Incident Commander levels

[RiverAux]

A few years ago CAP designated 3 different levels of Incident Commander but didn't really say much about how they differed from each other.  Here is what 60-3 had to say:

IC Level 3: These are the new ICs that will normally be utilized to coordinate CAP's common missions like electronic searches for distress beacons, ramp checks, etc. They are not disqualified from coordinating other missions, but considerations should be given to their experience based on the mission request before assigning them.

IC Level 2:  These are the senior ICs that will normally be utilized by wings and regions to coordinate large disaster response and extensive search operations.

IC Level 1:  There are a limited number of Level 1 ICs across the country. These personnel are normally the most experienced ICs and can be utilized on all events including those of national consequence.

However, if you look at the SQTRs there is very little difference between them.  To get from IC3 to 2 you just need to take NIMS G195 and to get from IC2 to 1 you need to take 196.  I can't even find these courses in the FEMA catalog anymore so I've got no clue about how to get that training.  Yes, there is the 2 missions as a trainee requirement also. 

So, my question is:  Is your Wing using the 3 IC levels as part of your regular missions and training events?  Or is it pretty much any IC that will answer their phone gets the mission? 

Also, any idea about those courses and what you're supposed to do about them?

[isuhawkeye]

The G-190 series courses have been transfered to the ICS 100, 200, 300 and 400 level. 

IC level 2 requires ICS 300 or equivilent

IC level 1 requires ICS 400 or equivilent

weather this gives with what NIMS wants is another discussion

Iowa has most of our IC's at the level 3 position.  We have 1 IC level 2, and he recently completed the ICS 400 from the national fire academy

[RiverAux]

Can you point me towards some sort of crosswalk on the FEMA site that specifies the link between G195 and ICS 300 and G196 and ICS 400?  Looking for something "official".  Thanks.

Brings up a good question.  Since we're going to all electronic publications it would be very simple to make this change in the SQTRS.  Why hasn't it been done?

[arajca]

Because changing a form requires NB/NEC approval?

[RiverAux]

Its not like this would be some huge complicated policy debate.  There have been more than a few meetings where this could have been addressed since the change was made. 

[arajca]

Can you point me towards some sort of crosswalk on the FEMA site that specifies the link between G195 and ICS 300 and G196 and ICS 400?  Looking for something "official".  Thanks.

Closest I can find is NIMS/ICS Training Courses.

[arajca]

Its not like this would be some huge complicated policy debate.  There have been more than a few meetings where this could have been addressed since the change was made. 

No argument from me. Heck, the NB/NEC could make it real easy by stating that the OPS director has the authority to update SQTR's as needed to comply with current NIMS/ICS training requirements.

[RiverAux]

Sounds reasonable to me.  And considering that there will probably be a host of NIMS related changes coming into CAP very soon, hopefully they will do something like that. 

[arajca]

Another point:
CAP uses 1, 2, 3 instead of properly typing our resources, which can cause confusion with outside agencies who are using NIMS resource typing guidelines. Our 1, 2, 3 levels do not compliment the Type 1, 2, 3, etc system used in NIMS. Yet another thing that needs to be changed.

[isuhawkeye]

From the Knowlege base

CAP has been working with FEMA to develop Incident Command System (ICS) training centered around CAP specific requirements. CAP designed material to assist members in planning and working with the Incident Command System (ICS). This should help provide standardization in our ICS training program and should provide a meaningful experience for both students and staff.

G193 is equivalent to ICS 200 level training.
G195 is equivalent to ICS 300 level training.
G196 is equivalent to ICS 400 level training.

Knowledgebase Link

Fixed long Kbase linky - MIKE

[isuhawkeye]

The I, II, and III levels actually could correlate to the FEMA system of determining the complexity of an operation.  Type I Operations involve more than 1,000, personnel(?) multiple operational periods, multiple jurisdictions, and national media coverage. 

Type II incidents are smaller,

Type III are smaller still

And

Type IV are locally managed

CAP IC's could work into the Incident Management Teams (IMT) functioning at these levels.

I will try to dig up some official documentation to support this when I get home

Dustoff might be able to add some better insight

[arajca]

As far as resource typing, they refer to the capabilities of the resource type. It is entirely probable that a Type I incident could be using Type 3 or 4 resources. I know several Type 3 qualified personnel that were called to help with Katrina, which was a Type I incident.

For the uninitiated:
NIMS resource types go from 1 to 6, although most stop at 4.
Type 1 resources are the biggest, baddest, most awesomely capable level of a resource
Type 2 resources are big and bad, but not quite as awesome as the Type 1
Type 3, 4, etc continue the trend.

IC's call for resources based on the type. The cost of the resource increases with the type level. For example, a Type 3 Mobile Communications Unit may cost $75/hour while a Type 1 MCU may cost over $200 per hour. These costs generally do not include any salary or per diem for personnel, just the cost of operating the unit.

For more information about resource typing, see NIMS Resource Management - Resource Typing

There may be some confusion about resource types vs incident types. The easiest way to differentiate them is resource types use Arabic numbers while incident types use Roman numerals.

[isuhawkeye]

thanks for the coment.  I hope I clarified things, but I dont want to underscor the importanc eof NIMS typing our resources.  This is something that CAP should be doing

[RiverAux]

Thanks for the info ISU.  Who would have ever thought to have checked the knowledgebase?  Its been a long time since I used it as it wasn't terribly informative at the time.  Will have to start checking it out. 

[JTodd]

RIVERAUX,
  Check this site also, https://ntc.cap.af.mil/es/ics_niims.cfm

John

[Dustoff]

I think the place to start looking is the credentialing standards that have been set by FEMA.  The ones for Incident Commanders are located in this document.

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/im-job-titles.pdf

It sets some pretty specific criteria for Incident Commanders (Type3) [and by the way, the Incident Types are arabic not roman numerals, it's the resource types that use roman numerals], (Type 2), and (Type 1).  These criteria describe both requisite and recommended requirements that cover training, experience, medical/physical fitness, and certification.

To help clarify a bit, I've listed the definitions of the Incident Types below:

Type 5 

The incident can be handled with one or two single resources with up to six personnel.
- Command and General Staff positions (other than the Incident Commander) are not activated.
- No written Incident Action Plan (IAP) is required.
- The incident is contained within the first operational period and often within an hour to a few hours after resources arrive on scene.
- Examples include a vehicle fire, an injured person, or a police traffic stop.

Type 4

- Command staff and general staff functions are activated only if needed.
- Several resources are required to mitigate the incident, including a Task Force or Strike Team.
- The incident is usually limited to one operational period in the control phase.
- The agency administrator may have briefings, and ensure the complexity analysis and delegation of authority are updated.
- No written Incident Action Plan (IAP) is required but a documented operational briefing will be completed for all incoming resources.
- The role of the agency administrator includes operational plans including objectives and priorities.

Type 3

- When capabilities exceed initial attack, the appropriate ICS positions should be added to match the complexity of the incident.
- Some or all of the Command and General Staff positions may be activated, as well as Division/Group Supervisor and/or Unit Leader level positions.
- A Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) or incident command organization manages initial action incidents with a significant number of resources, an extended attack incident until containment/control is achieved, or an expanding incident until transition to a Type 1 or 2 team.
- The incident may extend into multiple operational periods.
- A written IAP may be required for each operational period.

Type 2

- This type of incident extends beyond the capabilities for local control and is expected to go into multiple operational periods. A Type 2 incident may require the response of resources out of area, including regional and/or national resources, to effectively manage the operations, command, and general staffing.
- Most or all of the Command and General Staff positions are filled.
- A written IAP is required for each operational period.
- Many of the functional units are needed and staffed.
- Operations personnel normally do not exceed 200 per operational period and total
incident personnel do not exceed 500 (guidelines only).
- The agency administrator is responsible for the incident complexity analysis, agency administrator briefings, and the written delegation of authority.

Type 1

- This type of incident is the most complex, requiring national resources to safely and effectively manage and operate.
- All Command and General Staff positions are activated.
- Operations personnel often exceed 500 per operational period and total personnel will usually exceed 1,000.
- Branches need to be established.
- The agency administrator will have briefings, and ensure that the complexity analysis and delegation of authority are updated.
- Use of resource advisors at the incident base is recommended.
- There is a high impact on the local jurisdiction, requiring additional staff for office
administrative and support functions.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Type 5 and Type 4 incidents are usually handled by the local folks.  This is the stuff that they should be planning and training for on a regular basis.  It is day-to-day operations for emergency services agencies. 

Type 3 incidents are usually considered regional/metropolitian area or state level (depending upon the resources that are available).  For example, a bus crash in NYC is managed differently that a bus crash in rural Kansas.

Type 2's are state-wide level, and Type 1's are of Hurricaine Katrina proportions.

Note that these are my rough approximations for the purposes of discussion, not hard criteria.

Incident Management Teams (IMTs) are teams of folks put together to handle those more complex types of incidents.  The individuals picked are selected based upon their knowledge, experience and training.  They are then given EVEN MORE training and practice and tabletops and functional exercises to further develop them as a team that can be deployed to either help the local folks run their incident, or take over management of the incident (at the request of the locals - it is their party after all).

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

There was also some earlier mention of "typing" CAP resouces.  FEMA has already done some to that.  Look at the links below and see how they have "typed" Air Search Team (Fixed Wing), and Airborne Reconnaissance (Fixed-Wing) for example.

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/508-8_search_and_rescue_resources.pdf

and

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/incident_mgmt.pdf

Remember that "typing" is just a standarded description of resources, so that when the IC needs a Type 2 Air Search Team (Fixed Wing), EVERYONE will know EXACTLY what the characteristics of that resource are.

Whew!  That's long winded (I've been accused of that before -  )

Hope this helps!

Jim

[isuhawkeye]

Thanks Jim,

Just what we needed

[DNall]

Nice little thread we have going here. I don't have near the expertise since I left the ES field, but I'd like to see a visionary type plan to crosswalk CAP into full NIMS compliance up thru Type 1 resources. I have some ideas, but it's hard to put together w/o a lot of input.

[SAR-EMT1]

Me thinks we need to invite eclipse in on this thread. He is a big time ES guru.