ICS Structure & Hierarchy
Roles & Responsibilities
On-Scene Operations
100

This major functional area of incident management is responsible for branches like Operations, Planning, or Logistics.

What is a Section?

100

This member of the Command Staff serves as the primary point of contact for the media and the public.

What is the Public Information Officer (PIO)?

100

These are the three primary strategic goals for every emergency: life safety, incident stabilization, and this.

What is Property Conservation?

200

While this unit is defined by its specific geographic area, a "Group" is defined by its specific function.

What is a Division?

200

This section has the job of providing "sustenance and support," including meals, fuel, and medical services for responders.

What is the Logistics Section?

200

This is the designated location where personnel and equipment wait for their specific assignments.

What is a Staging Area?

300

This command level is responsible for the overall direction and goals of the entire incident.

What is the Strategic level?

300

To maintain this, all emergency service organizations in the U.S. are required by the federal government to use NIMS-ICS.

What is Federal Funding?

300

Ideally, an Incident Command Post should be located in these three "Up" directions relative to the incident.

What is Uphill, Upwind, and Upstream?

400

This is the standard number of subordinates one individual can effectively supervise, usually ranging from three to seven.

What is Span of Control?

400

If a firefighter is given a lawful order they aren't qualified to perform, they must notify Command of this and ask for this.

What is further guidance (or a deficiency notification)?

400

This resource consists of a set number of the same kind and type of assets with a common leader.

What is a Strike Team?

500

This command structure is implemented when multiple agencies share overlapping authority and responsibility for an incident.

What is Unified Command?

500

In the resource typing protocol, this "Type" number designates the most capable resource available.

What is Type 1?

500

Contrary to popular belief, this critical assessment process begins before an incident is even reported.

What is Size-Up?

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