The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is foundational doctrine, providing a blueprint for unified all hazards incident support and management, and is applicable at all levels, including: local, state, territorial, tribal, and federal agencies as well as across the whole community. The NIMS is an integral part of the National Preparedness System that supports a unified national effort to build, sustain and deliver the core capabilities needed to protect, prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from disasters; and achieve the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient Nation.
The Homeland Security Act of 2002, Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, and Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) -5 “Management of Domestic Incidents” require DHS to establish a process to maintain and refine the NIMS document. To this end, FEMA’s National Integration Center was established to support this process; ensuring the NIMS remains current and consistent with public law, national policy, emergency management best practices and lessons learned from incidents or planned events, planning initiatives, training, and exercises.
Consistent with this guidance, the National Integration Center is leading the National effort to update the NIMS. Engagement with the Whole Community is critical to ensuring that a national perspective is reflected in the resulting update. The Sub Campaign topics presented below are for the Whole Community to consider and provide input on. This input will be used to guide the NIMS update.
For more information on NIMS, visit www.fema.gov/national-preparedness/national-incident-management-system.
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
NIMSCAST needs to become less about tracking numbers (which change all the time) and more about training and capabilities in the broader areas within NIMS. NIMS is more than just who understands ICS. What is more important is that capabilities within, and between, the MAC entities exists. Time to progress past FEMA 101 ICS coursework
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
One of the biggest problems in the emergency response sector is the usage of different terminology across the country. Having taught for the NFA in numerous states I have seen first hand the confusion this causes. NIMS needs to take the lead in requiring the same terminology being adopted nationwide. It should be tied into grant money just as NIMS compliance is. Purse strings are the only thing that cause agencies to ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
Many NIMS related documents apply several terms inconsistently – or interchangeably for Authority Having Jurisdiction, Agency Administrator/Executive, Responsible Official, Chief Elected or Appointed Official, Public and Elected/Appointed Official, Department and Agency Head, Authorized Official, etc. These and other terms describing who has jurisdictional or administrative authority need to be defined – more importantly ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
I would like to propose the creation of an ICS 215E form and process that would assist in the identification of environmental issues and permits required for the work assignments identified upon the ICS 215, Operational Planning Worksheet. This would allow the Environmental Unit in the Planning Section to provide work assignment specific information to be included in the ICS 204, Assignment List.
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
Emergency Public Information has not kept up with the community. We can discuss and add points in the comments below, but here are a few suggestions to start. * Each Section could have a Joint Information Center Liaison who's job is to coordinate information with the PIO. Sections need to understand that all information generated within the command structure is public by default. Release of information can only be ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
As preparedness and homeland security grants and related funding likely diminish in the near future due to the current fiscal challenges and evolving priorities, the updating and enhancing of NIMS becomes even more important at this time. The challenge is to maintain and increase the value and appreciation of NIMS throughout the nation without financial incentives as the primary driver for adoption and compliance. Although ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
One of the 14 essential features of NIMS ICS is the use of common terminology to help define organizational functions, incident facilities, resource descriptions, and position titles, etc. Predominant misapplication has evolved surrounding common terminology in regards to the use of Roman Numerals vs. Arabic Numerals for Resource Typing. Here is how it was intended to work: The only Roman Numerals in all of ICS are ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
1. The "self certification" for NIMS participation is weak and there should be a way to do compliance checks to keep ICS from being used at will vs at every incident the way they are supposed to be using it. 2. The term- Emergency Manager needs to be eliminated! People get Emergency Management confused with Incident Command when they hear and use this. 3. Every jurisdiction should have a stand-alone EOC regardless ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
The 300 & 400 classes need healthcare centered versions. Currently everything is Police, Fire and Public Works which doesn't suit healthcare at all. The 100 class has already set the precedent, why not the advanced classes?
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
First off I think that the 100 and 200 courses should be generic and not have a separate one for healthcare or federal workers, etc. Secondly, I think the IS 700 course should be deleted. The 700 and 100 are closely linked and are redundant. Next, online courses need to be adjusted so as to limit the options for cheating. I have seen many times where students have apparently cheated. Finally, there needs to be an ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
During the discussion today several people mentioned the need for a mechanism to allow exchange of data between multiple agencies and across the private sector/governmental agency barrier. We have been working with a system that performs that function in a distributed and secure way. It has been used successfully in multiple states across the country. If anyone is interested in this system I'll be glad to put you in contact ...more »
Campaign: NIMS Review and Update
Both of these courses need to be revamped. Make them easier to understand for the AVERAGE RESPONDER. I have personnel in my organization who can barely read and write who struggle to do courses. I literally have to DUMB IT DOWN so they can understand the material.