An Overview of the Incident Command System
The Incident Command System can trace its roots back to the 1970s in California when the need for structure and organization in response to wildfires was identified. Fast forward to today, and the Incident Command System is the nationwide standard for management of emergencies and disasters. With the advent of the National Incident Management System, otherwise known as NIMS, the Incident Command System has taken an even more critical role to aid in emergency response and management.
The fire service has been a longtime advocate and prolific user of ICS. Other emergency response agencies including law enforcement, emergency management, and emergency medical services have implemented use of the system. Even the private sector has recognized the benefits of an organized approach to incident management and many sectors are now using the Incident Command System, including energy providers.
A key tenant of the Incident Command System is based on the fact that the Incident Commander has overall responsibility for management of the response to the emergency. In many cases, the senior fire official on site will serve as the overall Incident Commander and will develop objectives and strategies for the response. Ideally, the Incident Commander will have representatives from responding entities, co-located in the command post working toward common goals while providing key information and technical expertise.
While the private sector‘s evolution in the adoption of ICS may be more recent, many companies have made great strides in ICS implementation. Progressive energy companies develop emergency plans that have ICS as a foundation for how the company will muster resources and respond to an incident involving its operations. Private sector first responders should be trained on ICS and how to work within a unified command structure established by public sector agencies. Further, tabletop exercises and mock emergency drills should be executed using ICS. Energy providers can also incorporate discussions related to implementation of ICS during stakeholder outreach programs as part of pipeline public awareness initiatives.
The benefits of a unified command structure are manifested in increased accountability and safety. When trained private sector responders are able to dovetail their ICS structure into that established by the public sector responders, communications and coordination are greatly enhanced, with the ultimate goal that everyone goes home in the same condition that they arrived in being realized.