NIMS FEMA and Communications Systems

Hypothetical Disaster: Hurricane in Jacksonville, FL

NIMS Component: Communications and Information Management

Central Question: How would NIMS ensure application of the concepts of interoperability, reliability, scalability, and portability, as well as the resiliency and redundancy of communications and information systems if a hurricane hit Jacksonville, FL?

National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) depend on effective communications, which in turn rely on information systems and technology. If Jacksonville were hit by a hurricane, communications and information management would ensure that local, state, and federal resources would be effectively managed, coordinated, and dispersed. Recovery and relief efforts would likewise depend on effective communications and information management.

A core component of communications and information management is interoperability. Interoperability refers to the ability for different agencies, stakeholders, and jurisdictions to communicate with each other and with any external or ancillary support systems including the media. According to FEMA (n.d.), interoperability consists of three main areas: linkage to the same system the jurisdiction uses for nonemergency procedures, interfacing with national standards, and data sharing. In Jacksonville, police, fire, EMS, and other responders need to be on the same system so they can communicate and coordinate their efforts. Communication and coordination will ensure maximization of resources and will also save lives (FEMA, n.d.).

Reliability refers to the stability of the information systems and the ability for users to depend on them and on all communications systems. The systems used in Jacksonville should be tested, used in previous settings, rather than being brand new and therefore less reliable. Scalability is important because some crews will be smaller and more specialized in scope, such as those that might be working with the Coast Guard. Other crews may be larger, like the local police force. The information and communications systems need to be scalable for both small and large groups. Similarly, the systems need to be highly portable. In an urban center that is spread out like that of Jacksonville, portability ensures that people from disparate parts of the city can interact with one another using a variety of methods including but not limited to radio waves and cellular or satellite stations.

Jacksonville will need a resilient system that can withstand the disaster itself and its aftermath. Hurricanes are multifaceted disasters, as wind, storm surge, and other elements concurrent with the storm cause different types of disastrous effects ranging from drowning and flooding to people being caught under rubble. As Jacksonville is not far about sea level, it remains particularly vulnerable to storm surge. Evacuation routes have been established, but communication systems are essential for helping coordinate migrations of people to appropriate relief centers and shelters.