NIMS Communication and info management

Question 1

What are the principal goals of the Communications and Information Management component.

Answer 1

Establishing and maintaining situational awareness and ensuring accessibility and voice and data interoperability

Question 2

What is true about information sharing?

Answer 2

information sharing, which is the responsibility of all personnel, and the communications systems that support information sharing, which typically fall to staff in the Logistics Section in ICS and logistics or center support staff in EOCs.

Question 3

The following principles of communications and information management support incident managers in maintaining a constant flow of information during an incident. (4)

Answer 3

(1) Interoperability
(2) Reliability, Scalability, and Portability;
(3) Resilience and Redundancy; and
(4) Security.

Question 4

What is Reliability, Scalability, and Portability;

Answer 4

Scalability means that systems can be expanded to support any situation
Portability includes the standardized assignment of radio channels across jurisdictions, which allows incident personnel to participate in an incident outside their jurisdiction and still use familiar equipment.

Question 5

What are the 4 standard communications types?

Answer 5

• Strategic: High-level directions, including resource priority decisions, roles and responsibilities determinations, and overall incident management courses of action.
• Tactical: Communications between on-scene command and tactical personnel and cooperating agencies and organizations.
• Support: Coordination in support of strategic and tactical communications (e.g., communications among hospitals concerning resource ordering, dispatching, and tracking; traffic and public works communications).
• Public: Alerts and warnings, press conferences.

Question 6

What provides the basis for effective communications and information management.

Answer 6

Coordinated communications policy and planning.

All stakeholders, including NGOs and private sector and critical infrastructure owners, should be involved in formulating communications plans and strategies which should be thorough, integrated, and interoperable.

Question 7

Planners should incorporate sound communication management policies and plans into emergency operations plans and other appropriate plans. Plans should include the following aspects of communications and information management:

Answer 7

• Information needs and potential sources for this information;
• Guidance, standards, and tools to integrate information with partner organizations;
• Procedures, protocols, and networks to release warnings, incident notifications, public communications, and other critical information;
• Mechanisms and protocols for notifying other levels of government and partner organizations;
• Protocols for the effective and efficient use of information management technologies (e.g., computers, networks, and information-sharing mechanisms) to integrate all command, coordination, and support functions; and
• Guidance and mechanisms to ensure that incident messaging is simultaneously accessible to:

all people, including those who have limited proficiency in English, disabilities, and others who have access and functional needs.

Question 8

When developing communications systems and

equipment standards, personnel should consider:

Answer 8

• The range of conditions under which personnel will use the systems;
• The range of personnel who might potentially use them;
• Current nationally recognized communications standards;
• The need for DURABLE equipment.

Question 9

Incident reports enhance situational awareness and help ensure that personnel have easier access to essential information. Types of reports that provide essential information regarding the incident include:

Answer 9

• Situation Reports (SITREP): Reports typically produced and distributed on a regular and recurring basis that contain incident details. SITREPs offer a SNAPSHOT of the incident status during the past operational period and contain confirmed or verified information regarding the explicit details (who, what, when, where, and how) relating to the incident.
• Status Reports: SPOT reports, that include vital and/or time-sensitive information outside regularly scheduled situation reports. Status reports are typically function specific and LESS FORMAL than SITREPs.

Question 10

IAPS contain what for the planned operation period?

Answer 10

IAPs contain the incident objectives that the Incident Commander or Unified Command establishes and address tactics for the planned operational period, generally 12 to 24 hours.

Question 11

Standardized sampling and data collection enables reliable analysis and improves assessment quality. Data collection and processing include the following 6 standard elements:

Answer 11

initial size up/rapid assessment (1st on scene)
data collection plans
validation
analysis,
dissemination
updating.

Question 12

The Incident Commander, Unified Command, or EOC director may establish a data collection plan to standardize the recurring process of collecting incident information. A data collection plan is?

Answer 12

Typically a matrix that describes what essential elements of information (EEI)—information items required for informed decision making—personnel will collect.

Question 13

The first step to developing a DCP is to agree upon an EEI. When should the EEI be defined or agreed upon?

Answer 13

Prior to developing a data collection plan. The plan should tell you what Essential Elements of information that you will collect.

Question 14

Personnel accomplish data gathering using a wide variety of methods:

Answer 14

• Obtaining data from 911 calls from public safety telecommunicators or from dispatch systems;
• Monitoring radio, video, and/or data communications among responders;
• Reading SITREPs;
• Using technical specialists such as National Weather Service representatives;
• Receiving reports from field observers, ICPs, Area Commands, MAC Groups, DOCs, and other EOCs;
• Deploying information specialists to EOCs, other facilities, and operational field offices;
• Analyzing relevant geospatial products; and
• Monitoring print, online, broadcast, and social media.

Question 15

What is true about validation of data?

Answer 15

Staff responsible for situational awareness review data to determine if it is incomplete, inaccurate, embellished, outdated, or misleading. Personnel should use a variety of sources to validate data.

Question 16

What should personnel do during Analysis?

Answer 16

Personnel should base their analysis on a thorough understanding of the problems and the situation.
Personnel should provide timely and objective analysis and be cognizant of missing or unknown data.

Question 17

Why is plain language so important?

Answer 17

Using plain language and clear text, not codes, in incident management is a matter of PUBLIC SAFETY, especially the safety of incident personnel and those affected by the incident.
Personnel should use plain language in all communications between organizational elements during an incident, whether oral or written.

Question 18

Elements of compatible information management

include:

Answer 18

• Data Communication Protocols: Procedures and protocols for communications. This includes structuring and sharing information consistently with the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM)
• Data Collection Protocols: Establishing multidisciplinary and/or multijurisdictional procedures and protocols, such as use of the United States National Grid, BEFORE an incident allows for standardized data collection and analysis.
• Encryption or Tactical Language: methodology and systems should be in place to encrypt information to maintain security. Tactical language is occasionally warranted due to the nature of the incident. Guidance should be incorporated in an incident-specific communications plan.

Question 19

The US National Grid is?

Answer 19

The United States National Grid is a point and area location reference system that FEMA and other incident management organizations use as an alternative to latitude/longitude.

Question 20

Monitoring of spikes or trends in social media by fusion centers, law enforcement, public health,or other information monitoring systems may enhance situational awareness or provide early indication of emerging issues. Social Media is a set of tools that facilitates

Answer 20

• Monitoring and gathering information and firsthand accounts of incident impacts;
• Distributing public information and warning;
• Producing maps and incident visualizations; and
• Matching available information, services, and resources to identified needs.

Question 21

Considerations for using Social Media for dissemination

Answer 21

• Identifying the intended audiences and what types of information to share;
• Determining if they wish to solicit feedback or responses; and
• The potential time delay before survivors receive the message.

Question 22

What can sometimes complicate information sharing?

Answer 22

The need for confidentiality.

Access to certain restricted or classified information depends on applicable LAW, as well as an individual’s SECURITY CLEARANCE and NEED TO KNOW.

Question 23

NIMS is what kind of document?

Answer 23

LIVING document that evolves to capitalize on new opportunities and meet emerging challenges.

Question 24

Standardizing the information contained in incident notification, situation, and status reports within and across jurisdictions and organizations facilitates information processing; however, the standardization

Answer 24

should not prevent the collection or dissemination of information unique to a reporting organization.

Question 25

Personnel can develop situational awareness by

Answer 25

continually monitoring, verifying, integrating, and analyzing relevant elements of data and information.