NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: WE’RE NOT THERE YET

As we are aware, our response to emergencies as it relates to all-hazard incident management and command of emergencies has been changing to a comprehensive national approach of incident management known as the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS encompasses a core set of doctrine, principles, terminology, and organizational processes established to enable effective, efficient, and collaborative incident management at all levels. Now, with the adoption of NIMS through Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, we really need to look at the systems and the processes and their effects on emergency responders at the federal level.

NIMS was created to resolve long-standing issues within the emergency response community relative to how disasters and emergencies should be managed. The resultant work on this issue is based on an all-hazards approach where span of control, operational design, planning, leadership, all-risk approach, logistics, finance, administration, communications, training, and information and intelligence tenets are coordinated and addressed. In evaluating previous response plans and presidential directives, it was realized that new legislation was needed. Therefore, the emergency response community was brought together to develop and establish comprehensive criteria that will address a system that provides a national framework for preparing for, preventing, responding to, and recovering from national disasters. These components are to cover command and management, preparation, resource management, communications, information management, supporting technologies, ongoing management, and maintenance.

2003年2月28日，布什总统发布了国土安全总统指令5（HSPD-5​​）。它指示国土安全部部长开发和管理NIMS，这是全国范围内紧急管理的一致方法。该倡议要求所有政府，非政府和私营部门组织在家庭灾难和紧急情况下共同努力。公共安全机构的主要利益相关者是消防，法律，EMS，危险材料以及城市搜救。