NIMS Terms
Chain of Command - ANS- A series of command, control, executive, or management
positions in hierarchical order of authority.
Emergency Response Provider - ANS- Includes a Federal, State, local, and tribal
emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical
(including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and
authorities. See Section 2 (6), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107 - 296, 116 Stat.
2135 (2002) Also known as Emergency Responder.
Initial Response - ANS- Resources initially committed to an incident
Multiagency Coordination Systems - ANS- Provides the architecture to support
coordination for incident prioritization, critical resource allocation, communications
systems integration, and information coordination. The components include facilities,
equipment, emergency operations centers (EOCs), specific entities, personnel,
procedures, and communications. These systems assist agencies and organizations to
fully integrate the subsystems of the NIMS.
Reception Area - ANS- This refers to a location separate from staging areas, where
resources, report in for processing and out - processing. Provide accountability, security,
situational awareness briefings, safety awareness, distribution of IAPs, supplies and
equipment, feeding, and bed down.
Task Force - ANS- Any combination of resources assembled to support a specific
mission or operational need. All resource elements must have common communications
and a designated leader.
HAZMAT - ANS- Hazardous Materials
Unity of Command - ANS- The concept by which each person within an organization
reports to one and only one designated person. The purpose is to ensure unity of effort
under one responsible commander for every objective.
Section - ANS- The organization level having responsibility for a major functional area of
incident management, e.g. Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration, and
Intelligence (if established). It is organizationally situated between the branch and the
Incident Command.
, Preparedness Organizations - ANS- The groups and fora that provide interagency
coordination for domestic incident management activities in a nonemergency context.
Preparedness organizations can include all agencies with a role in incident management,
for prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery activities. They represent a wide
variety of committees, planning groups, and other organizations that meet and
coordinate to ensure the proper level of planning, training, equipping, and other
preparedness requirements within a jurisdiction or area.
Mobilization - ANS- The process and procedures used by all organizations - Federal,
State, local and tribal - for activating, assembling, and transporting all resources that
have been requested to respond to or support an incident.
Incident Command Post (ICP) - ANS- The field location at which the primary tactical -
level, on - scene incident command functions are performed. It may be collocated with
the incident base or other incident facilities and is normally identified by a green rotating
or flashing light.
Deputy - ANS- A fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be
delegated the authority to manage a functional operation or perform a specific task. In
some cases, it can act as relief for a superior and, therefore, must be fully qualified in the
position. They can be assigned to the Incident Commander, General Staff, and Branch
Directors.
POLREP - ANS- Pollution Report
Assessment - ANS- The evaluation and interpretation of measurements and other
information to provide a basis for decision - making.
Function - ANS- Refers to the five major activities in ICS: Command, Operation,
Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The term is also used when describing
the activity involved. A sixth function, Intelligence, may be established, if required, to
meet incident management needs.
Jurisdiction - ANS- A range or sphere of authority. Public agencies have it at an incident
related to their legal responsibilities and authority. This authority at an incident can be
political or geographical (e.g., city, county, tribal, State, or Federal boundary lines) or
functional (e.g., law enforcement, public health).
National Response Plan - ANS- A plan maintained by HSPD - 5 that integrates Federal
domestic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans into one all -
discipline, all - hazards plan.
Chain of Command - ANS- A series of command, control, executive, or management
positions in hierarchical order of authority.
Emergency Response Provider - ANS- Includes a Federal, State, local, and tribal
emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical
(including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and
authorities. See Section 2 (6), Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107 - 296, 116 Stat.
2135 (2002) Also known as Emergency Responder.
Initial Response - ANS- Resources initially committed to an incident
Multiagency Coordination Systems - ANS- Provides the architecture to support
coordination for incident prioritization, critical resource allocation, communications
systems integration, and information coordination. The components include facilities,
equipment, emergency operations centers (EOCs), specific entities, personnel,
procedures, and communications. These systems assist agencies and organizations to
fully integrate the subsystems of the NIMS.
Reception Area - ANS- This refers to a location separate from staging areas, where
resources, report in for processing and out - processing. Provide accountability, security,
situational awareness briefings, safety awareness, distribution of IAPs, supplies and
equipment, feeding, and bed down.
Task Force - ANS- Any combination of resources assembled to support a specific
mission or operational need. All resource elements must have common communications
and a designated leader.
HAZMAT - ANS- Hazardous Materials
Unity of Command - ANS- The concept by which each person within an organization
reports to one and only one designated person. The purpose is to ensure unity of effort
under one responsible commander for every objective.
Section - ANS- The organization level having responsibility for a major functional area of
incident management, e.g. Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration, and
Intelligence (if established). It is organizationally situated between the branch and the
Incident Command.
, Preparedness Organizations - ANS- The groups and fora that provide interagency
coordination for domestic incident management activities in a nonemergency context.
Preparedness organizations can include all agencies with a role in incident management,
for prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery activities. They represent a wide
variety of committees, planning groups, and other organizations that meet and
coordinate to ensure the proper level of planning, training, equipping, and other
preparedness requirements within a jurisdiction or area.
Mobilization - ANS- The process and procedures used by all organizations - Federal,
State, local and tribal - for activating, assembling, and transporting all resources that
have been requested to respond to or support an incident.
Incident Command Post (ICP) - ANS- The field location at which the primary tactical -
level, on - scene incident command functions are performed. It may be collocated with
the incident base or other incident facilities and is normally identified by a green rotating
or flashing light.
Deputy - ANS- A fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be
delegated the authority to manage a functional operation or perform a specific task. In
some cases, it can act as relief for a superior and, therefore, must be fully qualified in the
position. They can be assigned to the Incident Commander, General Staff, and Branch
Directors.
POLREP - ANS- Pollution Report
Assessment - ANS- The evaluation and interpretation of measurements and other
information to provide a basis for decision - making.
Function - ANS- Refers to the five major activities in ICS: Command, Operation,
Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The term is also used when describing
the activity involved. A sixth function, Intelligence, may be established, if required, to
meet incident management needs.
Jurisdiction - ANS- A range or sphere of authority. Public agencies have it at an incident
related to their legal responsibilities and authority. This authority at an incident can be
political or geographical (e.g., city, county, tribal, State, or Federal boundary lines) or
functional (e.g., law enforcement, public health).
National Response Plan - ANS- A plan maintained by HSPD - 5 that integrates Federal
domestic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans into one all -
discipline, all - hazards plan.
