NET Incident Command System (ICS) Forms: Difference between revisions

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[[File:2015.10.24.Op Whitestag.EJones (14).jpg|thumb|'''''Using NET ICS Forms during Operation Whitestag at [[Scenario Village]]. Photo by Ernest Jones, October 24 2015.''''']]ICS forms provide a template to NET volunteers for documenting activities during a deployment. Though efforts to save life and property take priority over documentation, <span style="background:#FFFF00">'''documenting activities is nonetheless important and should be a routine part of NET training, drills, and response.'''</span>  Documentation serves several crucial functions:
[[File:2015.10.24.Op Whitestag.EJones (14).jpg|thumb|'''''Using NET ICS Forms during Operation Whitestag at [[Scenario Village]]. Photo by Ernest Jones, October 24 2015.''''']]ICS forms provide a template to NET volunteers for documenting activities during a deployment. Though efforts to save life and property take priority over documentation, <span style="background:#FFFF00">'''documenting activities is nonetheless important and should be a routine part of NET training, drills, and response.'''</span>  Documentation serves several crucial functions:


* '''Documentation passed to other emergency responders helps them understand the status of resources, allowing them to deploy their own resources effectively and appropriately. Good documentation saves time, and therefore, lives.'''
* Documentation passed to other emergency responders helps them understand the status of resources, allowing them to deploy their own resources effectively and appropriately. '''Good documentation saves time, and therefore, lives.'''
* '''Documentation of liability exposure for volunteers.'''
* Documentation of liability exposure for volunteers.
* '''Improved communication between functional areas and functional teams, and between shifts.'''
* Improved communication between functional areas and functional teams, and between shifts.
* '''Thorough documentation facilitates reimbursements from FEMA.'''
* Thorough documentation facilitates reimbursements from FEMA.
The purpose of this NETwiki page is to specify the recommended ICS forms, and how volunteers use forms. This page also serves as a one-stop repository for downloading latest versions of the forms.
The purpose of this NETwiki page is to specify the recommended ICS forms and explain how volunteers use forms. This page also serves as a one-stop repository for downloading latest versions of the forms.


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It is accepted and understood that ICS forms are '''''not required''''' for documenting operations. In a pinch, a sheet of ordinary notebook paper will suffice, or even the back of a paper plate. The benefit of using forms is that they guide NET volunteers to document the most relevant information. In this respect, ICS forms are not so much cumbersome paperwork as they are a helpful tool.
It is accepted and understood that ICS forms are '''''not required''''' for documenting operations. In a pinch a sheet of ordinary notebook paper will suffice, or even the back of a paper plate. The benefit of using forms is that they guide NET volunteers to document the most relevant information. In this respect, ICS forms are not so much cumbersome paperwork as they are a helpful tool.


== The Role of the Scribe ==
== The Role of the Scribe ==
PBEM recommends that each Operations Plan anticipate the need for a “scribe” or even several scribes during NET operations. Otherwise, the responsibility of tracking forms and ensuring volunteers keep proper documentation falls to the Team Leader, which compromises her/his span of control.  
PBEM recommends that each Operations Plan anticipate the need for a “scribe” or several scribes during NET operations. Otherwise, the responsibility of completing forms and ensuring volunteers keep proper documentation falls to rescuers, which means that documentation may not happen at all because rescuers must focus on rescuing.
 
Note that a scribe is not the same as the Documentation Unit. Volunteers from the Documentation Unit ''can'' act as scribes, but their primary responsibility is to collecting and keeping documents and recording information. More information on the Documentation Unit at: [[VSF 07.02: Documentation Unit|VSF 07.02: Documentation Unit.]]


Every NET has volunteers who are enthusiastic to serve but who do not feel physically ready to engage hands-on in search and rescue tasks such as cribbing, lifting, or other activities that require physical exertion. Acting as the scribe for the NET, therefore, is a great job for them. Ideally, these team members are identified in the NET’s Operations Plan and, as the designated scribe, make themselves familiar with the ICS forms and ICS framework. However, acting as a scribe is also a task that can be delegated to an SUV with little training.  
Every NET has volunteers who are enthusiastic to serve but who do not feel physically ready to engage hands-on in search and rescue tasks such as cribbing, lifting, or other activities that require physical exertion. Acting as the scribe for the NET, therefore, is a great job for them. Ideally, these team members are identified in the NET’s Operations Plan and, as the designated scribe, make themselves familiar with the ICS forms and ICS framework. However, acting as a scribe is also a task that can be delegated to an SUV with little training.  

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