Incident Command System Training

HCA continuously urges home care providers to promote staff training in the Incident Command System (ICS).

ICS is critical and basic to effective emergency preparedness and response and all staff participants will greatly benefit from the training. HCA has found that the prevalence of ICS training varies greatly across agencies — from minimum numbers to agencies which require all staff be ICS trained.

ICS training is available online and with increasing levels of depth in a progressive curriculum (i.e., ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, etc.). At the completion of the online training, participants are prompted to test online, and are presented with certificates upon successful testing.

For staff taking the training, it has been helpful to go through the online training first for familiarity and preliminary assimilation of new concepts and vernacular; then to give some days or a week or two for further assimilation; and then repeat the training again, this time proceeding to the testing if ready. HCA has found this process to benefit assimilation and retention of concepts; a must, however, is then to practice ICS within the agency, and to periodically refresh with both practice and elevation of curriculum.

The FEMA link to ICS training can be accessed here.