Incident command system (ICS) performance evaluation : final evaluation report

The evaluation examined the program's effectiveness and sustainability in building the capacity of local government agencies in the three countries to respond to natural disaster using ICS. The evaluation applied a mixed methods design, collecting data from document reviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and an online survey for ICS master trainers in the Philippines. Results show that the programs have identified the appropriate local government agencies to work with and ICS capacities are being built to varying degrees. Demand for training is high but USAID/OFDA and the United States Forest Service (USFS) trainers must consider contextualizing ICS principles and training content to make the system relevant to local agencies and communities. USAID/OFDA and USFS trainers also should consider conditions unique to each country, such as governance structures, to solicit the support of the local first responders' community. The effectiveness and sustainability will also be better understood if local government agencies develop performance management plans to track the program's effectiveness and sustainability. (Author abstract)