What You'll Learn...
In this blog, you’ll learn from a real-world experience during the Los Angeles wildfires, where the Incident Command System (ICS) was crucial in crisis management. Key takeaways include:
How ICS provides both structure and flexibility during emergencies.
The importance of real-time adaptability and decision-making.
Leadership lessons on balancing commitment to a plan with the need to adjust.
In emergency management, the Incident Command System (ICS) is designed to bring order to chaos. But when disaster strikes, there’s no time to wait for the perfect plan—success depends on adaptability, clear communication, and decisive action.
Crisis Unfolds: ICS in Action
On January 7th, I found myself leading the reunification process at our school, which was impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires.
That morning, smoke appeared on the horizon. At first, it seemed distant, but within minutes, we realized the wildfire was moving fast. It became clear that we wouldn’t be able to wait until the end of the day to run our standard dismissal process. We quickly made the decision to activate key components of our ICS team, including Incident Commander, Communications, Attendance, Reunification, and Safety Director. That team made a decision to move all students into the gym, and send an emergency alert to parents.
Reunification was controlled chaos. Anxious families arrived in waves, but thanks to training, teamwork, and quick decision-making, every student made it home safely.
The Fire Didn’t End That Day—And Neither Did We
That night, the fire raged on, evacuation zones kept shifting, and information was coming in from multiple sources, often conflicting. We had to stay ahead of it.
For the next week, our ICS team remained active, reassessing daily. Not every strike team was activated at once—we prioritized essential functions, knowing we had to pace ourselves for what could be an extended response. Some roles, like logistics and communications, stayed fully engaged, while others remained on standby, ready to activate if conditions changed.
By the seventh day, we recognized a shift—the immediate crisis had passed, and we were entering recovery mode. The structure of ICS helped guide that transition, aligning with the natural progression of disaster response. The urgency of real-time decision-making gave way to long-term planning, and our focus moved from emergency coordination to rebuilding what had been lost.
Flexibility Over Perfection
Not everything went smoothly. Some staff members had to step away to take care of their own families, and others were overwhelmed. This is where ICS proved invaluable—not because it provided a flawless plan, but because it gave us a framework to adapt.
When someone had to step back, another stepped in. When new information changed the situation, we adjusted. We kept up the communication, leadership, and decision-making, even when individuals needed a break.
Lessons Learned
This experience reinforced what we already knew:
Emergencies will always be unpredictable, but the strength of an ICS team isn’t in perfection—it’s in the ability to adapt, lead, and bring order to uncertainty. No one wants to go through something like this, but when it happens, how you respond makes all the difference.