ICS - Logistics Function

Logistics Section provices the service and support of the incident. The six equally important functions of the Logistics Section are Communications, Medical, Food, Supply, Facilities, and Ground Support. An incident couldn't be worked if any of these functions didn't exist. In some form - each must exist at an incident. In larger incidents, the six functions can be seperated into two branches, the Service Branch and the Support Branch.

The Service Branch provides direct services to the incident. These include Communications, Medical and Food. These services can be provided anywhere on the incident at a moment's notice if needbe.

The Support Branch supports the underlying needs of the incident such as supplies, providing facilities, and ground support to all the resources on the ground.

Communications is usually based in a mobile communications van located at Incident Base or the Command Post. Communications centers around the van and all coordination of handitalkies, incident frequencies, and admin traffic pass through Communications.

The Medical function is very important for the health and safety of the resources. Medical teams are always on alert ready to respond throughout the incident. There is usually a makeshift medical tent established at the incident base and some camps.

Food. Need I say more? Food is good. Everybody needs food and when you're working long hours on the fire line, you REALLY need food. The food services on an incident is superb and mobile kitchens tend to attract firefighters in droves. For the real remote incidents, they can airlift and set a small snack box version of a mobile kitchen right on the incident line for direct meal attack ;)

Supplies provides obviously all the supplies for the incident including hoses and other consumables. They also supply handtools and other tools that would be used on the incident. Supplies base is at the Incident Base.

Facilities are very important. Without facilities, there wouldn't be a "home base" for the incident. Facilities are so important - I made a page describing each facility that can be found at an incident. These facilities can resemble a portable "city" at times.

Ground Support is just that. Provides support for the ground resources such as washing facilties, fuel, maintenance etc. Keeps all the resources available and ready to respond. You'll find Ground Support around staging areas.