National Incident Management System
Compliance Assurance Support Tool
(NIMCAST)

Chapter V - Communications and Information Management

B.  Managing Communications and Data Standards

1.  Incident Management Communications

NIMS

b. Incident Communications.  These will follow the standards called for under the ICS.  The IC manages communications at an incident, using a common communications plan and an incident-based communications center established solely for use by the command, tactical, and support resources assigned to the incident.  All entities involved in managing the incident will utilize common terminology, prescribed by the NIMS, for communications.

V-B-1-b

(Page 50)

NIMS Compliance Statement(s)

The jurisdiction has implemented and institutionalized processes, procedures, and/or plans to ensure:

1.

incident communications follow the standards called for under the ICS.

 Yes 
 No

2.

incident communications will be managed by the IC, using a common communications plan and an incident-based communications center.

 Yes 
 No

3.

all incident management entities utilize common terminology for communications.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter V - Communications and Information Management

B.  Managing Communications and Data Standards

2.  Information Management

a. Policies

NIMS

(3) Networks.  Indications and warnings, incident notifications and public communications, and the critical information that constitute a common operating picture are disseminated through a combination of networks used by EOCs.  Notifications are made to the appropriate jurisdictional levels and to private-sector and nongovernmental organizations through the mechanisms defined in emergency operations and incident action plans at all levels of government.

V-B-2-a-3

(Page 51)

NIMS Compliance Statement(s)

The jurisdiction has implemented and institutionalized information management processes, procedures, and/or plans to ensure:

1.

indications and warnings, incident notifications and public communications, and critical information that constitute a common operating picture are disseminated through a combination of networks used by EOCs.

 Yes 
 No

2.

notifications are made through mechanisms defined in emergency operations and incident action plans.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter V - Communications and Information Management

B.  Managing Communications and Data Standards

2.  Information Management

a. Policies

NIMS

(4)  Technology Use.  Agencies must plan in advance for the effective and efficient use of information management technologies (e.g., computers and networks) to tie together all command, tactical, and support units involved in incident management and to enable these entities to share information critical to mission execution and the cataloguing of required corrective actions.

V-B-2-a-4

(Page 51)

NIMS Compliance Statement(s)

1.

The jurisdiction has implemented and processes, procedures, and/or plans for the use of information management technologies to tie together all command, tactical, and support units and to enable information sharing and corrective actions cataloguing.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter V - Communications and Information Management

B.  Managing Communications and Data Standards

2.  Information Management

b. Interoperability Standards

NIMS

(1) Incident Notification and Situation Report.  Incident notification takes place at all levels.  Although notification and situation report data must be standardized, it must not prevent information unique to a reporting organization from being collected or disseminated.  Standardized transmission of data in a common format enables the passing of appropriate notification information to a national system that can handle data queries and information and intelligence assessments and analysis.

V-B-2-b-1

(Page 51)

NIMS Compliance Statement(s)

1.

The jurisdiction has implemented and institutionalized information management processes, procedures, and/or plans to ensure that incident notifications and situation reports are standardized.

 Yes 
 No

Chapter VI - Supporting Technologies

B.  Supporting Incident Management with

Science and Technology

NIMS

3.  Research and Development to Solve Operational Problems.  R&D planning will be based on the operational needs of the entire range of NIMS users.  These needs represent key inputs as the nation formulates its R&D agenda for developing new and improved incident management capabilities.  Since operational needs will usually exceed the resources available for research to address them, these needs must be validated, integrated, and prioritized.  The preparedness organizations described in Section III.B.1 perform these functions.  The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for integrating user needs at all levels into the national R&D agenda.

VI-B-3

(Page 57)

NIMS Compliance Statement(s)

1.

Preparedness organizations in the jurisdiction validate, integrate, and prioritize the operational needs of the NIMS users within their purview.

 Yes 
 No