An IMT and a Missing Person (Land SAR) Incident

James E. Mason

Discuss the challenges of managing a missing person incident.

Beyond the Planning "P"

Steven North

While the Planning “P” provides the basic framework for the incident planning process and IAP development, Complex Incident Management Teams (CIMT) utilize additional meetings and processes to effectively manage highly complex incidents. In this session, the instructors will describe the various meetings and operational processes commonly used by CIMT’s.

Bridging the Gap: How Collaboration Between Pacific Northwest Team 10 and Central Virginia IMT Accelerated Experience and Credentialing for CVIMT Members

Steve North

In an era where incident complexity and frequency are increasing, the need for well-credentialed, agile, and experienced incident management personnel is more critical than ever. This presentation explores the unique and productive relationship between Pacific Northwest Team 10—a Complex Incident Management Team—and the Central Virginia Incident Management Team (CVIMT), a Type 3 team.

Through a structured partnership that includes shadowing opportunities, mentorship, and real-world deployments, CVIMT members have been able to gain valuable experience and move through the FEMA NQS credentialing process more efficiently. This collaboration has not only enhanced individual competencies but also strengthened the overall capacity and readiness of CVIMT to manage large-scale incidents.

Development and Planning of Full Scale Exercises

Frank E Post, Mark Becmer

We will take the participant through the process of the development and planning of full-scale exercises that involves creating a realistic, scenario-based event that tests an organization’s emergency response capabilities in a fully deployed environment.

We will discuss identifying objectives, assessing needs, and selecting a scenario that challenges multiple functions and agencies under realistic conditions.

Finally, we will discuss some of the pitfalls to avoid in exercise development that can reduce the effectiveness of an exercise.

Disaster Wargaming

Dr. Arthur J. Simental

Disaster Wargaming (“gaming”) is a practice that could change how to approach tabletop exercises in emergency management and homeland security. While gaming and emergency management are not words commonly associated in the homeland security and emergency management communities, under the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), “gaming” is an officially approved type of exercise by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Wargaming has been used famously by military, intelligence communities, heads of agencies, and even the White House as a way to prepare for and understand impacts and consequences of war, backed by centuries of rigorous decision science, since before the 19th century with real impacts to U.S. policy and history. This presentation discusses wargaming, its history and its revolutionary applications to homeland security & emergency management training and education.

Help! I Followed the Book and Still Got Lost

Gregory J. Pijar

This is a lighthearted look at management of personnel, teams, incidents and personnel. it reviews some real world examples of decision making and management that could benefit from creative thinking and outside the conventional thinking,. This session is designed to prompt the attendee to look at their management and decision making style and infuse it with some real world justification for actions.

Some of the examples used will be the “bold faced” instructions in courses and the real world situations that do not fall into any of the examples in the book. This will look at basic processes such as daily operations through deployments where you interact with an interesting cast of local characters.

How Birmingham Puts the "Magic" in the Magic City Classic

Kimberly Speorl, Tracey Hayes, Tobias Jones, Kelvin Blevins, Becky White

The Magic City Classic is the largest HBCU game (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in the United States. Held annually on the last Saturday of October since 1924, thousands of fans from across the country travel to Birmingham for the match-up between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University. Nicknamed the “Classic”, the event has become one of the highest attended Division I FCS games in the nation. Not only is there a football game, but there is also a pep rally, comedy show, scholarship breakfast, concerts, a parade, week-long tailgating and a Battle of the Bands.

This session will include a panel discussion with insight from members from the City of Birmingham’s Incident Management Team. Kimberly Speorl will serve as the Moderator and ask team members questions. They will discuss how to plan, operate and manage all the events surrounding the “Classic”. Topics to be discussed include:

1) How to plan and execute operations for multiple events within an event

2) Lessons learned from years of planning and operating the “Classic” (including what NOT to do)

3) Tools that other jurisdictions can use to effectively plan an event (s)

I Want My Money Back!: Lessons Learned from the Finance Section and Best Practices Navigating Mutual Aid Reimbursement Processes

Paige Levanti, Michael Burke

Getting reimbursed after mutual aid deployments is rarely simple. This session discusses lessons learned from the Finance Section, highlighting documentation standards, cost-tracking methods, and common experiences when working for another jurisdiction during deployment. It will also examine frequent challenges in the reimbursement process, analyze existing strategies at multiple levels of government, and propose best practices and solutions. Ensuring an efficient and timely reimbursement helps limit the pitfalls that disincentivize responders and their agencies from participating in the mutual aid system. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to strengthen their financial documentation processes, improve team readiness, and maximize cost recovery following mutual aid deployments.

IMT In-briefings and Expectations on ESF #4 Assignments

James Courtright, Gordy Sachs

During this presentation, we will explain important points to be presented during IMT in-briefings during ESF #4 assignments. An important factor will be the difference between pre-deployment coordination meetings and in-briefings for fire assignments and those for missions under the Stafford Act. We will also describe the importance of a “Letter of Expectation” and how this differs from a “Delegation of Authority” used on fire assignments.

IMTs around the world: How are they the same/how are they different?

Scott Dehnisch, Michael Mattfeldt

Interoperability between incident management systems and organizations is an important aspect of international disaster response support, and the use of a standardized and structured incident-level organization is critical to safety and efficiency of operations. With this inoperability concept in mind, the U.S. Forest Service has established formal and informal protocols for supporting foreign country partners during times of major crisis. In this presentation, we will talk about how we integrate national IMTs into countries where established interoperability frameworks exist and how we assess, adapt, and integrate into countries with no preexisting framework to guide our IMT’s. We will address the nuances that are important to understand if your IMT is ever called upon to assist another country, or is simply in a place where there is no clear correlation to your ICS-based team.

IMTs Supporting Local Governments During Disasters

Chad Roberson

This presentation will cover real world deployments by an IMT to assist local governments in response to Hurricane Ian in Florida and Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. It will cover key aspects that an IMT can perform to assist the local jurisdiction and how the IMT supported the emergency response side of the incident and the disaster recovery side of the incident at the same time. The IMT worked to stabilize the incident and set up the community to start the disaster recovery process at the same time.

Intelligence and Investigations, A New Era

Dr. Edward C. Wolff

In today’s rapidly evolving incident management environment, the role of Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) within All-Hazards Incident Management Teams (AHIMTs) has entered a new era. Traditionally, I&I functions were focused on collecting and assessing threat information to support law enforcement operations. However, disasters, public health crises, cyber incidents, and complex coordinated attacks have revealed the critical need for I&I capabilities to be fully integrated into incident management structures. This presentation will explore how I&I has adapted to meet these emerging challenges and why this function is indispensable for AHIMTs.

This session will highlight the evolution of I&I from a narrowly defined investigative role into a multidisciplinary capability that supports operations, planning, and command. Attendees will gain an understanding of how I&I aligns with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS), ensuring that information and intelligence flow seamlessly across the team to enable informed decision-making, effective resource allocation, and enhanced responder safety.

Key areas of discussion will include:

Expanding the I&I Mission Space:

I&I now goes beyond criminal investigations to include cyber threat monitoring, counterintelligence awareness, misinformation/disinformation detection, and the fusion of open-source, public safety, and private-sector information streams. This broader mission ensures AHIMTs can anticipate risks and protect operations against emerging hazards.

Operational Integration:

The presentation will examine best practices for embedding I&I into the incident management cycle, from pre-incident intelligence preparation and threat assessments, to active support during operations, and finally to after-action reviews. Real-world examples will illustrate how I&I teams have successfully contributed to situational awareness, operational security (OPSEC), and resilience during incidents ranging from wildfires and hurricanes to mass gatherings and special events.

Tools, Technology, and Tradecraft:

Modern technology, including data analytics platforms, cyber ranges, and geospatial intelligence, has reshaped the investigative process. Attendees will learn how these tools can be leveraged by AHIMTs, while also considering the policy, privacy, and ethical implications of intelligence operations in civilian emergency management.

Building Capacity for the Future:

As AHIMTs prepare for increasingly complex incident environments, developing skilled I&I personnel is paramount. The session will outline the training, qualifications, and partnerships—between local, state, federal, and private-sector entities—necessary to build sustainable I&I capability. Lessons learned from Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and civilian law enforcement models will be adapted to the AHIMT environment.

The session will conclude with a forward-looking discussion on how AHIMTs can institutionalize I&I capabilities, ensure interoperability with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and protect sensitive information while fostering trust with the public. The emphasis will be on practical steps that teams can take to build or enhance their I&I function in a way that is scalable, ethical, and operationally effective.

Intended Audience: Incident Commanders, Planning Section Chiefs, Operations Section Chiefs, and AHIMT members seeking to integrate intelligence and investigative capabilities into their team structure.

Leader's Intent - Leveraging Intent to Maximize Team Performance

Jonathan Jones

Many leaders struggle to articulate what they want from their team. They communicate the task (what) they want the team to do, but they are often challenged to communicate the purpose (why) and the desired end state (finish line) for the team's efforts. Many leaders think their intent is obvious, especially in an emergency response operation: "Fix the problem and save lives." While many problems get solved without a clearly stated Leader's Intent, teams are more effective and efficient when they know what the puzzle is supposed to look like when they're done. This program will demystify and simplify the development and articulation of the Leader's Intent. Drawn from the experience of leading teams in times of disaster and day-to-day operations, the program content applies to leaders of teams at every level of an organization. Learn to communicate your intent to your team and watch your team thrive in an environment where delegation of team objectives and decentralized command of individual tasks produces results, builds team competence, and grows more leaders. Moreover, participants will examine the lifecycle of teams and learn to leverage their Leader's Intent to maximize the peaks and minimize the valleys of team development.

Mission in Focus: Marketing your Incident Management Team

Amy Williamson, Jonathan Jones

This presentation will guide IMT leaders through practical strategies to market their team’s capabilities, build a strong and consistent brand, and strengthen relationships before, during, and after incidents. Attendees will learn how to use logos and visual branding to create recognition, how to tell their team’s story, and how to leverage relationships to expand influence and trust. The session will include real-world examples, actionable tips, and resources to enhance a team’s visibility, credibility, and readiness.

Overview of the Search and Rescue Common Operating Platform (SARCOP) for Incident Managment Teams

Jared Doke, Tommy Hicks, Captain Robert Joseph Faas Jr.

The Search and Rescue Common Operating Platform (SARCOP) is a secure, interagency platform designed to share information and intelligence throughout all levels of incident response - from the first responder in the field to a decision maker in the emergency operations center. This ArcGIS Online based platform, developed and managed by the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) Foundation and financially supported by FEMA and DHS S&T, is currently used by Federal, State, and local Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) and swift water rescue teams from 37 different states in their response to multi-hazard incidents. SARCOP includes robust field data collection tools, web-based data management applications for planning and data quality control, and role specific dashboards for incident reporting. While the platform is designed primarily to support US&R/Swift water teams in determining where to search for victims, the data collected by responders can be utilized throughout the incident and can aid Incident Management Teams in their response to catastrophic incidents. This breakout session will provide a general overview of the platform, explain how IMTs can access and utilize SARCOP, as well as highlight its usage by incident management teams during the Hurricane Helene and the 2025 LA wildfires. We will also discuss how successful processes developed for sharing data and information may be replicated to aid other emergency support functions during an incident

Rethinking the PIO: A Unified Approach to Disaster Response Communication

Amy Williamson, Jonathan Jones

This presentation will discuss the critical role of PIOs working in the field, embedded with their IC, during a disaster. Jonathan Jones and Amy Williamson will share insights from their work together during multiple incidents, both in and out of state. They will explore how PIOs working in the field manage communication, tell the story of the agency’s response, boost team morale, and provide strategic support, allowing the IC to reduce his/her burden, maintain focus, and make informed decisions under pressure. Attendees will learn why this embedded approach is essential for both effective communication and leadership support during high-stress situations.

Ripgut to Balch – Triumphs and Challenges in the Communications Unit

Chuck Schuler

as opportunities. Through the stories of Ripgut Ridge and Balch Camp, dive into the realities of some 2025 challenge that resonate through all teams and across the years. Look into technology changes and realities in the IMT realm as well as some critical assessment of the need for quality and professional personnel. Maintaining a culture of growth is required to sustain this capability.

GPS tracking of resources using tools such as WFTAK and Tablet Command present incredible changes to accountability and efficiency but where is the line and are we ready for this now? What challenges does the Communications Unit quietly face and tackle in the rapidly changing first few days of the incident? Are all of the fancy words that come out of the Communications Unit an indication of an insurmountable problem or a mask for the real issue at hand?

Reliable communications save lives; advancing these systems ensures safe and effective operations. Come explore the nuances of Radio over Internet, Starlink, and the how and why of what happens in the Communications Unit.

The Box on the Top

Mark Becmer, Sean Sullivan

All-hazards incidents—ranging from natural disasters and technological failures to pandemics, cyberattacks, and acts of terrorism—demand coordinated leadership across healthcare, public safety, and private sector organizations. This session, The Box on The Top: Enhancing Preparedness Across Sectors, provides practical leadership insights to strengthen organizational resilience by applying the Incident Command System (ICS) in a cross-sector environment.

The Deepfake is in the Room: AI Social Engineering, Insider Risk, and What To Do About It

Gene Harmon

AI deception is already reshaping how incidents start and spread. Attackers now mix deepfake video, cloned voices, and AI written messages with classic social engineering to push good people into fast, bad decisions. This talk opens with a short deepfake that looks and sounds real, then shows how little time and data it takes to build one with off-the-shelf tools.

We make the risk personal. Before the session, we record brief hallway interviews with a few volunteers. By the end, we reveal short deepfakes of those same volunteers. No passwords. No malware. Just a few minutes of casual video and audio.

Then we widen the lens. Nation state actors and criminal crews are getting hired under fake or stolen identities, or cultivating insiders who already work inside the target. When a convincing fake message reaches a trusted employee, normal checks can fail. We walk through recent cases and show how deception plus insider access creates a perfect storm across government, critical infrastructure, healthcare, education, and the private sector.

Midway, the room runs a short choose-your-path incident. You receive a high priority directive that might be fake while insider activity spikes on a critical account. Do you act, verify, or escalate. The audience votes, we play out the consequences, and we extract the leadership lessons: how to slow the decision, verify authority, coordinate with partners, and keep public messaging under control.

You leave with a tight playbook you can use next week. We cover identity verification under pressure, practical signs of synthetic media, clear insider reporting paths, and how to stress test people, process, and technology with drills and red team style exercises. No product pitches. Just what works, what breaks, and how to get ready before the next fake face or voice shows up in your workflow.

The IMTs Interaction with External Entities. ICS-400 From an "Enigma" to Reality

Daryl Louder

In many instances, IMTs are deployed to jurisdictions outside of their home area or referred to as "an away game." The teams have to interact with a number of "entities" that influence or control their mission and actions. These entities may provide direction and policy guidance (e.g. Agency Administrator(s)/Multi-Agency Coordination Groups), command and control (e.g. Area Command) or coordination and support (e.g. local EOC, State EOC, Multi-Agency Coordination Groups, GACCs, EMAC process, etc.) The IMTs may have difficulty differentiating between direction/authority, recommendations, suggestions, support, etc. from the various entities.

This session will address the various situations and entities the IMT may encounter. The IMT may be given full authority to manage the incident (delegation or letter of intent/expectations), be working for local unified commanders, or even supporting state agencies, e.g. Department of Health or Agriculture, or local EOCs. The identified entities the team interact with will have an impact on the rules of engagement for mission direction, priorities, limitations, authorities, strategy decisions, spending authority, resource approval or allocation, reporting requirements, etc.

Each incident is unique, and the IC/C&GS must understand and appreciate the impact the entities they interact with may have on their assignment. The presentation will include actual case studies and well as experiences from the participants. These interactions may seem like common knowledge, but are much more esoteric and must be placed in the proper context for each incident. Failure to manage these interactions can result in challenges with expectations, relationships, and team performance.

The Long Game: Considerations for Extreme Complexity Incidents and Conducting Effective Transition to Long Term Management

Kevin Wickersham

Extreme-complexity incidents test even the most seasoned incident management teams, particularly when operational demands extend for months or years. While the Incident Command System (ICS) provides a proven framework for organizing rapid response and stabilizing emergencies of all kinds and scales, its application to prolonged, highly complex events reveals important limitations. These include the absence of widely accepted best practices for transitioning from response to recovery, or from ICS-led operations to long-term management, when incident trajectories are non-linear, conditions remain unstable, and there is no clear point at which to declare readiness for transition to recovery.

This presentation will share Washington State’s lessons learned from applying ICS structures and principles to support effective transitions in the management of extreme-complexity incidents, including the COVID-19 pandemic, catastrophic wildfires, and other all-hazards emergencies. Drawing from real-world experience, we will outline a strategic framework for analyzing response lines of effort and assessing readiness for structured transition to long-term management. This framework is designed to help incident leaders anticipate operational and political complexities, preserve operational momentum, and sustain unity of effort while adapting to evolving priorities.

We will explore considerations for designing and executing deliberate, well-communicated transitions that engage standard agency, governmental, and community systems to ensure continuity and meet long-term community needs. Key topics will include approaches for integrating policy-level decision-making with operational coordination, engaging diverse stakeholder groups, preserving institutional knowledge during transitions, and right-sizing organizational structures for extended operations. Participants will gain insight into how to identify early indicators of the need for transition, implement processes that protect both operational integrity and community trust, and ensure that long-term management remains responsive, efficient, and sustainable.

Using CalTopo for Wildland Fire and Emergency Operations

Jim Rooney

CalTopo is a powerful online mapping and planning tool, particularly popular for backcountry and wilderness navigation, search and rescue, and other outdoor activities. It allows users to create highly customized maps, analyze terrain, plan routes, and share information, often with real-time data integration.

Washington State Maritime Cooperative: Regional Readiness and Partnerships in

Oil Spill and Shipboard Fire Response

Dan Smiley

Objectives

• Understand the role of the Washington State Maritime Cooperative (WSMC) in protecting Washington’s waters and ensuring member compliance with state and federal spill response requirements.

• Recognize how WSMC partners with state, federal, and local agencies, as well as industry stakeholders, to improve regional preparedness and coordination.

• Learn about recent initiatives that strengthen maritime resilience, including innovations in incident management, communications, and training.

• Appreciate the value of nonprofit, member-driven approaches in balancing environmental stewardship with operational practicality for the maritime industry.

• Gain awareness of WSMC’s leadership in coordinating a regional shipboard firefighting framework, which provides guidance to first responders, vessel plan holders, incident management teams, and regulatory agencies when facing complex shipboard fire events.

Welcome to the Main Event! Medical Planning for Mass Gathering Events

Lucian Mirra

Whether it is a sporting event, concert, high-profile speaker, or

another large gathering event, EMS and emergency management professionals are increasingly faced with planning for and responding to large-scale gatherings. In this class, students will examine current best-practices in planning for these events, including looking at actual events such as the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, and apply lessons learned to their own planning practices for these events.

What is ESF #4 and why is it Under U.S. Forest Service?

Gordy Sachs, Kristen Corkins

During this presentation we will explain the purpose, scope, and mission of ESF #4 and how it fits into the Federal disaster response process. The presentation will also discuss the history of the ESF construct and why the U.S. Forest Service is the Primary Agency for ESF #4. We will also touch on position qualifications and endorsements as they relate to ESF #4 assignments.