NIMS Components - Guidance and Tools

National Qualification System

Resource Typing

Inventorying

Mutual Aid

Incident Command System

Emergency Operations Centers

Communities across the nation experience a diverse set of threats, hazards, and events. The size, frequency, complexity and scope of these incidents vary, but all involve a range of personnel and organizations to coordinate efforts to save lives, stabilize the incident, and protect property and the environment.

Every day, jurisdictions and organizations work together to share resources, integrate tactics, and act collaboratively. Whether these organizations are nearby or are supporting each other from across the country, their success depends on a common, interoperable approach to sharing resources, coordinating and managing incidents, and communicating information.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) defines this comprehensive approach.

The National Qualification System (NQS) provides a foundational guideline on the typing of personnel resources within the NIMS framework, plus supporting tools.

Resource Typing

Resource typing is defining and categorizing, by capability, the resources requested, deployed and used in incidents. Resource typing definitions establish a common language and defines a resource’s (for equipment, teams, and units) minimum capabilities. NIMS resource typing definitions serve as the common language for the mobilization of resources. 

Resource Typing Library Tool

Inventorying

Resource owners and providers should inventory and maintain current information on their shareable resources. Resource inventories should be adaptable and scalable. While a resource inventory can be as simple as a paper or electronic spreadsheet, many resource providers use information technology (IT) based inventory systems.

The Incident Resource Inventory System (IRIS) is a distributed software tool, provided at no-cost by FEMA. IRIS allows users to identify and inventory their resources for mutual aid operations and share information with other agencies.

Incident Resource Inventory System

Incident Command System Resources

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a management system designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure. It enables incident managers to identify the key concerns associated with the incident—often under urgent conditions—without sacrificing attention to any component of the command system.

ICS is normally structured to facilitate activities in six major functional areas:

Incident Command System Resources

NIMS Intelligence & Investigations Function Guidance

FEMA’s National Integration Center is publishing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Functional Guidance. The Guidance provides instruction on integrating communications, information technology and cybersecurity functions into the ICS structure while adhering to the concepts and principles of the NIMS doctrine.

Information and Communications Technology Functional Guidance

Jurisdictions establish Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) to meet their unique requirements and needs, so no two EOCs are designed exactly the same. Within this section, FEMA has provided tools and resources for building or maintaining EOCs, in accordance with NIMS.