Hospital Emergency Incident Command System

Currently, the most common model for disaster response in the hospital sector is the Incident Command System (ICS) model (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2001). In 1992 the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) was first developed by the California Emergency Medical Services Authority and the San Mateo County Health Services Agency. It is important to remember that HEICS is not a disaster plan, but rather a model on which a plan can be developed. In 2006 the model was updated and it is now known as the Hospital Incident Command System (HlCS). The newer model of incident command for hospitals includes ... 

Describe the mission of the hospital during response to emergencies of all kinds, including the disaster response chain of command and emergency management system (e.g.. Hospital Emergency Incident Command System, Incident Command System) used in your hospital. 

Hospital Emergency Incident Command System http //WWW. emsa. ca. gov/dms2/download, htm... 

Hospital emergency incident command system, 3rd ed. (1998). Retrieved from http //www.emsa.ca.gov/Dms2/HEICS98a. pdf... 

In retrospect, this was Incident Command and a modified Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS), as we would learn in the future. With the Code White in effect, many staff stayed on duty. This left many of the hospital staff without money, clothing, or medications. Some of the hospital staff worked double shifts, tried to sleep a few hours in closed departments or education classrooms, showered, and returned to work. Some staff traveled between home and work daily depending on how far they lived from the hospital. Water and electricity were the daily topic of conversation. 

Over the next year SOMC began updating their response to all emergencies. SOMC has adopted an incident command system. Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) was developed based on the fire services command system. HEICS divides the work of an emergency event into manageable parts. These... 

HOSPITAL EMERGENCY INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (HEICS III) ... 

San Mateo County Health Services Agency Emergency Medical Services. (1998), HEICS The Hospital Emergency Incident Command System, Third Edition, Volumes I/II. San Mateo, CA, San Mateo County Health Services Agency, June. Last viewed October 10, 2006, http /H H H .en7ra.ca.gov/Dms2/heics3.htm... 

California Emergency Medical Services Authority. (2006), HICS Hospital Incident Command System. Sacramento, CA, California Emergency Medical Services Authority, October. Last viewed October 10, 2006, http /www.emsa.ca.gov/dms2/heics4project.asp... 

Hospital incident command system (HICS)—An example of an optional NIMS-based ICS tailored specifically for use by hospitals and designed to function in conjunction with other common command systems used by emergency response organizations (e.g.. Fire Service Incident Command System). 

Hospital incident command system—A generic crisis management plan expressly for comprehensive medical facilities that is modeled closely after the fire service incident command system. Hospital postdecontamination zone— The hospital postdecontamination zone is an area considered uncontaminated. At a hospital receiving contaminated victims, the hospital postdecontamination zone includes the emergency department (unless contaminated). This zone is sometimes called the cold zone or clean area. 

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