[KYHAM] KEN Training for May 2004: Intro to NIMS

[Ron Dodson]

This month's training topic courtesy of US Dept of Homeland 
Security http://www.dhs.gov/

Regarding the listserv post I made on May 5, 2004 about the new 
EMI course: IS 700 - National Incident Management System (NIMS), 
An Introduction  http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is700.asp ;
I have received reports of people having trouble logging into the 
site. I am in the process of trying to figure out why it is not 
working for some. In the mean time here is a primer:

Fact Sheet: National Incident Management System (NIMS)

U. S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge 
announced approval March 1, 2004 of the National Incident 
Management System (NIMS),  the Nation's first standardized 
management approach that unifies Federal, state, and local lines 
of government for incident response.

     * NIMS makes America safer, from our Nation to our 
neighborhoods:

NIMS establishes standardized incident management processes, 
protocols, and procedures that all responders -- Federal, state, 
tribal, and local -- will use to coordinate and conduct response 
actions.  With responders using the same standardized procedures, 
they will all share a common focus, and will be able to place 
full emphasis on incident management when a homeland security 
incident occurs -- whether terrorism or natural disaster.  In 
addition, national preparedness and readiness in responding to 
and recovering from an incident is enhanced since all of the 
Nation's emergency teams and authorities are using a common 
language and set of procedures.

     * Advantages of NIMS:

NIMS incorporates incident management best practices developed 
and proven by thousands of responders and authorities across 
America. These practices, coupled with consistency and national 
standardization, will now be carried forward throughout all 
incident management processes: exercises, qualification and 
certification, communications interoperability, doctrinal 
changes, training, and publications, public affairs, equipping, 
evaluating, and incident management. All of these measures unify 
the response community as never before.

     * NIMS was created and vetted by representatives across 
America including:
     * Federal government,
       States,
       Territories,
     * Cities, counties, and townships,
     * Tribal officials,
     * First responders.


     * Key features of NIMS:

   Incident Command System (ICS).  NIMS establishes ICS as a 
standard incident management organization with five functional 
areas -- command, operations, planning, logistics, and 
finance/administration -- for management of all major incidents. 
   To ensure further coordination, and during incidents involving 
multiple jurisdictions or agencies, the principle of unified 
command has been universally incorporated into NIMS. This unified 
command not only coordinates the efforts of many jurisdictions, 
but provides for and assures joint decisions on objectives, 
strategies, plans, priorities, and public communications.

   Communications and Information Management.   Standardized 
communications during an incident are essential and NIMS 
prescribes interoperable communications systems for both incident 
and information management.  Responders and managers across all 
agencies and jurisdictions must have a common operating picture 
for a more efficient and effective incident response.

   Preparedness.  Preparedness incorporates a range of measures, 
actions, and processes accomplished before an incident happens. 
NIMS preparedness measures including planning, training, 
exercises, qualification and certification, equipment acquisition 
and certification, and publication management.  All of these 
serve to ensure that pre-incident actions are standardized and 
consistent with mutually-agreed doctrine.  NIMS further places 
emphasis on mitigation activities to enhance preparedness. 
Mitigation includes public education and outreach, structural 
modifications to lessen the loss of life or destruction of 
property, code enforcement in support of zoning rules, land 
management, and building codes, and flood insurance and property 
buy-out for frequently flooded areas.

   Joint Information System (JIS).   NIMS organizational measures 
enhance the public communication effort.  The Joint Information 
System provides the public with timely and accurate incident 
information and unified public messages.  This system employs 
Joint Information Centers (JIC) and brings incident communicators 
together during an incident to develop, coordinate, and deliver a 
unified message.  This will ensure that Federal, state, and local 
levels of government are releasing the same information during an 
incident.

   NIMS Integration Center (NIC).   To ensure that NIMS remains 
an accurate and effective management tool, the NIMS NIC will be 
established by the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess 
proposed changes to NIMS, capture, and evaluate lessons learned, 
and employ best practices.  The NIC will provide strategic 
direction and oversight of the NIMS, supporting both routine 
maintenance and continuous refinement of the system and its 
components over the long term.  The NIC will develop and 
facilitate national standards for NIMS education and training, 
first responder communications and equipment, typing of 
resources, qualification and credentialing of incident management 
and responder personnel, and standardization of equipment 
maintenance and resources.  The NIC will continue to use the 
collaborative process of Federal, state, tribal, local, 
multi-discipline and private authorities to assess prospective 
changes and assure continuity and accuracy.