[ARRL-OK] NIMS-ALERT

[ClayMayrose at aol.com]

April 12, 2005 · NA: 006-05
The NIMS  Integration Center, DHS/FEMA  
NIMS-Integration-Center at dhs.gov
202-646-3850
NIMS  Alert


NIMS COMPLIANT ICS TRAINING GUIDELINES NOW  AVAILABLE ONLINE

WASHINGTON - The NIMS Integration Center has  developed guidelines for ICS 
training providers that will help them ensure that  the training they offer 
meets the requirements of the National Incident  Management System (NIMS). Since 
one of the first steps for becoming compliant  with NIMS is institutionalizing 
the use of ICS across the response system, ICS  training must be consistent 
with the concepts, principles and characteristics of  the NIMS ICS training 
offered by DHS training entities along with that of the  National Wildfire 
Coordinating Group (NWCG). 

The NIMS National  Standard Curriculum: Training Development Guidance 
outlines the system's ICS  concepts and principles, management characteristics, 
organizations and  operations, organizational element titles and recommendations 
for a model  curriculum. It also provides an evaluation checklist for content 
that may be  used to make sure that ICS training meets the "as taught by DHS" 
standard. The  guidance document is available for download from the NIMS 
Homepage at  www.fema.gov/nims.

The model NIMS ICS curriculum organizes four  levels of training - ICS-100, 
Introduction to ICS; ICS-200, Basic ICS; ICS-300,  Intermediate ICS; and 
ICS-400, Advanced ICS. ICS training provided by the  Emergency Management Institute, 
the National Fire Academy, the National Wildfire  Coordinating Group, the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental  Protection Agency and the U.S. 
Coast Guard follow this  model.

According to the NIMS Integration Center, emergency  management and response 
personnel already ICS trained do not need retraining if  their previous 
training is consistent with the DHS standard. This would include  ICS courses 
managed, administered or delivered by the Emergency Management  Institute, the 
National Fire Academy, NWCG, USDA, EPA or the U.S. Coast Guard,  the NIMS Center 
said.

For more information about NIMS ICS e-mail  the 
NIMS-Integration-Center at dhs.gov, or call 202-646-3850.


The NIMS Integration Center
April 12,  2005