Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] NIMS compliance / FEMA

msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Mounted search and rescue

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] NIMS compliance / FEMA
  • Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 12:56:53 -0800

I'm not sure how discussion got diverted to SAR funding related to NIMS compliance, since funding specific to SAR isn't currently on the federal funding radar. While that situation has potential to change due to recent activities at the national level, currently SAR funding isn't likely to occur unless locally the authorities choose to dedicate some of their federal / grant funding for SAR. However, those authorities do need to be NIMS compliant going forward to be eligible for that funding. And any SAR team wanting a piece of the federal funding from the local authorities will need to demonstrate NIMS compliance with appropriate documentation.

Assuming local authorities want to be eligible for substantial federal funding ...
One clear nationwide NIMS requirement for first responder authorities is the implementation of ICS at every incident, expanding to NIMS as needed. SAR is an incident, and therefore falls into the category of needing to use ICS / NIMS. SAR Management must be using ICS / NIMS. All recognized SAR resources must know how to function in the command system.

Local (or state) authorities presumably impose certain requirements on their recognized SAR resources, including volunteers. "Meet X requirements or we won't / can't call you." If the local requirement is to meet national standards for SAR, there is already a reference in ASTM F2209 regarding being familiar with the command system. For some folks, how the local SAR command system works will change if they haven't been using ICS.

Either existing or going forward, local requirements for SAR will include knowing (and using) at least the basics of ICS and NIMS simply because ICS / NIMS must be used at every incident. While there may / may not be any SAR-related funding involved, all SAR responders will need to have that training simply to remain on the call-out list. Even if SAR Management is primarily volunteer, they will still need to work with local authorities using ICS / NIMS for that incident.

To confirm having the basic training / knowledge, the simplest method is to go online, study, test, and put a copy of your FEMA certificate in your personnel folder. Or, find someone who understands ICS and NIMS to teach a class, then send the students online to test on http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/crslist.asp

The current minimum for generic SAR personnel is IS 100, IS 700. Supervisors / team leaders should add IS 200. In 2006 management will need to add ICS 300 and/or 400, which are available as classroom training.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
Tulare Co SAR - Hasty Team ICP Team
www.ceoates.com/sar
Tulare-Kings CERT
www.tk-cert.org






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page