FIRE 120 Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)

This course is a combined version of the National Fire Academy (NFA) Incident Command System (ICS) ICS-100 and ICS-200 courses. The first half of the course describes the history, features, principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The second half of the course provides training and resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within the ICS. For credentialing purposes, successful completion of ICS-100 and ICS-200 independently through the NFA are equivalent to FIRE-120.

Credits

Hours Weekly

1 hour weekly

Course Objectives

1. Identify the requirements to use ICS, the three purposes of ICS, and common incident tasks.
2. Describe the basic features of ICS.
3. Explain the role and function of the Incident Commander and Command Staff.
4. Describe the roles and functions of the Operations, Planning, Logistics and the
Finance/Administration sections.
5. Describe the six basic ICS facilities, the facilities that may be located together, and facility
map symbols.
6. Describe common mobilization responsibilities, common responsibilities at an incident, and
common demobilization responsibilities.
7. List individual accountability and responsibilities.
8. Describe chain of command and formal communication relationships, identify common
leadership responsibilities, describe span of control and modular development, and describe
the use of position titles.
9. Describe scope of authority and the process by which authority is delegated and describe
and explain management by objectives.
10. Identify the ICS tools needed to manage an incident and the function of organizational
positions within ICS, and demonstrate the use of an ICS 201 form.
11. Give an Operational Briefing and describe components of field, staff, and section
briefings/meetings.
12. Explain how the modular organization expands and contracts, complete a complexity
analysis given a specific scenario, define the five types of incidents, and describe the
importance of preparedness plans and agreements.
13. List the essential elements of information involved in transfer of command and describe a
transfer of command process.

Course Objectives

1. Identify the requirements to use ICS, the three purposes of ICS, and common incident tasks.
2. Describe the basic features of ICS.
3. Explain the role and function of the Incident Commander and Command Staff.
4. Describe the roles and functions of the Operations, Planning, Logistics and the
Finance/Administration sections.
5. Describe the six basic ICS facilities, the facilities that may be located together, and facility
map symbols.
6. Describe common mobilization responsibilities, common responsibilities at an incident, and
common demobilization responsibilities.
7. List individual accountability and responsibilities.
8. Describe chain of command and formal communication relationships, identify common
leadership responsibilities, describe span of control and modular development, and describe
the use of position titles.
9. Describe scope of authority and the process by which authority is delegated and describe
and explain management by objectives.
10. Identify the ICS tools needed to manage an incident and the function of organizational
positions within ICS, and demonstrate the use of an ICS 201 form.
11. Give an Operational Briefing and describe components of field, staff, and section
briefings/meetings.
12. Explain how the modular organization expands and contracts, complete a complexity
analysis given a specific scenario, define the five types of incidents, and describe the
importance of preparedness plans and agreements.
13. List the essential elements of information involved in transfer of command and describe a
transfer of command process.