BACKGROUND
FAR Part 139 airports are now required to integrate the National Incident Management System (NIMS) into their airport emergency plans. Although this requirement doesn’t apply to general aviation airports, all airports can benefit from the nationwide template that NIMS provides in response to incidents/accidents and events. NIMS provides consistency in responses to such events irrespective of their size, cause, and complexity and whether they are urgent, routine, or planned. Airports of all sizes rely, to some degree, on their communities and other stakeholders in the management and response to incidents/accidents and events and NIMS can help integrate all personnel and resources. FEMA provides comprehensive resources to ensure NIMS compliance-- however, for some airports there may be a lack of awareness of these tools and resources; they may not be educating and training enough of their staff; and/or their communities, stakeholders, and mutual aid partners may not be sufficiently aware of the resources available.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research is to provide guidance to all size airports in integrating NIMS in response to incidents/accidents and events regardless of the size, cause, or complexity of such events.
The guidance should include at a minimum:
- The benefit(s) to airports of integrating NIMS into incident/accident and event management internally or while working with community, stakeholders, and mutual aid partners during such events.
- Assistance in identifying which airport personnel (including tenants) need NIMS education and training and to what level.
- Best practices in implementing and maintaining proficiency in NIMS with airport communities, stakeholders, and mutual aid partners who provide response to incidents/accidents and events in and around the airport.
- Resources that are available to provide NIMS education and training and the methods to provide that training and education.
- Funding options that are available for education and training including requirements for obtaining those funds.
