In 2003, the President of the United States issued the Homeland Security Directive/HSPD-5: Management of Domestic Incidents.
- HSPD-5 mandated the creation of a National Incident Management System (NIMS) to provide a common framework for managing emergencies across disciplines and jurisdictions.
- Baltimore City formally adopted NIMS in 2005 and has implemented an aggressive program of training and implementation.
- NIMS concepts and terminology have been integrated into the City’s existing practices for managing emergencies, resulting in more coordinated, efficient, and consistent multi-agency responses.
Under the leadership of the Baltimore City Fire Department, the City has established an Incident Management Team (IMT), which provides an organizational structure and a source of trained personnel to assist with planning for and mitigating complex multi-agency incidents.
- For complex or multi-faceted incidents, Baltimore City employs the NIMS Unified and Area Command concepts to ensure that strategies are developed with the input of all agencies that have jurisdiction, expertise, and resources to mitigate a given incident.
- The City’s system of incident management relies on the clear designation of lead and support agencies, according to the type of incident. The lead agency is responsible for assigning an incident commander and setting up a command structure.
For more information about NIMS, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) NIMS Integration Center page.
In 2003, the President of the United States issued the Homeland Security Directive/HSPD-5: Management of Domestic Incidents.
Under the leadership of the Baltimore City Fire Department, the City has established an Incident Management Team (IMT), which provides an organizational structure and a source of trained personnel to assist with planning for and mitigating complex multi-agency incidents.