Is a separate incident command post a sepeerate General staffsection?
To determine whether a separate incident command post (ICP) is a separate General Staff section, we need to understand the roles and structure of both.
1. Incident Command Post (ICP): The ICP serves as the primary location where incident management personnel operate during an emergency or incident. It is where command and control functions take place, including incident assessment, decision-making, and coordination of resources.
2. General Staff: In the Incident Command System (ICS), the General Staff is one of the five major functional areas, along with Command, Operations, Planning, and Logistics. The General Staff consists of four sections: Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief, and Finance/Administration Section Chief. These sections oversee and manage specific aspects of the incident response.
Now, to address the question directly:
A separate ICP is not considered a separate General Staff section in the ICS structure. The ICP serves as the physical location where various General Staff members and other key incident personnel gather to coordinate and manage the incident, regardless of the specific General Staff section they belong to.
In other words, while the General Staff sections are responsible for specific functions, the ICP is the physical space where these functions come together for coordination and collaboration. Therefore, the ICP is part of the overall incident management structure and works in conjunction with the General Staff sections.