Since the 1970s, the Incident Command System (ICS) has provided an organizational framework for agencies to respond to incidents with timely and coordinated action. Use of ICS grew after September 11th as new laws, regulations, and directives required federal, state, and local responders to apply ICS to “all hazards,” including fires, floods, earthquakes, and oil spills. Emergency managers also use ICS to ensure security for schools, courthouses, and events such as Olympic Games. In the future, the use of ICS nationally and internationally will likely continue to expand in order to help public agencies and private organizations meet the threats from terrorism, climate change, and other growing concerns.

This article introduces legal scholars and practitioners to the Incident Command System theory and practice. From the origins of ICS in fighting California wildfires, through transformative events including September 11th, Hurricane Katrina, and the Deepwater Horizon, the article traces the development and application of ICS to help readers understand ICS today. As the article demonstrates, legal practitioners must understand ICS in order to advise clients who will be called to work within an ICS organization and in order to serve within an ICS organization directly, such as through the emerging role of ICS legal officer. Legal scholars should also understand ICS because its growing use raises fundamental questions and research needs in diverse areas of law such as legal ethics, as suggested in the conclusion of this article.