National Incident Management System - Coursework Example

National Incident Management System It is an accepted reality that natural and man-made calamities of catastrophic scale sometimes happen in a community. The September 11 bombing of World Trade Center cost thousands of innocent lives and destroyed million dollar worth of properties. The ever progressing global warming resulted to a number of destructive hurricanes never experienced before, flooding counties and destroying lives and properties. These catastrophes left so many valuable lessons related to readiness and capacity building to cope up and prevent loss of lives and minimize destruction of properties. Experience will tell us that that in cases of tornado, hurricanes and terrorist bombing, the preparations to cope up with the situation seem to always be lacking. Government and private agencies were doing the same activities which very often result to confusion and economic loss from using the improper instruments and required techniques and know -how of doing things. It is for this reason that National Incident Management System or NIMS was established. NIMS was developed and established by the Secretary of Homeland Security pursuant to request of the US President in 2004 (Radvanovsky, 2006). According to the author, "the NIMS provides a consistent nationwide template to enable federal, state, local and tribal governments and private sector and non- governmental organizations to work together effectively and efficiently to prepare for, prevent and respond to and recover from domestic incidents regardless of size, cause, or complexity" (page 61). The author also added that prevention and recovery from damage of catastrophic acts of terrorism is included in NIMS preparedness and responsibilities. Based from the nature and objectives of NIMS, this paper aims to document the major role it played in connection with hurricane Ike. Events leading to establishment of NIMS The NIMS started as an emergency preparedness policy aimed at standardization of response and recovery procedures through comprehensive guidelines and communication protocols. Communications and Information Management is one component of emergency preparedness that guide the establishment of NIMS. Sullivan (2007) in his assessment of usefulness and benefits of NIMS said that "effective communications, intelligence management and information and intelligence sharing are critical aspects of domestic incident management, especially when the 2 Continuation.Events leading to establishment of NIMS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- complexity of the incident necessitates a response from local, state, federal, and tribal emergency actors" (page 2). The two most compelling disastrous events which inspired development of NIMS were the 9/11/01 terrorist attack of World Trade Center Twin Tower and the Gulf Coast Hurricane Katrina disaster during the 2005 hurricane season. According to the author, experiences from both incident revealed that needed communication effectiveness during a disaster is dependent on the ability of the different parties to understand one another. NIMS was developed with the belief that clear and effective communication can be achieved by establishing shared standards and protocols. NIMS was established out of a directive from President Bush on February 28, 2003 through the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) No.5 with the primary objective of "establishing a single, comprehensive incident management system in order to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents" (page 2). The author further reveled that NIMS was initially created out of 22 existing federal agencies created by virtue of Homeland Security Act of 2002. Key features of NIMS NIMS was created out of carefully chosen representatives of different agencies across America including the federal government, states, territories, cities, counties, tribal officials and first responders (dhs.gov. 2004). As such, it has the following features: 1. Incident Command System (ICS) The ICS was established by NIMS as a standard management organization where incidents are reported. It has five functional areas namely command, operations, planning, logistics, finance and administration. To ensure close coordination in cases of disasters and during incidents of multiple jurisdictions, the unified command principle was incorporated into NIMS. In addition to coordination of efforts of different jurisdictions, the ICS provides for and ensures cooperative decisions on objectives, strategies, plans, priorities as well as public communications to pre-empt confusion out of many communication versions. 2. Communication and Information Management Standardized communications which include common terminologies being used in reporting 3 Continuation..Key features of NIMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- during a disaster are essential. NIMS require interoperable communication systems for both incident and management of information. Responders and decision makers across all agencies and disciplines must have a common understanding or an operating picture for a more effective and efficient situational response. A good example of this is the use of PIER communication system by all responders and subjects before, during and after the Hurricane Ike. According to website audiencecentral.com (2008), one of the major roles NIMS successfully implemented during the onslaught of Hurricane Ike was related to Communication Management. It is an accepted fact that during a hurricane, basic utilities like potable water supply, electricity which power communication by phones, internet and two way radios were normally lacking. As result, the stakeholders cannot fully utilize the benefit of communication and information access as to what is really happening which may endanger their lives or make decisions related to immediate need for evacuation. According to website audiencecentral.com (2008), before, during and after the onslaught of Hurricane Ike, the PIER (Public Information Emergency Response) System which was accredited with NIMS was used by twelve different organizations in Houston area. The communication system was used by the different organizations for communication with the media, the public and both direct and indirect stakeholders. According to website, due to the fact that PIER communication facilities is outside of an organizations' IT infrastructure and is located in geographically dispersed high volume servers outside of the path of hurricane Ike, PIER provided the needed components of operations continuity. PIER can be accessed using any browser and many functions of PIER is accessible via mobile devices in the likes of Blackberries and iPhones. The website reported that Hurricane Ike, classified as category 2 originated from the African Coast nearly filled the Gulf of Mexico before coming to shore of Southeastern Texas last September 12, 2008. The hurricane directly hit the Galveston and Houston area resulting to flooding and billions of dollar worth of property damages. Different organizations were faced with managing communications with their employees and families. A total of 12 organizations including the US Coast Guard, a port authority, a major university, several oil companies, the city 4 Continuation . Key features of NIMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- and county governments used 18 PIER website systems to communicate directly and effectively thereby enhancing public safety before, during and after the Hurricane Ike onslaught. Careful planning, effective disaster plan implementation and close follow up of progress through PIER communication made possible the evacuation of at-risk population and casualties were minimized. During the hurricane and subsequent response efforts, thousand of individuals received notifications via phone, pager and e-mail directly from response officials in charge with their welfare. The following were proof of the benefits derived from the use of PIER communication system: One user from a major university in Houston said that he was able to wait and prepare for 48 hours before the hurricane landfall in Texas and notified in time the students, faculty and staff about closing of the different campuses around the city area. As a result, the people were not exposed to the danger of the hurricane. The PIER user was able to communicate directly from the comfort and safety of his home due to the fact that he knew his messages were delivered fast and with great deal of reliability. Students and parents were able to submit their inquiries and concerns directly to the university's PIER site. Each of the more than 700 inquiries received were immediately and directly answered. The single PIER site of the university received almost 4 million hits, a proof that the communication was needed and well accepted. In a community located in the direct path of Hurricane Ike, responders started posting updates and bulletins to their PIER sites three days before the landfall and continued to provide the same totaling 40 updates during the onslaught. The updates were distributed to media and community leaders and members. Further inquiries from media and community members were managed effectively thereby providing the needed assistance and safety assurance from the active emergency responders. The community PIER site experienced more than 600,000 hits throughout the hurricane onslaught and response efforts. Two PIER clients used their prepared and dedicated emergency communication sites. The sites 5 Continuation . Key features of NIMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- allowed the employees to provide the needed updated contact information of those who evacuated thus ensuring continuous effective communications. They posted their updates on their PIER sites and directly distributed them to their employees using their PIER dedicated sites. A major oil refining company quickly launched a dedicated response site and loaded it with the needed information related to each of their Southeastern Texas facilities. Users from the Emergency Operation Center located in another state posted and sent updates from PIER to different regional media outlets. From the rescue operations done by concerned agencies related to Hurricane Ike, the NIMS through PIER communication system has delivered the necessary elements for a comprehensive communication. Due to Hurricane Ike, according to audiencecentral.com, PIER's Houston site registered exceeding 25 million hits for the first time and marked another milestone in its operation. In August and September 2005, PIER registered 18.7 million hits during Hurricane Katrina and aftermath. 3. Preparedness This feature incorporate a wide range of measures, actions, and processes laid out before an incident occurred. NIMS preparedness includes planning, training, exercises, qualification and certification, acquisition of equipments and certification and management of publication. NIMS preparation ensures that pre-incident actions are standardized and consistent with agreed doctrines. Furthermore, according to the website, NIMS also put emphasis on mitigation strategies which include educating the public and implement structural modifications to lessen the loss of life, destruction of properties, enforcement of codes related to zoning rules, land management, building codes, flood insurance and property buyout for areas frequently being visited by floods. 4. Joint Information System (JIS) 6 Continuation . Key features of NIMS The organizational measure of NIMS made possible the enhancement of public communication effort. It provide the public with timely and accurate information about the incident resulting to a unified public image. The system brings incident communicators together during an incident to develop, coordinate and deliver a unified message. This ensure that all levels of the government from federal, state and local release and deliver the same information thereby preventing confusion. 5. NIMS Integration Center (NIC) To make sure that NIMS maintain its accurateness and effectiveness as a management tool, the NIMS NIC was established by the Secretary of Homeland Security to analyze and assess proposed changes to NIMS, gather and evaluate lessons learned and consider the best practices for implementation. It provide strategic direction and oversight of NIMS supporting routine maintenance and continuous refinement of the system based from actual experiences in the long term. The NIC is also in charge of developing and facilitating national standards for NIMS education and training, responder communication equipment, resources typing, qualification and accreditation of incident management and responder personnel and standardization of maintenance of equipment and resources. Steps to be NIMS compliant In order to be NIMS certified responder, the health.state.ny.us (2006) cited that the following training requirements should be satisfactorily completed : Complete the NIMS Awareness Course "IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction." (All entry level First Responders and disaster workers); Complete ICS 100: Introduction to ICS. (All entry level First Responders and disaster workers); Complete ICS 200: Basic ICS. (All personnel listed above plus single resource leaders, first line supervisors, field supervisors and other emergency management/response personnel that require a higher level of ICS/NIMS Training); Complete the National Response Plan Course IS-800 NRP: An Introduction. (All personnel listed above plus middle management including strike team leaders, task force leaders, unit leaders, division/group supervisors, branch directors and multi-agency coordination system/emergency operations center staff); Complete ICS 300: Intermediate ICS. (All personnel listed above plus middle management including strike team leaders, task force leaders, unit leaders, division/group supervisors, 7 Continuation . Steps to be NIMS compliant NIMS branch directors and multi-agency coordination system/emergency operations center staff); and Complete ICS 400: Advanced ICS. (All personnel listed above plus Command and general staff, select department heads with multi-agency coordination system responsibilities, area commanders, emergency managers and multi-agency coordination system/emergency operations center managers) (Training Requirement). Furthermore, the website recommends the following steps to be NIMS compliant: 1. Adopt NIMS through executive order, proclamation, resolution, policy statement or legislation as the jurisdiction's official all-hazards, incident response system; 2. Manage all incidents and preplanned events using the Incident Command System; 3. Conduct a demo of the National Incident Management System Capability Assessment Tool (NIMCAST): http://www.fema.gov/nimcast/index.jsp; 4. Begin the process of identifying individuals who will take the required training; 5. Have appropriate employees, (defined above), take the training's IS-700, IS-800, ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-300 (FFY07) and ICS-400 (FFY07): http://www.security.state.ny.us/training/index.html; 6. Start to identify plans and procedures that require updating to include NIMS and determine who will be responsible to update them; 7. Have the individual(s) that were identified in bullet 6 above begin to make the necessary adjustments; 8. Ensure exercise programs include NIMS principles; 9. Inventory assets using Resource typing; 10. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/508-3_emergency_medica_%20services_%20resources.pdf 11. Coordinate and support emergency incident and planned event management through the development and use of integrated Multi-Agency Coordination Systems - (develop and maintain communications between local Incident Command Posts (ICPs), local 911 centers, local Emergency Operating Centers (EOCs) and the state EOC); and 12. Implement processes, procedures and plans to communicate timely, accurate information to the public during an incident using a Joint Information System and Joint Information Center (Steps to NIMS compliance). Based from the mentioned requirements that needed to be satisfied, quality emergency responders certified by NIMS as compliant should be dependable at all times. Summary and Conclusion It was documented that NIMS is an agency requested by the President of the United States of America to put under its umbrella all government and private entities with activities related to emergency responses to natural and man-made disasters which are catastrophic in nature. The experiences and damages from the terrorist bombing of World Trade Center and Hurricane Katrina prompted the President to establish NIMS. The main objective of NIMS was to streamline communications at all times of a disaster. When streamlined communication is in placed, emergency 8 Continuation.Summary and Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- responders can implement the needed rescue efforts, get the needed equipments and the useless duplication of efforts can be prevented .This was done to prevent confusion and blames as to other agencies not doing their jobs and delivering its responsibilities. All agencies that wish to participate and extend assistance during disastrous events has to undergo training and certification by NIMS. The equipments by the agency intended for emergency responses likewise need approval and certification from NIMS. This is to ensure effective and efficient activities that will result to prevention of damage to life and properties during cases of catastrophic events in the likes of fires, hurricanes and acts of terrorism. Government agencies and counties can only request purchase of equipments needed for emergency responses with the approval of NIC. Before, during and after landfall of Hurricane Ike, PIER, a NIMS certified agency proved their worth in extending assistance to people of Texas and nearby states. The PIER web system proved very useful in managing communications despite the lack of electricity which is commonly needed to run the equipments. In cases of catastrophes, communicating of directives to people concerned is a common big problem. PIER has proven that this was a problem no more with their independent IT system. The messages can be transmitted through pager, telephones and the web whichever is available. As a result, the concerned agencies and the people can decide very well as what has to be done before, during and after a landfall. The experience of excellent communication made possible the implementation of effective and efficient first responders activities that resulted to just minimal damage from Hurricane Ike compared to previous hurricanes. The continuous updating of experiences and strategies that were proven effective as a part of NIC responsibilities proved useful during the hurricane Ike. It can be considered a blessing from Almighty that the United States of America despite its diverse cultural heritage was able to unite its people in the face of all natural and man-made disasters. The NIMS as a product of sacrifices in terms of countless lives lost and millions of dollar worth of properties destroyed can be considered a Saviour to whom we can depend on in the event of future disasters. 9 References Radvanovsky, R. (2006). Critical Infrastructure: Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. CRC Press. 303pp. Sullivan, H., (2007). Assessing the National Incident Management System (NIMS). 2007 MPSA Conference Submittal March 29, 2007. Retrieved November 14, 2008 from http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/9/9/1 Dhs.gov. (2004). Fact Sheet: National Incident Management System (NIMS). March 1, 2004. Retrieved November 14, 2008 from http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0363.shtm Audiencecentral.com (2008). Case Study: Hurricane Ike. Best Practices in Stakeholder Communication Management. PIER Systems. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from http://www.audiencecentral.com/posted/1533/Case_Study_Hurricane_Ike.232556.pdf Health.state.ny.us (2006). National Incident Management System (NIMS). June 5, 2006. Bureau of EMS Policy Statement No. 06-05. Retrieved November 13, 2008 from http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/policy/06-05.htm Read More