Crisis Management – Incident Management Teams (IMT) are the key

In the next several blogs, Active Shooter 360 explores the core functions of an Incident Management Team (IMT). We call this series Incident Management in Five Words.  

The Incident Command System (ICS) is practically in the DNA of first responders, but practitioners in other fields sometimes view ICS as a complicated system. We agree that it’s new terminology that appears to be different from the normal way of doing business. The key to effective crisis management is a core team called the IMT.

An IMT is overarched by just five core words; five key functions – not based on rank or hierarchy – that frame an IMT as follows:

Incident Commander  – leads and manages; responsible for the big picture and other functions not delegated; wears a command vest, stays at a command post, uses a clipboard/tablet and a radio, and doesn’t perform tactical operations.

Operations Chief – where the work gets done beyond the normal everyday mission; fixing things by reaching out and touching the problems.

Logistics Chief – ensures the Operations Chief doesn’t run out of stuff; orders and appropriates resources beyond initial on-hand people, supplies, and equipment.

Planning Chief – assists Command and Operations in the development of a formal planning cycle that goes beyond the initial verbal incident action plan; tracks and deploys resources appropriated by the Logistics Chief.

Safety Officer – responsible for ensuring safe operations and has no distracting collateral duties; authority to immediately correct or terminate unsafe operations or procedures.

We do not address the Administration/Finance component of the ICS because we assume that entities have a system to address finance and administration issues. Further, Admin/Finance issues are beyond the scope of this blog.

Key Takeaway: An IMT is a core cadre of crisis managers that can effectively manage crisis events. In the next six blog posts, we explore the previously listed IMT functions in more detail. 

What are your thoughts?

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About Hank Christen

Dr. Hank Christen was an Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief, Emergency Manager, and Director of Emergency Services for Okaloosa County, Florida. He has responded to multiple disasters in his career and was the Incident Commander for Hurricane Erin, Opal, Earl, and Georges, and responded to Hurricane Andrew (Miami), and Hurricane Marilyn (U.S. Virgin Islands). He co-authored eight books on crisis management and the incident command system in the disaster response field. Dr. Christen has served on a team that evaluated a biological non-traditional syndromic surveillance program during the 2000 George Bush Presidential Inauguration. Dr. Christen has also responded with a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-1 DMAT) to the 2001 World Trade Center Attack, and served as team commander during the team’s deployment to the Atlanta Olympic Bombing. Additionally. Dr. Christen has served on a panel that evaluated the medical response to the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2014. Dr. Hank Christen EdD currently is responsible for developing curriculum, technical writing, and instructing courses with Active Shooter 360, LLC. The materials developed and taught by Dr. Christen include Active Shooter Awareness, Threat Intervention Practices, Incident Command System (ICS), Crisis Decision Making, and Emergency Operations Planning.

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