Emergency Management Training: Is Your County Current?

House Bill 1831 adds new emergency management training requirements

In addition to existing National Incident Management System (NIMS) training, further requirements were added this past 81st legislative session for certain elected officials who have a role in emergency preparedness, response or recovery training. HB 1831, which became law in June, states that an elected law enforcement officer, county judge or certain appointed public officers with emergency preparedness duties shall complete a three hour training course no later than the 180th day after he or she assumes office.

The training will be provided by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), a division of the Department of Public Safety. According to TDEM, this training is different and separate from any necessary NIMS training and will provide all the information needed for the officials to fulfill their roles in emergency management. The new course is not currently online, but TDEM and the Texas Association of Counties will provide a detailed public announcement when it becomes available. Training is only required to be taken once.

Is your county NIMS compliant?
Beginning in 2003, President George Bush issued the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5: Management of Domestic Incidents to develop and administer NIMS. Even though many counties have been implementing emergency preparedness plans for years, this overall system is designed to encompass all types of hazards using coordinated resources. If a county responds to routine emergencies using its own resources, then NIMS participation is not required. But if the county’s response requires mutual aid and federal reimbursement, the county must be in compliance with NIMS to receive federal preparedness assistance. For counties to be eligible for these federal funds, they must be able to certify NIMS compliance.

Compliance objectives can be found here. NIMS focus is to help counties work together with neighboring jurisdictions, state and federal resources to prepare for and protect against emergency incidents.

Which courses are required for elected officials?
NIMS Integration Center strongly recommends that, at minimum, elected officials who interact with multiple jurisdictions and agencies during emergencies should complete FEMA IS-700: NIMS, An Introduction and ICS-100: Introduction to Incident Command System.

Which county staff are required to receive training and what courses should they take?
Please see the NIMS flow chart on page 6 for helpful course information. Please note that courses beginning with “IS” are basic courses offered free online; courses offered in a classroom setting begin with “ICS.”

Sign Up
Free NIMS courses ICS 700 and ICS 100 are being offered for finance personnel Dec. 10 and 11 at the San Angelo EOC, 8485 Hangar Road, San Angelo, TX 76904. Instructor: Captain Steve Mild, Tom Green County Sheriff’s Department. To register, please contact either Captain Mild or Dianna Spieker.

For further information on NIMS/ICS training, officials can also contact their local Council of Government or the Texas Association of Regional Councils (TARC), (512) 478-4715.

For more information on this article or on the December San Angelo training, please contact TAC Legislative Staffer Aurora Flores-Ortiz, (800) 456-5974.