Friday, March 07, 2003

Homeland Security Funding Grant applications are due on April 22nd for about $566 million in federal funding for homeland security to state and local agencies. 4:05:32 PM    comment []

NIMS and HSPD #5 This is in Homeland Security Presidential Directive #5 which was issued last week: To prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies, the United States Government shall establish a single, comprehensive approach to domestic incident management. The objective of the United States Government is to ensure that all levels of government across the Nation have the capability to work efficiently and effectively together, using a national approach to domestic incident management. In these efforts, with regard to domestic incidents, the United States Government treats crisis management and consequence management as a single, integrated function, rather than as two separate functions. With respect to the states, The Federal Government recognizes the roles and responsibilities of State and local authorities in domestic incident management. Initial responsibility for managing domestic incidents generally falls on State and local authorities. The Federal Government will assist State and local authorities when their resources are overwhelmed, or when Federal interests are involved. The Secretary will coordinate with State and local governments to ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and exercise activities. The Secretary will also provide assistance to State and local governments to develop all-hazards plans and capabilities, including those of greatest importance to the security of the United States, and will ensure that State, local, and Federal plans are compatible. This next item is important in that it defines a system that is supposed to provide a consistent approach for incident management: The Secretary shall develop, submit for review to the Homeland Security Council, and administer a National Incident Management System (NIMS). This system will provide a consistent nationwide approach for Federal, State, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. Most states probably have or are developing their own incident management system, so the question is, will states be expected to use a monolithic national system or will xml interfaces be developed between federal and state systems.  What will be this consisten approach? 2:55:41 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2003 David Fletcher.