Incident Command System - Essay Example

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Incident Command System (ICS) As a Disaster Management System Introduction The comprehensive implementation of Incident Command System, particularly in the US, started after the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001 and the devastating effects of the hurricanes of 2005 and 2004 (FEMA, 2011, p. 5). The damaging effects of those incidents drive the federal government to create a well-structured incident management system that can best address the needs of the stakeholders, which include the people and the responders. Since the occurrence of those events, the implementation of the Incident Command System continues to provide significant benefits to the stakeholders, although the said system still has certain drawbacks. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the existing benefits and drawbacks of the ICM when used as a disaster management system in handling the occurrence and aftermath of incidents. Benefits and Drawbacks of ICS Preparedness and Security of Responders The use of ICS as a disaster management tool aims to address the growing concern of the security of responders, particularly during rescue operations wherein their security is of utmost concern of the management as much as the safety of the people (Annelli, 2006. p. 226). This aspect includes the benefits of training for preparedness among responders, as well as their professional qualification and facility availability. Relatively, the use of ICS in the disaster management corresponds to the beneficiality of developing the professional competencies of responders, particularly in delivering the appropriate needs of the situation. In this aspect, responders are better able and more equipped in responding to disasters than untrained and unequipped ones. Although training and exercises for preparedness and security generate considerable benefits to the ICS, such a venture also requires more funds for facilities, training materials and trainers (Kim, Sharman, Rao, & Upadhyaya, 2007, p. 248). In this case, it is likely that the looming drawback of such a system is the financial requirements necessary to develop and implement the system effectively. Consequently, it is also likely that the management is required to attain more financial support from government and non-government organization to sustain the development and implementation of the ICS. However, acquiring financial support is just a small matter compared to the increased competency of the responders, particularly in their efficiency in rescuing and addressing the needs of stakeholders when disasters occur. Command Structure According to Buck, Trainor, and Aguirre (2006), using ICS benefits disaster managers in a way that it provides a holistic and comprehensive design in its command structure, particularly in the designing, planning and executing process (p. 1). For instance, ICS includes the development of a more effective command structure that constitutes the centralized process of disaster management, particularly the hierarchy of leadership among responders. Developing the command structure also allows responders and disaster managers to clarify the focus of operations wherein they should have a clear list of priorities to do when disasters occur. This also helps develop cooperation between different disaster response departments; it also helps build a sense of trust among responders in the authority ladder. On the contrary, the drawback of command structure lies in the necessity of following a set procedure in responding to disasters, and this particularly applies when responders are better off following the needs of the situation than following the rules, by the book (Kim et al., 2007, p. 242). For instance, the need for urgency in responding to disasters is the utmost concern of responders, and responding to those disasters strictly by-the-book may not be the most viable idea in dealing with urgent crisis. However, as this idea is a minor setback in implementing ICS, it is likely that the benefit of having a well-set command structure outweighs its drawbacks. Communication and Information Management Strategies One of the most significant benefits of ICS is its well-structured communication and information management system that focuses on the communicative abilities of its responders. This benefit corresponds to the NIMS standard of incident management wherein the responders should design a centralized mode and language of communication to maintain the efficiency of their structure (FEMA, 2011, p. 7). With this benefit, it can be expected that the ICS may develop cooperative communication among responders, which may also influence their efficiency in dealing with disasters. In addition, the beneficiality of a centralized language lies in lessening the likelihood of communication errors, particularly in handling crisis that requires fast and accurate response. Relatively, reducing the likelihood of miscommunication increases the proficiency and productive handling of disasters. Although effective communication and information management system is a distinguishing beneficial feature of ICS, such a factor may also elicit drawbacks in the implementation of the said system (Kim et al., 2007, p. 239). Specifically, the drawback in this aspect may lie in the necessity in gathering more funds to develop and sustain the increasing communication and information management facility. Further, it also likely that disaster managers may face challenges in disseminating the set standardized language that should be used in all ICS operations. However, the task in disseminating and sharing useful information may also be considered as temporary drawbacks, considering that those only involve the initial phase in implementing ICS. Relatively, in the long run, implementing ICS, which includes an effective communication process, generates positive outcomes, particularly in reducing miscommunication errors. Conclusion Taken together, the beneficiality of using ICS as a tool for disaster management is still a debatable topic in crisis handling. However, in the process of this research, we found out that there are specific factors that may affect the viability and drawbacks of such a system. For instance, as prescribed by the NIMS, viability factors include communication and information management strategies, command structure, responsiveness to incident needs and responder security. In evaluating ICS through these factors, we found out that ICS is most likely beneficial to responders, considering that the system is capable enough of handling risk. Specifically, the beneficiality of ICS lies in its capacity to improve the information sharing of responders, as well as their command structure and security when responding to incidents. Responders may also benefit from the appropriateness of the components of the ICS, particularly those that address the stakeholders. Conclusively, with those aspects, it is evident that using ICS as an incident management tool is generally beneficial to responders. References Annelli, J. F. (2006). The national incident management system: a multi-agency approach to emergency response to the United States of America. Reve. Sce. Tech. Off Int. Epiz., 25 (1), 223-231. Buck, D. A., Trainor, J. E., & Aguirre, B. A. (2006). A critical evaluation of the incident command system and NIMS. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 3 (3), 1-17. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). (2011). National Incident Management System. Washington, DC: FEMA. Kim, J. K., Sharman, R., Rao, H. R., & Upadhyaya, S. (2007). Efficiency of critical incident management systems: Instrument development and validation. Decision Support Systems, 44, 235-250. Read More