Utilizing an Incident Command System for Public Works

Responding to an emergency or an incident has been something that Public Works has always done.  We have worked on floods, tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, landslides, and a multitude of other emergencies or incidents.  In the past, it has been the Police and or Fire Departments that have taken up the leadership role for Emergency Management within our communities.  Public Works typically has taken on the support role in this planning and event situations.  This needs to and is changing.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is part of the national emergency response and is intended to improve coordination of Federal, State, and local response to incidents.  One NIMS compliance objective is to manage all incidents in accordance with Incident Command System (ICS) organizational structures, doctrine, and procedures. 

This program will help Public Works professionals understand how to use the Incident Command System (ICS) for small incidents and typical situations – such as a water main break or a winter snow event – and how preparing for these events will lay the groundwork for utilizing the process when big emergencies occur.

The presentation will cover the basics of ICS organizational structure and how it relates to public works operations.  The typing of equipment and events will also be reviewed and outlined. 

The PW professional need to know when they will be in a support role and when they, due to the incident event needs, become the Incident Commander, Operations Chief, Planning Chief, Logistic Chief, or even the Public Information Officer if necessary.    PW professionals need to know the responsibilities and duties for each of these leadership roles and when they are the best person to handle them in an incident. 

Knowledge through training and knowledge through experiences is what all PW professionals need.  Do not hesitate to become involved!  Be it in exercises, training, and working on real incidents developing the skills and knowledge allows us all to serve our communities better.

After viewing this program, participants will be better able to:

• Prepare for being a leader in an Incident Command System to help their community.
• Discern the operational objectives of an incident
• Implement an Incident Control System for “common” emergencies such as a snow storm