Incident Command System

"Incident" redirects here. For the British system, see Gold-silver-bronze command structure. For California's Incident Command System, see Hospital Incident Command System.
ICS basic organization chart (ICS-100 level depicted)

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective.[1]

ICS was initially developed to address problems of inter-agency responses to wildfires in California but is now a component of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)[2] in the US, where it has evolved into use in all-hazards situations, ranging from active shootings to hazmat scenes.[3] In addition, ICS has acted as a pattern for similar approaches internationally.[4]

  1. ^ "Glossary: Simplified Guide to the Incident Command System for Transportation Professionals". Federal Highway Administration, Office of Operations. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Chapter 7: THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS)". Center for Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance. Archived from the original on 23 April 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  3. ^ Bigley, Gregory; Roberts, Karlene (December 2001). "The Incident Command System: High-Reliability Organizing for Complex and Volatile Task Environments" (PDF). The Academy of Management Journal. 44 (6). Academy of Management: 1281–1299. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2015. | enter = 29 September 1987
  4. ^ Dara, Saqib; Ashton, Rendell; Farmer, Christopher; Carlton, Paul (January 2005). "Worldwide disaster medical response: An historical perspective". Critical Care Medicine. 33 (1): S2–S6. doi:10.1097/01.CCM.0000151062.00501.60. PMID 15640674. S2CID 32514269.