Finance/Administration Officer Responsibilities
In any emergency, a well-coordinated incident response plan is critical for the efficient handling of the emergency. An Incident Command System (ICS) is implemented that allows responders to incorporate an integrated organizational system that is not hindered by any jurisdictional boundaries. The ICS is divided into five functions, one of them being finance and administration (Moynihan, 2009). The finance and administration docket is responsible for all administrative, financial and cost analysis aspects unique to the incident. It includes the cost unit, procurement unit, time unit and compensation/claims unit.
The cost unit tracks all costs related to the incident, analyzes those costs, makes cost estimates and recommendations on how these costs can be minimized. The procurement unit is responsible for all finances that involve vendor contracts. It oversees the creation of new leases, contracts and also implements measures for compliance with corporate governance. The time unit records the time for the personnel and the hired equipment. The information generated is essential in calculating worker pay and the amounts to pay for the leased equipment. Lastly, the claims/compensation unit deals with concerns relating to injuries, fatalities and property damage. It documents all the claims for liability, injuries, and damage and subsequently notifies the risk management team to initiate claims reporting.
Before the emergency team can respond to an incidence, the finance/administration team has to initiate some startup actions. First, the team has to attend the situation briefing meeting with the incident commander. The team then has to set up its workstation and put on identifier badges and the necessary identification. Most of the work, however, occurs during the actual operations.
The team has to open and maintain an action log for the incident. The team then confers with the incident commander on how purchasing authority shall be delegated and the purchasing limits to be implemented. Together with the chiefs of the logistics and operations section, an analysis of the financial and administrative requirements is done. The team will also prepare the emergency ordinances, proclamations and other legal documents that the Director of Emergency Services and the Board of Trustees will require. Related to this is the task of advising the Board of Trustees and the Incident Command Team on the politics and legal implications of all the intended emergency actions (FEMA, 2010).
It is the work of the finance and administration team to set up legal rules related to the incident. The team develops laws and regulations necessary for the procurement and control of the critical resources. It also establishes laws that provide a legal basis for population control and evacuation of people (Schools, 2003). The team also oversees the investigation of all accidents, injuries, and fatalities. It then prepares the necessary compensation claims from the information acquired. The team then prepares the necessary documents for cost reimbursement. The team also ensures that all the section logs are completed while also attending all action planning meetings. After the emergency situation has been cleared, the team deactivates and closes the section records on authority of the incident commander. Any open activities are then assigned to the appropriate personnel.
From the foregoing, it is clear that the finance and administration team plays a vital role in the smooth running of the emergency response. It guarantees that all workers are paid, the funds for the necessary equipment are availed and that all the claims are paid accordingly.
References
FEMA. (2010). FEMA Glossary. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Moynihan, D. (2009). The Network Governance of Crisis Response: Case Studies of Incident Command Systems.Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 895-915.
Schools, T. O.-f. (2003). Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and. Wahington: U.S. Department of Education.