ICS - Operations Function

Operations Function is responsible for the direction and coordination of all incident tactical operations. This is the hands-on get dirty function of the ICS. Organization will develop as required as the incident grows. On a small incident, the Battalion Chief will be the IC, all of the command team functions, and Operations Chief. But as the incident grows, that one person may need to spread the control out accordingly in both the Command Team and in the Operations Section.

Operations has three organizational units, the Branch, the Division, and the Group. The Branch usually disects the incident in huge plots - sometimes in half or in thirds. Inside the Branch, Divisions exist to cut the geographic area into smaller portions. Inside those Divisions are the actual firefighters, strike teams, and what the ICS calls Resources.

Groups are the odd ones. Usually, Divisions define geographic areas and Groups define types of specialized functions such as Medical or Search and Rescue. There can be a Ventilation Group, Interior and Exterior Groups etc on a Structure Fire. Groups and Divisions are in the same level on ICS, but seperate the geographic definition and the "specialized" functions. All groups and divisions answer to the same Branch Director.

Operations Section Chief in charge of all Operations on the incident.

Branches seperate either geographical units or functional organizational units. In the case above, two functional organizational units, Fire Ops and Air Ops are seperated. Other cases include Branch 1 North fire, Branch 2 South fire, than Divisions cut those down even more etc. It all depends how the incident unfolds and can best be organized. You can also have 4 geographic branches and air ops branch still. It can all be intermixed in how they're defined. That's the flexibility and strength of the ICS.

Divisions are smaller units inside Branches. They can be functional or geographic such as Structure Division, or Division A which is a certian portion of the fire line or something. Divisions usually stay geographic though and leave Groups to define functional units.

Groups are on the same level as Divisions but usually take on the functional descriptions and not geographic. Functions include Medical, Search and Rescue, Security, etc. An Air Branch would include Air Support Group and Air Tactical Group etc since aircraft can't be geographic, they can be seperated by function though.

Air Attack isn't the boss of all air on a large incident. Just like a Battalion Chief losing span of control across many units, if the air support turns into something that resembles San Fransisco International, Air Attack will request Admin help. Somebody on the ground will become Branch Director and be in charge of ALL air ops. Then the tactical portion goes to one Group and the support goes to another Group. Under the tactical portion, fixed wing would fall under Air Attack. Usually in the air, only one Air Attack pilot is overhead the particular fire to control all flying aircraft. They can however, rarely, put more than one Air Attack in the air over the same incident. By then it's a complex incident probably. ATGS is Air Tactical Group Supervisor. Helicopter Coordinator (HelCo) will be in charge of all helicopters over the fire.