NIMS Fundamentals
The Foundation of Emergency Response
Learning Objectives
- Describe the applicability and scope of NIMS
- Describe the key concepts and principles underlying NIMS
What is NIMS?
The National Incident Management System
Before we dive in, let's answer the most basic question: What exactly is NIMS?
NIMS - National Incident Management System
A comprehensive, nationwide approach that guides the whole community - all levels of government, NGOs, and the private sector - to work together seamlessly during emergencies.
WHAT
NIMS defines how we all work together during incidents. It's a framework, not a specific plan.
WHO
Everyone involved in emergency response: fire, EMS, law enforcement, government agencies, hospitals, Red Cross, utilities, and more.
WHY
To prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents.
WHEN
ALL incidents - from a car accident to a natural disaster, from a planned event to a terrorist attack.
HOW
Through shared vocabulary, systems, and processes that everyone understands and follows.
Voices of Experience: NIMS Benefits
2:16What NIMS Is and Isn't
There are some common misconceptions about NIMS. Let's clear them up.
NIMS Is / Is Not
Drag each statement to the correct category. Is this something NIMS is, or something NIMS is not?
Tap a statement to select it, then tap the category where it belongs.
Interactive drag-and-drop activity with 12 statements to sort into two categories: NIMS Is and NIMS Is Not. Use Tab to move between items, Enter or Space to select, then Tab to a category and press Enter to place the item.
NIMS Is
Things that accurately describe NIMS
NIMS Is Not
Common misconceptions about NIMS
Who Uses NIMS?
NIMS isn't just for firefighters. It's for everyone involved in emergency management.
Emergency Responders
Firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement
Other Incident Personnel
Public works, utilities, transportation
Non-Governmental Organizations
Red Cross, faith-based groups, community organizations
Private Sector
Hospitals, businesses, contractors
Elected and Appointed Officials
Mayors, governors, city managers
People with Access and Functional Needs
Those requiring special considerations during emergencies
NIMS Applies To:
- All incidents, regardless of size, complexity, or scope
- Planned events (concerts, sporting events, parades)
- Day-to-day operations that could escalate
- Major disasters and catastrophic events
Knowledge Check
Let's make sure you've got the basics down. Select all correct answers.
Which of the following statements about NIMS are correct? Select all that apply.
The Three Guiding Principles
NIMS is built on three guiding principles. These aren't just nice ideas - they're the foundation that makes the whole system work.
Flexibility
NIMS can scale from routine local incidents to major disasters requiring federal assistance.
Whether it's a fender bender or a Category 5 hurricane, NIMS scales to fit. The same principles apply to a two-person EMS call and a multi-agency disaster response involving thousands.
A local fire department uses NIMS principles on a routine house fire. When that fire spreads to become a wildfire affecting multiple counties, the same framework expands to include state and federal resources.
Standardization
NIMS supports interoperability among multiple organizations through standard structures, practices, and terminology.
When a firefighter from Texas arrives to help in Florida, they know exactly what an 'Incident Commander' is, what a 'Staging Area' means, and how to integrate into the command structure. No translation needed.
During Hurricane Katrina, responders from all 50 states converged on the Gulf Coast. Because of standardization, a search and rescue team from California could immediately understand and follow the incident command structure set up by local officials.
Unity of Effort
Coordinating activities among various organizations to achieve common objectives while maintaining individual authority and accountability.
Different agencies don't give up their authority - the police chief is still the police chief. But everyone coordinates their efforts toward the same incident objectives.
At a major hazmat incident, the fire department handles suppression, law enforcement handles traffic and evacuation, EMS handles patients, and public health handles air quality monitoring. Each maintains their authority, but all work toward unified objectives.
Knowledge Check
The NIMS guiding principle of ______________ facilitates interoperability among organizations in incident response.
The Three Major Components
NIMS has three major components that work together. Think of them as the three pillars holding up the entire system.
Resource Management
Standard mechanisms to identify, order, acquire, mobilize, track, report, demobilize, reimburse, and inventory resources.
How do we get the right people, equipment, and supplies to the right place at the right time? Resource management answers that question.
- Resource typing (categorizing equipment by capability)
- Credentialing personnel
- Tracking resources during an incident
- Mutual aid agreements
Command and Coordination
Leadership roles, processes, and organizational structures for incident management at operational and support levels.
Who's in charge? How do we make decisions? How do we coordinate between on-scene operations and off-site support? Command and coordination structures answer these questions.
- Incident Command System (ICS)
- Emergency Operations Centers (EOC)
- Multiagency Coordination Groups (MAC Groups)
- Joint Information System (JIS)
Communications and Information Management
Systems to ensure that decision makers and incident personnel have the information needed to make and implement decisions.
How do we keep everyone informed? How do we share critical information? How do we ensure our communications systems actually work together?
- Interoperable communications systems
- Common terminology
- Information sharing protocols
- Public information management
Match Functions to Components
Match each function or example to the correct NIMS component. Click a term on the left, then click the matching component on the right.
Functions
NIMS Components
Knowledge Check
Match the following NIMS components to their definitions.
Training Day 1 Complete
Today you learned the fundamentals of NIMS - the system that makes coordinated emergency response possible across the entire country.
Key Takeaways
NIMS is a comprehensive framework
It's not just ICS, not just a plan - it's the entire system that guides how we work together.
Three Guiding Principles
Flexibility (scales to any size), Standardization (everyone speaks the same language), Unity of Effort (coordinating while maintaining authority).
Three Major Components
Resource Management, Command and Coordination, and Communications and Information Management.
Universal Application
NIMS applies to ALL incidents, ALL responders, ALL the time.