Secure Homeland: Benefits of NIMS & ICS for DHS - Essay Sample

Introduction

The United States government has various departments whose purpose is to ensure that the citizens are safe. Among them is the Department of homeland security, whose primary work is to ensure public safety as well as to prevent any threats that may arise in the country (Woulard, 2016). Ensuring that the homeland is safe and protected from any possible risks from terrorists, the Department ought to be well equipped in addition to prepared. There are various benefits from the NIMS and ICS model that help Homeland Security in different departmental procedures.

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According to Jensen and Youngs (2015), the National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a method of providing a steady nationwide approach response for the federal, state, tribal, and local governments. The approach enables them to work in unison to come up with measures that prevent and insure domestic incidences despite the cause, magnitude, or complicacy. The NIMS acts in place of various doctrines, principles, terminology, and processes in the organization that ensure effectiveness, efficiency, in addition to collaboration by different levels of management.

According to Ansell and Keller (2014), the incident Command System got established after the uncontrollable fire in California that led to the destruction of property and the death of at least sixteen citizens in thirteen days. The fire department in California, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), agreed on the terms and conditions of the Incident Command System, which were later officially supported by State Board of Fire Services. Both the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System are significant to the Department of Homeland Security in the United States.

The NIMS ensures that the Department of Homeland Security has a framework that can be easily adjusted, as it is flexible and consistent. The Department of Homeland Security required a system that can easily be changed as long as the main objectives of the Department get met. This is made possible by the NIMS, hence the need for the model.

According to Jensen and Youngs (2015), the NIMS offers a set of standards for the structure of the organization, which includes ICS models, Multi Coordination Systems, and general public data systems. The measures are essential in ensuring the right steps required in improving operations in different areas are achieved. Through the NIMS, the Department can prepare and prevent possible threats that may affect American citizens.

NIMS and ICS ensure that the members of the Department work together with other departments to provide safety to the citizens. There are various occurrences that the Department of Homeland Security is required to work with other different ministries. Therefore, NIMS and ICS offer a bridge for the Department of homeland security to effectively work with other departments where necessary to meet their goals.

NIMS is essential since the country encounters different situations that possess immediate risks, and Homeland Security must engage in quick actions to prevent casualty. National Incident Management System ensures that the right action is applied. According to Woulard (2016), emergencies such as fire outbreaks are handled by Homeland security and the fire department, which is made possible by the NIMS. NIMS and ICS create a platform that ensures that the departments have a proper communication channel, which in turn enables a response system that is effective to both the departments and the general public.

The set of standardization offered by the NIMS provides a procedure, a system, and a process that is meant to improve the functionality and effectiveness of the homeland department (Jensen and Youngs, 2015). Regardless of the size, geographical location, or the complexities, the Incident management creates a level of togetherness for the Department to work together and accomplish their goals. According to Jensen and Youngs (2015), this creates a balance in the Department as the members can work together despite their geographical locations.

According to Jensen and Youngs (2015), NIMS is significant to the Department of Homeland Security as it has command management that governs the Department. For the Department to meet the required objectives, it should have a command system that is effective and whose managerial components are functional. Also, the command system has a set of multiagency coordination system that describes the organizational structure of the Department.

The public information system offered by the model has a medium for passing information from the Department to the general public. As such, it ensures that that the correct information gets passed from the peacekeepers' general public. The passing of information helps to ensure that safety measures get put in place, and the best possible means to save citizens is applied.

The models ensure that the Department is well prepared by conducting various assessments to ensure their level of preparedness. The activities set in place by the models are carried out by the Department before any emergencies to help them acquire more information on how to deal with the various crises that may occur. The issues include pieces of training, planning, and exercises.

Others are on having leaders who are well equipped to lead the teams in cases of emergencies. There may also exist the acquisition of equipment required in the crisis. The other issue gets noted on the mutual contracts with different departments that have more knowledge in various cases that may arise—for example, the bomb squad.

The Department of Homeland Security also needs to have a human resource system that is fully implemented to meet its objectives. Through the NIMS and ICS models, the human resource management in the Department can dispatch, track, have a proper record of the inventory, and have an appropriate description of the core values of the Department. NIMS and ICS model also helps the resource management to recover resources that are needed in the life cycle of an incident.

According to Jensen and Youngs (2015), the NIMS model points out the importance of having communication and information management. Incident management offers a system across all the agencies and jurisdictions whose communication, procedures, the effectiveness of passing information is well organized. Information management systems ensure that the information given from the Department to the victims and other agencies is passed efficiently through a secure medium.

When Homeland Security has information management whose information and response get received at the required time, the Department makes decisions that are right and ethical. It ensures the decision made is objective to the problem. Casualties are also minimized.

According to Ansell and Keller (2014), communication within the ICS is critical in that it ensures that the modes of communication are efficient and precise. During domestic incidents, the ICS offers the coordination of public information. In cases of such emergencies, the Department should ensure that there is a medium of communication that is provided by the ICS model (Ansell & Keller, 2014).

The joint information center also has a geographical location that is centralized to ensure that information and data gets passed throughout all the affected jurisdictions. The centers include private organizations, all government departments, and the non-governmental departments involved in controlling and ending the risk. The centers are crucial in risk minimization.

The ICS and NIMS models also aid in controlling disciplines in the Department and doctrines outside the Department that are crucial in ensuring that the goals are achieved. The models offer a medium for the Department to mobilize and manage the different resources. The ICS is used to plan for events, disaster management in various jurisdictions, conducting rescue missions, and search missions.

Other functions are on exercising control of biological diseases. The aspects of the models are essential to the Department of homeland security. They all ensure the existence of safety in the execution of functions.

Conclusion

In summary, the NIMS model should be taught to all the members of Homeland Security to help in ensuring that the Department is well prepared and can control and prevent threats that may get imposed on the general public. ICS training, which includes FIRESCOPE, should also be offered to ensure that the members are aware of the various doctrines put in place by the ICS. The training should take place in the field and classrooms where instructions are given.

Homeland security deals with local problems, but in a scenario where homeland cannot deal with the issues alone, the members understand that they should work together to protect citizens. The components of NIMS and ICS are required by the Department to ensure that it meets its objectives and goals.

References

Ansell, C., & Keller, A. (2014). Adapting the Incident Command Model for Knowledge-Based Crises. IBM Center for the Business of Government, Collaboration Series.

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/NIMLesson.pdf

Jensen, J., & Youngs, G. (2015). Explaining the implementation behavior of the national incident management system (NIMS). Disasters, 39(2), 362-388. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/disa.12103

Woulard, S. W. I. (2016). Department of Homeland Security. Clinical Research, 93, 93-333.

https://www.nap.edu/read/10968/chapter/24#184