Emtmom
08-25-2005, 10:24 PM
NIMS Compliance and Day-to-Day Operations
The NIMS Integration Center has received a number of questions recently
asking if organizations must use National Incident Management System
(NIMS) concepts and principles in day-to-day emergency operations versus
only during major incidents involving federal participation.
The requirement to adopt and implement NIMS and ICS means NIMS and ICS for
incident management every day. Those who don't are not NIMS compliant.
The intent of Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5, which
ordered the development of the NIMS, is clear: "The objective of the
United States Government is to ensure that all levels of government across
the Nation have the capability to work efficiently and effectively
together, using a [single, comprehensive] national approach to domestic
incident management."
The point is that all responders at all levels use the same organizational
structures, terminology, procedures and systems all the time. The idea is
to achieve interoperability among jurisdictions and disciplines. Those who
do not train for, exercise and use NIMS and ICS in their day-to-day
operations will not be able to integrate their activities into a system
they do not know, haven't practiced and don't use.
To underscore the importance of the nationwide adoption of NIMS, the
Department of Homeland Security has directed that all federal preparedness
assistance to states and local jurisdictions be tied to compliance with
the requirements of NIMS. Beginning Oct. 1, 2005, all recipients of
federal preparedness funds must adopt and use NIMS as a condition for the
receipt of FY06 preparedness assistance funding. This does not just
include funds from the Department of Homeland Security; it includes
preparedness funds from all federal departments and agencies, although
there is no linkage between post disaster assistance funds and NIMS
compliance. Specific preparedness grants will outline the requirements for
eligibility in the grant language.
A preliminary list of affected federal preparedness grant programs is
listed on the NIMS Integration Center's Web page at www.fema.gov/nims. The
NIMS Integration Center has made this preliminary list available to help
state and local entities identify funding streams that may be affected in
connection with NIMS implementation requirements. The listing should not
be considered a definitive list of federal preparedness grants and
agreements.
Concerning NIMS, ICS and Plain Language ...
Recently NIMS, ICS and the use of plain language have been a matter of
public discussion within the response community. The NIMS Integration
Center wants you to know that it sees the use of plain language in
emergency response situations as matter of public safety, especially the
safety of first responders and those affected by the incident.
It is critical that all local responders, as well as those coming into the
impacted area from other jurisdictions and other states, know and utilize
commonly established operational structures, terminology, policies and
procedures. This is what NIMS and the Incident Command System (ICS) are
all about. There are larger matters at stake here - achieving
interoperability across jurisdictions and disciplines.
The plain language requirement is about the ability of area commanders,
state and local EOC personnel, federal operational coordinators, and
responders to communicate clearly with each other and effectively
coordinate response activities, no matter what the size, scope or
complexity of the incident. The ability of responders from different
jurisdictions and different disciplines to work together depends greatly
on their ability to communicate with each other. Everyone has to speak the
same language - plain English.
Although the use of plain language is a requirement for FY06 compliance
with NIMS, we understand that the use of 10-codes is not going to be
completely eliminated by October 2006. Our goal is that good faith efforts
are under way at all levels nationwide to move to plain English for all
emergency operations. At the end of FY06, the states will certify to us
that "taken as a whole" they and their local jurisdictions are NIMS
compliant. Local jurisdictions will be working with their states to
achieve compliance.
NIMS implementation is a long-term effort and won't end in 2006. NIMS
compliance requirements aren't going to go away in 2007 or 2008 either.
However, continued resistance to complying with NIMS requirements and
using plain language will result in the loss of federal preparedness
funding.
Questions? Ask the NIMS Integration Center at
NIMS-Integration-Center@dhs.gov, or 202-646-3850.
For more information about NIMS see our Web page at www.fema.gov/nims.
The NIMS Integration Center DHS/FEMA Aug. 23, 2005
The NIMS Integration Center has received a number of questions recently
asking if organizations must use National Incident Management System
(NIMS) concepts and principles in day-to-day emergency operations versus
only during major incidents involving federal participation.
The requirement to adopt and implement NIMS and ICS means NIMS and ICS for
incident management every day. Those who don't are not NIMS compliant.
The intent of Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5, which
ordered the development of the NIMS, is clear: "The objective of the
United States Government is to ensure that all levels of government across
the Nation have the capability to work efficiently and effectively
together, using a [single, comprehensive] national approach to domestic
incident management."
The point is that all responders at all levels use the same organizational
structures, terminology, procedures and systems all the time. The idea is
to achieve interoperability among jurisdictions and disciplines. Those who
do not train for, exercise and use NIMS and ICS in their day-to-day
operations will not be able to integrate their activities into a system
they do not know, haven't practiced and don't use.
To underscore the importance of the nationwide adoption of NIMS, the
Department of Homeland Security has directed that all federal preparedness
assistance to states and local jurisdictions be tied to compliance with
the requirements of NIMS. Beginning Oct. 1, 2005, all recipients of
federal preparedness funds must adopt and use NIMS as a condition for the
receipt of FY06 preparedness assistance funding. This does not just
include funds from the Department of Homeland Security; it includes
preparedness funds from all federal departments and agencies, although
there is no linkage between post disaster assistance funds and NIMS
compliance. Specific preparedness grants will outline the requirements for
eligibility in the grant language.
A preliminary list of affected federal preparedness grant programs is
listed on the NIMS Integration Center's Web page at www.fema.gov/nims. The
NIMS Integration Center has made this preliminary list available to help
state and local entities identify funding streams that may be affected in
connection with NIMS implementation requirements. The listing should not
be considered a definitive list of federal preparedness grants and
agreements.
Concerning NIMS, ICS and Plain Language ...
Recently NIMS, ICS and the use of plain language have been a matter of
public discussion within the response community. The NIMS Integration
Center wants you to know that it sees the use of plain language in
emergency response situations as matter of public safety, especially the
safety of first responders and those affected by the incident.
It is critical that all local responders, as well as those coming into the
impacted area from other jurisdictions and other states, know and utilize
commonly established operational structures, terminology, policies and
procedures. This is what NIMS and the Incident Command System (ICS) are
all about. There are larger matters at stake here - achieving
interoperability across jurisdictions and disciplines.
The plain language requirement is about the ability of area commanders,
state and local EOC personnel, federal operational coordinators, and
responders to communicate clearly with each other and effectively
coordinate response activities, no matter what the size, scope or
complexity of the incident. The ability of responders from different
jurisdictions and different disciplines to work together depends greatly
on their ability to communicate with each other. Everyone has to speak the
same language - plain English.
Although the use of plain language is a requirement for FY06 compliance
with NIMS, we understand that the use of 10-codes is not going to be
completely eliminated by October 2006. Our goal is that good faith efforts
are under way at all levels nationwide to move to plain English for all
emergency operations. At the end of FY06, the states will certify to us
that "taken as a whole" they and their local jurisdictions are NIMS
compliant. Local jurisdictions will be working with their states to
achieve compliance.
NIMS implementation is a long-term effort and won't end in 2006. NIMS
compliance requirements aren't going to go away in 2007 or 2008 either.
However, continued resistance to complying with NIMS requirements and
using plain language will result in the loss of federal preparedness
funding.
Questions? Ask the NIMS Integration Center at
NIMS-Integration-Center@dhs.gov, or 202-646-3850.
For more information about NIMS see our Web page at www.fema.gov/nims.
The NIMS Integration Center DHS/FEMA Aug. 23, 2005