FY 2008 & 2009 (October 1, 2007—September 30, 2009)
NIMS Implementation Objectives for Healthcare Organizations
Introduction
Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5 Management of Domestic
Incidents called for the establishment of a single, comprehensive national
incident management system. As a result, the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security released the National Incident Management System (NIMS) in March
2004. NIMS provides a systematic, proactive approach guiding departments and
agencies at all levels of government, the private sector, and
nongovernmental organizations to work seamlessly to prepare for, prevent,
respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless
of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of
life, property, and harm to the environment. This consistency provides the
foundation for implementation of the NIMS for all incidents, ranging from
daily occurrences to incidents requiring a coordinated Federal response. The
NIMS document, as revised in 2007, reflects contributions from stakeholders
and lessons learned during recent incidents.
The long-term goal of NIMS is to provide a consistent framework for all
aspects of emergency management and incident response. This framework should
be sustainable, flexible, and scalable to meet changing incident needs and
allow for integration of other resources from various partners through
mutual aid agreements and/or assistance agreements.
FY 2007 NIMS Implementation Objectives for Healthcare Organizations
In the summer of 2006, the Incident Management Systems Integration (IMSI)
Division worked in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) and the Hospital Incident Command System working group to
identify NIMS implementation objectives for healthcare organizations. These
objectives were designed to assist healthcare organizations with
implementation of NIMS, further enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness
of their response and recovery role. The implementation of these objectives
enhances the relationship between healthcare organizations and their
respective local government, public health and other emergency response
agencies. Developing a relationship with local government, public health and
other emergency response agencies enables hospitals to gain further insight
regarding the availability of training as well as capabilities (equipment
and procedures) provided by local agencies.
The FY 2006 NIMS Implementation Objectives for Tribal Nations and Local
Jurisdictions were reviewed for healthcare organizations and 17 were
identified as appropriate. On September 16, 2006, the first of 17 objectives
were released for healthcare organizations. Of the 17 objectives identified
for healthcare organizations, four were deemed critical to NIMS
implementation for FY 2007 in order to be eligible for FY 2007 preparedness
funding. These objectives focused on NIMS awareness courses and updating
plans and policies. During FY 2007, the remaining 13 objectives were
addressed by many hospitals across the nation providing them the ability to
move forward with NIMS implementation. Over the past year, IMSI continued to
identify local objectives and examine how they apply to healthcare
organizations.
NIMS Implementation in FY 2008 and 2009
In August, 2007, a healthcare working group was held to tailor existing
State and local objectives to healthcare organizations. The foundational 17
objectives were reviewed and streamlined to 14 objectives for FY 2008 and
2009. Healthcare organizations will be expected to implement and achieve all
14 objectives by September 30, 2009. The remaining objectives from FY 2007
will be addressed in FY10 and out years. Healthcare organizations are
strongly encouraged to coordinate NIMS implementation efforts with State and
local response entities to ensure consistency across the State and local
jurisdictions.
Reporting FY 2008 and 2009 NIMS Implementation
Healthcare organizations that receive FY 2008 HHS Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response (ASPR) funding will be required to implement and
report on all 14 NIMS implementation objectives. |
Institutionalizing
the use of ICS
To "institutionalize the use of ICS" means
that government officials, incident managers and emergency response
organizations at all jurisdictional levels adopt the Incident Command System
and launch activities [in FY 2005] that will result in the use of the
Incident Command System for all incident response operations.
Actions to institutionalize the use of ICS take place at two levels - policy
and organizational/operational.
At the policy level, institutionalizing the ICS
means government officials, i.e., governors, mayors, county and city
managers, tribal leaders and others:
1. Adopt through the ICS through executive
order, proclamation or legislation as the jurisdiction's official incident
response system; and
2. Direct that incident managers and response organizations in their
jurisdictions train, exercise and use the ICS in their response
operations.
At the
organizational/operational level, evidence that incident managers
and emergency response organizations are institutionalizing the ICS would
include the following:
1. ICS is being integrated into functional
and system-wide emergency operations policies, plans and procedures;
2. ICS training is planned or under way for responders, supervisors and
command level officers;
3. Responders at all levels are participating in and/or coordinating
ICS-oriented exercises that involve responders from multi-disciplines and
jurisdictions.
While it is not expected that all these
activities would be completed in FY 2005, it is expected that where possible
they will be and that, at a minimum,
planning for such activities would be initiated and actions taken to put
them into practice.
THE NIMS INTEGRATION CENTER
February 17, 2005
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