NIMS & ICS
Introduction
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) are the two primary methodologies deployed by the United States government in response to cases of disasters and emergencies (Jensen, 2011). The NIMS can be defined as is an information system maintained by the federal, state and local government for the main purposes of coordinating emergency preparedness and incident management. The deployment of the NIMS is based on the balance of the concepts involving flexibility and standardization. Flexibility implies that NIMS offers a national framework that is supple, dynamic and consistent that can facilitate collaboration between the government and the private sector at all levels in order to ensure that there is effective management of domestic disasters irrespective of the geographical location, causation and magnitude (O’Neill, 2008). The aspect of standardization lays more emphasis on a set of universal organizational procedures and additional process requirements and information systems that are designed to enhance operability among the various entities during disaster management. The ICS is an important component of NIMS that serves as a methodological strategy that is deployed to facilitate effective management of field-level disaster operations during cases of disaster. The effectiveness of the ICS significantly depends on flexibility, when implemented appropriately, ICS facilitates the development if a chain of command that government and non-government agencies can adopt during incident management (Walsh, 2005). This paper outlines how the NIMS and ICS model can benefit the state-level Homeland security procedures. The paper lays emphasis on the advantages imposed by common communication and information management systems, management of resources and multi-agency coordination.
Under the framework provided by the NIMS and ICS, emergency responders will share a universal focus, implying that this will facilitate the prominence on incident management in cases whereby incidences associated homeland security such as terrorism and natural disasters. In addition, the disaster response readiness and preparedness is improving owing to the fact all the state-level emergency response teams and relevant government authorities are making use of a universal language and a single set of procedures. The following are some of the benefits associated with the use of NIMS and ICS model in enhancing the Homeland Security procedures at the state level (Walsh, 2005).
The first significant benefit associated with NIMS and ICS participation is that it offers standards of Operations across all the participating agencies. In addition, the NIMS model offers organizational structures and processes that are standardized. Emergency response personnel from all the agencies that are participating in the NIMS program are required to undertake adequate training that helps in addressing the core purposes, elements and advantages of the NIMS. This in turn offers a universal standard of operations across all the participating agencies. In fact, participating organizations have the need to be involved in joint support agreements with other organizations found in the area in order to ensure that there is effective handling of disaster situations that need additional equipment and disaster response manpower that could overwhelm and individual agency (O’Neill, 2008). The Standard of Operations is also facilitated through the use of an interoperable communication and procedural platform among the participating agencies.
The NIMS and ICS model also ensures that communication between the participating agencies is interoperable and effective. This is enhanced by the implementation of effective information management processes, systems and standard procedures that can be used in addressing the diverse incident management operations across the various agencies and jurisdictions. This means that all emergency responders will be having a common picture of the incident operation, which is a core requirement for fostering an incident response that is both efficient and effective (Walsh, 2005).
Resource management is also a significant benefit as a result of using the NIMS and ICS model in incident response. Efficient incidence management requires effective resource management, which primarily entails the identification of the resources that are accessible at all jurisdictional levels. Resource management primarily entails categorizing, ordering, dispatching, tracking and recovering of resources (O’Neill, 2008). This facilitates a timely access and unimpeded reach to the resources in order to facilitate preparation, response and recovery. Under the NIMS framework, resource management is involves the mutual-aid agreements between the various agencies, using special Federal, State, Local and community incident response teams various protocols for resource mobilization. Resource management makes significant contributions to the effectiveness of the entire incidence response management and recovery strategies. Resource management is further facilitated adequate training, which is offered to emergency response concerning the use of ICS, which offers an avenue through which numerous agencies can execute their operations using a shared command during an emergency situation. During a disaster, the NMIS facilitates interaction among the various agencies that are responding to the incident, this is undertaken as an element of the ICS command chain (O’Neill, 2008).
The command and management is also an important element of the NIMS that fosters effective disaster management and incident response. The command is normally implemented under the ICS component of NIMS, which serves to standardize operations during emergency situations. The Incident Command System is an information management system that offers one point of command and allocates the responsibilities to the various emergency response teams and personnel. The response units that have received adequate training regarding the ICS can collaborate during joint operations from a single point of command. In addition, the state and local authorities, law enforcement authorities and first responders from the community can follow the procedures outlined in the NMIS and ICS model when undertaking all operations relating to disaster response (Walsh, 2005). The ICS comprises of five core functional elements, which include command, operations, planning, logistics and administration. In order to enhance multi-agency coordination and communication, the aspect of a single command has been integrated into the NMIS, which does not only facilitate coordination of the efforts from various jurisdictions, but also offers and guarantees joint decision-making framework based on the goals and objectives, outlined strategies and planning, public communications and the priorities during cases of emergency. This helps in enhancing the effectiveness in disaster preparedness and readiness entailing numerous agencies responding to a disaster. Multi-agency coordination is an important strategy that helps in ensuring that incident response and disaster recovery is successful, especially in situations where such operations are likely to require more manpower and equipment to curtail the emergency (O’Neill, 2008).
Another important feature of the NMIS and ICS model in disaster response is that it enhances disaster preparedness, which is a vital requirement for Homeland State-level security procedures. Disaster preparedness is diverse and includes the various counter-strategies, actions undertaken and the various processes that are put in place in order to combat a disaster or reduce the potential damaging effects associated with the onset of a disaster. Some the aspects of preparedness under the NMIS program include comprehensive training and exercising, qualification and issuance of certificates, acquiring and certification of the equipments and management of publications. These strategies are aimed at ensuring that there is standardization pre-disaster counter-measures and ensuring that they meet the agreed standards. An important of the NMIS and ICS methodology in enhancing the execution of Homeland Security procedures at the state level is that it emphasizes on disaster mitigation as a strategy for enhancing disaster preparedness and readiness. Some of the mitigation strategies advocated for by the NMIS and ICs methodology include public education, code enforcement and land management. All these strategies play an important role in ensuring that Homeland Security procedures at the state level are executed effectively and efficiently (Jensen, 2011).
The Joint Information System also helps in enhancing public communication through offering the public with disaster information that is accurate and delivered in a timely manner. The NMIS makes use of the Joint Information Centers through which incident communicators can meet for the purposes of developing, coordinating and delivering a unified incident related message. This helps in eliminating the delivery of conflicting messages by the various government and non-government agencies during disaster scenarios. In addition, the NMIS Integration Center helps in ensuring that the NMIS and ICS model sustains its accuracy and effectiveness during disaster management through the deployment of best practices (O’Neill, 2008).
Conclusion
It is arguably evident that the NMIS and ICS is an effective tool in enhancing the efficiency of Homeland Security Operations at the state level. This is mainly because of the significant contributions that the NMIS has in ensuring a common communication and information management systems, management of resources and fostering multi-agency coordination, which are vital requirements for an effective and efficient execution of security procedures (Jensen, 2011).

References
Jensen, J. (2011). The Current NIMS Implementation Behavior of United States Counties. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management , 10.
O’Neill, B. (2008). A Model Assessment Tool for the Incident Command System: A Case Study of the San Antonio Fire Department. Applied Research Projects Texas State University , 15-20.
Walsh, D. (2005). National incident management system: principles and practice. New York: SAGE.