The Logistics Section Chief reports to the Incident Commander and is responsible for getting all supplies, personnel, equipment, and other resources necessary to get the job done. The Logistics Chief could be the hospital’s Chief Procurement Officer, a support services director, COO, facilities director, or warehouse director. The Logistics Section is second in size only to the Operations Section. There are two branches:
- The Service Branch takes care of keeping everyone talking and fed. The Service Branch Director oversees the Communications Unit Leader, the Food Services Unit Leader, and the IT/IS Equipment Unit Leader.
- The Support Branch Director makes sure the Operations Section Chief has everything she needs. The Support Branch has as many as five units: Supply, Labor Pool and Credentialing, Employee Health and Well-Being, Transportation, and Employee Family Care.
Finance/Administration Section (Green Vests)
It is probably not a coincidence that the Finance Section staff wears green vests. The Finance Section Chief (can also be called the Admin Section Chief) keeps track of costs and processes payments. If the Logistics Section requisitions something, the Finance Section procures (buys) it. The Finance Section is about the same size as the Planning Section and like its organizational sibling, the Finance Section Chief might act solo in the case of smaller incidents. Good candidates for Finance Chief are the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or other finance executive, business services director, Chief Information Officer (CIO), comptroller/controller, or administrative VP.