IMT Practical Application Exercise (PAE)

Course Overview

Team training prepares a group of individuals to function together as an Incident Management Team (IMT) in a scenario driven training session.  Usually participants have completed position training and may have worked together before. The complexity level of team training also increases commensurate with the qualifications, capabilities, and needs of the attendees.

The IMT Practical Application Exercise (PAE) is an innovative approach to preparing an IMT for managing an incident.  The activity is part training and part practical application.  Broken into four major activities spread over multiple days, the IMT PAE focuses on the critical steps and inputs to develop a thorough Incident Action Plan (IAP). Practical Application activities improve overall preparedness strategy by:

  • Ensuring a high level of preparedness is maintained;
  • Enhancing traditional operations-based exercises to validate contingency plans; and
  • Providing a focused approach for evaluating your current state of readiness.

The IMT PAE is completely modular and can be conducted over consecutive days or spread out over time.  Only the IMT members required at each step of the Planning Process need to attend a specific module.

Specific Topics

  • Activity 1 – Initial Response: Initiate response, assess conditions and document initial and planned actions on an Incident Briefing form.
  • Activity 2 – Establishing Command’s Direction: Manage and support current operations while also preparing for extended operations.
  • Activity 3 – Responding to Command’s Direction: Manage and support current operations while developing a plan for the next Operational Period.
  • Activity 4 – Assembling the IAP: Manage and support current operations while assembling an IAP and gaining Command approval for the next Operational Period.

Target Audience

Responders who will be expected to perform as part of an Initial Response organization on a Type 3, 2, or 1 Incident.

Recommended IMT participants for Activity 1 of the IMT PAE include: Incident Commander, Safety Officer, Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Resources Unit Leader, Situation Unit Leader, Logistics Section Chief, and Others as necessary

Recommended IMT participants for Activity 2 of the IMT PAE include: Incident Commander(s)/ Unified Command, Planning Section Chief, Situation Unit Leader, Documentation Unit Leader, and Others as necessary

Recommended IMT participants for Activity 3 of the IMT PAE include: Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Safety Officer, Logistics Section Chief, Resources Unit Leader, Situation Unit Leader, Documentation Unit Leader, Environmental Unit Leader (Optional), Communications Unit Leader (Optional), Liaison Officer (Optional), Finance/Administration Section Chief (Optional), and Technical Specialists (Optional)

Recommended IMT participants for Activity 4 of the IMT PAE include: Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief, Safety Officer, Logistics Section Chief, Resources Unit Leader, Situation Unit Leader, Documentation Unit Leader, Environmental Unit Leader (Optional), Communications Unit Leader (Optional),  and Technical Specialists (Optional)

Duration

Duration: Five days (40 hours)

Pre-requisite (recommended)

Successful completion of ICS-100, ICS-200, and ICS-300

Materials

  • Handouts
  • Incident Management Handbook