Course Title

1. Introduction to Advanced Incident Command

1.1 The Role and Authority of the Incident Commander

• Defining the Incident Commander role and its scope of authority

• Distinguishing incident command from general emergency response participation

• Applicable frameworks including (NFPA 1561 and ICS/NIMS principles)

• Overview of major incidents where command failures contributed to escalation

• The psychological and organizational demands placed on an incident commander

1.2 Command Competency Requirements

• Core competencies expected of an advanced incident commander including (decisiveness and situational awareness)

• Qualification and experience pathways toward incident command roles

• Understanding command transfer and succession planning

• Recognizing personal limitations and when to request command support

2. Incident Command System Structure

2.1 Command and General Staff Functions

• Establishing the command staff including (safety officer, liaison officer, and public information officer)

• Establishing the general staff including (operations, planning, logistics, and finance/administration)

• Determining span of control and when to expand the command structure

• Delegating authority while maintaining unity of command

2.2 Organizational Flexibility and Scalability

• Scaling the ICS structure to match incident size and complexity

• Activating and deactivating sections as the incident evolves

• Managing transition from single command to a fully staffed command structure

• Common structural errors including (overloading span of control and unclear reporting lines)

3. Situational Assessment and Size-Up

3.1 Initial Size-Up

• Conducting a rapid initial assessment upon arrival or notification

• Identifying critical factors including (life safety, incident stabilization, and property/environmental protection)

• Establishing initial incident objectives and strategy

• Communicating initial size-up findings to responding resources

3.2 Ongoing Situational Awareness

• Maintaining situational awareness as the incident evolves

• Integrating information from multiple sources including (field reports, sensors, and aerial views)

• Recognizing information gaps and directing reconnaissance to close them

• Avoiding fixation on initial assessments as conditions change

4. Decision-Making Under Pressure

4.1 Structured Decision-Making Methodology

• Applying a structured decision-making cycle including (observe, orient, decide, and act)

• Balancing speed and thoroughness in high-stakes decisions

• Managing decision-making with incomplete or conflicting information

• Documenting key decisions and their rationale for accountability

4.2 Managing Cognitive Load and Bias

• Recognizing cognitive biases affecting incident decision-making including (confirmation bias and anchoring)

• Managing stress and cognitive load during prolonged command periods

• Using checklists and decision aids to reduce error under pressure

• Seeking and incorporating input from command staff without losing decisiveness

5. Incident Action Planning

5.1 Developing the Incident Action Plan

• Structuring an Incident Action Plan (IAP) including (objectives, strategies, and tactics)

• Setting measurable, achievable operational period objectives

• Coordinating IAP development with planning section staff

• Communicating the IAP clearly to all response elements

5.2 Managing the Planning Cycle

• Understanding the operational period planning cycle

• Conducting planning meetings and briefings effectively

• Adjusting the IAP as conditions change during an operational period

• Transitioning planning responsibility during extended incidents

6. Resource Management

6.1 Resource Allocation and Tracking

• Identifying resource requirements based on incident objectives

• Requesting, allocating, and tracking resources throughout the incident

• Managing resource typing and capability matching

• Avoiding resource over-commitment and maintaining reserve capacity

6.2 Resource Demobilization

• Planning demobilization as the incident stabilizes

• Sequencing resource release to maintain adequate coverage

• Documenting resource usage and demobilization for post-incident reporting

• Managing personnel welfare during extended deployment and demobilization

7. Safety and Risk Management in Command

7.1 Incident Safety Oversight

• The commander's responsibility for overall incident safety

• Coordinating with the safety officer to identify and mitigate hazards

• Establishing and enforcing accountability systems for personnel tracking

• Recognizing conditions requiring immediate withdrawal or strategy change

7.2 Risk-Based Strategic Decision-Making

• Applying risk-benefit analysis to strategic and tactical decisions

• Balancing aggressive intervention against personnel safety

• Documenting risk decisions and the rationale behind them

• Managing personnel fatigue and its impact on incident safety

8. Communication and Information Management

8.1 Internal Command Communication

• Establishing clear communication protocols across the command structure

• Managing radio discipline and standardized terminology

• Conducting effective briefings and situation reports

• Managing communication during system failures or overload

8.2 External Communication and Media Management

• Coordinating with the public information officer on external messaging

• Managing media inquiries during an active incident

• Communicating with affected stakeholders and the public

• Avoiding premature or inaccurate public statements during an evolving incident

9. Multi-Agency and Unified Command

9.1 Establishing Unified Command

• Recognizing when unified command is required including (multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional incidents)

• Establishing joint objectives and shared decision-making processes

• Managing differing agency priorities and authorities within unified command

• Coordinating unified command communication and reporting

9.2 Coordinating External Agencies and Mutual Aid

• Coordinating with civil defense, law enforcement, and medical response agencies

• Managing mutual aid requests and integration of external resources

• Understanding jurisdictional boundaries and authority handover

• Building pre-incident relationships to support effective multi-agency coordination

10. Managing Complex and Escalating Incidents

10.1 Incident Escalation Management

• Recognizing indicators that an incident is escalating beyond current resources

• Adjusting command structure and strategy as an incident escalates

• Requesting additional resources and command support proactively

• Managing simultaneous or cascading incidents

10.2 Extended and Multi-Operational-Period Incidents

• Managing incident command across multiple operational periods

• Coordinating command transitions and shift handovers

• Sustaining organizational memory and continuity across command transitions

• Managing long-duration incident fatigue at the command level

11. Logistics and Support Coordination

11.1 Logistics Section Coordination

• Coordinating supply, facilities, and support services during an incident

• Managing equipment and consumable resource requirements

• Establishing staging areas and base camps for extended operations

• Coordinating transportation and communications support

11.2 Finance and Administrative Considerations

• Understanding cost tracking requirements during major incidents

• Coordinating documentation supporting reimbursement or insurance claims

• Managing procurement processes during emergency conditions

• Balancing cost considerations against incident priorities

12. Casualty and Welfare Considerations

12.1 Mass Casualty Command Considerations

• Coordinating with medical branch during mass casualty incidents

• Managing triage prioritization from a command perspective

• Coordinating hospital notification and casualty distribution

• Managing family and next-of-kin notification considerations

12.2 Responder Welfare and Critical Incident Stress

• Recognizing signs of critical incident stress among responders

• Coordinating rest, rotation, and welfare support during extended incidents

• Facilitating post-incident psychological support access

• The commander's role in modeling sustainable response behavior

13. Post-Incident Review and Organizational Learning

13.1 After-Action Review

• Conducting structured after-action reviews following major incidents

• Gathering input from command staff, responders, and external agencies

• Documenting command decisions and outcomes objectively

• Distinguishing systemic issues from individual performance issues

13.2 Applying Lessons Learned

• Translating after-action findings into procedural and training improvements

• Updating incident command plans and protocols based on findings

• Communicating lessons learned across the organization and partner agencies

• Tracking implementation of corrective actions from previous incidents

14. Group Discussion and Case Studies

• Case studies from major regional and international incidents involving complex incident command including (multi-agency response, escalating industrial emergencies, and command transition challenges) and lessons learned

• Group discussion on common command failures including (span of control breakdown, poor situational awareness, and communication breakdowns)

• Sharing regional best practices including (multi-agency pre-incident planning and cross-organizational command exercises)

• Discussion on developing personal command philosophy and sustaining composure under extreme pressure