7.5 National Incident Management System

WHO? The Department of Homeland Security.

WHAT? Established NIMS as a national standard.

WHEN? As a requirement for receiving HSGP funding starting in 2005.

WHERE? Created a common command structure accommodating different agencies from different jurisdictions from across the nation.

WHY? To more effectively save lives and protect property from disaster.

As we already mentioned, establishing the National Incident Management System as a standard among the nation’s First Responders was an early priority for DHS. NIMS provides a standard command structure for coordinating a multi-agency response to disaster. NIMS is built upon the Incident Command System developed by wildland firefighters in the 1970s. In February 2003, right after DHS activated, President Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive #5 making NIMS a prerequisite for States to receive Homeland Security Grant Program funds. If the National Response Framework provides the process for requesting Federal response assets, NIMS provides the blueprint for integrating them into the local Incident Command System. So let us give you a broad overview of the Incident Command System as detailed in the 2017 NIMS. ICS is a standardized approach to command and control of on-scene incident management. Incident Command begins with the Incident Commander. The Incident Commander prioritizes and directs the actions of First Responders on-scene of an incident. An incident is any type of emergency situation threatening the loss of life or property. Incidents are classified based on the size and complexity the necessary response:

• Type 5 incidents are the smallest, generally manageable by one or two response units;

• Type 4 incidents require more than two units, but generally within the same jurisdiction;

• Type 3 incidents exceed local capabilities and require assistance from neighboring jurisdictions;

• Type 2 incidents exceed regional capabilities and require assistance from the State;

• Type 1 incidents exceed State capabilities and require assistance from the Feds.

The first official arriving on scene to an incident becomes the Incident Commander. They will remain Incident Commander until relieved by a higher ranking or better qualified First Responder. Most incidents are small, Type 5, and can be managed by the on-scene Incident Commander. Larger, Type 4 incidents, might require additional support to the Incident Commander. Type 4 incidents may require the support of a Command Staff made up of a Public Information, Safety, and Liaison Officer. Working from an Incident Command Post, these personnel will perform duties allowing the Incident Commander to focus on life-saving tasks. When an incident crosses jurisdictional boundaries, like in just about any natural disaster, then the Incident Commander may be replaced by what is called a Unified Command. A Unified Command is a collection of officials with legal authority to act on behalf of their own jurisdictions. Together, they jointly determine incident objectives and priorities, yet exercise centralized control by publishing them in a single Incident Action Plan. Type 3, 2, and 1 incidents generally require a Unified Command supported by a General Staff. The General Staff is comprised of four functional positions:

• Operations, responsible for executing the current Incident Action Plan;

• Plans, responsible for developing the next cycle Incident Action Plan;

• Logistics, responsible for acquiring resources necessary to support the Incident Action Plan;

• Finance, responsible for authorizing, monitoring, and tracking expenditures.

The central strength of the Incident Command System is its flexibility. The General Staff can be as big or small as the incident demands. Initially, there may only be one person who staffs each position, but they can expand into larger sections by adding more personnel to manage the growing task load. The Command Staff can also grow as the situation demands. In particular, the Liaison Staff will expand to accommodate State and Federal representatives in Type 2 and Type 1 incidents. For Type 1 incidents, close liaison with the State Coordinating Officer will be necessary to relay requests to the FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer who will order Emergency Support Functions. Arriving ESFs will generally assign a liaison officer to the Incident Command Post to lend advice regarding their capabilities, and relay the Incident Action Plan to their unit. In this manner, the Incident Command System can grow as large necessary to address any disaster.