Management incidents that
boundaries or (or even more Team (IMT) are each being
when a single than one managed by ICS
Incident country) Management
Commander is Teams
designated by
the agency with
overall
management
responsibility for
the incident

D-30
 Unified Command
• Allows all agencies, organizations or
countries with responsibility for the incident,
to jointly provide management direction to
an incident
• It works with a common set of incident
objectives and strategies established at the
command level.
• Operation Section Chief implements the
tactical operations using a SINGLE Incident
Action Plan.
Unified Command Applications
A B More than one geographic
Incident
jurisdiction
C
Incident
involving fire, Multiple agencies within a single
A police, and
medical jurisdiction
agencies

A B
C Incident Incidents involving multiple
geographic and functional
E D agencies
 Incident Complex
• An incident management option where
multiple incidents are managed by a single
IMT.
• Applies to two or more incidents located in
the same general proximity
• Incidents within Complexes usually
become Branches within the Operations
Section
 Considerations When Using
Incident Complex
• Manage using Single or Unified Command
• Incidents are close enough to be managed
by the same team
• Need to reduce the logistical or support
requirements
• Need to consolidate incidents to conserve
staff and reduce costs
• Incident staff activities can be managed by
a single team
 Examples of Incidents that can
be Managed as a Complex
• Earthquake, cyclone/typhoon, flood,
epidemic, etc. in the same area
• Several separate forest fires burning in
close proximity
• Many separate incidents occurring
simultaneously
 Incidents Managed
Separately

1 Incident
Three Flood
Locations
Managed
Separately
2 Incident
3 Incident
 Incidents Managed as a
Complex
Three flood
locations
managed as Branch A
a complex

Incident Command Post

For the Complex

Branch C
Branch B

D-37
 Single Incident divided into
Two Incidents
• Used if an incident becomes too large and it
spreads to more than one jurisdiction, such
as a flood spreading downstream
• As the incident spreads, there are different
objectives that must be accomplished in
different areas.
• The impact to the terrain or access affects
the ability to manage from one location,
especially operations and logistics.
 Single Incident divided into
Two Incidents
Two or more principal sections are
overworked due to size or complexity:
• Planning Section can’t meet planning
objectives and strategies.
• Logistics Section is not able to support
the widespread facilities and operations
from one single Incident Base.
 Considerations for Single Incident
divided into Two Incidents
• Jurisdictional agencies with the team must
decide how to divide the incident into two
based on :
• Terrain and access considerations
• Locations of future resource and logistical
support
• Jurisdictional and administrative boundaries
• Current Operational structure (branches,
divisions, etc.)
• Need to request for additional IMT’s and
resources
 Application: Single Incident
divided into Two Incidents
Flooding Incident
Initially flooded area was only in City A. An IMT was
established and the flood spread to City B and City C.
City B

Flooded Areas City C

City A IMT - ICP

 Application: Single Incident
divided into Two Incidents
Flooding Incident
Incident is now too large and too complex for single IMT.
The incident is divided using the flooded area as the
boundary. City B
IMT 2

Flooded Areas City C

City A IMT 1

D-41
 Area Command

Incident management organization

established over two or more incidents to:
• Oversee management of multiple
incidents by multiple incident
management teams
• Oversee multiple incident management
teams managing a single very large
incident
 Area Command

The Area Command Teams:

• Establish the overall priorities for the
incident(s)
• Allocate critical resources based on the
priorities
• Report the progress of activities on the
incident(s) to the DRRMC EOC in
charge of the incidents
 Flooding Incident using Area
Command
The incident has been divided into two but because of the
complexity, size and lack of resources an Area Command Team
(ACT) has been established. The two IMTs now report to the ACT
while the ACT reports to the Responsible Officials.
Province B
IMT 2
ACT
Flooded Areas
Province C

Province A IMT 1

RDRRMC EOC Region

 Module 4 Objectives
Upon completion of this module, the
participants will be able to:
1. Explain how ICS can be applied in pre-
planned special events and major
incidents;
2. Identify the issues and initial organizational
activities for all incidents; and
3. Identify the challenges in managing major
incidents.
QUESTIONS???