NIMS Definitions/Forms Flashcards
Area Command:
An organization that oversees the management of multiple incidents or oversees the management of a very large or evolving situation with multiple ICS organizations. Relevant when several ICPs are requesting similar SCARCE resources.
Emergency Management Assistance Compact:
A congressionally ratified agreement that provides form and structure to interstate mutual aid. Through EMAC, a disaster-affected state can request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently, resolving two key issues up front: LIABILITY AND REIMBURSEMENT
Interoperability:
The ability of systems, personnel, and equipment to provide and receive functionality, data, information, and/or services to and from other systems, personnel, and equipment, between both public and private agencies, departments, and other organizations, in a
manner enabling them to operate effectively together.
Joint Field Office:
The primary Federal incident management field structure. The JFO is a temporary Federal facility that provides a central location for the coordination of local, state, tribal, and Federal governments and private sector and NGOs with primary responsibility for
response and recovery.
Joint Information Center:
A facility in which personnel coordinate incident-related public information activities. The JIC serves as the central point of contact for all news media. Public
information officials from all participating agencies co-locate at, or virtually coordinate through, the JIC.
Management by Objectives:
A management approach, fundamental to NIMS, that involves
(1) establishing objectives, e.g., specific, measurable and realistic outcomes to be achieved;
(2) identifying strategies, tactics, and tasks to achieve the objectives;
(3) performing the tactics
and tasks and measuring and documenting results in achieving the objectives; and
(4) taking corrective action to modify strategies, tactics, and/or performance to achieve the objectives.
Multiagency Coordination Group:
A group, typically consisting of agency administrators or executives from organizations, or their designees, that provides policy guidance to incident personnel, supports resource prioritization and allocation, and enables decision making among elected and appointed officials and senior executives in other organizations, as well as those directly responsible for incident management.
Multiagency Coordination System:
An overarching term for the NIMS Command and
Coordination systems: ICS, EOCs, MAC Group/policy groups, and JISs.
Plain Language:
Communication that the intended audience can understand and that meets the communicator’s purpose. For the purpose of NIMS, plain language refers to a communication style that AVOIDS OR LIMITS the use of codes, abbreviations, and jargon, as appropriate, during incidents involving more than a single agency.
Abbreviations
IPAWS Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
NRCC National Response Coordination Center
NTAS National Terrorism Advisory System
ICS Form 201—Incident Briefing:
The initial Incident Commander typically uses this form
to capture vital incident information before implementing the formal planning process. The
use of this four-section document (often produced as four pages) allows a concise and
complete transition-of-command briefing to an incoming new Incident Commander. In
addition, this form may serve as the full extent of incident command and control
documentation if the initial response resources and organization resolve the situation. This
form simplifies and supports the transfer of situation information to the members of the
Command and General Staffs as they arrive and begin work. It is not included as a part of a written IAP.
• ICS Form 202—Incident Objectives:
Serves as the OPENING SECTION of a written IAP and includes incident information, a listing of the objectives for the operational period, pertinent weather information, a general safety message, and a table of contents for the plan.
ICS Form 203 and 204
ICS Form 203—Organization Assignment List: Is typically the second section of the IAP
and provides a full accounting of incident management and supervisory staff for that
operational period.
• ICS Form 204—Assignment List:
ICS Form 205—Incident Radio Communications Plan:
Documents radio frequency assignments down to the division/group level.
