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III - PREPAREDNESS
Chapter V - COMMUNICATIONS and INFORMATION MANAGEMENT >>
Chapter IV
NIMS - Resource Management
Resource
management involves coordinating and overseeing the application
of tools, processes, and systems that provide incident managers
with timely and appropriate resources during an incident.
Resources include personnel, teams, facilities, equipment,
and supplies. Generally, resource management coordination
activities take place within EOCs. When they are established,
multiagency coordination entities may also prioritize and
coordinate resource allocation and distribution during incidents.
Resource management involves four primary tasks:
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establishing
systems for describing, inventorying, requesting,
and tracking resources;
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activating
these systems prior to and during an incident;
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dispatching
resources prior to and during an incident; and
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deactivating
or recalling resources during or after incidents.
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The
basic concepts and principles that guide the resource management
processes used in the NIMS allow these tasks to be conducted
effectively. By standardizing the procedures, methodologies,
and functions involved in these processes, the NIMS ensures
that resources move quickly and efficiently to support
incident managers and emergency responders.
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A.
CONCEPTS and PRINCIPLES.
1.
Concepts.
The underlying concepts of resource management in this context are that:
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It
provides a uniform method of identifying, acquiring,
allocating, and tracking resources.
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It
uses effective mutual-aid and donor assistance and
is enabled by the standardized classification of
kinds and types of resources required to support
the incident management organization.
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It
uses a credentialing system tied to uniform training
and certification standards to ensure that requested
personnel resources are successfully integrated into
ongoing incident operations.
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Its
coordination is the responsibility of EOCs and/or
multiagency coordination entities, as well as specific
elements of the ICS structure (e.g., the Resources
Unit discussed in detail in Appendix A, Tab 3–B).
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It
should encompass resources contributed by private-sector
and nongovernmental organizations.
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2.
Principles.
Five key principles underpin effective resource management:
a.
Advance Planning.
Preparedness organizations (as defined in Section III.B.1) work
together in advance of an incident to develop plans for managing
and employing resources in a variety of possible emergency circumstances.
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b.
Resource Identification and Ordering.
Resource managers use standardized processes and methodologies
to order, identify, mobilize, dispatch, and track the resources
required to support incident management activities. Resource managers
perform these tasks either at an IC’s request or in accordance
with planning requirements.
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c.
Categorizing Resources.
Resources are categorized by size, capacity, capability, skill,
and other characteristics. This makes the resource ordering and
dispatch process within jurisdictions, across jurisdictions, and
between governmental and nongovernmental entities more efficient
and ensures that ICs receive resources appropriate to their needs.
Facilitating the development and issuance of national standards
for “typing” resources and “certifying” personnel
will be the responsibility of the NIMS Integration Center described
in Chapter VII.
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d.
Use of Agreements.
Preincident agreements among all parties providing or requesting
resources are necessary to enable effective and efficient resource
management during incident operations. Formal preincident agreements
(e.g., mutual aid and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact
[EMAC]) between parties, both
governmental and nongovernmental, that might provide or request
resources are established to ensure the employment of standardized,
interoperable equipment, and other incident resources during incident
operations.
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e.
Effective Management of Resources.
Resource managers use validated practices to perform key resource
management tasks systematically and efficiently. Examples include
the following:
(1)
Acquisition Procedures.
Used to obtain resources to support operational requirements.
Preparedness organizations develop tools and related standardized
processes to support acquisition activities. Examples include
mission tasking, contracting, drawing from existing stocks,
and making small purchases.
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(2)
Management Information Systems.
Used to collect, update, and process data; track resources;
and display their readiness status. These tools enhance information
flow and provide real- time data in a fast-paced environment
where different jurisdictions and functional agencies managing
different aspects of the incident life cycle must coordinate
their efforts. Examples include geographical information
systems (GISs), resource tracking systems, transportation
tracking systems, inventory management systems, and reporting
systems.
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(3)
Ordering, Mobilization, Dispatching, and
Demobilization Protocols. Used
to request resources, prioritize requests,
activate and dispatch resources to incidents,
and return resources to normal status.
Preparedness organizations develop standard
protocols for use within their jurisdictions.
Examples include tracking systems that
identify the location and status of mobilized
or dispatched resources and procedures
to “demobilize” resources and
return them to their original locations
and status.
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B. MANAGING
RESOURCES.
To implement these concepts
and principles in performing the primary tasks of resource management,
the NIMS includes standardized procedures, methodologies, and functions
in its resource management processes. These processes reflect functional
considerations, geographic factors, and validated practices within
and across disciplines and are continually adjusted as new lessons
are learned. The basic foundation for resource management provided
in this chapter will be expanded and refined over time in a collaborative
cross-jurisdictional, cross-disciplinary effort led by the NIMS
Integration Center discussed in Chapter VII.
The NIMS uses eight processes
for managing resources:
1.
Identifying and Typing Resources.
Resource typing entails categorizing by capability the resources that
incident managers commonly request, deploy, and employ. Measurable standards
identifying the capabilities and performance levels of resources serve
as the basis for categories. Resource users at all levels identify these
standards and then type resources on a consensus basis, with a national-level
entity taking the coordinating lead. Resource kinds may be divided into
subcategories (types) to define more precisely the resource capabilities
needed to meet specific requirements. Resource typing is a continuous
process designed to be as simple as possible to facilitate frequent use
and accuracy in obtaining needed resources. (See Appendix B for a more
complete discussion of the NIMS national resource typing protocol.) To
allow resources to be deployed and used on a national basis, the NIMS
Integration Center defined in Chapter VII is responsible for defining
national resource typing standards.
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2.
Certifying and Credentialing Personnel.
Personnel certification entails authoritatively attesting that individuals
meet professional standards for the training, experience, and performance
required for key incident management functions. Credentialing involves
providing documentation that can authenticate and verify the certification
and identity of designated incident managers and emergency responders.
This system helps ensure that personnel representing various jurisdictional
levels and functional disciplines possess a minimum common level of training,
currency, experience, physical and medical fitness, and capability for
the incident management or emergency responder position they are tasked
to fill.
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3.
Inventorying Resources.
Resource managers use various resource inventory systems to assess the
availability of assets provided by public, private, and volunteer organizations.
Preparedness organizations enter all resources available for deployment
into resource tracking systems maintained at local, State, regional, and
national levels. The data are then made available to 911 centers, EOCs,
and multiagency coordination entities.
A key aspect of
the inventorying process is determining whether or not
the primary- use organization needs to warehouse items
prior to an incident. Resource managers make this decision
by considering the urgency of the need, whether there are
sufficient quantities of required items on hand, and/or
whether they can be produced quickly enough to meet demand.
Another important part of the process is managing inventories
with shelf-life or special maintenance considerations.
Resource managers must build sufficient funding into their
budgets for periodic replenishments, preventive maintenance,
and capital improvements.
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4.
Identifying Resource Requirements.
Resource managers identify, refine, and validate resource requirements
throughout the incident life cycle. This process involves accurately
identifying (1) what and how much is needed, (2) where and when it is
needed, and (3) who will be receiving or using it. Resources to be identified
in this way include supplies, equipment, facilities, and incident management
personnel and/or emergency response teams. If a requestor is unable to
describe an item by resource type or classification system, resource
managers provide technical advice to enable the requirements to be defined
and translated into a specification.
Because resource
availability and requirements will constantly change as
the incident evolves, all entities participating in an
operation must coordinate closely in this process. Coordination
begins at the earliest possible point in the incident life
cycle.
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5.
Ordering and Acquiring Resources.
Requests for items that the IC cannot obtain locally are submitted through
the local EOC or multiagency coordinating entity using standardized resource-ordering
procedures. If the servicing EOC is unable to fill the order locally,
the order is forwarded to the next level—generally an adjacent
local, State, regional EOC, or multiagency coordination entity.
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6.
Mobilizing Resources.
Incident personnel begin mobilizing when notified through
established channels. At the time of notification, they are given
the date, time, and place of departure; mode of transportation
to the incident; estimated date and time of arrival; reporting
location (address, contact name, and phone number); anticipated
incident assignment; anticipated duration of deployment; resource
order number; incident number; and applicable cost and funding
codes. The resource tracking and mobilization processes are directly
linked. When resources arrive on scene, they must formally check
in. This starts the on-scene in-processing and validates the
order requirements. Notification that the resource has arrived
is sent back through the system.
For resource managers, the mobilization process may include
equipping, training, and/or inoculating personnel; designating
assembly points that have facilities suitable for logistical
support; and obtaining transportation to deliver resources
to the incident most quickly, in line with priorities and budgets.
EOCs and Incident Management Teams (IMTs) take direction from
standard interagency mobilization guidelines at the national,
regional, State, local, and tribal levels.
Managers should
plan and prepare for the demobilization process well in
advance, often at the same time they begin the resource
mobilization process. Early planning for demobilization
facilitates accountability and makes transportation of
resources as efficient, costs as low, and delivery as fast
as possible.
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7. Tracking
and Reporting Resources.
Resource tracking is a standardized, integrated process conducted throughout
the life cycle of an incident by all agencies at all levels. This process
provides incident managers with a clear picture of where resources are
located, helps staff prepare to receive resources, protects the safety
of personnel and security of supplies and equipment, and enables the
coordination of movement of personnel, equipment, and supplies. Resource
managers use established procedures to track resources continuously from
mobilization through demobilization. Ideally, these managers would display
this real-time information in a centralized database accessible to all
NIMS partners, allowing total visibility of assets. Managers follow all
required procedures for acquiring and managing resources, including reconciliation,
accounting, auditing, and inventorying.
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8.
Recovering Resources.
Recovery involves the final disposition of all resources. During this
process, resources are rehabilitated, replenished, disposed of, and retrograded:
a.
Nonexpendable Resources.
These are fully accounted for at the incident site and again when
they are returned to the unit that issued them. The issuing unit
then restores the resources to fully functional capability and
readies them for the next mobilization. Broken and/or lost items
should be replaced through the Supply Unit, by the organization
with invoicing responsibility for the incident, or as defined in
preincident agreements. In the case of human resources, such as
IMTs, adequate rest and recuperation time and facilities are provided.
Mobilization guides developed at each jurisdictional level and
within functional agencies provide appropriate rest and recuperation
time guidelines. Important occupational health and mental health
issues must also be addressed, including monitoring how such events
affect emergency responders over time.
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b.
Expendable Resources.
These are also fully accounted for. Restocking occurs at the point
from which a resource was issued. The incident management organization
bears the costs of expendable resources, as authorized in preplanned
financial agreements concluded by preparedness organizations. Returned
resources that are not in restorable condition—whether expendable
or nonexpendable—must be declared as excess according to
established regulations and policies of the controlling entity.
Waste management is of special note in the process of recovering
resources. Resources that require special handling and disposition
(e.g., biological waste and contaminated supplies, debris, and
equipment) are dealt with according to established regulations
and policies.
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9.
Reimbursement.
Reimbursement provides a mechanism to fund critical needs that arise
from incident-specific activities. Reimbursement processes also play
an important role in establishing and maintaining the readiness of resources.
Processes and procedures must be in place to ensure that resource providers
are reimbursed in a timely manner. These must include mechanisms for
collecting bills, validating costs against the scope of the work, ensuring
that proper authorities are involved, and accessing reimbursement programs,
such as the Public Assistance Program and the Emergency Relief Program.
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III - PREPAREDNESS
Chapter V - COMMUNICATIONS and INFORMATION MANAGEMENT >>
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