Subject

DHS Source Document and Page #

DHS Requirement or Guidance

Clark Reynolds & Co. Product Application and Solution

EMPG and FEMA (Emergency Management Performance Grants)

http://www.fema.gov/preparedness/emPage.shtm Last Updated: Saturday, 23-Oct-2004 00:00:00 EDT

… is designed to help state and local emergency managers develop, maintain and improve their emergency management capabilities…..

Beneficiary Eligibility: Funding under this program is ultimately used by emergency management organizations and programs of states, the District of Columbia, territories and possessions of the Unites States, local and tribal governments.

All of our EOC products help local emergency managers develop, maintain and improve their emergency management capabilities by providing a system for setting up and organizing an EOC, with tools for all-hazard planning, coordination, and resource inventorying tracking.

EOC and Area Command

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Tab 6 NIMS - Establishing an Area Command, Page 91

The purpose of an Area Command is either to oversee the management of multiple incidents that are each being handled by a separate ICS organization or to oversee the management of a very large or complex incident that has multiple incident management teams engaged.

When incidents are of different types and/or do not have similar resource demands, they are usually handled as separate incidents or are coordinated through an EOC.

EOC System™ is a set of Displays, staff procedures, and a simple message system for centralizing situation awareness and support coordination, which is essential for establishing an Area Command capability to oversee management of multiple incidents or a very large or complex incident. 

EOC and Area Command Responsibilities

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, A. Responsibilities. Pages 92 an 93

The Area Command develops an action plan detailing incident management priorities, needs, and objectives.

Area Commands may be collocated with EOCs.

The EOC System™ staff binder, one of 33 staff binders, contains an action plan format for synchronizing EOC coordination over three operational periods for EOC management.

EOC and Multiagency Coordination

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004, Page 17

The support and coordination components consist of multiagency coordination centers/emergency operations centers (EOCs) and multiagency coordination entities. Multiagency coordination centers/EOCs provide central locations for operational information-sharing and resource coordination in support of on-scene efforts.

EOC System™:

Provides local government an effective EOC for multiagency coordination and for setting up a central location for operational information-sharing and resource coordination. 

EOC and Multiagency Coordination Entities and Functions

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Pages 27 and 28

EOCs may serve a dual function as a multiagency coordination entity.

Regardless of form or structure, the principal functions and responsibilities of multiagency coordination entities typically include the following:

ensuring that each agency involved in incident management activities is providing appropriate situational awareness and resource status information;

establishing priorities between incidents and/or Area Commands in concert with the IC or UC(s) involved;

acquiring and allocating resources required by incident management personnel in concert with the priorities established by the IC or UC;

anticipating and identifying future resource requirements;

coordinating and resolving policy issues arising from the incident(s); and

providing strategic coordination as required.

EOC System™ satisfies the need for a Multi-Agency Coordination Entity by providing strategic decision makers in the EOC wall displays, formatted to show awareness and resource status information, displays for showing coordination priorities and allocating resources, staff binder reminders for anticipating future resource requirements. 

EOC and Multiagency Coordination Systems

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 26

A multiagency coordination system is a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications integrated into a common system with responsibility for coordinating and supporting domestic incident management activities.

2. System Elements.

Multiagency coordination systems may contain EOCs and (in certain multijurisdictional or complex incident management situations) multiagency coordinating entities:

EOC System™ is a strategy for establishing a Multiagency Coordination system by setting up a simple and effective EOC. 

EOC Core Functions

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 26

Regardless of the specific organizational structure used, EOCs should include the following core functions: coordination; communications; resource dispatch and tracking; and information collection, analysis, and dissemination.

EOC System™ includes 1) 18 wall displays which facilitate communications, resource dispatch in tracking, analysis, and dissemination; 2) a simple message form for information collection; 3) staff binders for storing and organizing information for coordination . 

EOC Definition

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004, Page 19

Multiagency Coordination Centers:

■ Support and coordination

■ Identifying resource shortages and issues

■ Gathering and providing information

■ Implementing multiagency coordination entity decisions

EOC System™ is a key strategy for establishing a multiagency coordination center as defined.

EOC Facility

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 26

a. Emergency Operations Center.

EOCs may be permanent organizations and facilities or may be established to meet temporary, short-term needs.

EOC System™ can be set up in a permanent organization and facility or stored in its container for quick activation or movement to an alternate EOC location to meet temporary, short-term needs.

EOC Information Management

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 43

Chapter V NIMS - Communications and Information Management

develop and maintain overall awareness and understanding of an incident within and across jurisdictions.

EOC System™: wall Displays are formatted for information management of and demonstrate situation awareness to everyone in the EOC operations room.

EOC Organization

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004, Page 39

EOCs are typically organized by major functional discipline (fire, law enforcement, medical services, and so on); by jurisdiction (city, county, region, and so on); or, more likely, by some combination thereof.

EOC System™ is organized according to the major functional disciplines in FEMA State and Local Guide SLG 101 functions with modified ICS positions for EOC Manager, Operations Chief, Logistics Chief, and Finance Chief.

EOC Technology

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Chapter VI

NIMS - Supporting Technologies, Page 55

Technology and technological systems provide supporting capabilities essential to implementing and continuously refining the NIMS. These include voice and data communications systems, information systems (i.e., record keeping and resource tracking), and display systems.

EOC System™ is based on a simple but effective information system and record keeping methods.  The heart of the EOC System™ is an array of wall Displays based on FEMA SLG 101 and on input from emergency managers with major disaster experience.

EOP and NRP Alignment

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004,Letter Of Instruction, Page X

State, local, and tribal governments and NGOs are requested to:

Modify existing incident management and emergency operations plans within 120 days (or no later than the next major plan maintenance cycle) to ensure proper alignment with NRP coordinating structures, processes, and protocols.

All-Hazard EOP™ is tailored to local governments: Counties, Cities, and Towns. All-Hazard EOP™ is a quick and efficient way to align a local EOP with NRP coordinating structures for local and state EOC interaction, NRP processes for situation reporting and intelligence gathering, and storing NRP protocols for activating local mutual aid and for other procedures.

EOP Annexes (ESF's)

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004,

(See Equivalent ESF table)

(See Equivalent ESF table)

EOP Content

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Preparedness Planning,

Page 35

A complete EOP should describe the purpose of the plan, situation and assumptions, concept of operations, organization and assignment of responsibilities, administration and logistics, plan development and maintenance, and authorities and references. It should also contain functional annexes, hazard-specific appendices, and a glossary.

The NIMS description for a complete EOP is identical to the description in the FEMA State and Local Guide SLG 101. All-Hazard EOP™ follows the FEMA SLG 101 format, which includes all of these EOP components. 

EOP Format

FEMA SLG 101 Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning (9/96), Page 3-1.

FEMA does not mandate a particular format for EOPs. In the final analysis, an EOP's format is "good" if the EOP's users understand it, are comfortable with it, and can use it to extract the information they need.

All-Hazard EOP™ follows FEMA State And Local Guide 101, which is based on proven formats used in actual disasters.  However, emergency managers can modify the EOP to incorporate ESF terminology from the NRP. 

EOP Format (Plan)

NRP (National Response Plan), December, 2004, Page xii

NRP: Basic Plan, Appendices, ESF's, Support Annexes, Incident Annexes

All-Hazard EOP™ follows the FEMA SLG 101 EOP format: Basic Plan, Basic Plan Appendices, Functional Annexes, Tabs (Appendices) to each Functional Annex for hazard-specific and other information. See Subject, EOP Content, above.

EOP Hazard-Specific Programs

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, a.. Preparedness Planning,

Page 36

(2) Procedures

The development of procedures is required in accordance with the law for certain risk-based, hazard-specific programs.

Each All-Hazard EOP™ functional annex contains a hazard-specific appendix of procedures for various natural disasters, and manmade disasters including Hazmat and Terrorism.

ESF Emergency Support Functions (ESF)

FEMA Answers Web Page, Answer ID: 347, Last Updated: 06/06/2005 03:41 PM

Emergency Support Functions are the way that the NRP groups the capabilities and functional expertise of federal departments and agencies and the American Red Cross...

While NIMS and NRP are closely related, ESFs are associated only with the NRP. They are NRP coordinating mechanisms for providing federal assistance to states and local and tribal governments in an emergency or disaster.

All-Hazard EOP™ follows FEMA State and Local Guide SLG 101. However, emergency managers a can modify the EOP to incorporate ESF terminology from the NRP. 

Exercises , Conducting Performance Based Functional Exercises

HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise And Evaluation Program), May 2004, Chapter 2, Page 13

Exercises (Functional Exercises) conducted under HSEEP should be performance based and require demonstration, practical application, and evaluation of proficiency for the discrete, essential tasks that enable a homeland security mission or function to be successfully accomplished…

HICS-X Chemical Exercise™ and all EOC-X™ exercise

messages are performance based .  Each exercise message has an objective that requires demonstration of discreet, essential tasks common to any local government EOC. Tasks include faxing reports, lists, and requested data and displaying situation information.  Practical application is achieved by requiring specific outputs on displays or on paper. Evaluation of proficiency is achieved by providing evaluators with a chronological list of all messages, each with a message Objective and Expected Staff Action.

Exercises, Evaluating Functional Exercises

HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise And Evaluation Program), May 2004, Chapter 2, Page 13

For operations-based exercises (Functional Exercises), evaluators observe and assess actual performance in preventing or responding to a simulated terrorist attack .

In EOC-X Terrorism Chemical ™, EOC-X Terrorism Biological™ and HICS-X Chemical™ exercises, evaluators observe and assess actual performance using a chronological list of Expected Staff Actions for each exercise message called into the EOC.  Each exercise scenario involves a simulated terrorist attack

Exercises, Functional Exercises and EOC Validation

HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise And Evaluation Program), May 2004, Chapter 2, Page 13

…operations-based exercises such as drills, FEs (Functional Exercises), and FSEs are designed to validate personnel and equipment performance in achieving critical tasks and homeland security missions…

HICS-X Chemical Exercise™ and all EOC-X™ exercise messages are designed to be called into the EOC to validate personnel and equipment performance.  Exercise messages also validate the design of the EOC System™ . 

Exercises, Funding

HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise And Evaluation Program), May 2004, Chapter 2, Page 16

These funds may be used for the following purposes (selected excerpts):

♦ Hiring of full- or part-time staff or contractors/consultants to support exercise activities

♦ Supplies consumed during the course of planning and conducting exercises

♦ Other costs related to planning and conducting exercise activities

HICS-X Chemical Exercise™ and all EOC-X™ exercises are templates for generating documents for conducting exercise activities including up to 90 realistic messages, chronological list of messages, Objectives, and Expected Staff Actions for evaluators, and instructions for exercise control and the EOC staff. EOC System™ contains a supply of message forms and displays.  EOC training and exercise consulting services are available.

Exercises, Realism

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 37

b. Training and Exercises

Incident management organizations and personnel must also participate in realistic exercises—including multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional events and private-sector and nongovernmental organization interaction—to improve integration and interoperability.

HICS-X Chemical Exercise™ and all EOC-X™ exercises contain up to 90 exercise messages to be called into the EOC to simulate multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional events of a Terrorism scenario.  Verbal information from the state, other local governments, and local public and private-sector agencies and nongovernmental organizations, including the media, converges on the EOC for a realistic EOC experience.

HICS and FEMA

FEMA Answers Web Page,

Answer ID-335, Last Updated-07/28/2005 01:44 PM

"Currently there is a group working on revising HICS and it is our understanding that they are focusing on making HICS NIMS compliant."

HICS System™ and HICS-X™ are based on HICS developed in California, and are NIMS compliant. HICS procedures and job sheets can be modified to fit new HICS developments.

HICS and NIMS, NRP, HSEEP

HSEEP, NIMS, NRP

No reference to HICS

HICS System™ and HICS-X™ are based on HICS developed in California, and are NIMS compliant. HICS procedures and job sheets can be modified to a comply with new HICS, HSEEP, NIMS, and NRP developments.

HICS, Functional Exercises

HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise And Evaluation Program), May 2004, Volume I: Overview and Doctrine

REVISED MAY 2004

No reference to HICS

HICS-X Chemical™ is a template for generating exercise messages, specifically for a HICS-organized hospital EOC functional exercise. 

Resources, Coordination

NIMS

(National Incident Management System), March 1, 2004, Page 43

Chapter IV NIMS - Resource Management

Generally, resource management coordination activities take place within EOCs.

Resource management involves four primary tasks:

establishing systems for describing, inventoring, requesting, and tracking resources;

EOC Info Tracker™ is a set of over 30 linked spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel for capturing situation awareness information, listing an inventory of resources, and tracking up to 1000 requests and tasks.

All-Hazard EOP™ contains an Excel database for describing, inventoring, requesting, and tracking resources

Resources, Types

NRP National Response Plan ( NRP), December, 2004, , Appendix 1 Glossary of Key Terms),

 Page 72

Personnel and major items of equipment, supplies, and facilities available or potentially available for assignment to incident operations and for which status is maintained. Resources are described by kind and type and may be used in operational support or supervisory capacities at an incident or at an EOC.

All-Hazard EOP™: Resource Database in Excel set up for categorizing resources by general category and capabilities, from general-to-specific need.