On March 1, the Department of Homeland Security released the National Incident Management System, a template for all emergency responders to use in disaster management. Many in the fire service may have thought an incident management system already was in place, but this is the first time a national organization has developed a model.

The presidential directive that created NIMS also requires that its implementation be a condition for all federal grants and contracts beginning in FY 2005. There may be a negative reaction from many in the fire service about another unfunded mandate, but the development of a national system will increase safety and make incident management more efficient. NIMS is a living document that must not sit on the shelf in chiefs' offices — it must be put into play on a daily basis.

NIMS isn't just for the fire service, either. Every local, state, tribal and federal agency that responds to emergencies, such as the Department of Transportation, EMS providers, hospitals and health departments, must begin the training and implementation phase of the NIMS document. This alone is a reason for the fire service to embrace this document.

Fully compliant

When fully implemented at all levels, response agencies will be operating from similar play books in planning, preparing and managing a community's resources. This should make the fire service and other responding agencies more effective in bringing together divergent resources to reduce the effect an emergency has on a community.

DHS Secretary Tom Ridge acknowledges that total compliance will require significant time and resources, but some of the basic tenets of NIMS, such as adoption of the incident command system, should be able to be completed in the near term. The NIMS command system builds on existing incident management response systems used by fire departments all across the country.

It's critical for each fire department to have an incident command system in writing. Departments need to look internally at their ICS organizational structure and begin to modify, as necessary, their own operating procedures to meet the NIMS template.

These directives are a huge step in bringing uniformity to command structures all across this country. While there will be people who believe that the model developed by DHS is flawed or in some way deficient, the model can be modified in subsequent documents. But today, NIMS is the model.

How does NIMS affect a municipal fire department? The local fire department that might not be using any type of incident management system needs to adopt NIMS. Those departments using an incident management system developed by their own staff should look at NIMS and modify their management system as necessary to fit within the parameters of the national system.

System basics

There are four basic components to NIMS: command, management, preparedness and resource management. Command and management are further broken down into three key organizational systems that should be very familiar to the fire service.

1. Incident command systems

   The operating characteristics, interactive management components and structure of incident management and emergency response organizations engaged throughout an incident.

2. Multi-agency coordination systems

   The operating characteristics, interactive management components and organizational structure of supporting incident management entities engaged at all levels through mutual aid agreements and other assistance arrangements.

   Communications and information management identifies a standardized framework for communications, information management and information sharing.

3. Public information systems

   The process and system of providing citizens up-to-date and accurate information that helps them make informed decisions about their actions.

Preparedness is the third component of NIMS and includes functions such as planning, training exercises, personnel qualifications and certification standards, as well as publications management.

The fourth component is resource management. This area will probably require the structural fire service to adopt and adapt some processes that are predominantly wildfire-based: resource typing and credentialing. This assures the incident commander that the resources he or she requested through logistics will be those that are wanted.

Common ground

NIMS/ICS establishes common terminology, standards and procedures that enable diverse organizations to work together effectively. NIMS/ICS also provides common names for resources used to support the incident commander. The NIMS/ICS provides a system for typing of resources, which, for the first time, allows the fire service to be able to quantify firefighting resources. The typing process provides a common definition of a vehicle functions and capabilities. The municipal fire service should embrace typing as another tool to be placed in the incident commander toolbox to assist in managing an incident.

The responsibility for developing the NIMS typing protocol lies with the U.S. Fire Administrator Dave Paulison. Representatives from various organizations have been meeting with USFA staff to develop the protocols, and the system should be released in the coming months.

The basic elements of the national typing protocol have been established within NIMS' Appendix B. Those elements are:

• Resource. Personnel, teams, facilities, supplies and major equipment available for assignment or use during incidents.
• Category. The function for which a resource would be most useful.
• Metrics. A measurement determined in the resource typing protocol of a resource's ability to support a specific mission.
• Type. The level of resource capability. Typing assists commanders in the selection and best use of resources. The national resource typing protocol also will provide the capability to use additional information pertinent to resource decision-making.

Familiar concepts

NIMS acknowledges that most incidents begin and end locally but that there are natural and constructed incidents that require regional and/or state resources. NIMS helps to ensure that when those resources arrive, they will speak a common language and immediately function at the level desired.

The fire service now has a template for the incident command system that is built around a simple organizational structure. NIMS requires that field command and management functions be performed in accordance with a standard set of ICS organizations, doctrine and procedures. NIMS allows for flexibility at the local level to modify procedures or organizational structure based on local considerations.

The fire service has been implementing ICS in some fashion for the last 20 years. The advantage that NIMS bring to the fire service is consistency. The NIMS/ICS structure is modular and scalable. The system can be used to manage resources at a single-family dwelling structure fire and expanded as necessary to manage resources at a high-rise incident or a natural disaster that involves multiple jurisdictions. The ICS organization has five major functions: command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance and administration.

Command comprises the incident commander and command staff. Command staff positions are established to assign responsibility for key activities. These positions may include the public information officer, safety officer and liaison officer function, in addition to various others, as required and assigned by the incident commander.

The operations section chief is responsible for all activities focused on reduction of the immediate hazard, saving lives and property, establishing situational control, and restoration of normal operations. The operations section chief is responsible to the incident commander for the direct management of all incident-related operational activities. The operations section chief will establish tactical objectives along with other section chiefs who establish their own supporting objectives.

The planning section chief is responsible for collecting, evaluating, and disseminating incident related situation information and intelligence to the incident commander. The planning section normally is responsible for evaluating the situation, developing planning options, and forecasting requirements for additional resources. The planning section also gathers and disseminates information and intelligence critical to the incident. The planning section is also responsible for developing the incident action plan, which includes the overall incident objectives and strategies established by the incident commander.

The logistics section is responsible for all support requirements needed to facilitate effective and efficient incident management, including ordering resources. The logistics section also provides facilities, transportation, supplies, equipment maintenance and fuel, food services, communications and information technology support, and emergency responder medical services.

The finance/administration section is established when the incident requires finance and other administrative support services. Not all incidents will require a separate finance/administration section.

The development and implementation of these section chief positions is directly related to the size, scope and resources required to manage an incident. It's critical to understand that these are management tools. Just because the section chief positions are written into a fire department ICS policy, not all of them are used at every incident.

How does a fire department implement NIMS in their department? First, I suggest that you obtain a copy of the document, available online from the NIMS Integration Center. Review the document and determine the differences between your department policies and procedures. Evaluate the differences and develop a plan for implementation. A significant part of the implementation process must include orientation and training. Share the NIMS document with everyone in your department so that they are familiar with the expectations.

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John M. Buckman III has served German Township (Ind.) Volunteer Fire Department for 33 years, 25 of those as chief. He's a course developer and resident instructor in the leadership and administration course at the National Fire Academy. Buckman is co-author of Recruiting, Training, and Maintaining Volunteer Firefighters, Third Edition. Buckman is a past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the first volunteer chief to serve in that position in more than a dozen years.

FIRECHIEF.COM

Web Update:

The National Incident Management System Integration Center stood up this month to assist with NIMS implementation. Visit NIC Web site for an online tutorial, assessment tools and more information about NIMS.