NIMS / ICS / HICS

No. A stand alone HICS course does not take the place of ICS 100, 200 and 700, which are specific requirements of the NIMS Objectives. ICS 100 provides an Introduction to the Incident Command System. ICS 200 provides training on personnel who may assume ICS command positions and ICS 700 provides training on the National Incident Management System.

No. Completion of ICS courses by appropriate personnel satisfies two of the 14 NIMS Compliance Objectives for Healthcare Organizations (Objective 5 and Objective 6). The remaining objectives must also be met to make a hospital NIMS compliant.
 

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the NIMS Integration Center is responsible for facilitating the development of national guidelines for incident management training and exercises at all jurisdictional levels, while individual agencies and organizations are responsible for establishing and certifying instructors. The NIMS Center provides the following guidelines for ICS instructors:
 

• ICS-100 Instructors
  
• Lead and Unit Instructors should have successfully completed ICS-100, ICS-200 and IS-700 NIMS
• Lead Instructor should have training and experience in adult education and have served as Incident Commander or in a command staff or general staff position

ICS-200 Instructors

• Lead Instructor should have successfully completed ICS-300
• Unit Instructors should have successfully completed ICS-200
• Lead Instructor should have training and experience in adult education and have served as Incident Commander or in a command staff or general staff position

IS-700 Instructor Requirements

• Two instructors are recommended to teach IS-700 classes, but are not required
• Lead and Unit Instructors must have successfully completed IS-100, IS-200 and IS-700
• Lead Instructors must have training and experience in adult education and have served as an Incident Commander or in a command staff or general staff position

ICS-700 Instructors

• According to the National Integration Center, there are several acceptable types of formal adult education experience and instructor training to meet the requirements to present NIMS training:
• DHS Office of Grants and Training’s Instructor Training Certification Course or equivalent state course
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group Facilitative Instructor M-410 course
• Emergency Management Institute Master Trainer Program
• National Fire Academy Instructional Methodology class
• College education courses
• USAF Academic Instructor School
• American Red Cross, National Safety Counsel, American Heart Association, or American Safety Health Institute instructor development training

It is immaterial to the NIC if someone takes the courses from USFA, EMI, NWCG, USDA, EPA, Coast Guard, State Agencies, CAP, a private vendor etc., as long as the courses meet the content and objectives outlined in the National Standard Curriculum Training Development Guidance.
 

Yes, a hospital may utilize a vendor-created or delivered training course. The National Integration Center (NIC) recognizes that many operational aspects of the NIMS, including ICS training, are available through, state, local and tribal training agencies and private training vendors. It is not necessary that the training requirements be met through a federal source.

The hospital verifies that it is NIMS compliant by meeting the fourteen NIMS Objectives for Healthcare Organizations.
 

A free webinar on IS100/200/700 in available on the CHA website for hospital staff who wish to self-study, take the post test, and print a certificate of completion.

FEMA also offers free online training courses in IS 100/200/700/800 for hospital staff that wish to self-study, take the post test, and print a certificate of completion.

NIMS courses ICS-100, ICS-200 and IS-700 or their equivalents should be completed by:

• Hospital personnel who are likely to assume a leadership ICS position in the Hospital Command Center or who have a primary responsibility for emergency management
• Hospital Emergency Preparedness Committee Members/persons responsible for the Emergency Management Program
• The Emergency Program Manager

In addition, the Emergency Program Manager should complete IS-800.B or equivalent.

These courses are offered online or by self study through the CHA website (satisfies the requirements of ICS-100, ICS-200 and IS-700). Alternately, these classes may be completed on the FEMA website.