My thesis:

"Teaching Hospital and Healthcare personnel the skills and principles of All-Hazards Incident Management pay more positive dividends and develops more well-rounded response skills than teaching the same people how to follow the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) structures."

So, I believe using the standard ICS is more holistic and beneficial than using HICS.

Episode takeaways:

• Choose the most qualified for ICS positions, not the highest ranking
• Let the situation dictate what's needed in Operations, not the preset HICS structure
• Use ICS for planned events and unplanned incidents
• Practice with internal and external partners, often
• Create a Policy Group that complements the core ICS org structure

Remember...

• Have a plan
• Stay informed
• Get involved