NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System
Incident Command Brought to Live Events
NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide incident command. Departments and agencies at all levels of incident command must be able to respond efficiently and proactively. Government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, and respond to the effects of incidents. Regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, emergency responses are made. The framework is designed 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. The NRF provides the structure and mechanisms for national-level policy for incident management.
The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System is the bridge between the federally endorsed training programs and emergency response personnel. These are the people and agencies expected to gain these skills and implement them as part of the response team. In order to provide consistency in the response framework, each person must document their training and abilities. The NIMS Training Tracker platform creates a living database of training plans and completed training transcripts for each person.
This integrated system of credentials serves jurisdictions, agencies, and companies. Quickly, Incident Commanders and their staff, can verify the credentials of all personnel enabled for response to the event. Accessible on-line and on-demand, the NIMS Training Tracker and Credentialing System ensures emergency response credentials for each responder.
Incident Command events require rapid and targeted responses by people accustomed to the expectations of the incident. NIMS training is fundamental to verification of the capacity of each person on the response team. The NIMS Training Tracker and Credentialing System insures structure and consistency from each person, team, and organization involved.
Structured, Familiar, Reliable System
Incident Command System (ICS)
NIMS establishes ICS as a standard incident command management organization with five functional areas:
- command,
- operations,
- planning,
- logistics, and
- finance/administration
These guide establishment and management for all major incidents. This ensures multi-jurisdictional coordination. During emergency incidents involving multiple jurisdictions or agencies, the principle of unified command has been universally incorporated into NIMS. This unified command coordinates the efforts of many jurisdictions. Further, it provides for and assures joint decisions on objectives, strategies, plans, priorities, and public communications.
Communications and Information Management
Standardized communications during incident command events are essential and NIMS prescribes interoperable communications systems for both incident and information management. Emergency responders and administrators need a common operating picture for efficient and effective incident command response. The training programs unified through the NIMS approach give this uniformity to all emergency response personnel.
The training is available and mostly comes without cost to incident command responders. It is only valuable if everyone participates in the training programs, then implements it as needed. The NIMS Training Tracker and Credentialing System gives this measure of compliance for all incident command situations.
Preparedness
Incident command preparedness incorporates a range of measures, actions, and processes accomplished before an incident happens. NIMS preparedness measures include planning, training, exercises, qualification and certification, equipment acquisition and certification, and publication management. All of these serve to ensure that pre-incident actions are standardized and consistent with mutually-agreed doctrine. NIMS further places emphasis on mitigation activities to enhance preparedness. Mitigation includes public education and outreach, delivered long before an emergency situation happens. Structural modifications to lessen the loss of life or destruction of property, is powerful planning. Preparedness is being ready for the unexpected. These are best coupled with code enforcement in support of zoning rules, land management, and building codes, and flood insurance.
Preparedness is a fundamental part of hazard mitigation planning. Nonetheless, disasters happen and the best hope is to eliminate the loss of life. Reduction of property damage and the way of life is accomplished with effective incident command implementation.
Joint Information System (JIS)
NIMS organizational measures enhance the public communication effort. The Joint Information System provides the public with timely and accurate incident information and unified public messages. This system employs Joint Information Centers (JIC) and brings incident communicators together during an incident to develop, coordinate, and deliver a unified message. This ensure that tribal, federal, state, and local levels of government are releasing the same information during an incident.
Oftentimes, information is at the heart of communications through the media. Media may come from face-to-face communications, radio announcements, or television interviews. Current technologies enable social-media as a means of “getting the word out”. These become part of the JIS effort and should be welcomed into the array of outreach efforts.
NIMS Integration Center (NIC)
To ensure that NIMS remains an accurate and effective incident command management tool, the NIC was established. The Secretary of Homeland Security assesses proposed changes to NIMS, captures, and evaluates lessons learned, and employs best practices. The NIC provides strategic direction and oversight of NIMS. The Secretary supports both routine maintenance and continuous refinement of the system and its components over the long term. The NIC develops and facilitates national standards for NIMS education and training. These are blended with first responder communications and equipment. Equipment typing, qualification and credentialing of incident management and responder personnel, with standardization of equipment maintenance and resources is seen.
The NIC continues to use the collaborative process of Federal, state, tribal, local, multi-discipline and private authorities. NIC strives to assess prospective changes and assure continuity and accuracy. Credentialing of first responders to all incident command events is the service provided through the NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System.
“To be prepared is to think beyond the immediate”
Resources for Learning
NIMS is based on establishment of responder qualifications, and credentialing of incident command and management personnel. D&D Larix Clients have adopted NIMS protocols to establish uniform incident command and management organization. Efficient coordination with neighboring jurisdictions and within the realm of the Client’s Jurisdiction increases effective emergency response. Students within the NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System platform include staff members and community members of the Client’s Jurisdiction. When an emergency happens, it is incumbent on responsive and trained people to work together. This protects lives, structures, and begins recovery efforts. The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System helps people organize how to best accomplish these tasks.
Emergency Management Institute & NIMS
The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities. All courses are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment. EMI replaced its Incident Command System (ICS) curricula with courses that meet the requirements specified in the National Incident Management System (NIMS). EMI developed the new courses collaboratively with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), the United States Fire Administration, and the United States Departments of Agriculture and Interior.
All combined, there are 12 course providers recognized by the EMI. Some of these course providers are focused on specific hazard types, such as NWCG addressing forest wildfire conditions. Other providers concentrate on emergency response situations, such as Mountain Rescue teaching skills for search and rescue incident command.
Credentials of Each Emergency Response Group
The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System is a Subscription service with the built-in structure for efficient data management created for emergency responders of any administrative or structural level. It is arranged in easily developed formats accessible over secure Internet protocols. The design of the software streamlines cumbersome processes to track expansive collections of first-responder training profiles and identifies an appropriate competency level for an emergency response effort.
Implementation relies on a hierarchy of personal responsibilities: NIMS Coordinator works with NIMS Administrators to define the scope and range of resources and capabilities for the jurisdiction. NIMS Coordinators work closely with Principals to establish guiding training strategies and priorities. Students and Principals develop Learning Plans that Students engage. Principals verify their Student’s successful course completion or participation in exercise events. Student accreditation is promoted to Transcripts compiled for rapid access by authorized Users.
The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) approach allows Subscribers access to the program from any computer device with internet connection. Individual training records are automatically compiled for the organization. Easily retrievable from an office desktop portal, Smart Phone, or a tablet’s wireless connection as needed. Training courses and acquired capabilities are documented in compliance with the NRF for Incident Command and Management policies. Student Transcripts become part of the Client’s preparedness profile and are incorporated into reports submitted to FEMA and other organizations. The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System assembles jurisdiction training profiles in minutes/hours instead of weeks/months.
Platform Design
The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System platform creates the missing link connecting emergency responders to abundant emergency response educational materials. People using training materials become dedicated responders to emergency events, at any administrative or structural level. This bridge creates the linkage to verify WHO possesses WHICH training credentials. We have created this platform to serve those needs.
Learning Plans & Transcripts
The core of this incident command program has Learning Plans and Transcripts compiled by individuals/Students. These participants get access to the information on available training programs, stored in the internet accessible secure database. Learners integrate new knowledge and practical skills into records about their emergency response capabilities. Learning Plans/Transcripts are created with guidance from the host organization’s leadership.
An element of personal discipline is required at the start. All reporting routes built into the program need to be “walked” diligently. Obeying training rules becomes a “must” for each player on the team. New individual knowledge and easy logistics of the program for accepted leaders/Principals in navigating Learning Plans/Transcripts become integrated. It takes the entire response team effort to a higher level of preparedness.
Learning Plans to Transcripts to Curriculum Groups
A structurally resilient squad, tailored to a specific emergency event, is formed to act as a single team. Incident command duties expand, or responses become part of a larger assembly including other Jurisdictions, specialists, or contractors. Support personnel from the local area, region, or the nation can rapidly integrate with these systems. The familiar NRF structure makes this possible: but only if everyone shares unified training-backgrounds.
The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System assembles Transcripts by individual emergency response personnel into verified records of capabilities. Individual classes are combined into Curriculum Groups to represent unique preparedness skills. Curriculum Groups are courses assembled to represent a collection of teaching materials suitable for achieving a level of competency. For instance, NIMS courses for Awareness, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels include a few to several courses. Often, these are taken together to achieve those goals: that makes Curriculum Groups.
Emergency Support Function (ESF) courses are 15 separate NIMS course groups. These are needed by Students who will be responsible for implementing emergency support services for specific hazard response obligations. These are assembled for response profiles such as Energy, Public Works, Search and Rescue, and many more.
Enabled in this Platform
Students can add named Curriculum Groups to their personal Learning Plan profile. When one of these Curriculum Group selections is made, the collection of courses are added “en masse” to the Student’s Learning Plan. Rapid database access allows authorized administrative and incident command staff to evaluate necessary personnel capabilities for emergency response duties. Subscriptions to the software service create sequestered accounts that can be updated, maintained, and implemented. As Subscription accounts are managed, only authorized users have access to the information contained in this service.
Reports to interested parties can be rapidly made by authorized users. Electronically sent, the reports are sent from the service to the intended recipient. Credentials do not need to be routed from the service to the subscription holder, then forwarded to the ultimate incident command personnel. They are sent from the service to the end user: rapid and secure.
For Emergency Responders, Response Organizations, Incident Command
Contact us to receive access to a demonstration site we maintain. Our staff credentials are used to respond to local, regional and federal emergency response incidents. You will see the database of thousands of authorized courses hosted by a dozen organizations. Some courses are offered on-line, some as live sessions. The on-line demonstration will show you how this fits into your organization preparedness profile.
Profile of the Service, as a PDF: NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System
Take a Look! We are on YouTube…
It is time for you to create a NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System subscription for your company, agency, or department. We assist our clients to administer the information about the people who respond to incidents. The Module 1 video presentation shown here uses YouTube as the beginning of a 6 part series. These videos guide Administrators, Coordinators, Principals and Students through the system to document the training and capabilities of your people.
This system integrates thousands of training classes by 12 different organizations. Each class is authorized by National Integration Center (NIC), and most classes are offered online and tested online. No other system, including the ones hosted by states and federally, offers these features to every client we host. Subscription costs are very affordable, with the individual person’s cost dropping as the size of the squad increases.
We host clients from fire districts with 50 people, from counties and tribes with 1,500 people, and companies with 4,000 people spread across states. The NIMS Training Tracker & Credentialing System platform is as scaleable in size as your organization.
Contact us to explore how this service can serve your efforts. Do it now: e-mail NIMS Training Tracker.
Contact us to explore how this service can serve your efforts. Do it now: e-mail NIMS Training Tracker.