Hospital Incident

Command System
HICS Basics Part 1
Management System
and Tools for Events
Updated with May 2014 HICS Revisions

This material has been developed for training purposes; do not share, distribute, transmit or reproduce without prior written consent of California Hospital Association This course was
developed by the CHA Hospital Preparedness Program with grant funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness &
Response Hospital Preparedness Program and awarded by the California Department of Public Health. No part of this course or its materials shall be copied or utilized for monetary
gain.

Objectives
Learn the principal concepts and features
of the Hospital Incident Command System
Understand the roles and relationships of
the Hospital Incident Management Team
Understand the principles of Incident
Action Planning

HICS Overview
Assists in emergency management planning,
response, and recovery capabilities for
unplanned and planned events
Consistent with ICS and the National Incident
Management System (NIMS) principles
Logical management structure
Defined responsibilities
Clear reporting channels
Common nomenclature
3

What HICS is Not

HICS is not:
HICS does not replace or supplant daily
hospital operations
The HICS Guidebook does not replace
the hospitals Emergency Operations
Plan

HICS Features
Hospital Incident Management Team Chart
All hazard approach
Incident Action Planning
Job Action Sheet
Incident Planning Guides
Incident Response Guides
HICS Forms
Promotes Recovery
5

HICS Resources
Where do I find HICS information?
www.emsa.ca.gov/disaster_medical_serv
ices_division_hospital_incident_comma
nd_system
www.calhospitalprepare.org
www.hicscenter.org

Basic Incident Command

Structure
Incident
Commander

Operations
Section Chief

Public
Information
Officer

Safety
Officer

Liaison
Officer

Medical/
Technical
Specialist(s)

Planning
Section
Chief

Logistics
Section Chief

Finance/
Administration
Section Chief

Modular Organization:
Functional Sections Activated as Needed

Hospital Incident Command

System
The system is scalable so that
more or fewer positions-depending on the emergency-may be implemented

Command
Command functions

Maintain overall management of the incident

Sets incident objectives and priorities
Devise and approve strategies
Ensure mission completion

Command consists of:

Incident Commander
Command Staff

Command
Chemical

Incident
Commander

Clinic Administration
Biological/Infectious
Disease

Public
Information
Officer

Hospital Administration
Safety
Officer

Legal Affairs
Medical Ethicist
Medical Staff

Liaison
Officer

Medical/
Technical
Specialist(s)

Pediatric Care
Radiological
Risk Management
10

Incident Commander
Description/Duties:
Determine scope and magnitude of event
and facility impact
Activate and direct the Hospital Command
Center
Give overall strategic direction for the
hospital
Initiate and approve the Incident Action Plan
Authorize total facility evacuation if
warranted
Only position always activated

11

Public Information Officer

Description/Duties:
Communicate with internal and external
stakeholders including:
Staff
Visitors and family
Media
Determine information to be released
Collaborate with local community officials (Joint
Information Center) for consistent content
Obtains Incident Commander approval on all
messages

Reports to: Incident Commander

12

Safety Officer
Description/Duties:
Ensure safety of staff, patients and visitors
Monitor and have authority over the safety of
rescue operations and hazardous conditions
Determine safety risks
Initiate corrective/protective actions
Completes the HICS form 215A, Incident
Action Plan Safety Analysis
Has authority to halt any operation that poses
immediate threat to life and health

Reports to: Incident Commander

13

Liaison Officer
Description/Duties:
Hospital Command Center contact for
supporting agencies and organizations
Make facility needs and requests for
assistance and resources
Reports to: Incident Commander

14

Medical/Technical Specialist
Description/Duties:
Subject matter experts that advise the Incident
Commander and/or assigned section.
May be assigned as technical advisor in the
Hospital Command Center
May be assigned to advise and oversee
specific hospital operations
Example: Decontamination operations during
a chemical exposure situation

Reports to: Incident Commander

15

Medical/Technical Specialist
Examples Include:

Biological
Infectious Disease
Chemical
Radiological
Legal Affairs
Risk Management

Medical Staff
Pediatric Care
Medical Ethicist
Clinical Administration
Hospital Administration

Reports to: Incident Commander

16

Command Review
The Incident Commander is responsible for:
Management of the Incident
Activities within the Hospital Command Center
Continuing as Incident Commander until authority is
delegated to another
The Command Staff consists of:
Public Information Officer (PIO)
Liaison Officer
Safety Officer
Medical/Technical Specialist(s)

17

Sections
Incident
Commander

Operations
Section Chief

Public
Information
Officer

Safety
Officer

Liaison
Officer

Medical/
Technical
Specialist(s)

Planning
Section Chief

Logistics
Section Chief

Finance /
Administration
Section Chief

18

Sections
Sections include:

Operations
Planning
Logistics
Finance/Administration

Sections are led by a Chief

Section Chiefs are called General Staff

19

Operations

20

Operations Section
Operations Section Mission:
Manage tactical operations
Direct all tactical resources
Carry out the mission and
Incident Action Plan

Directs all tactical resources

Led by a Section Chief
21

Operations Section
The Section includes:
Staging Area
Medical Care Branch
Patient Family Assistance
Branch
Infrastructure Branch
HazMat Branch
Security Branch
Business Continuity Branch

22

Staging Manager
Mission:
Organize and manage the deployment of
supplementary resources, including personnel,
vehicles, equipment, supplies, and medications

23

Medical Care Branch Director

Mission:
Organize and manage the delivery of emergency,
inpatient, outpatient, and casualty care, and
clinical support services

Duties:
Address provision of acute and continuous care
Work with Logistics for resource acquisition
Work with Staging Manager for delivery of
resources to areas
24

Medical Care Branch Director

Supervises:
Inpatient Unit Leader (all inpatient units)
Outpatient Unit Leader (all outpatient services)
Casualty Care Unit Leader (Emergency
Department)
Behavioral Health Unit Leader
Clinical Support Unit Leader (i.e., Lab,
Diagnostic Imaging, Pharmacy, Morgue, Blood
Donor)
Patient Registration Unit Leader
25

Infrastructure Branch Director

Mission:
Organize and manage the services required to
sustain and repair the hospitals infrastructure
operations
Duties:
Maintain overall facility operations and
operating capacity
Identify and fixes utility service-delivery failures
Assign personnel to address damage
26

Infrastructure Branch Director

Supervises:
Power/Lighting Unit Leader
Water/Sewer Unit Leader
HVAC Unit Leader
Building/Grounds Unit Leader
Medical Gases Unit Leader

27

Security Branch Director

Mission:
Coordinate activities related to internal and external
personnel and facility security
Duties:
Implement facility security measures
Ensure security and access control of the Hospital
Command Center
Liaison with responding law enforcement
Oversee search and rescue operations

28

Security Branch Director

Supervises:
Access Control Unit Leader
Crowd Control Unit Leader
Traffic Control Unit Leader
Search Unit Leader
Law Enforcement Interface Unit Leader
29

HazMat Branch Director

Mission:
Organize and direct hazardous material incident
response activities
Technical, and emergency decontamination; and
facility and equipment decontamination

Duties:
Oversee hazmat event
Decontamination of victims, staff, facility
Safe and appropriate use of PPE
Clean up operations
Collaborates with Medical Care Branch Director

30

HazMat Branch Director

Supervises:
Detection and Monitoring Unit Leader
Spill Response Team Unit Leader
Victim Decontamination Unit Leader
Facility/Equipment Decontamination
Unit Leader
31

Business Continuity
Branch Director
Mission:
Ensure business functions are maintained,
restored or augmented

Duties:
Facilitate acquisition and access to essential
recovery resources, including business records
Coordinate IT services with Logistics Section
Assist Branches and impacted areas to restore
normal operations
32

Business Continuity
Branch Director
Supervises:
IT Systems and Applications Unit
Leader
Service Continuity Unit Leader
Records Management Unit Leader

33

Patient Family Assistance

Branch Director

Mission:
Organize and manage assistance for patient family care
needs, including communication, lodging, food, health
care, spiritual, and emotional needs that arise during the
incident.
Duties:
Ensure patient family assistance resources
Coordinate external community resource requests
Ensure Family reunification, Social Service, Cultural and
Spiritual needs
Communication with law, government and nongovernmental agencies, and media through the Liaison
Officer and Public Information Officer
34

Patient Family Assistance Branch

Director
Supervises:
Social Services Unit Leader
Family Reunification Unit Leader

35

Operations Section Review

The Operations Section is responsible for:
The tactical objectives and organization
All tactical operations
Directing all tactical resources

Operations is led by a Chief

Operations positions are activated
as needed by the incident
36

Logistics

37

Logistics Section
Section Mission:
Organize and direct maintenance of the physical
environment providing human resources, material,
and services to support the incident.
Provides support (stuff) to other sections
Acquires resources from internal and external
sources
Through Liaison, links to local Emergency
Operations Center for resource requests
Led by a Section Chief
38

Logistics and Operations

Logistics and Operations are closely
linked and must work collaboratively
Logistics Section are the getters
Operations Section are the doers

Scope and Responsibilities overlap

Logistics Supply Unit and Operations

Infrastructure Branch
Labor Pool and Credentialing Unit and Staging

Manager Personnel Tracking Manager

39

Logistics Section
The Section includes:
Service Branch
Support Branch

40

Service Branch Director

Mission:
Organize and manage services to maintain
hospital communication, food and water supply
and information technology and systems

Oversees:
Communications Unit Leader
IT/IS and Equipment Unit Leader
Food Services Unit Leader
41

Support Branch Director

Mission:
Manage supplies, facilities, transportation, and
labor pool. Provide logistical, psychological, and
medical support to hospital staff and their
dependents

Oversees:

Employee Health and Well-Being Unit Leader

Employee Family Care Unit Leader
Supply Unit Leader
Transportation Unit Leader
Labor Pool and Credentialing Unit Leader

42

Logistics Section Review

The Logistics Section is responsible for:
Organizing and directing internal and external
resources to support the incident
Providing support to other sections
Logistics supports the incident resource
requirements

Logistics has two branches:

Support
Service
Logistics is led by a Chief who works closely with
the Operations Section

43

Planning Section

44

Planning Section
Mission:
Collect, evaluate, and disseminate
incident action information and
intelligence to Incident Commander
Prepare status report
Develop the Incident Action Plan
Led by a Section Chief

45

Planning Section Chief

Supervises:
Resources Unit Leader
Personnel Tracking
Materiel Tracking
Situation Unit Leader
Patient Tracking
Bed Tracking
Documentation Unit Leader
Demobilization Unit Leader
46

Planning Section Chief

The Planning Section is responsible for:
Collecting, evaluating and disseminating incident
situation information to the Hospital Command
Center
Maintaining resource status
Developing the Incident Action Plan (IAP) and
obtaining Incident Commander approval on IAP
Archiving response and recovery documentation
Assisting with After-Action Report development
47

Finance Section

48

Finance/Administration
Section Chief
Mission:
Monitor the utilization of financial
assets and the accounting for
financial expenditures.
Supervise the documentation of
expenditures and cost
reimbursement.

49

Finance/Administration
Section Chief
Supervises:
Time Unit Leader
Procurement Unit Leader
Compensation/Claims Unit Leader
Cost Unit Leader

50

The Hospital Incident

Management Team
Putting it all together: Choosing the
Hospital Incident Management Team:
Incident Commander is the only position
that must be included
The Incident Commander chooses down
to the Chief Level
Each Chief appoints positions in their
section needed to complete the mission
based on available personnel
51

Questions?

52

Job Action Sheets

Series of action steps to prompt team
members to take needed actions related
to their roles and responsibilities
One for each position
Includes title, mission/function and duties
Adjusted to meet hospital needs
Refers to supporting forms
53

Job Action Sheet Format

Operations Section Chief
Mission:
Develop and implement strategies and tactics to carry out the
objectives established by the Incident Commander. Organize, assign,
and supervise the resources of the Staging Area, the Medical Care,
Infrastructure, Security, Hazardous Materials (HazMat), Business
Continuity, and Patient Family Assistance Branches.

54

Job Action Sheet Format

Action Steps and Considerations
Job Action Sheet provides position action steps and
considerations

Actions listed by Response Time Periods

Immediate

0 2 hours

Intermediate

2 12 hours

Extended

Beyond 12 hours

Demobilization/
System Recovery
55

Immediate Response (0-2 Hours)

Time

Initial

Receive appointment
Obtain a briefing from the Incident Commander on:
o Size and complexity of the incident
o Expectations of the Incident Commander
o Incident objectives
o Involvement of outside agencies, stakeholders, and organizations
o The situation, incident activities, and any special concerns
Assume the role of Operations Section Chief
Review this Job Action Sheet
Put on position identification (e.g., position vest)
Notify your usual supervisor of your assignment
Assess the operational situation
Obtain information and status from the Staging Manager, and the
Medical Care, Infrastructure, Security, Hazardous Materials (HazMat),
Business Continuity, and Patient Family Assistance Branch Directors
Provide information to the Incident Commander on the operational
situation including capabilities and limitations

Determine the incident objectives, tactics, and

assignments
Determine which Operations Section functions need to be
activated
56

Job Action Sheet Format

Documents/Tools:
A listing of pertinent HICS forms this position is
responsible for using
Forms noted in Job Action Sheet action steps

Other tools that will help them fulfill their role and
responsibilities
Hospital plans, policies and procedures
Technology tools
Other adjuncts

57

Documents/Tools:
Operations Chief
Documents/Tools
HICS 203 - Organization Assignment List
HICS 204 - Assignment List
HICS 205A - Communications List
HICS 213 - General Message Form
HICS 214 - Activity Log
HICS 215A - Incident Action Plan (IAP) Safety Analysis
HICS 221 - Demobilization Check-Out
HICS 251 - Facility System Status Report
HICS 252 - Section Personnel Time Sheet
HICS 254 - Disaster Victim/Patient Tracking
HICS 255 - Master Patient Evacuation Tracking
HICS 257 - Resource Accounting Record
HICS 259 - Hospital Casualty/Fatality Report
HICS 260 - Patient Evacuation Tracking
Hospital Emergency Operations Plan
Incident Specific Plans or Annexes
Hospital organization chart
Hospital telephone directory
Telephone/cell phone/satellite phone/internet/amateur radio/2-way radio

58

Job Action Sheet Use

Job Action Sheets are used
continuously
Actions in all operational periods
should be continued and monitored
Job Action Sheets should transfer to
your replacement and actions
continued
Upon shift change or position
change
59

Job Action Sheet Section Review

The Job Action Sheets are:
An incident management tool
A series of actions to meet the incident response
Are divided in response time periods:
Immediate: 0 2 hours
Intermediate: 2 12 hours
Extended : Greater than 12 hours
Demobilization/System Recovery
Standardized to facilitate interagency response
Customizable for the unique facility needs/roles
60

Questions?

61

Hospital Incident Action Planning

Key to Effective
Response and Recovery

62

Hospital Incident Action Planning

1. Assess the Situation
2. Set the Operational Period
3. Determine Safety Priorities and Establish
Incident Objectives
4. Determine Branch/Section Objectives
5. Determine Strategies and Tactics
6. Determine Needed Resources
7. Issue Assignments
8. Implement Actions
9. Reassess & Adjust Plans
63

1 Assess the Situation

The Incident Commander conducts the

initial incident assessment:
Type, location, magnitude, possible duration
On-going hazards and safety concerns
Determine initial priorities based on:
1 - Life saving
2 - Incident stabilization
3 - Property preservation
Establishes the Hospital Command Center
Sets the initial Operational Period
64

2 Set the Operational Period

An Operational Period is:

The time period scheduled for execution of
tactical actions in the Incident Action Plan
Set by the Incident Commander

The Operational Period is usually set in

hours
Does not have to conform to shift times
Can be long or short, depending on the intensity
of the incident
65

3 Determine Safety Priorities & Establish Incident

Objectives
#

Incident Objectives
Broad organizational objectives that are
foundational and do not change during
response and recovery; not limited to an
operational period

Examples:
Provide adequate care to all patients who
present as a result of the incident
Provide for the safety of hospital personnel

66

4 Determine Individual Section/Branch Objectives

Individual Section/Branch Objectives

More specific Branch/Section objectives to achieve
overall Incident Objectives
Steps during the defined Operational Period
Should be tangible and measurable

Example:
Provide prophylaxis to 75% of direct patient care
staff within 2 hours
Decontaminate 50 victims within 1 hour
67

#5 Determine Strategies and

Determine Strategies and Tactics
Strategy defined:
The general direction selected to accomplish
incident objectives
The approach to achieving the objectives

Tactics defined:
Specific actions, sequence of actions,
procedures, tasks, assignments to meet
strategies and objectives
The boots on the ground or doers
68

6 Determine Needed Resources

Available and needed resources to meet the

objectives must be identified
Tactical resources may include:
Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Pharmaceuticals
Vehicles

69

7 Issue Assignments

Once the objectives and needed resources

are identified, assignments are issued:
Hospital Command Center positions are
activated according to incident needs
Staff are assigned to conduct incident specific
operations:
Evacuation
Decontamination
Triage and treatment
Safety measures

70

The Planning Meeting

The Planning Meeting is:
Led by the Planning Section Chief
Defines and finalizes operational period
objectives, strategies, tactics, and
resources as determined by each
section for the next operational period

71

The Planning Meeting

The Planning Meeting is conducted
after:
Incident Commander has provided an
incident briefing and determined the
Incident Objectives and identified the
Operational Period
Sections have met to discuss their
response priorities and identified
Section/Branch objectives

72

The Planning Meeting

At the end of the Planning Meeting:
The Section Chiefs submit completed HICS
Form 204 Assignment List
The Safety Officer submits completed HICS
Form 215A Incident Action Plan Safety
Analysis

73

8 Implement Actions

Direct, monitor and evaluate response:

Constant monitoring of strategies and tactics for
effectiveness
Assess the Branch/Section Objectives
Are the objectives being achieved?
Is the strategy/tactics safe?
Is the strategy/tactics effective?
Evaluation is an ongoing process throughout
response and recovery
74

9 Evaluate and Revise Plans

Conduct a current situation assessment

Update situation/incident information
Assess the impact on the hospital
Length and duration of incident
Resource availability
Assess the Incident Objectives
Assure objectives are achieved in a safe and
timely manner
Revise objectives, strategies, tactics and
resource needs for the upcoming operational
period

75

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Incident Commander
Provides overall Incident Objectives (HICS 202)
Sets the Operational Period
Develops major strategies (priorities)
Activates Hospital Incident Management Team
Establishes policy for resource orders
Approves initial actions and the completed
Incident Action Plan
76

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Safety Officer
Advises the Incident Commander and
Section Chiefs on safety issues and
measures
Develops the Safety Plan (HICS 215A)
Oversees the safety of operations and
tactics

77

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Operations Section Chief
Determines/assesses areas of operation
Advises Incident Commander of activated
Operations positions and work assignments
Determines tactics (HICS 204)
Determines resource requirements (HICS
204) and communicates needs with Logistics

78

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Planning Section Chief
Prepares for the Planning Meetings
Gathers information for the Incident Action
Plan (HICS 201, 202, 203, 204s and 215A)
Develops demobilization plans
Conducts the Planning Meeting
Coordinates and submits the Incident Action
Plan to the Incident Commander for approval
Disseminates the Incident Action Plan
79

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Logistics Section Chief
Determine tactics and resource requirement
(HICS 204)
Advises activated Logistics positions
Ensures resources to support Incident Action
Plan
Develops plans that support the Incident Action
Plan
Communications Plans
Transportation Plans
80

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Finance/Administration Section
Chief
Determine tactics and resource requirement
(HICS 204)
Provides cost implications of the Incident
Objectives
Ensures the Incident Action Plan is within cost
limitations
Advises the Incident Commander on
Finance/Admin activated positions
81

Incident Action Plan

Responsibilities
The Incident Action Plan
Provides Hospital Incident Management Team
with direction for the Operational Period
Uses the elements of Management by
Objectives
Developed by Command, General Staff provide
input
Essential for effective response and recovery

82

Questions?

83

Demobilization and Recovery

84

Preparation for Demobilization

Demobilization
The Demobilization Plan is created by the
Demobilization Unit Leader and approved by
the Planning Section Chief and Incident
Commander
Demobilization begins
As incident objectives are met
Follow-on objectives are more focused upon
recovery and returning to normal
The demobilization of resources no longer
Needed should occur rapidly and efficiently
85

Preparation for Demobilization

Demobilization Considerations
Demobilizing must be a part of the Incident Action
Plan
Managing public perception
Equipment rehab and restocking
Financial restoration
Addressing hospital personnel concerns

86

Recovery
Recovery follows response and focuses upon
returning the hospital to baseline level of
functioning
The starting point for recovery begins early in
the response
Transition from response to recovery is rarely
obvious
Recovery may extend over a long time, from
weeks to years
87

Organizational Learning
The recovery plan includes principles of
organizational learning and improvement:
After Action Report and Improvement Plan
Evaluate hospital response/recovery operations
Identify strengths, weaknesses, and strategies
to:
Lessen future vulnerability
Improve ability to respond to future incidents
Revise the Emergency Operations Plan
88

Section Review
Demobilization and Recovery should be
planned early
Demobilization and Recovery is the return to
normal, or new-normal
Demobilization is managed by the Planning
Section
The development of a Demobilization Plan by
the Demobilization Unit Leader

89

Questions?

90

Scenarios, Incident Planning

Guides and Incident Response
Guides

There are 13 Scenario/Incident Planning and

Response Guides to assist in planning and training:
Active Shooter
Chemical Incident
Earthquake
Evacuation, Shelter-in-Place, & Hospital Abandonment
Explosive Incident
Hostage or Barricade Incident
Infectious Disease

91

Scenarios
Information Technology (IT) Failure
Mass Casualty Incident
Missing Person
Radiation Incident
Severe Weather with Warning
Staff Shortage
Tornado
Utility Failure
Wildland Fire

92

Incident Planning Guides

Incident Planning Guides assist hospitals with
evaluating existing plans or writing needed
plans
They address 18 scenarios
They are intended to identify actions or
strategies to prepare for identified hazards
Assess current plans and identify gaps
Develop event-specific response guides

93

Incident Response Guides

Provides Incident Specific:
Directions
Incident Objectives
Management tasks by function and
timeframes
Sample Hospital Incident Management Teams

Should compliment:
Emergency Operations Plan and Job Action
Sheets

Can be used as documentation

94

Section Review
Incident Planning Guides and Incident
Response Guides
Are incident-specific tools to assist with
planning, training and response/recovery
Assist in meeting regulatory requirements
Guide Command and General Staff with
decision-making and actions
Should be consistent with the Emergency
Operations Plan
Do not replace the Job Action Sheets
95

Questions?

96

HICS Forms

97

The Value of Using HICS Forms

Serves as a road map in response:
everyone acting from the same plan
Serves as foundation for corrective action
Ensures consistency and compliance with
regulatory guidelines
Complies with documentation for FEMA
reimbursement

98

HICS Forms
No.

Name

Responsible

200

Incident Action Plan Cover Sheet

Planning Section Chief

201

Incident Briefing

Incident Commander

202

Incident Objectives

Section Chiefs

203

Organizational Assignment List

Resource Unit Leader

204

Assignment List

Branch Directors

205

Communications Log

Communications Unit Leader

206

Staff Medical Plan

Support Branch Director

207

Organization Chart

Incident Commander

213

Incident Message Form

All Positions

214

Operational Log

All HIMT Staff

215a

Incident Action Plan Safety Analysis

Safety Officer

IAP QS

IAP QuickStart

Incident Commander and

Planning
99

HICS Forms
No.

Name

Responsible

221

Demobilization Check-Out

Demobilization Unit Leader

251

Facility System Status Report

Infrastructure Branch Director

252

Section Personnel Time Sheet

Section Chiefs

253

Volunteer Staff Registration

Labor Pool and Credentailiting Unit

Leader

254

Disaster Victim / Patient Tracking

Patient Tracking Manager

255

Master Patient Evacuation Tracking

Patient Tracking Manager

256

Procurement Summary Report

Procurement Unit Leader

257

Resource Accounting Record

Section Chiefs

258

Hospital Resource Directory

Resource Unit Leader

259

Hospital Casualty / Fatality Report

Patient Tracking Manager

260

Patient Evacuation Tracking Form

Inpatient Unit Leader Outpatient

Unit Leader, Casualty Care Unit
Leader

100

HICS Forms 200:

Incident Action Plan Sheet
Purpose: Provides a cover sheet and a
checklist for HICS Forms and other documents
included in the operational period Incident
Action Plan
Origination: Incident Commander or Planning
Section Chief
Copies to: Command and General Staff and
Documentation Unit Leader
Helpful Tips: Additions may be made to the
form to meet the organizations needs
101

HICS Form 201:

Incident Briefing
Purpose: Documents initial response information &
actions at start-up
Origination: Incident Commander
Copies to: Command Staff, Section Chiefs, and
Documentation Unit Leader
When to Complete: Prior to briefing the current
operational period
Helpful Tips: Distribute to all staff before initial
briefing
102

HICS Form 201:

Incident Briefing

103

HICS Form 202:

Incident Objectives
Purpose: Defines incident objectives
Instructions: Include
Weather/Environmental Implications
General Safety/Safety Messages
Attachments
Prepared by Planning Section Chief

Approved by: Incident Commander

104

HICS Form 202:

Incident Objectives

105

HICS Form 203:

Organization Assignment List
Purpose: To document Hospital Command Center
staffing
Origination: Planning Section Chief or designee
(Resources Unit Leader)
Copies to:
Command Staff and General Staff
Branch Directors and Agency Staff
Documentation Unit Leader
106

HICS Form 203:

Organization Assignment List

107

HICS Form 204:

Assignment List
Purpose: Document branch assignments,
objectives, strategies/tactics and resource needs
Origination: Section Chief or Branch Director
Copies to: Command, General Staff and
Documentation Unit Leader
When to complete: At the start of each
operational period

108

HICS Form 204:

Assignment List (page 1)

109

HICS Form 204:

Assignment List (page 2)

110

HICS Form 215A:

Incident Action Plan Safety Analysis
Purpose: Document hazards and mitigation
Origination: Safety Officer
Copies to: Command and General Staff, Sections, and
Branches
Prepared by: Safety Officer
Approved by: Incident Commander
When to complete: Prior to safety briefing during the
operations briefing and at transfer of roles

111

HICS Form 215A:

Incident Action Plan Safety Analysis

112

HICS FORM 213:

General Message Form
Purpose: Provide standardized message recording
Instructions:
Response required: Indicate a reply was
requested and to whom reply addressed
Priority: Indicate level of urgency
Message:
Keep all messages/requests brief, to the
point, and very specific
Transcribe complete, concise, and specific
content of message.
Action Taken (if any)

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HICS FORM 213:

General Message Form

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HICS FORM 214:

Activity Log
Purpose: Document
Incident issues encountered
Decisions made
Notifications conveyed
Origination: Command and General Staff
When to complete:
Continuously, from activation through
demobilization
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HICS FORM 214:

Activity Log

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HICS Form IAP Quick Start:

Purpose: A short form combining forms
201, 202, 203, 204 and 215A. May be used
in place of full forms to document initial
actions or short incidents, and can expand
to the full forms as needed.
Origination: Incident Commander or
Planning Section Chief

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HICS Form IAP Quick Start:

(page 1)

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HICS Form IAP Quick Start:

(page 2)

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Section Review
The HICS forms:
Provide the Hospital Incident Management
Team with documents needed to manage a
response
Assist in communication with external agencies
Assist in communication with hospital staff
Documents response and recovery
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HICS During Off Hours and

Small and Rural Hospitals
The same principles for large hospitals is used
at smaller hospitals or off hours, holidays and
weekends at all size hospitals
Activate needed Hospital Incident Management
Team members
When not enough staff, it may be necessary to
blend job roles into a single Job Action Sheet

For example, the Incident Commander may assume

the role of the Public Information Officer and even
the Liaison Officer.
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Operationalizing HICS
Assign an individual in charge of implementation
Obtain support from the CEO/senior leadership
Make it high priority for administrators and staff
Provide budgets support
Establish training requirements/competencies
Promote integration into the community response
Provide training of HICS and the Emergency Operations
Plan
Exercise the plan and use of HICS
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Questions?

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HICS Basics Part 1

Management System and
Tools for Events
Updated with May 2014 HICS Revisions

developed by the
California Hospital Associations
Hospital Preparedness Program
www.calhospitalprepare.org

This material has been developed for training purposes; do not share, distribute, transmit or reproduce without prior written consent of California Hospital Association
This course was developed by the CHA Hospital Preparedness Program with grant funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Assistant Secretary
for Preparedness & Response Hospital Preparedness Program and awarded by the California Department of Public Health. No part of this course or its materials shall be
copied or utilized for monetary gain.

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