NIMS

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life and property and harm to the environment. NIMS works hand in hand with the National Response Framework (NRF). NIMS provides the template for the management of incidents, while the NRF provides the structure and mechanisms for national-level policy for incident management.

•  NIMS Resource Center

All hospitals and healthcare systems receiving Federal preparedness and response grants, contracts or cooperative agreements (e.g., Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program, Department of Homeland Security grants) must work to implement the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Hospital and healthcare systems are defined as all facilities that receive medical and trauma emergency patients on a daily basis. These facilities do not include non-hospital receivers (i.e., nursing homes, assisted living communities, long-term care facilities and specialty hospitals (i.e. psychiatric, rehabilitation facilities). However, non-hospital receivers are strongly encouraged to work with their local hospitals, public health departments and emergency management to integrate applicable elements of NIMS Implementation (i.e. planning, communications, resources) to allow for better communication and coordination.

• Download the NIMS Hospital FAQ document