National Incident Management System
Compliance Assurance Support Tool
(NIMCAST)

Chapter III - Preparedness

A. Concepts and Principles

NIMS

2. A Unified Approach.  Preparedness requires a unified approach.   A major objective of preparedness efforts is to ensure mission integration and interoperability in response to emergent crises across functional and jurisdictional lines, as well as between public and private organizations.

III-A-2

(Page 33)

NIMS-Derived Compliance Statement(s)

1.

The jurisdiction utilizes a unified approach to preparedness, ensuring mission integration and interoperability across functional and jurisdictional lines, as well as between public and private organizations.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter III - Preparedness

B.  Achieving Preparedness

NIMS

Individual Federal, State, local, and tribal jurisdictions are responsible for implementing the preparedness cycle in advance of an incident and appropriately including private-sector and nongovernmental organizations in such implementation.

III-B

(Page 34)

NIMS-Derived Compliance Statement(s)

1.

The jurisdiction has implemented the preparedness cycle in advance of an incident and appropriately included the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter III - Preparedness

B.  Achieving Preparedness

NIMS

1. Preparedness Organizations.  Preparedness is the responsibility of individual jurisdictions; this responsibility includes coordinating various preparedness activities among all appropriate agencies within a jurisdiction, as well as across jurisdictions and with private organizations.  This coordination is effected by mechanisms that range from individuals to small committees to large standing organizations. These mechanisms are referred to in this document as "preparedness organizations," in that they serve as ongoing forums for coordinating preparedness activities in advance of an incident. Preparedness organizations represent a wide variety of committees, planning groups, and other organizations that meet regularly and coordinate with one another to ensure an appropriate focus on planning, training, equipping, and other preparedness requirements within a jurisdiction and/or across jurisdictions.  The needs of the jurisdictions involved will dictate how frequently such organizations must conduct their business, as well as how they are structured. When preparedness activities routinely need to be accomplished across jurisdictions, preparedness organizations should be multijurisdictional.  Preparedness organizations at all jurisdictional levels should

·   establish and coordinate emergency plans and protocols including public communications and awareness;

·   integrate and coordinate the activities of the jurisdictions and functions within their purview;

·   establish the standards, guidelines, and protocols necessary to promote interoperability among member jurisdictions and agencies;

·   adopt standards, guidelines, and protocols for providing resources to requesting organizations, including protocols for incident support organizations;

·   set priorities for resources and other requirements;

·   and ensure the establishment and maintenance of multiagency coordination mechanisms, including EOCs, mutual-aid agreements, incident information systems, nongovernmental organization and private-sector outreach, public awareness and information systems, and mechanisms to deal with information and operations security.

III-B-1

(Page 34)

NIMS-Derived Compliance Statement(s)

1.

The jurisdiction has defined and institutionalized one or more preparedness organizations responsible for the jurisdictional and inter-jurisdictional coordination of NIMS preparedness requirements.

 Yes 
 No

2.

The jurisdiction's preparedness organization(s) have implemented and institutionalized processes, systems, procedures and/or plans that ensure preparedness activities are coordinated among all appropriate agencies within a jurisdiction, across jurisdictions, and with private organizations.

 Yes 
 No

3.

The jurisdiction's preparedness organizations meet regularly.

 Yes 
 No

4.

The jurisdiction's preparedness organization(s) is/are multi-jurisdictional when regular cross-jurisdiction coordination is necessary.

 Yes 
 No

The jurisdiction's preparedness organization(s) conduct the following preparedness activities:

5.

establish and coordinate emergency plans and protocols, including public communications and awareness.

 Yes 
 No

6.

integrate and coordinate activities of the jurisdictions and functions within their purview.

 Yes 
 No

7.

establish the standards, guidelines, and protocols necessary to promote interoperability among member jurisdictions and agencies.

 Yes 
 No

8.

adopt standards, guidelines, and protocols for providing resources to requesting organizations, including protocols for incident support organizations.

 Yes 
 No

9.

set priorities for resources and other requirements.

 Yes 
 No

The jurisdiction's preparedness organization(s) have ensured the establishment and maintenance of the following multi-agency coordination mechanisms:

10.

Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs).

 Yes 
 No

11.

mutual-aid agreements.

 Yes 
 No

12.

incident information systems.

 Yes 
 No

13.

nongovernmental organization and private-sector outreach.

 Yes 
 No

14.

public awareness and information systems.

 Yes 
 No

15.

mechanisms to deal with information and operations security.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter III - Preparedness

B.  Achieving Preparedness

NIMS

2. Preparedness Programs.  Individual jurisdictions establish programs that address the requirements for each step of the preparedness cycle (planning, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking action to correct and mitigate). These programs should adopt relevant NIMS standards, guidelines, processes, and protocols.

III-B-2

(Page 35)

NIMS-Derived Compliance Statement(s)

The jurisdiction has established preparedness programs that specifically address the requirements for each of the following preparedness cycle steps:

1.

planning.

 Yes 
 No

2.

training.

 Yes 
 No

3.

equipping.

 Yes 
 No

4.

exercising.

 Yes 
 No

5.

evaluating.

 Yes 
 No

6.

corrective actions.

 Yes 
 No

7.

mitigation actions.

 Yes 
 No

8.

The jurisdiction's preparedness programs have adopted relevant NIMS standards, guidelines, processes, and protocols.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter III - Preparedness

B.  Achieving Preparedness

2. Preparedness Programs

NIMS

a. Preparedness Planning.  Plans describe how personnel, equipment, and other governmental and nongovernmental resources will be used to support incident management requirements.  Plans represent the operational core of preparedness and provide mechanisms for setting priorities, integrating multiple entities and functions, establishing collaborative relationships, and ensuring that communications and other systems effectively support the complete spectrum of incident management activities. 

III-B-2-a

(Page 35)

NIMS-Derived Compliance Statement(s)

The jurisdiction's preparedness planning program has implemented and institutionalized plans that:

1.

describe how governmental and nongovernmental resources will be used to support incident management requirements.

 Yes 
 No

2.

provide mechanisms for setting priorities.

 Yes 
 No

3.

provide mechanisms for integrating multiple entities and functions.

 Yes 
 No

4.

provide mechanisms for establishing collaborative relationships.

 Yes 
 No

5.

provide mechanisms for ensuring that communications and other systems effectively support the complete spectrum of incident management activities.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter III - Preparedness