Cache:  A pre-determined complement of tools, equipment, and/or supplies stored in a designated location, available for incident use.

Camp(s):  A geographical site, within the general incident area, separate from the Incident Base, equipped and staffed to provide sleeping, food, water, and sanitary services to incident personnel.

Certification: A formal process by which a recognized individual or body (government or non-government) assesses and recognizes that an individual has demonstrated competence in a specific position or role. 

Certifying Personnel: Process that entails authoritatively attesting that individuals meet professional standards for the training, experience, and performance required for key incident management functions. 

Chain of Command:  A series of management positions in order of authority.

Check-in:  The process whereby resources first reports to an incident.  Check-in locations include: Incident Command Post (Resources Unit), Incident Base, Camps, Staging Areas, Helibases, Helispots, and Division/Group Supervisors (for directly line assignments).

Chief:  The title for individuals responsible for command and/or management of functional sections: Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. 

CIKR - Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources: is the totality and man-made resources upon which a nation depends on for functioning, along with the systems for their processing, delivery and protection.  

Claims Specialist (CLMS): The person who is responsible for managing all claims related activities (other than injury) for an incident.

Clear Text:  The use of plain English in all communications.  No "Ten Codes" or agency-specific codes are used with utilizing Clear Text.

Clerk (CLRK): The person responsible for providing administrative support to any Section as assigned.

Command:  The act of directing and/or controlling resources by virtue of explicit legal, agency, or delegated authority.  May also refer to the Incident Commander.

Command Post:  (See Incident Command Post).

Command Staff:  The Command Staff consists of the Information Officer, Risk/Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer.  They report directly to the Incident Commander at the site and the same positions in the other levels report to the Director.  They may have an assistant or assistants, as needed.  Other positions may be added to command staff, as determined by Incident Commander or Director

Communications Technician (COMT): The person responsible for installing, maintaining, and tracking communications equipment.

Communications Unit:  An organizational unit in the Logistics Section responsible for providing communication services at an incident.  A Communications Unit may also be a facility (e.g, a trailer or mobile van) used to provide the major part of an Incident Communications Centre.

Communications Unit Leader (COML):  The person responsible for developing plans for the effective use of incident communications equipment and facilities; installing and testing communications equipment; supervising the Incident Communications Center; distributing communications equipment to incident personnel; and maintaining and repairing communications equipment.

Common Terminology: Normally used words and phrases-avoids the use of different words/phrases for same concepts, consistency. 

Compensation Unit/Claims Unit:  Units within the Finance/Administration Section responsible for financial concerns resulting from property damage, injuries, or fatalities at the incident.

Compensation/Claims Unit Leader (COMP): The person responsible for the overall management and direction of all administrative matters pertaining to compensation for injury and claims-related activities related to an incident.

Complex: Two or more individual incidents located in the same general area and assigned to a single Incident Commander or to Unified Command. (Complex).

Cooperating Agency(s):  An agency supplying assistance other than direct tactical or support functions or resources to the incident control effort (e.g., Emergency Social Services, utility companies, etc.).

Coordination:  The process of systematically analyzing a situation, developing relevant information, and informing appropriate command authority of viable alternatives for selection of the most effective combination of available resources to meet specific objectives.  The coordination process (which can be either intra- or. inter-agency) does not involve dispatch actions.  However, personnel responsible for coordination may perform command or dispatch functions within the limits established by specific agency delegations, procedures, legal authority, etc.

Cooperating Agency: An agency supplying assistance other than direct operational, support functions, or resources, to the incident management effort.

Coordination Centre: A facility that is used for the coordination of agency or jurisdictional resources in support of one or more incidents.

Cost Sharing Agreements: Agreements between agencies or jurisdictions to share designated costs related to incidents. Cost sharing agreements are normally written but may also be oral between authorized agency or jurisdictional representatives at the incident

Cost Unit:  Unit within the Finance/Administration Section responsible for tracking costs, analyzing cost data, making cost estimates, and recommending cost-saving measures.

Cost Unit Leader (COST): The person responsible for collecting all cost data, performing cost effectiveness analyses, and providing cost estimates and cost-saving recommendations

Critical Infrastructure: Essential underlying systems and facilities upon which our standard of life relies. 

Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) : is the totality and man-made resources upon which a nation depends on for functioning, along with the systems for their processing, delivery and protection.  

Critical Resource:  Material, personnel and finances that are in short supply and are needed by more than one incident management team, or are needed for high priority assignments.

Crew: (See Single Resource).