Unit 

2 Overview
This unit presents the National Incident Management
System (NIMS) management characteristics. These
characteristics are the foundation of all NIMS
command and coordination components, including the
Incident Command System (ICS).

Objective:

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• Describe the 14 NIMS management characteristics.

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Making ICS Work
Effective incident management relies on a
common organizational structure for
managing resources, making decisions,
and assigning tasks. The Incident
Command System (ICS) uses a
standardized management approach to
ensure that incidents are properly
managed and communications are
effectively coordinated during an incident.  

As an incident occurs, you may be called

upon to assist -- making you a part of this
organizational structure. To ensure
success, you should understand how this
structure works.

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NIMS Management Characteristics:
Overview

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NIMS Management Characteristics:
Overview - cont
The Incident Command System (ICS) is based on the following 14 proven NIMS
management characteristics, each of which contributes to the strength and
efficiency of the overall system:

• Common Terminology • Integrated Communications

• Modular Organization • Establishment and Transfer of
• Command
Management by Objectives
• Unified Command
• Incident Action Planning
• Chain of Command and Unity
• Manageable Span of Control
of Command
• Incident Facilities and
• Accountability
Locations
• Dispatch/Deployment
• Comprehensive Resource
Management • Information and Intelligence
Management  

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Common Terminology
The Incident Command System (ICS) establishes Common Terminology that
allows diverse incident management and support organizations to work together
across a wide variety of emergency functions and hazard scenarios. This
common terminology covers the following:
• Organizational Functions: Major functions and functional units with
incident management responsibilities are named and defined. They remain
standard and consistent.
• Resource Descriptions: Major resources including personnel, equipment,
teams, and facilities are given common names and are typed with respect
to their capabilities.
• Incident Facilities: Common terminology is used to designate the facilities
in the vicinity of the incident area.
During an incident:
• Communications should use common terms.
• Organizations should avoid radio codes, agency-specific codes, acronyms,
or jargon. Usage of these types of codes may cause confusion or possibly
compromise life safety due to a misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
The goal is to promote understanding among all parties involved in managing
an incident.

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Common Terminology Discussion

Even if you use codes on a daily basis, why should

you use common terminology during an incident
response?

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Modular Organization
The Incident Command System (ICS)
organizational structure develops in a
modular fashion based on the
incidents size and complexity.

• The responsibility for the

establishment and expansion of the
ICS modular organization rests with
the Incident Commander.

• As the incident grows more

complex, the ICS organization may
expand as functional responsibilities
are delegated.

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Management by Objectives
The Incident Commander or Unified Command
(which will be discussed later), establishes
incident objectives that drive incident operations.

Management by Objectives includes the following:

• Establishing specific, measurable incident

objectives.

• Identifying strategies, tactics, tasks and

activities to achieve the objectives.

• Developing and issuing assignments, plans,

procedures, and protocols to accomplish
identified tasks.

• Documenting results for the incident objectives.

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Incident Action Planning
Incident action planning guides effective incident management activities.  An Incident
Action Plan (IAP) is a concise, coherent means of capturing and communicating
overall incident priorities, objectives, strategies, tactics, and assignments in the
context of both operational and support activities. The IAP should focus on addressing
the needs of future timeframes (called operational periods).

To be effective, an IAP should:

• Cover a specified timeframe

• Be proactive

• Specify the incident objectives

• State the activities to be completed

• Assign responsibilities

• Identify needed resources

• Specify communication protocols

For smaller/less complex incidents, the IAP may be oral or written, except for
hazardous materials incidents, which require a written IAP. FEMA has developed a
series of ICS Forms for use in developing a written IAP.
 

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Incident Action Plan - Activity 2.1
Activity Purpose: To illustrate how to develop an IAP.

Instructions: Working in groups:

1.Identify four items you would include in an Incident Action Plan for the severe weather scenario
described below.

2.Record these four IAP items on chart paper.

3.Select a spokesperson to report back to the group. Be prepared to share your answers in 5 minutes.

Time: 10 minutes

Scenario: Continuing severe weather is causing widespread damage. There are multiple impacts in the
community. Vehicle movement is constrained, some people are stranded and are in need of assistance,
there have been impacts on communications and power, and some structures are impacted. 9-1-1
operators are receiving conflicting reports about a number of life-safety needs, including some weather-
related injuries and an unverified report of the structural collapse of an assisted living facility.
 

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Manageable Span of Control
Depending on your role within the Incident
Command System (ICS) structure, you may
be asked to manage the activities of others.

Span of control refers to the number of

individuals or resources that one supervisor
can manage effectively during an incident.

The optimal span of control is one supervisor

to five subordinates (1:5). 

However, effective incident management may

require ratios significantly different from this.
This ratio is a guideline--incident personnel
should use their best judgement to determine
the appropriate ratio for an incident.

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Manageable Span of Control Discussion

What are some examples of when span of control

is most critical?

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Incident Facilities and Locations
Depending upon the incident size and
complexity, various types of support
facilities may be established by Incident
Command. These designated facilities
typically include:

• Incident Command Post (ICP) 

• Incident base, staging areas, and

camps 

• Mass casualty triage areas 

• Point-of-distribution 

• Emergency shelters

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Comprehensive Resource Management
Comprehensive Resource
Management describes
standard mechanisms to
identify requirements, order
and acquire, mobilize, track
and report, demobilize, and
reimburse and
restock resources such as
personnel, teams, facilities,
equipment and supplies.

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Comprehensive Resource Management
Discussion

Why is Comprehensive Resource Management

important during an incident?

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Integrated Communications
Incident communications are facilitated through the development and use of a common
communications plan and interoperable communication processes and systems that
include voice and data links.

Integrated Communications are necessary to:

• Maintain connectivity

• Achieve situational awareness

• Facilitate information sharing

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Integrated Communications Discussion

What are some examples of what Integrated

Communications may look like?

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Establishment and Transfer of
Command
The command function should be
clearly established at the beginning of
an incident. The jurisdiction or
organization with primary responsibility
for the incident designates the Incident
Commander and the process for
transferring command.

Transfer of command may occur during

the course of an incident.  When
command is transferred, the process
should include a briefing that captures
all essential information for continuing
safe and effective operations.

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Establishment and Transfer of
Command Discussion

What are some reasons that Command might be

transferred?

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Unified Command
In a Unified Command there is no single
"Commander." Instead, the Unified
Command manages the incident through
jointly approved objectives. Unified
Command allows agencies with different
legal, geographic, and functional
responsibilities to work together effectively
without affecting individual agency
authority, responsibility, or accountability.  

Unified Command is typically established

when no single jurisdiction, agency or
organization has the authority and/or
resources to manage the incident on its
own.

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Chain of Command
Chain of command is an orderly line
that details how authority flows
through the hierarchy of the incident
management organization. Chain of
command:

• Allows an Incident Commander to

direct and control the actions of all
personnel on the incident. 

• Avoids confusion by requiring that

orders flow from supervisors.

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Unity of Command
While chain of command relates to the overall
hierarchy of the organization, unity of command
deals with the fact that all individuals have a
single designated supervisor they report to.

Based on the principle of unity of command,

you will:

• Report to only one Incident Command System

(ICS) supervisor.

• Receive work assignments only from your ICS

supervisor.

When you are assigned to an incident, you no

longer report directly to your day-to-day
supervisor.

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Accountability
Effective accountability during incident operations is essential. As part of the Incident
Command System (ICS) structure, you will need to abide by agency policies and
guidelines and any applicable local, tribal, state, or Federal rules and regulations.
There are several principles you will need to adhere to:
• Check-In/Check-Out. All responders must report in to receive an assignment.
Checking out is just as critical as checking in.
• Incident Action Planning. Response operations must be coordinated as outlined in
the Incident Action Plan.
• Unity of Command. Each individual will be assigned to only one supervisor.
• Personal Responsibility. ICS relies on each individual taking personal accountability
for his or her own actions.
• Span of Control. Supervisors must be able to adequately supervise and control their
subordinates, as well as communicate with and manage all resources under their
supervision.
• Resource Tracking. Supervisors must record and report resource status changes as
they occur. Accountability starts as soon as a resource is requested through the time
that the resource returns to their home base safely.

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Dispatch/Deployment
Resources should be deployed
only when requested or when
dispatched by an appropriate
authority through established
resource management
systems.

Resources not requested

should refrain from self-
dispatching to avoid
overburdening the incident
command.

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Dispatch/Deployment - Activity 2.2
Instructions: Working individually:

• Review the scenario and discussion question presented in the Student

Manual.
• Be prepared to share your answer in 5 minutes.

Time: 10 Minutes

Scenario: Rosa is an off-duty certified Emergency Medical Technician who lives

near the scene of a major structural collapse that has occurred in a busy
shopping center. The media are reporting that there are injured people
wandering around the parking area who need immediate medical attention.

What should Rosa do?

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Dispatch/Deployment Discussion

Why shouldn't personnel arrive at an incident

without being requested or dispatched?

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Information and Intelligence
Management
Information and intelligence are
important in the Incident Command
System (ICS).

Incident management must establish

a process for gathering, analyzing,
assessing, sharing, and managing
incident-related information and
intelligence. In NIMS, "intelligence"
refers exclusively to threat-related
information developed by law
enforcement, medical surveillance,
and other investigative organizations.

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Information and Intelligence
Management Discussion

What are some examples of sources where you

can find and gather information and intelligence?

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Unit 2 Summary
You have completed the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
Management Characteristics unit.

This unit introduced:

• Common Terminology • Integrated Communications

• Modular Organization • Establishment and Transfer of
• Command
Management by Objectives
• Unified Command
• Incident Action Planning
• • Chain of Command and Unity
Manageable Span of Control
of Command
• Incident Facilities and
• Accountability
Locations
• Dispatch/Deployment
• Comprehensive Resource
Management • Information and Intelligence
Management  

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Unit 2 Summary (Continued)
The next unit will provide an overview of the ICS
Functional Areas and introduce the roles of the
Incident Commander and Command Staff.

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