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Appendix 13
EMERGENCY RESPONSE ORGANIZATION
A13.1 CONCEPT
This appendix describes overall and facility response organization. The concept is that the
same basic response organization should be used for all emergencies (e.g. conventional and
radiation), thus allowing rapid integration, co-ordination and expansion of the response. The
same structure may be used to organize a response involving a few people in a transportation
accident or hundreds of people in a major natural disaster such as an earthquake.
Organizational structure takes account of all the organizations responding to the emergency,
including those from the facility or operator, local and national governmental and nongovernmental
organizations. The organizations may also include radiological assessors, social
services, law-enforcement, and other elements of the response. Consequently, to be effective
this system or a similar one should be instituted nationwide.
The structure presented here is referred to as the incident 122 command system (ICS) and is
currently being used in the United States, Canada and elsewhere.
An ICS structure is based on the following principles.
Common terminology, which ensures that all responders use terms that are standard and
consistent:
(1) Major organizational functions and units named;
(2) In multiple incidents, each incident named;
(3) Common names used for personnel, equipment, and facilities; and
(4) Clear text used in radio transmissions (i.e. do not use agency specific codes).
A modular organization, which enables the ICS structure to expand or contract to meet the
needs of the incident/emergency:
(1) Structure develops top down, from first-in unit;
(2) Structure based on incident/emergency management needs; and
(3) Incident commander always staffed; other functions staffed as needed.
Integrated communications, which establish a common communications plan, standard
operating procedures, clear text, common frequencies, and common terminology:
(1) Common communications plan;
(2) Common terminology;
(3) Compatible communications systems; and
(4) Two-way communications following standard procedures.
122 The term “incident” is here used as a generic term by the ICS for events requiring emergency response.
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