NIMS Implementation Activities For Schools and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)

NIMS uses a core set of concepts, principles, procedures, processes, standards, and terminology that may all be integrated with school emergency management practices. The collective use of NIMS across all local incident response agencies, including K-12 schools and higher education institutions (HEIs), and disciplines creates a common operating picture, promoting mutual goals and responsibilities, and ultimately, more efficient and effective response services. Furthermore, in the event of a large-scale incident crossing multiple jurisdictions and disciplines, NIMS unites all response teams across all of the participating jurisdictions and facilitates effective and appropriate assistance from outlying communities when needed based on the size and complexity of the incident.

NIMS COMPLIANCE FOR SCHOOLS AND HEIs

All K-12 schools and HEIs -- urban, suburban, and rural; large and small -- receiving Federal preparedness monies through the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and/or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are required to support the implementation of NIMS. For example, award recipients of ED's Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) and Emergency Management for Higher Education (EMHE) grants are required to implement, in conjunction with community partners, identified NIMS compliance activities. Furthermore, many State and local jurisdictions are requiring schools to complete these activities to ensure greater communication between community partners and schools as well as to provide for more efficient responses to school-based incidents. Because all schools and HEIs are integral components of every community and its government, DHS and ED recommend all schools and HEIs -- regardless of whether they are recipients of Federal preparedness funds -- implement NIMS.

U.S. Department of Education's NIMS Implementation Activities for Schools and Higher Education Institutions outlines those actions schools must take in order to 1.) Fulfill NIMS compliance requirements; 2.) Integrate NIMS into the educational setting; and 3.) Connect schools and campuses to their community partners. ED has identified those NIMS implementation activities that match the unique role of schools in a community, its needs, and its functions as response agents along the chain of command. Therefore, the following activities are required for schools to support the implementation of NIMS and be compliant.

Although school and HEI officials are not tasked to be highly-trained, first-response, emergency management personnel, they play a vital role in the process; schools provide critical command and management directives in advance of a first response agency's arrival. Additionally, NIMS benefits the whole community and, in order to be effective, relies on all community agencies' implementation. Therefore, school adoption of NIMS and completion of NIMS Implementation Activities for K-12 Schools and Higher Education Institutions mutually benefits schools, its partners, and the greater community.

NIMS is applicable and suitable for all K-12 schools and HEIs — those in rural and urban settings, large and small, and those using traditional, alternative, and charter models as well as for local education agencies (LEAs), State education agencies (SEAs), regional, and intermediate units operating the schools. Building from the already established interdependent roles of government and schools, the NIMS goals are achieved through partnerships with community partners (e.g., local government officials, fire and rescue officials, emergency medical service providers, law enforcement, and public and mental health personnel.)

SCHOOL AND HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Each school day, our nation's schools, administrators, teachers, and staff are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for more than 55 million elementary and secondary students. Additionally, more than 15 million students attend postsecondary degree-granting institutions in the United States annually. To protect students, staff, and visitors day-to-day as well as in the event of an emergency, schools and HEIs should work with local government and community emergency response agencies in advance of any potential emergencies.

Each year, natural threats and risks such as weather-related events (e.g., wild fires, hurricanes) and public health threats (e.g., Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, [MRSA]) and even food-borne incidents can threaten the entire school or campus community. Schools and HEIs are not immune from accidents, intruders, crime, acts of violence, or the impacts of events taking place in the surrounding community. Schools and HEIs can take steps, in collaboration with their local government and community partners, to prevent and mitigate potential incidents as well as to prepare for, respond to, and recover from those that are unavoidable.

Schools and HEIs are tasked with providing a safe environment for teaching and learning, and therefore, must be integrated with the local, State, tribal, and Federal agencies who contribute to the well-being, health, safety, and security of the whole community. Lessons learned from recent school incidents (on K-12 and HEI campuses alike) show that school officials and first responders must both be knowledgeable and be trained to implement pre-established practices and procedures. If a school-based incident occurs, school personnel are the immediate responders -- they provide first-aid, notify community response partners, and give command and management directives -- all in advance of first response arrival.

School and campus staff members must be ready -- ready to provide immediate and effective response, ready to transfer command to the local response agency's lead, and ready to work with the response agencies and teams. This readiness promotes safety and efficiency as well as increases the likelihood that the specific objectives of the incident are achieved. School and HEI officials and community officials should continually prepare and practice a seamless, coordinated response using the standard Federal terminology and approach to incident management; school and HEI officials should use National Incident Management System (NIMS).

NIMS IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOLS

NIMS is the United States' single, comprehensive system for managing domestic incidents and is suitable for all schools and educational institutions to implement throughout all phases of school emergency management: 1) Prevention-Mitigation; 2) Preparedness; 3) Response; and 4) Recovery. NIMS was established March 1, 2004, following the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 (HSPD-5) Management of Domestic Incidents.* NIMS puts forth one comprehensive approach and builds a structure for private and public entities including Federal, State, territory, tribal and local jurisdictions to effectively, and collaboratively manage incidents. NIMS was designed to include State, regional, and local educational entities.

NIMS uses a core set of concepts, principles, procedures, processes, standards, and terminology that all may be integrated with school emergency management practices. The collective use of NIMS across all local incident response agencies (including K-12 schools and HEIs) and disciplines creates a common operating picture, promoting mutual goals and responsibilities, and ultimately, a more efficient and effective response. Furthermore, in the event of a large-scale incident crossing multiple jurisdictions and disciplines, NIMS is critical. In this scenario, the common use of NIMS unites all the response teams from all of the participating jurisdictions. The systematic approach of NIMS facilitates effective and appropriate assistance from outlying communities when needed based on the size and complexity of the incident.

School implementation of NIMS formalizes many of the partnerships, procedures, and activities already taking place at schools and on campuses around the nation. By fulfilling the NIMS Implementation Activities for Schools and HEIs, educational entities will become compliant; formalizing existing effective practices; and be stronger in the event of an emergency incident. The NIMS Implementation Activities for Schools and HEIs identifies those NIMS items schools should fulfill in close coordination with their community partners. Fulfilling NIMS implementation activities is a process for which schools may take steps to accomplish over time with their partners.

* The Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 5, Management of Domestic Incidents is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030228-9.html