The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a comprehensive approach to incident management that is designed to help organizations work together more effectively to prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents. NIMS is based on a set of core principles that emphasize a unified approach to incident management, a focus on preparedness, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
This article will provide an overview of the characteristics of NIMS, including the core principles, components, and implementation process.
What is NIMS (National Incident Management System)?
NIMS allows responders at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines to collaborate more efficiently to manage domestic incidents.
NIMS provides a flexible, yet standardized, set of incident management principles, concepts, and terminology. This systematic approach improves coordination and cooperation between public and private entities in a variety of incident management activities.
What is the Main Purpose of ICS?
The Incident Command System (ICS) is intended to provide a standard means of incident management that enhances coordination among jurisdictions and disciplines during incident response.ICS is a component of NIMS.
ICS has several advantages, including:
- A common terminology that allows various incident response and support organizations to cooperate across a broad range of incident response functions and hazard scenarios.
- Modular and scalable organization that can grow or shrink to meet changing needs. This provides flexibility and continuity as incident complexity changes.
- Management by objectives that provides clear strategies focused on outcomes.
- Reliance on an Incident Action Plan that captures objectives, strategies, and tactics for the operational period.
- Manageable span of control and unity of command that clarifies reporting relationships.
What are Characteristics of NIMS?
There are several NIMS characteristics that enable efficient and effective incident management. These include:
Typical Terminology:
NIMS promotes the use of common terminology for roles, resources, and standard operating procedures. This allows for effective communication and collaboration during an incident response.
Modular Structure:
The NIMS organizational structure is modular and can expand or contract based on the complexity of the incident and resource requirements. This modular structure enables a flexible and scalable response.
Control by Objectives:
NIMS requires that incident managers develop strategic objectives that drive operational tactics. This approach focuses efforts on defined outcomes rather than specific tasks.
Incident-Response-Management:
NIMS recognizes that most incidents start and end locally. Response management should be handled at the lowest possible jurisdictional level and supported by additional capabilities when needed.
Facilities and Locations for Manageable Span of Control:
NIMS defines standard facilities and locations that support communication, coordination, and execution of response activities. These locations help maintain a manageable span of control.
Resource Management in its Broadest Aspects:
NIMS uses standardized resource management concepts for categorizing, ordering, dispatching, tracking and recovering resources. This maximizes utilization of resources for a response.
Electronic Communications:
NIMS utilizes integrated electronic communications for sharing information during an incident to facilitate a coordinated response. This may involve voice, video, and data communications.
Command Establishment and Transfer:
Within NIMS, command is established at the beginning of an incident and transferred at defined points as the incident progresses. This maintains continuity while allowing responders to assume responsibility.
Unified Order:
NIMS requires that a single Incident Action Plan be developed to guide incident management for each operational period. This unified approach minimizes duplication of efforts and provides clarity of actions.
Unity of command and the chain of command:
NIMS mandates unity of command, which means that each individual only reports to one designated supervisor. This reduces confusion and enhances accountability.
Responsibility:
Under NIMS, managers are assigned responsibilities based on their jurisdiction and expertise. Responsibilities should match qualifications.
Dispatch/Deployment:
Resource dispatch and deployment under NIMS is coordinated and integrated to enable timely assignment of resources. Local resource requirements are supplemented with additional state and federal assets as an incident grows in complexity.
Management of Information and Intelligence:
NIMS requires coordinated processes and systems for communicating and managing incident-related information and intelligence. This is vital for developing an accurate common operating picture.
Conclusion:
NIMS provides a flexible yet standardized template for incident management across the country. Its principles and concepts enable responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines to work together seamlessly for an efficient and effective response.
Key characteristics of NIMS include uniform terminology, modular organization, management by objectives, integrated communications, and coordinated resource management. Understanding these core characteristics allows for successful implementation of NIMS during an incident.
