FEMA Releases the Refreshed National Incident Management System #NIMS @FEMA

This year’s active hurricane and fire seasons highlight the importance of working together before, during, and after disasters of all types and sizes. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a common, nationwide approach to enable the whole community to work together to manage all threats and hazards.  

Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the refreshed NIMS to ensure that this important guidance continues to reflect the collective expertise of the whole community. NIMS applies to all incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity.  

Through an iterative process of engagement with stakeholders from across the Nation, FEMA reviewed more than 3,000 comments to update NIMS guidance and incorporate the collective expertise and experience of the whole community.  

The refreshed NIMS: 

• Retains key concepts and principles of the 2004 and 2008 versions of NIMS;
• Reflects and incorporates policy updates from lessons learned from exercises and real-world incidents and disasters;
• Clarifies the processes and terminology for qualifying, certifying, and credentialing incident personnel, building a foundation for the development of a national qualification system;
• Clarifies that NIMS is more than just the Incident Command System (ICS), and that it applies to all incident personnel, from the incident command post to the National Response Coordination Center;
• Describes common functions and terminology for staff in Emergency Operations Centers (EOC), while remaining flexible to allow for differing missions, authorities, and resources of EOCs across the nation; and
• Explains the relationship among ICS, EOCs, and senior leaders/policy groups. 

FEMA will host a series of 60-minute webinars to discuss the updates in the refreshed NIMS and answer questions related to NIMS. The webinars will be open to the whole community.

To review the refreshed NIMS document and for additional webinar information, visit: https://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system. 

FEMA continues to support strengthening the security and resilience of the Nation by working to improve the ability of all to manage incidents, events, and emergencies.