HOSPITAL INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (HICS)

Hospitals throughout the United States confront a myriad of operational and fiscal challenges on a daily basis. To effectively manage emergencies, whether external (e.g., fires, earthquakes) or internal (e.g., child abductions, utility failure), hospitals must invest the time and necessary funds to ensure adequate preparations are in place. Recent events such as the September 11, 2001 terrorism attacks, the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2004, and the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2006 demonstrated the importance of hospital preplanning and personnel training.

Since its inception in the late 1980s, the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) served as an important emergency management foundation for hospitals in the United States. We recognized the value and importance of using an incident management system, not only in emergency situations but also in daily operations, preplanned events, and non-emergent situations. Therefore, the HEICS IV Project, sponsored by the California Emergency Medical Services Authority, has evolved to become HICS—the Hospital Incident Command System—a comprehensive incident management system intended for use in both emergent and non-emergent situations.

The HEICS IV project is not intended to be the only answer to a hospital’s emergency preparedness needs. The Emergency Solutions staff has the training and expertise to assist you in developing the other components of your emergency preparedness program. Emergency Solutions will provide training and exercises to test and evaluate your plans.

Contact Emergency Solutions today to discuss your training needs and the options we have available to assist you!