Homeland Security Announces Improved Resource Management Tools For National Incident Management System

Release Date: October 20, 2004 Release Number: HQ-04-500

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center, has updated enhanced resource management tools designed to help incident managers identify, obtain and track needed resources during an incident or disaster.

“The skillful management of resources during an emergency is critical to an effective response operation,” said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. “Managers must be able to communicate clearly with each other regarding the exact type of equipment, teams or personnel being requested during emergency situations. These improved tools also will help federal, state and local officials ensure that equipment and teams deployed through the system are compatible with those of neighboring jurisdictions that work together through mutual aid agreements.”

The new products include an updated National Mutual Aid Glossary of Terms and Definitions, which provides terms for equipment, teams and personnel used in disasters. Resource Typing Definitions – II categorizes equipment and teams by functional grouping and then 'types' or organizes them according to capability and/or capacity.

Resource management is a key component of NIMS, the first-ever national, standardized approach to incident management and response, which was developed by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge at the request of President Bush. NIMS is managed and maintained by Homeland Security’s NIMS Integration Center. Federal, state and local officials should use the 120 typed definitions as they develop or update their inventories of response assets.

Resource typing establishes common resource definitions, developed by experts in the emergency management community, that help make ordering and dispatching resources during an incident more efficient and ensure that responders receive the resources they need during an emergency or disaster.

An initial 60 typed definitions were released in March 2004 as part of the National Mutual Aid and Resource Management Initiative. The new Resource Typing Definitions – II provides definitions for and types an additional 60 resources for a total of 120; the glossary has been updated to include the additional 60 resources. The glossary and resource typing definitions may be downloaded at www.fema.gov/nims/mutual_aid.shtm.

The resource definitions were developed by federal, state, and local experts from the following disciplines: Animal Health, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Fire/Hazardous Materials, Emergency Medical Services, Health and Medical, Law Enforcement, Public Works, and Search and Rescue.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.