The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is emergency management doctrine used across the United States to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management and response among the public (Federal, Tribal, state, and local government agencies) and private sectors.
NIMS is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across functional disciplines. NIMS enables us to work together to prevent, protect against, 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 and property and harm to the environment.
NIMS works hand in hand with the National Response Framework (NRF) - NIMS provides the template for the management of incidents, while the NRF provides the structure and mechanisms for national-level policy for incident management.
The benefits of NIMS include:
- A standardized approach to incident management that is scalable and flexible.
- Enhanced cooperation and interoperability among responders.
- Comprehensive all-hazards preparedness.
- Efficient resource coordination among jurisdictions or organizations.
- Integration of best practices and lessons learned for continuous improvement.
Read more about National Incident Management System: Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5, NIMS Stakeholders, FEMA National Integration Center, NIMS Resource Center
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—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)
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—Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. “Strong and Sensitive Cats,” Atlantic Monthly (July 1994)