1.
Interoperability and Compatibility.
Systems must be able to work together and should not interfere
with one another if the multiple jurisdictions, organizations,
and functions that come together under the NIMS are to be effective
in domestic incident management. Interoperability and compatibility
are achieved through the use of such tools as common communications
and data standards, digital data formats, equipment standards,
and design standards.
|
2.
Technology Support.
Technology support permits organizations using the NIMS to enhance
all aspects of incident management and emergency response. Technology
support facilitates incident operations and sustains the research
and development (R&D) programs that underpin the long-term
investment in the nation’s future incident management capabilities.
|
3.
Technology Standards.
Supporting systems and technologies are based on requirements developed
through preparedness organizations at various jurisdictional levels
(see Section III.B.1). National standards for key systems may be
required to facilitate the interoperability and compatibility of
major systems across jurisdictional, geographic, and functional
lines.
|
4.
Broad-Based Requirements.
Needs for new technologies, procedures, protocols, and standards
to facilitate incident management are identified at both the field
and the national levels. Because these needs will most likely exceed
available resources, the NIMS provides a mechanism for aggregating
and prioritizing them from the local to the national level. These
needs will be met across the incident life cycle by coordinating
basic, applied, developmental, and demonstration research, testing,
and evaluation activities.
|
5.
Strategic Planning for R&D.
Strategic R&D planning identifies future technologies that can
improve preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery capabilities
or lower the cost of existing capabilities. To ensure effective R&D,
the NIMS Integration Center, in coordination with the Under Secretary
for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security,
will integrate into the national R&D agenda the incident management
science and technology needs of departments, agencies, functional
disciplines, private-sector entities, and nongovernmental organizations
operating within the NIMS at the Federal, State, local, and tribal
levels.
|
[Top of Page]
B.
SUPPORTING INCIDENT MANAGEMENT WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
Supporting technologies
enhance incident management capabilities or lower costs through
three principal activities: operational scientific support;
technology standards support; and research and development
support.
1.
Operational Scientific Support.
Operational scientific support identifies and, on request, mobilizes
scientific and technical assets that can be used to support incident
management activities. Operational scientific support draws on
the scientific and technological expertise of Federal agencies
and other organizations. Planning for this category of support
is done at each level of government through the NIMS preparedness
organizations described in Section III.B.1. Operational scientific
support is requisitioned and provided via the NIMS through various
programs coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security and
other organizations and agencies.
|
2.
Technical Standards Support.
Technical standards support efforts enable the development and
coordination of technology standards for the NIMS to ensure that
personnel, organizations, communications and information systems,
and other equipment perform consistently, effectively, and reliably
together without disrupting one another. The NIMS Integration Center
will coordinate the establishment of technical standards for NIMS
users. The following principles will be used in defining these
standards:
a.
Performance Measurements as a Basis for Standards.
Performance measurement—collecting hard data on how
things work in the real world—is the most reliable
basis for standards that ensure the safety and mission effectiveness
of emergency responders and incident managers. Within the
technology standards process, a performance measurement infrastructure
develops guidelines, performance standards, testing protocols,
personnel certification, reassessment, and training procedures
to help incident management organizations use equipment systems
effectively.
|
b.
Consensus-Based Performance Standards.
A consensus-based approach to standards builds on existing
approaches to standards for interoperable equipment and systems
and takes advantage of existing SDOs with long-standing interest
and expertise. These SDOs include the National Institute
of Justice, National Institute for Standards and Technology,
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, American
National Standards Institute, American Society for Testing
and Materials, and National Fire Protection Association.
The NIMS, through the NIMS Integration Center, establishes
working relationships among these SDOs and incident management
organizations at all levels to develop performance standards
for incident management technology.
|
c.
Test and Evaluation by Objective Experts.
NIMS technology criteria will rely on private- and public-sector
testing laboratories to evaluate equipment against NIMS technical
standards. These organizations will be selected in accordance
with guidelines that ensure that testing organizations are
both technically proficient and objective (free from conflicting
interests) in their testing. The NIMS Integration Center
will issue appropriate guidelines as part of its standards-development
and facilitation responsibilities.
|
d.
Technical Guidelines for Training Emergency
Responders on
Equipment Use.
Inputs from vulnerability analysts, equipment developers,
users, and standards experts are employed to develop scientifically
based technical guidelines for training emergency responders
on how to use equipment properly. Based on incident management
protocols, instruments, and instrument systems, these training
guidelines reflect threat and vulnerability information,
equipment and systems capabilities, and a range of expected
operating conditions. In addition, performance measures and
testing protocols developed from these training guidelines
provide a reproducible method of measuring the effectiveness
of equipment and systems.
|
|
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.
<< Chapter
V - COMMUNICATIONS and INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Chapter VII - ONGOING MANAGEMENT and MAINTENACE >>
|
|
