ICS for Local Public Health

Training for public health practitioners with leadership responsibilities during responses to disasters and events with public health implications.

On this page:
Course Purpose
Course Participants
Course Length
Course Design
Additional Course Materials
More Information

Course Purpose

The purpose of this course to enhance the ability of local public health practitioners to apply Incident Command System (ICS) to a public health emergency response by:

• Reviewing Incident Command System (ICS) positions and responsibilities and assume a role in a simulated response.
• Developing SMART incident response objectives, identify strategies and tactics, and finally hold an incident briefing.
• Reviewing the Planning P phases and the ICS forms used in each phase and develop an Incident Action Plan.
• Identifying next steps for applying the ICS process and tools for planned and emergency incident responses within their agencies.

This training is intended to complement, not replace, FEMA’s ICS 300: Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents.

Course Participants

This course is intended for local level public health professionals who have, or could serve, as a member of an Incident Management Team during a response. If this course is being used outside of public health or health care, instructors are recommended to modify the language and examples to meet the needs and experiences of their various disciplines.

Course Length

The course length can vary depending upon the length of discussions and activities, but is designed to be delivered over two days. Day one is a half day, lasting approximately four hours. Day two is a full day coached exercise, lasting approximately 6 hours.

Course Design

This course was developed by the Minnesota Department of Health. It is divided into two sections, both covered in one PowerPoint presentation.

• ICS for Local Public Health PowerPoint presentation (PowerPoint)

Additional Course Materials

Additional materials developed to support the delivery of the ICS for Local Public Health course are presented below:

• Day 1 Scenarios
  • Storm Damage Hospital Scenario (PDF)
  • Winter Weather Scenario (PDF)
• Day 2 Scenarios
  • Hep A Community Outbreak Scenario (PDF)
  • Hep A Restaurant Outbreak Scenario (PDF)

More Information

E-mail: health.epr@state.mn.us
Phone: 651-201-5700