NIMS / ICS

FAQ’s

Background

What is the National Incident Management System?

Key Benfits of NIMS.

NIMS Audience

NIMS Components

What NIMS is not

Suggested NIMS / ICS Courses for REACTers


Background

In 2004, the Department of Homeland Security released the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive HSPD-5, Management of Domestic Incidents and HSPD-8 Preparedness.

HSPD-5 established and designated the National Integration Center (NIC) Incident Management Systems Division as the lead federal entity to coordinate NIMS compliance. Its primary function is to ensure that NIMS remains an accurate and effective management tool through the refining and adapting compliance requirements to address ongoing preparedness needs.

What is the National Incident Management System?

  • Comprehensive, nationwide systematic approach to incident management
  • Core set of doctrine, concepts, principles, terminology and organizational processes for all hazards
  • Essential principles for a common operating picture and interoperability of communications and information management
  • Standardized resource management procedures for coordination among different jurisdictions and organizations
  • Scalable and applicable for all incidents

Key Benfits of NIMS.

  • Enhances organizational and technological interoperability and cooperation
  • Provides a scalable and flexible framework with universal applicability
  • Promotes all-hazards preparedness
  • Enables a wide variety of organizations to partcipate effectively in emergency management / incident response
  • Institutionalizes professional emergency management / incident practices

NIMS Audience

NIMS is applicable to all incidents and all levels of stakeholders, including levels of government, private sector organizations, critical infrastructure owners and operators, non-governmental organizations and all other organizations who assume a role in emergency management. Elected and appointed officials and policy makers, who are responsible for jurisdictional policy decisions, must also have a clear understanding of NIMS to better serve their constituency.

NIMS Components

Built on existing structures, such as the Incident Command System (ICS), NIMS creates a proactive system to assist those responding to incidents or planned events. To unite the practice of emergency management and incident response thoughout the country, NIMS focuses on five key areas, or components. These components link together and work in unison to form a larger and comprehensive incident management system.

NIMS Componets include:

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

What NIMS is not

  • A response plan
  • Only used during large-scale incidents
  • Only applicable to certain emergency management / incident response personnel
  • Only the Incident Command System (ICS)

Suggested NIMS / ICS Courses for REACTers

IS-100.c Introdution to the Incident Command System, ICS-100

ICS-100, Introduction to the Incident Command System, introduces the Incident Command System (ICS) and provides the foundation for higher level ICS training. This course describes the history, features and principles, and organizational structure of the Incident Command System. It also explains the relationship between ICS and the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Prerequisites: None

IS-200.c ICS for Single Resources and Inital Action Incidents

ICS-200 is designed to enable personnel to operate efficiently during an incident or event within the Incident Command System (ICS). ICS-200 provides training on and resources for personnel who are likely to assume a supervisory position within ICS.

Prerequisites: ICS-100

IS-700.b NIMS An Introduction

This course introduces and overviews the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS provides a consistant nationwide template to enable all government, private-sector, and non-governmental organizations to work together during domestic incidents.

Prerequisites: None

IS-800.c National Response Framework, An Introduction

This course introduces participants to the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework.

Prerequisites: None