National Incident Management System

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a standardized approach to incident management developed by the United States Department of Homeland Security. The program was established in March 2004, in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5, issued by President George W. Bush. It is intended to facilitate coordination between all responders (including all levels of government with public, private, and nongovernmental organizations). The system has been revised once, in December 2008. The core training currently includes two courses: (1) IS-700 NIMS, which provides a basic introduction to NIMS, and (2) ICS-100, which includes history, details, and features, along with an introduction to the Incident Command System. Approximately 24 additional courses are available on selected topics.

NIMS standard incident command structures are based on three key organizational systems:

• The Incident Command System (ICS)
• The Multiagency Coordination System
• Public Information Systems

Federal Emergency Management Agency National Integration Center

FEMA's National Integration Center (NIC) has primary responsibility for the maintenance and management of national preparedness doctrine, including:

• Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006
• National Incident Management System (December 2008)
• Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (March 2011)

The NIC relies on its Strategic Resource Group – practitioners and subject matter expertise from state, tribal and local governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector – to assist with resource typing definitions.