Emergency Services Interactive Systems

The 2001 terrorist attacks and the increasingly violent hurricane seasons highlight the need to focus on improving emergency response capabilities and coordination processes across the country. To address the issue, in 2003, President Bush signed Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, which mandates the use of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) for all organizations responding to an emergency. The new system is based on California’s Incident Command System, a communications strategy established in the aftermath of devastating wildfires in the 1970s. NIMS is a comprehensive national approach that sets standards to provide a consistent incident management approach for government and private entities at all levels. Its framework forms the basis for interoperability and compatibility that enables a diverse set of public and private organizations to conduct well-integrated and effective emergency response operations.