National Incident Management System NIMS, an Introduction

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National Incident ManagementSystemNIMS, an
Introduction

• Steve Gage
• Emergency Management Specialist
• USDA Forest Service

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Background

• In February of 2003, President Bush signed
  Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5
  (HSPD-5). This action directed the development of
  the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  and a rewrite of the National Response Plan
  (NRP). NIMS establishes standards for all levels
  of government and non-government agencies as well
  as some private sector companies to use when
  responding to domestic incidents.

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I100/ IS-700

• NWCG and DHS designs for Incident Command
  organizations are identical.
• DHS approach to ICS looks beyond wildfire
  applications to wide ranging all-risk
  initiatives, that engage local and state
  government in preparedness and response.
• IS-700 addresses both Command and Control, and
  Coordination processes

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NWCG IS-700 Compliance

• In this lesson, we will provide orientation to
  those basic ICS concepts in the DHS-5 directive
  not addressed in I100

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Six Components to NIMS

• Command and Management
• Preparedness
• Resource Management
• Communications and Information Management
• Supporting Technologies
• Ongoing Management and Maintenance

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Command and Management

• Incident Command System (ICS)- standard,
  on-scene, all hazard management system.
• Multi-agency Coordination Systems - preplanned
  processes designed to support on-scene operations
  during incident response.
• Public Information Systems preplanned processes
  to ensure the public receives accurate, timely
  information.

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Incident Command System

• Establishes a common management structure.
• Is interdisciplinary and flexible
• Over 30 years experience in applied use
• Enables communication for safe, efficient and
  cost effective response.
• Basic design enables Single agency, or Unified or
  Area Command applications

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Multi-agency Coordination Systems

• Established on large or wide scale emergencies.
• Facilitate logistics support and resource
  tracking
• Establish priorities for resource tracking
• Coordinate incident related information
• Coordinate interagency and intergovernmental
  policy issues

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Public Information Systems

• Incident PIO member of Command Staff directed by
  IC
• Establishes and operates within parameters for
  Joint Info System (JIC)
• Key elements of JIC include interagency
  coordination and integration, development/delivery
  of coordinated messages

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Preparedness

• Process for planning, training and exercising
• Personnel Qualification and Certification
• Equipment Certification
• Mutual Aid and Emergency Management Assistance
  Compacts
• Publication Management

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Planning, Training, Exercising

• Establish and coordinate emergency plans and
  protocols
• Promote interoperability between jurisdictions
  and agencies
• Establish protocols/priorities for resource
  sharing
• Define key hazards to establish training/exercise
  needs.

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Personnel Qualification and Certification

• Identify workforce needs for assigned planning
  level.
• Define training requirements and approved courses
  for all NIMS users, including instructor
  qualifications
• Based on national standards for qualification and
  certification of emergency response personnel.

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Equipment Certification

• The NIMS Integration Center (NIC) will
• Facilitate development and or publication of
  national equipment standards, guidelines and
  protocols.
• Review and approve lists of emergency responder
  equipment that meets these standards.

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Mutual Aid and EMACs

• Mutual Aid and Emergency Management Assistance
  Compacts establish formal mechanism for
  jurisdictions (including states) to support one
  another during and incident.
• These jurisdictions are encouraged to enter
  agreements with one another, Private sector and
  NGOs
• Private organizations, such as ARC.

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Publication Management

• NIC will manage publications including
• development of numbering/naming conventions.
• Review and certification of publications
• Methods of publication control
• Identify sources and suppliers
• Management of distribution

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Resource Management

• Advanced Planning
• Resource Identification and Ordering
• Resource Categorization (Typing)
• Use of Agreements
• Effective Management

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Advanced Planning

• Emergency response agencies need to work together
  to plan integrated response to the hazards
  within shared jurisdictions.
• Identification of data sets that guide readiness
  levels, trigger points, pre-positioning will
  improve response efficiency and remove
  duplication.

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Resource Identification and Ordering

• Sharing of resource lists within interagency
  partnerships improves info currency and helps
  reduce costs
• As incident evolves requirements and availability
  change, and require interagency coordination.
• Resources IC cannot obtain locally must be
  submitted through EOC or Multi-agency
  Coordination Entity using established procedures.

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Resource Categorization (Typing)

• Categorizing resources by capability based on
  measurable standards.
• Designed to be as simple as possible to
  facilitate frequent use and accuracy.
• Certification and credentialing of personnel
  assures training, experience and fitness levels

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Use of Agreements

• MOUs and other formal documents detail
• Call-up procedures
• Costs/ cost recovery
• Demobilization notification
• And enable organizational efficiency within the
  IMT logistics and financial functions

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Effective Management

• Established procedures enable continuous tracking
  from mobilization through demobilization.
• Effective resource tracking enables response to
  shifting resource priorities over the life of an
  incident.

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Communications and Information Management

• Common Operating Picture for all Jurisdictions
  and Agencies
• Common Communications and Data Standards

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Common Operating Picture across all Jurisdictions
and Agencies

• Helps ensure consistency at all levels, among all
  who respond to or manage incident response.
• Closely tied to effective communication
  management within the IMT and coordinating
  agencies.

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Common Communications and Data Standards

• Effective Communications, both within and outside
  of the incident response structure, are enhanced
  by adherence to common standards.
• Data sets such as ROSS, IQCS, and IQS are
  designed for interoperability

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Principles of Supporting Technologies

• Interoperability and Compatibility
• Technology Support
• Technology Standards
• Broad-based Requirements
• Strategic Planning and RD

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Interoperability and Compatibility

• Systems must be able to work together
• Identification of compatible systems can
  establish baseline for cooperation
• Identification of incompatibilities can initiate
  work processes to address needed change

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Technology Support

• All organizations using NIMS will be able to
  enhance all aspects of incident management and
  emergency response.
• Technology support facilitates incident
  operations and sustains RD programs.

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Technology Standards

• NIC will coordinate the establishment of tech
  standards for NIMS users, within following
  principles.
• Performance measures as basis for standards.
• Consensus based Performance Standards
• Test/Evaluation by Objective Experts
• Tech guides for training Emergency Responders on
  Equipment Use

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Broad-based Requirements

• Needs for new technologies, procedures, protocols
  likely to be identified at field and national
  levels
• Since needs likely to exceed available resources,
  NIMS provides approach to aggregating and
  prioritizing.
• Such needs will be met across incident life cycle
  by coordination of research and evaluation.

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Strategic Planning for RD

• Needed to identify future technologies that can
  improve response or lower costs.
• NIC, in coordination with DHS will integrate into
  the National RD agenda the incident management
  science and technology needs of responders at all
  levels.

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Ongoing Management and Maintenance- Concepts and
Principles

• NIMS design ensures that all users and
  stakeholders have opportunity to participate in
  all phases of NIMS Integration Center
  activities.
• NIMS maintenance and management relies heavily on
  lessons learned and recognized best practices

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Ongoing Management and Maintenance Structure
and Process

• Secretary of DHS will establish and administer
  NIC
• Proposed changes to NIMS will be submitted to NIC
  for consideration and approval.
• Secretary of DHS has ultimate approval authority.

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NIMS Integration Center Responsibilities

• Responsible for
• National program for education and awareness
• Promotion of compatibility between NIMS national
  level and other public, private and professional
  groups
• Development of materials and standardized
  templates to support implementation and
  refinement.

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NIC Responsibilities, continued

• Developing assessment criteria for various system
  components.
• Facilitating the definition of general training
  requirements.
• Facilitating the development of standards and
  protocols for training and exercises
• And many more.

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The NIMS Integration Center

• Strategic direction for and oversight of NIMS and
  the NRP
• Support NIMS implementation through ...
• Mutual aid, resource management, credentialing
• NIMS National Standard Training Curriculum
• Guidance and evaluation tools

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The NIMS Integration Center

• NIMS Advisory Committee
• Guides for Elected Officials
• EOP Guidance for States/Locals
• NIMS Communications
• Coordination of Activities

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The NIMS Integration Center General Information

• Web Page www.fema.gov/nims
• E-Mail NIMS-Integration-Center_at_dhs.gov
• NIMS Training www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/i
  s700.asp
• NRP Training www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/i
  s800.asp
• ICS Training www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/

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QUESTIONS?