What is Incident Command System (ICS)

The Incident Command System (ICS) was created in 1970 to provide a standardized protocol for managing incidents that threaten life and/or property. Although the ICS grew out of a disaster that involved 20,000 responders, and was envisioned as a way to coordinate response for major disasters, it was designed to be scalable. As a result, the ICS can scale down. This chapter describes how ICS can be a valuable tool for responding to incidents even within the confines of a single repository. During a disaster, librarians and archivists who understand ICS are better prepared to initiate their internal response, interact with emergency responders, and manage any extended recovery phase that may follow the disaster.