Push Partner POD Organizational Chart
During an emergency the health department and its partners will be working under the Incident Command System (ICS). This is a system that allows for efficient lines of communication and task delegation for emergency response. When thinking of how your Push Partner POD will be running you can compare it to a ship.
ICS uses a Command structure just like the California Fire Service. This structure starts with the Push Partner Business Coordinator, an employee at your facility who will oversee the POD operations. A Health Department “Push Partner Liaison” may be available onsite at the opening of the POD and will be available through a dedicated phone number if questions arise.
Under ICS everyone working in the Push Partner POD will be assigned a supervisor to whom they can ask questions or seek help.
The most important thing for you to remember when functioning within the Incident Command System during an emergency response, in addition to who you report to, is that if anything out of the ordinary should happen you will need to document it along with the time, what happened, and what actions were taken. This ensures there are accurate records of what happened at your location and if reimbursement is needed there are details regarding the incident.
For additional information about Incident Command you can go to the FEMA website and take the basic ICS review classes. It is recommended that all persons taking a role in emergency response understand the ICS structure necessary to conduct an organized and effective emergency response.
