Formal Adoption of National incident Management System (NIMS) Compliance

THIS PAGE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY DOES NOT SERVE AS A FORMAL REQUIREMENT
Additional information is available from FEMA on their website HERE.

Overview
To meet National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliance requirements, fire departments and emergency service agencies in Texas must follow a combination of formal adoption procedures, training requirements, and operational practices. Here's a summary of what's required:

Formal Adoption
Departments must formally adopt NIMS at the community or agency level. Acceptable documentation includes:
• A signed NIMS Resolution Form (for volunteer or career departments).
• Meeting minutes showing formal adoption.
• A letter from the Fire Chief verifying adoption.
• A proclamation or resolution from a city or county government.
• These documents are submitted to the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), which serves as the repository for NIMS compliance records.

Training Requirements
Departments must ensure personnel complete NIMS training as outlined in the NIMS Training Matrix, which typically includes:
• IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System
• IS-200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents
• IS-700: Introduction to NIMS
• IS-800: Introduction to the National Response Framework

Training is available through FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute and other state-supported platforms like TDEM and TEEX.

Operational Compliance
To be NIMS-compliant, departments must also:
• Use ICS structures for managing all incidents.
• Participate in mutual aid agreements with other jurisdictions.
• Engage in multi-agency, all-hazard exercises that reflect NIMS principles.