[KYHAM] KEN Training for August 2006: NIMS and the Radio Amateur Part 4

[Ron Dodson]

NIMS and the Radio Amateur Part 4 - Managing Resources So That You GET!
What You NEED!

Last month we began a look at how the National Incident Management
System or NIMS will impact Resource Management. While it is still in its
formative stages, you can tell from the information I showed you that
things will certainly be more different than ever before. A long time
ago, I wrote a KEN Training segment called, "Planning Information in a
Response" http://kyham.net/docs/train/planinfo.pdf . This discussed
making sure you had enough facts to GET what was wanted or needed in a
request or assistance or when preparing to respond yourself. Things were
certainly simpler in the days before NIMS, but if we learn how to use it
properly, NIMS may turn out to be a valuable strategy which will ensure
that needs are met without a lot of the confusion of those simpler days!
Bear in mind that the size and complexity of the incident being
discussed will have a great deal to do with the needs and the structure
of the chain of command involved. For our purposes here, we are
primarily talking about larger events which will run days, weeks or
months. Think Katrina, 9/11 or Loma Preita Earthquake.

As stated earlier NIMS is all about MANAGING the incident, BIG or small.
Making the complex as simple and concise as possible will go a long way
toward being sure we get what wee want and need as we need it. Anyone
who is a traffic handler or who has worked tactical operations on larger
events can relate to the following scenario.

Consider the following:

How much confusion could be eliminated if in the next big disaster a
request could be sent;  "OK Joe, by 7 AM on the 24th,  we need three (3)
ARCT Type 1 teams and one (1) ARCT Type 7 team,. Copy?" 

As opposed to having to request;

"O.K. Joe, here's what we need before 7 AM on the 24th: Three teams of
amateur radio operators who have complete amateur radio emergency
communications for multiple agencies with the capability for both short
range (VHF/UHF) and long range (HF) voice and digital communications.
They need to be able to handle tactical, logistics, health/welfare,
administrative, and other radio traffic. They must not be dependant upon
any outside power source or infrastructure.  Each team must have 12
persons including one supervisor and one assistant supervisor, 6 of each
teams' operators need to be General class or higher, the rest can be
Technicians and they need to have 4 vehicles per team. Hey Joe, while
you are at it, our repeater is busted down here and we need a portable
repeater on 2 meters or 440 and we need a couple of control operators
for it. They also need a separate vehicle from the other teams." .
"Joe, Did you get all that???" WHEW!!!

The same can be said whether we are ordering up Urban Search and Rescue
(USAR) Teams, fire department resources or what have you. Establishing
the criteria beforehand in a standardized manner will make it quicker,
easier and more understandable when discussing or ordering resources.
Resource Management in NIMS falls under the Logistics Section which is a
part of the General Staff in the Incident Command structure. Planning
Section prepares the Incident Action Plan for each 8 to 12 hour
operational period (think of this as a work shift!) and tracks resources
already assigned (in use) or available (staged). If they see more are
needed or a new need arrives for a future operational period, they will
then go to Logistics Section and advise them of the need. Logistics will
make arrangements to procure the resource before it is needed to be
brought into play. 

You may wonder why YOU as an individual need to know all of this. If you
recall, last years' hurricanes brought people out of their armchairs who
have not responded to any event in years if ever before.  The next
disaster may see a similar upsurge in volunteerism. Many may someday
find themselves turned away at the starting gate however. The main issue
under NIMS is having trained and skilled responders along with a
coordinated response. The day of the "If I Feel Like It" responder are
about over. NIMS is not going away. In fact, it is just gathering steam.


If you have not done so, I recommend the new IS 703 Resource Management
http://training.fema.gov/EmiWeb/IS/is703.asp home study course when you
have the opportunity. This will assist you further in understanding the
facilities, organization and other criteria of making resource requests
in future events.