Exploring the application of Incident Command System in the Nkangala District Municipality

Abstract

Nkangala District Municipality consists of six local municipalities which are: Emakhazeni, eMalahleni, Dr. J.S Moroka, Steve Tshwete, Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye. These municipalities have fully operational emergency agencies which respond and manage any type of incidents. These municipalities apply different tools to manage incidents and planned events. Incident Command System (ICS) components are implemented but the model with all of its functions and characteristics are not fully implemented according to international standards. The Nkangala District Municipality disaster management centre and Steve Tshwete Local Municipality have a mobile Incident Command Unit which is installed with basic equipment to meet the crucial ICS operations outcome. Some of the short and prolong incidents or events which occurs within the Nkangala regions will find the mobile incident command unit without full utilisation for operation. The primary responders in the Nkangala District Municipality belongs to different organisations, for example: fire brigade services belongs to local government, whereas EMS has its place in provincial government (Department of Health). This creates jurisdiction boundary issues including authority, resources, roles and responsibilities. If Nkangala District Municipality adopts the application of the ICS to manage all the incidents and planned events, this will encourage the organisations to train officials on ICS in order to ensure effective and efficient incident management throughout the district. Furthermore it will install professionalism, coordination and unity within the emergency agencies (FEMA, 2008:66). The empirical findings were concluded from semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. The data was collected from all six local municipalities in the Nkangala District Municipality. The analysis revealed that some of the principles of the ICS are being applied in NDM even though they are not integrated and guided by one ICS tool. The study made recommendations that all response agencies in NDM must apply ICS to manage planned and unplanned operations for purposes to improve coordination, communication, integration, standardisation, the planning and management of resources during the operation. The recommendations made in the study highlighted the need to implement the ICS to ensure there is one standardised organisational structure, common terminologies, Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs), names of positions, responsibilities of each function and planning processes. Further to this, the recommendations propose that the application of ICS will define responsibilities of Incident Command (IC), criteria for individual to perform the function of command and empower the IC function to command every agency during the operation.