ICS forms every fire department should know: 201, 213, 214
The Incident Command System isn't just for hurricanes and hazmat teams. NIMS/ICS is the common language every department is expected to speak, and three forms carry most of the everyday load. Learn these and your department can document an incident the way it's supposed to be done — on a car fire as much as a mutual-aid box.
Why ICS forms matter for volunteer departments
NIMS compliance is a baseline expectation for fire departments, and ICS is how it shows up on scene. Using the forms consistently does three things: it keeps command organized in the moment, it produces a defensible record afterward, and it means that when an incident grows and mutual aid arrives, everyone is working from the same page. The trick is to use them on normal calls so they're second nature on the bad one.
ICS 201 — Incident Briefing
The ICS 201 is the first thing the initial incident commander builds. It captures the situation, a map/sketch, current objectives, the resources on scene and en route, and the initial organization. Its real job is the handoff: when command transfers to an arriving chief or a formal command structure, the 201 hands them the whole picture in one document instead of a rushed radio briefing.
ICS 213 — General Message
The ICS 213 is a simple, structured message form — who it's to, who it's from, the message, and the reply. It's how resource requests and information move cleanly between command, the field, and outside agencies, and it leaves a written trail of what was asked and answered. On a mutual-aid incident, it's the paper backbone of "who requested what."
ICS 214 — Activity Log
The ICS 214 is the running log of what happened and when — notable events, decisions, and unit activity through the operational period. It's easy to skip in the moment and painful to reconstruct later, which is exactly why it matters: the 214 is your after-action timeline and, if it ever comes to it, your legal record.
The whole library, not just three
201, 213, and 214 cover most incidents, but the ICS form set runs deep — 202 through 215 and beyond for objectives, assignments, medical plans, and safety. Start with the three, add the rest as your incidents call for them.
Why paper ICS falls apart
- The forms live in a binder that's rarely on scene when it's needed.
- Handwriting under stress produces records nobody can read afterward.
- Completed forms get scattered, so assembling the incident package is a chore.
- Reusing them for training and drills — where the habit actually forms — is clunky.
Leatherhead makes ICS forms fillable and findable
Fillable NIMS ICS forms — 201, 213, 214 and the full library — on any device, ready for real incidents and drills, with a clean record you can print or keep. Part of the same platform that runs your incidents and mutual aid.
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