NIMS and ICS in Emergency Management: National System, Lecture notes of Communication

Download NIMS and ICS in Emergency Management: National System and more Lecture notes Communication in PDF only on Docsity! Supplemental Information: SEMS, NIMS and ICS Introduction The federal government recognizes the need for communication, coordination, and cooperation among emergency management stakeholders in States. Public Safety agencies across the country have well-established plans and agreements in place that help to better respond to emergencies. As a result of the East Bay Hills Fire of 1991, California State Senator Nicolas Petris introduced SB 1841. Subsequently, the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) was adopted by California in 1993. On February 28, 2003, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 directing the Secretary to develop and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS/SEMS provides a clear and consistent organizational structure for agencies involved in responding to emergencies. Often, many different agencies must work together effectively to protect lives, property and the environment, during disasters. SEMS facilitates priority setting, interagency cooperation, and the efficient flow of resources and information. SEMS is organized into five levels including State, Regional, Operational Area, Local, and Field. Every incident begins at the field level. Some incidents can be managed by local agencies without needing additional resources. In situations where the local government resources have been exhausted, SEMS facilitates coordination between the local government, the operational area, the region, and finally the state to ensure that the local government is being properly supported with the resources it needs. Under SEMS, each level of government operates an emergency operations center which serves as the central coordinating point for communications, resource requests, and information sharing among the five levels. At the state level, this is called the State Operations Center (SOC). National Incident Management System (NIMS) NIMS is intended to standardize response to emergencies involving multiple jurisdictions or multiple agencies. NIMS is intended to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of all emergency responders in California. NIMS require emergency response agencies to use basic principles and components of emergency management including the Incident Command System (ICS), multi-agency or inter- agency coordination, the Operational Area Concept, and established mutual aid systems. Incident Command System (ICS) ICS is a field-level emergency response system that is designed to enable effective and efficient incident management by integrating facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure. ICS provides a foundation for NIMS. It was originally developed by the California fire service for managing emergency response to wildland fires. Under NIMS, the State Operational Center (SOC) organizational structure reflects basic Incident Command System (ICS) functions. However, ICS is a field-based tactical communications system, whereas NIMS provides a system for managing the event at the local, operational area, region and state levels. At the field level, ICS establishes a unified command under an incident commander who is chosen from the agency with primary functional and/or jurisdictional authority over response to the event. Often, more than one agency will have jurisdictional authority over the response to an event. Creating a Unified Command under one agency helps eliminate duplication of effort and promotes efficiency of response. Multi-agency and Inter-agency Coordination A primary aspect of NIMS regulation is the need to use multi-agency or inter-agency coordination at all NIMS levels. Its purpose is to cause diverse organizations to work together and communicate with each other in a coordinated effort to facilitate decisions for overall emergency response activities and sharing of critical resources and prioritization of incidents. Multi-agency coordination implies multiple agencies within a single area of jurisdiction, or a discipline (such as between all agencies within a city or a county such as departments.). Inter-agency coordination implies between disciplines, between different jurisdictions or between different political levels, such as between local police department, county sheriff, and state police. The Multi-Agency Coordination System or MACS is a part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS). It is also an integral part of the MACS process, essential to integrating and coordinating multiagency emergency response and management. Mutual Aid Mutual aid is the voluntary provision of services and facilities by agencies or organizations to assist each other when existing resources prove to be inadequate. It is neighbor (government to government) helping neighbor when there is a need for additional resources, people, equipment, etc. For firefighting it includes fire responders and their equipment. For law enforcement it includes people and equipment for law enforcement. For the field of communications it includes people and equipment for most types of communications. ESF #1 – Transportation ESF #2 – Communications ESF #3 – Public Works and Engineering ESF #4 – Firefighting ESF #5 – Emergency Management ESF #6 – Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services ESF #7 – Logistics Management and Resource Support ESF #8 – Public Health and Medical Services ESF #9 – Search and Rescue ESF #10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials Response ESF #11 – Agriculture and Natural Resources ESF #12 – Energy ESF #13 – Public Safety and Security ESF #14 – Long-Term Community Recovery ESF #15 – External Affairs If federal resources are determined to be necessary, the SOC will request that FEMA provide a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) or other federal representative with the authority to approve requests for federal assistance. The FCO or other representative will respond to the SOC. FEMA and the ESFs will provide assistance in accordance with the National Response Framework, the Catastrophic Incident Base Plan Concept of Operations and a Presidential Declaration of an emergency or major disaster. The REOC functions as the central point of coordination for state and federal assistance within the region. The Regional Administrator or SOC Director will coordinate with the FEMA Region to request, through the SOC, ESF personnel in the REOC and requests for assistance. Once ESF representation is established at the REOC, the REOC will then act as a joint state-federal point of coordination for all response activities within the affected region. FEMA and State will conduct joint action planning meetings in accordance with the established operational periods. Federal ESF staff in the REOC(s) will operate as Federal Agency Representatives. SOC Coordination with Other States States use the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) as its primary authority for requesting resources from other states. The EMAC provides a formal structure for sending resources to and receiving resources from other states. All 50 states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are EMAC members. During an activation of the SOC, the SOC Director has the authority to request an Advance Team to coordinate all EMAC resources.