INCIDENT BRIEFING
Overview: The Incident Briefing provides incident management personnel, including Unified Command officials, with basic information regarding the incident situation and resources allocated to the response. It serves as an opportunity for members of the Command & General Staff to receive additional details regarding their assignment.
Note: The relatively informal briefing generally lacks an established agenda, with the exception of following the format of the Incident Briefing (ICS-201) forms.
Schedule: The Incident Briefing originates during the transfer-of-command process, but may also be scheduled periodically to assess the status of current response activities or serve as an orientation for newly assigned individuals in the ICS organization.
Attendees: Attendees for the Incident Briefing potentially include the following:
Federal OSC.
State OSC.
Local OSC.
Responsible Party IC.
Safety Officer (SOFR).
Public Information Officer (PIO).
Liaison Officer (LOFR).
Operations Section Chief (OSC).
Branch Directors (OPBD).
Planning Section Chief (PSC).
Situation Unit Leader (SITL).
Resources Unit Leader (RESL).
Environmental Unit Leader (ENVL).
Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL).
Logistics Section Chief (LSC).
Finance Section Chief (FSC).
Agency Representatives (AREP).
OSRO Representatives.
Technical Specialists (THSP).
Facilitator: Planning Section Chief (PSC).
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes.
Room Layout: The preferred room layout and seating arrangement for the Incident Briefing is illustrated below:
RECOMMENDED AGENDA
1. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Bring the meeting to order, by stating “Good morning/afternoon. It’s [time and date] and I’d like to call the Incident Briefing to order.”
2. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Conduct roll call for the various ICS positions/functions listed below:
- Federal OSC.
- State OSC.
- Local OSC.
- Responsible Party IC.
- Safety Officer (SOFR).
- Public Information Officer (PIO).
- Liaison Officer (LOFR).
- Operations Section Chief (OSC).
- Branch Directors (OPBD).
- Planning Section Chief (PSC).
- Situation Unit Leader (SITL).
- Resources Unit Leader (RESL).
- Environmental Unit Leader (ENVL).
- Documentation Unit Leader (DOCL).
- Logistics Section Chief (LSC).
- Finance Section Chief (FSC).
- Agency Representatives (AREP).
- OSRO Representatives.
- Technical Specialists (THSP).
3. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Announce ground rules, as follows:
- Silence all electronic devices.
- Respect the meeting agenda.
- Be mindful of time.
- Presenters front and center.
- Limit interruptions and side conversations.
- Table discussions unrelated to the meeting.
4. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Briefly review the agenda, noting the purpose of the meeting is to provide incident management personnel, including Unified Command (UC) officials, with basic information regarding the incident situation and resources allocated to the response.
- Who, what, where, when, and how the incident occurred.
- Current response activities.
- Future/planned response activities.
- Critical action items in support of field operations.
- Incident complexity, objectives, limitations, and constraints.
5. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Confirm the Documentation Unit is taking meeting minutes and tracking action items that could potentially arise during the meeting, using Meeting Summary (ICS-231) and Open Action Tracker (ICS-233), respectively.
6. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Distribute hard-copy printouts, if available, of the completed Incident Briefing (ICS-201) forms to meeting attendees. Indicate these forms will be frequently referenced during the briefing to communicate incident details and highlight specific issues.
7. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Acknowledge the “formal name” of the incident, if established.
8. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Invite the Responsible Party Incident Commander (RPIC) to the podium to deliver specifics and details regarding the incident.
9. Incident Commander (RPIC): Provide a brief historical overview/analysis of the incident. Note the date, time, and origin of the discharge, along with the type and estimated volume of spilled product. Illustrate the incident perimeter and spill trajectory, using Map/Sketch (ICS-201-1). Refrain from speculating on the potential cause, if unknown.
10. Incident Commander (RPIC): Indicate whether there are any injuries/casualties associated with the incident.
11. Incident Commander (RPIC): Address potential exposures, environmental vulnerabilities, road closures, etc.
12. Incident Commander (RPIC): Note corrective actions, e.g., source control, valve closure, spill containment, oil recovery, etc., taken in response to the scenario.
13. Incident Commander (RPIC): Review/analyze current and forecasted weather conditions.
14. Incident Commander (RPIC): Verify completed notifications (both internal and external), using Spill Notification Log as a reference.
15. Incident Commander (RPIC): Specify the locations of established incident facilities, including the Incident Command Post (ICP) and Staging Area, by referencing Map/Sketch (ICS-201-1).
16. Incident Commander (RPIC): Define incident objectives and priorities. Customize the “generalized” objectives on the Summary of Current Actions (ICS-201-2) form, by adding specifics as verbal tasking is provided to response managers and contractors.
17. Incident Commander (RPIC): Outline current and planned actions/tactics, using Summary of Current Actions (ICS-201-2) as a template. Acknowledge tasks expected to be completed before the start of the next operational period.
18. Incident Commander (RPIC): Review the current on-scene organizational structure and personnel assignments, by referencing Current Organization (ICS-201-3). Note establishment of any operational Branches/Divisions/Groups. Confirm adequate span-of-control is provided.
19. Incident Commander (RPIC): Note agencies and jurisdictions involved in the incident.
20. Incident Commander (RPIC): Document resource assignments and how they are being used in support of operational activities, with the aid of Resources Summary (ICS-201-4). Further note resources ordered and/or enroute.
21. Incident Commander (RPIC): Discuss methods of communication, including radio frequency/channel assignments, using Incident Radio Communications Plan (ICS-205) as a reference. Review/propose a communications schedule for supervisors and managers assigned to Operations functions.
22. Incident Commander (RPIC): Detail procedural instructions for requesting/ordering additional resources. Adopt the standardized Resources Request (ICS-213-RR) form to solicit equipment, supplies, and services.
23. Incident Commander (RPIC): Review safety considerations and concerns. Highlight any near-misses or injuries requiring medical attention, with help from the Safety Officer (SOFR).
24. Incident Commander (RPIC): Consider incident complexity, along with any political, news media, environmental, and economic influences/constraints.
25. Incident Commander (RPIC): Summarize the briefing with an overall assessment of the incident’s potential. Reinforce objectives and priorities.
26. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Announce the duration of the “emergency/reactive” phase and schedule for transitioning into the “proactive” mode of the ICS Operational Period Planning Cycle, based on the magnitude/complexity of the incident and upon assuring sufficient Incident Management Team (IMT) staffing is available.
27. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Facilitate an open, “round-robin”-style discussion to clarify objectives, priorities, assignments, specific job responsibilities, issues, concerns, and open actions/tasks, using Open Action Tracker (ICS-233).
28. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Offer words of encouragement. Recognize sacrifices and contributions. Emphasize safety and teamwork.
29. Planning Section Chief (PSC): Adjourn briefing.
FEMA TRAINING VIDEO
The YouTube videos above, produced by FEMA, depict a simulated Incident Briefing.
