Incident Commander Role by Phase
Your responsibilities move through three distinct phases. Preparation builds the foundation, execution tests your command decisions, and evaluation turns the exercise into real improvement.
Preparation
- Review the AEP — confirm command structure, authorities, and agency roles.
- Understand scenario & objectives — know the emergency type and what is being tested.
- Confirm your role — ensure official IC designation and ICP-to-EOC reporting lines.
- Join planning meetings — help design the exercise around the systems you rely on.
Execution
- Establish command & the ICP — set up a clearly identifiable command location.
- Conduct size-up — gather information fast, prioritize, task resources.
- Build & communicate the IAP — state objectives, strategy, critical functions.
- Assign command staff — Safety Officer, PIO, Liaison Officer.
- Coordinate multi-agency response — fire, police, EMS, ops, tenants.
Evaluation
- Hot Wash — immediate feedback on what worked and what did not.
- After Action Report — document strengths, gaps, corrective actions, timelines.
- Update the AEP — fold lessons learned back into procedures.
Tabletop Exercise Team Labels
Two distinct sets of labels matter: the staff who run the drill, and the simulated response teams that play in it.
Exercise Staff — Who Runs the Drill
Players / Participants
Actively role-play their real-world positions — including you as IC — and respond to the scenario.
Facilitators
Present scenario updates (injects) and guide discussion. They do not participate in response decisions.
Evaluators / Observers
Subject matter experts who watch and document performance against objectives without intervening.
Note-takers / Scribes
Record the timeline, key decisions, and identified gaps for the After Action Report.
Controllers
Ensure safety and scenario progression as scripted. More common in full-scale exercises.
Simulated Response Teams — Functional Groups
🎯Incident / Unified Command
Core leadership: IC, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer, PIO.
🚒Fire / Rescue & ARFF
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting plus structural fire response.
🚑EMS / Medical / Triage
Emergency medical services, casualty collection, hospital coordination.
🚔Law Enforcement / Security
Airport police, perimeter control, scene security.
🛫Airport Operations / Airside
Runway closures, NOTAMs, airfield management.
👨👩👧Passenger / Family Assistance
Uninjured passenger gathering, Friends & Relatives Center, reunification.
📢Public Information / Media
Press briefings and public messaging.
📦Logistics / Finance
Resource ordering, tracking, cost documentation.
🏢Airlines / Tenant Reps
Airline operations and ground handler coordination.
Key Locations — Airport Reference Layout
Generic airport layout for exercise planning: Runway oriented north–south, parallel taxiway and apron on the west side, passenger terminal beyond the apron, perimeter road along the east boundary, and the airport support zone to the south. Hover any numbered marker to highlight it.
Aircraft Incident Zones
The scene is organized into three concentric safety zones, adapted from hazardous materials response. Aircraft accidents involve high fuel loads and composite materials, so the boundaries matter.
Hot Zone
Red / Exclusion Zone
The immediate hazard area: wreckage, active fire, fuel, structural collapse, and hazardous cargo.
Warm Zone
Yellow / Transition Zone
A controlled buffer between the hazard and the safe area. Hosts triage, casualty collection, decontamination, and PPE donning/doffing.
Cold Zone
Green / Support Zone
The safe area outside the hazard, free from contamination. Contains the Command Post, staging areas, media briefing area, and the temporary morgue.
Perimeters
Inner Cordon
Controls access to the immediate hazard area — roughly the Hot / Warm boundary.
Outer Cordon
A larger secure perimeter for emergency vehicle movement and crowd control, encompassing the whole operation.
Casualty Flow Through the Zones
Types of Airport Emergencies
Categorizing potential emergencies helps you test specific response plans and resource coordination. Frameworks from ICAO, EASA and the FAA group them broadly like this.
Aircraft-Related
- Accidents on or off the airport
- In-flight emergencies — Full Emergency and Local Standby
- Gear-up landing, disabled aircraft on runway
- Ground collisions and taxiway incidents
Non-Aircraft
- Structural fires — terminal, hangar, cargo
- Fuel farm / storage fires
- HazMat / Dangerous Goods spills
- Radiological incidents
- Utility failures (e.g. movement area lighting)
- Water rescue situations (airport perimeter)
Security & Unlawful Interference
- Sabotage and bomb threats
- Unlawfully seized aircraft (hijack)
- Armed attacks and hostage situations
- Acts of sabotage at airport installations
Public Health & Environmental
- Communicable disease spread via air travel
- Severe outbreak affecting airport staff
- Natural disasters — earthquake, flood, tornado
- Volcanic ash events
Compound Emergencies
- Two or more emergencies simultaneously or in quick succession
- Example: aircraft accident + fuel fire + HazMat spill
- Excellent stress test for your Incident Command System and resource management
Aircraft Reference Specifications
Reference specifications for common regional aircraft types used in airport emergency planning. Figures are typical published values — always confirm against the operator's current type manual before an exercise.
Quick Comparison
| Aircraft | Pax | Crew | Total | Fuel Capacity | Wheels | Boarding Door | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATR 72-600 | 70 | 2 + 2 | 74 | 5,000 kg | 4 | Rear left | Fwd + aft holds |
| ATR 42-600 | 48 | 2 + 2 | 52 | 4,000 kg | 4 | Rear left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8 Q400 | 78 | 2 + 2 | 82 | 6,530 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8-300 | 50 | 2 + 2 | 54 | 3,160 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dash 8-200 | 37 | 2 + 1 | 40 | 3,160 L | 4 | Forward left | Fwd + aft holds |
| Dornier 228 | 19 | 2 + 1 | 22 | 1,885 kg | 4 | Left main door | Fwd + aft holds |
Aircraft Detail Cards
ATR 72-600
Common regional turboprop — workhorse of many domestic networks
ATR 42-600
Shorter-fuselage regional variant
Dash 8 Q400
High-speed, high-capacity turboprop
Dornier 228
Short-field utility aircraft for regional routes
Where Everything Is — Diagrams
Fuel & Airport Considerations
Consider how your national supply chain works: where is jet fuel stored, how is it distributed to your airport, and what happens if that supply chain is disrupted during an emergency?
TTX Flow & IC Checklist
Use this checklist during your tabletop exercise to track the Incident Commander's progress through the emergency response sequence.