The National Incident Management System
Resource Management describes standard mechanisms to systematically
manage resources,
including personnel, equipment, supplies, teams,
and facilities, both before and during
incidents in order to allow organizations to more
effectively share resources when needed.
Command and Coordination describes leadership roles, processes, and
recommended
organizational structures for incident
management at the operational and incident
support
levels and explains how these structures interact
to manage incidents effectively and
efficiently.
Communication and Information Management describes systems and methods that help
to ensure that incident personnel and other
decision makers have the means and information
they need to make and communicate decisions.
Of the three functions between resource management, command and coordination, and communication
and information management, I would have to say communication and information management is the
most effective. “Incident personnel rely on flexible communications and information systems to obtain
and provide accurate, timely, and relevant information. Establishing and maintaining situational
awareness and ensuring accessibility and voice and data interoperability are the principal goals of the
Communications and Information Management component” (NIMS, 2017, p. 50). In order to respond to
an incident appropriately, personnel need up-to-date information constantly.
In the National Incident Management System, the most difficult would-be command and coordination.
These functions rely on coordination between agencies and if coordination is not there, things could be a
disaster. Communication is vital to this function, but it does not happen all the time. In order to change
this, agencies would need to have offices that are in other agencies to ensure that coordination would be
happening right away since they are together.
The National Response Framework
Prevention Avoiding, preventing, or stopping a threatened or
actual act of terrorism. Within the context of
national preparedness, the term “prevention”
refers to dealing with imminent threats
Protection Securing the homeland against acts of terrorism
and human-caused or natural disasters.
Mitigation Reducing loss of life and property by lessening
the impact of disasters.
Response Saving lives, stabilizing community lifelines,
protecting property and the environment, and
meeting basic human needs after an incident has
occurred.
Recovery Assisting impacted communities with restoration
and revitalization.
The one that is the most critical would have to be prevention. This is the most important because it is the
first step. Before anything can be done you need to be prepared, which means you need to take steps to
prevent something from happening. Prevention makes sure you know the types of risks that you could
face and how they could be stopped.
The one that could be changed would have to be recovery. I say this because it is very similar to response
and what needs to be done. Recovery and response could be one group because during your response,
you are saving lives by recovering them.
Incident Command System
Command Has overall responsibility for the incident and sets
objectives. Positions include the incident
commander, safety officer, public information
officer, senior liaisons, and senior advisors.
Operations Develops tactical organization and directs all
resources to carry out the Incident Action Plan.
Planning Develops Incident Action Plan to accomplish the
objectives.
Logistics Provides resources and services needed to
support the incident.
Finance/Admin Monitors incident-related costs. Provides overall
fiscal guidance
Out of the ICS organizational structure and elements, operations do the best. Operations are the ones
that carry out the command team's intent, this element puts all the pieces in place. Operations
coordinate with logistics, planning, and admin/finance to get the mission rolling. Without operations
there would be no foundation, so the entire operation would crumble.
The least important function in the Incident Command System is planning. Planning is the least
important function because operations establish said plan from the command team. It just seems like an
extra step that is not needed and a step that would lead to a delay in response.
Biblical Reference
“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisors” (Proverbs 11:14, NIV). In
order for something to be done, we need to seek guidance from others. Guidance is something that
teaches us new ideas and new perspectives on a problem that we are facing. We as Christians are faced
with choices or decisions every day. These decisions may have a significant impact on our life. It is
important to always seek Godly counsel when faced with a challenge.
References
FEMA. (2019). National Response Framework (4ed). Department of Homeland Security.
FEMA. (2017). National Incident Management System (3rded). Department of Homeland Security.
Proverbs 11:14. BibleGateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs
%2011%3A14&version=NIV
(2018, March 1). ICS Organizational Structure and Elements. Extracted from- E/L/G 0300 Intermediate
Incident Command Systems for Expanding Incidents, ICS 300.
https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/assets/ics%20organizational%20structure
%20and%20elements.pdf
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