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Gave It All On
9-11-2001
Current
Threat Level
National Incident Management System (NIMS) Updates
Federal Funds and How They Flow Into Minnesota
In
reference to the NIMS program and the impact on compliance and funding,
there are two funding streams that Federal money flows into the
State.
Most Federal funds will flow through the Governors office to our State's Appointed Agency (SAA) which is the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). These funds came from what was once called "ODP", Office of Domestic Preparedness, which is now part of a new Federal group called " Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness part of the Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ODP has as its main focus is terrorism and the distribution of funding.
The Office of State and Local Government Coordination was established to serve as a single point of contact for facilitation and coordination of Departmental programs that impact state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. Their main mission is grants and funding.
Some of the funds that flow through HSEM and then down to the County Emergency Manager and then into the local cities in our state our controlled by HSEM as the "SAA", State Appointed Agency. HSEM initially provided information to the counties that basically ONLY pertained to HSEM controlled funds. A March 10th document that was handed out at the Gov.'s Conference in March is an example of such a document.
Key point is that HSEM did not really address the funds that come directly to the cities and bypass HSEM. See page #2 paragraph 1 (key word in paragraph 1 is MOST not all funds) of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
There is another player at the Federal level that is responsible for the implantation and governance of NIMS and that is the DHS Office called National Incident Management System Integration Center (NIC).
HSPD-5 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a mechanism for ensuring the ongoing management and maintenance of the NIMS. To this end, the Secretary will establish a multijurisdictional, multidisciplinary NIMS Integration Center. This center will provide strategic direction for and oversight of the NIMS, supporting both routine maintenance and continuous refinement of the system and its components over the long term.
The NIC will facilitate the development of a national system of guidelines, protocols and standards for NIMS implementation; training requirements, national level training standards and assessment criteria for the various components of the NIMS; and compliance requirements and timelines for federal, state, local and tribal entities implementing the NIMS.
NIC has published several documents on what needs to be done by "LOCAL ENTITIES". The first one was published on September 8th and sent to every Governor of each State and Territory. Click here to view the September 8, 2004 Compliance Directive sent to every State Governor. This document provided initial directions to both State and Local Entities.
On March 4th the NIC published another document to help clear up the questions as to "WHO" should take the IS-700 class through their "NIC ALERT" system. NIC provides greater detail on Executive Level, Managerial Level and Responder Level personnel that will need the IS-700 course. Click here for details.
After ready these two documents and reading the HSEM March 10th document most people have figured out that their city needs to be in compliance if they wish to receive direct Federal funds. Minnesota Fire Service News conducted a survey of the other SAA's in the 50 states and you can see what those States SAA's are advocating when it comes to WHO should take IS-700 training. See what other States are telling local entities about "Who should take the IS-700" courses - click here
So back to the typical comments and question "We had a discussion in the department on the NIMS training. Who needs to take this? The whole department and the whole city council or what? Please help us out?"
Most folks have figured out that they wish to error on the side of NIMS compliance and are attempting follow the NIC Alert document dated March 4th if they wish to keep getting Federal dollars directly into their city.
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will or are telling their staff that HSEM does need to clarify the question who needs to comply with the requirements published in their March 10, 2005 document. See page #2 paragraph 3 and 4 of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will be clarifying that any jurisdiction currently receiving Homeland Security funding is required to meet the March 10, 2005 requirements and that any state agency, tribal government, county, city, township or other entity planning to apply for direct federal prevention, planning, and preparedness grants in the future must adopt and implement NIMS locally which will include individual counties, cities, townships, and other entities effected by NIMS, following the March 10, 2005 guidance. 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will be informing everyone that county wide adoption of NIMS only at the county level may not be adequate when individual entities are applying directly to the federal government for grants outside of current SAA administered DHS. See page #2 paragraph 3 and 4 of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Examples are grants like FIRE Act Grants and others like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP).
See 08-04-2005 Preliminary List of Federal Preparedness Grant Programs (PDF 25KB, TXT 5KB)
Most Federal funds will flow through the Governors office to our State's Appointed Agency (SAA) which is the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). These funds came from what was once called "ODP", Office of Domestic Preparedness, which is now part of a new Federal group called " Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness part of the Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ODP has as its main focus is terrorism and the distribution of funding.
The Office of State and Local Government Coordination was established to serve as a single point of contact for facilitation and coordination of Departmental programs that impact state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. Their main mission is grants and funding.
Some of the funds that flow through HSEM and then down to the County Emergency Manager and then into the local cities in our state our controlled by HSEM as the "SAA", State Appointed Agency. HSEM initially provided information to the counties that basically ONLY pertained to HSEM controlled funds. A March 10th document that was handed out at the Gov.'s Conference in March is an example of such a document.
Key point is that HSEM did not really address the funds that come directly to the cities and bypass HSEM. See page #2 paragraph 1 (key word in paragraph 1 is MOST not all funds) of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
There is another player at the Federal level that is responsible for the implantation and governance of NIMS and that is the DHS Office called National Incident Management System Integration Center (NIC).
HSPD-5 requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a mechanism for ensuring the ongoing management and maintenance of the NIMS. To this end, the Secretary will establish a multijurisdictional, multidisciplinary NIMS Integration Center. This center will provide strategic direction for and oversight of the NIMS, supporting both routine maintenance and continuous refinement of the system and its components over the long term.
The NIC will facilitate the development of a national system of guidelines, protocols and standards for NIMS implementation; training requirements, national level training standards and assessment criteria for the various components of the NIMS; and compliance requirements and timelines for federal, state, local and tribal entities implementing the NIMS.
NIC has published several documents on what needs to be done by "LOCAL ENTITIES". The first one was published on September 8th and sent to every Governor of each State and Territory. Click here to view the September 8, 2004 Compliance Directive sent to every State Governor. This document provided initial directions to both State and Local Entities.
On March 4th the NIC published another document to help clear up the questions as to "WHO" should take the IS-700 class through their "NIC ALERT" system. NIC provides greater detail on Executive Level, Managerial Level and Responder Level personnel that will need the IS-700 course. Click here for details.
After ready these two documents and reading the HSEM March 10th document most people have figured out that their city needs to be in compliance if they wish to receive direct Federal funds. Minnesota Fire Service News conducted a survey of the other SAA's in the 50 states and you can see what those States SAA's are advocating when it comes to WHO should take IS-700 training. See what other States are telling local entities about "Who should take the IS-700" courses - click here
So back to the typical comments and question "We had a discussion in the department on the NIMS training. Who needs to take this? The whole department and the whole city council or what? Please help us out?"
Most folks have figured out that they wish to error on the side of NIMS compliance and are attempting follow the NIC Alert document dated March 4th if they wish to keep getting Federal dollars directly into their city.
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will or are telling their staff that HSEM does need to clarify the question who needs to comply with the requirements published in their March 10, 2005 document. See page #2 paragraph 3 and 4 of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will be clarifying that any jurisdiction currently receiving Homeland Security funding is required to meet the March 10, 2005 requirements and that any state agency, tribal government, county, city, township or other entity planning to apply for direct federal prevention, planning, and preparedness grants in the future must adopt and implement NIMS locally which will include individual counties, cities, townships, and other entities effected by NIMS, following the March 10, 2005 guidance. 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Minnesota Fire Service News Editor believes that HSEM will be informing everyone that county wide adoption of NIMS only at the county level may not be adequate when individual entities are applying directly to the federal government for grants outside of current SAA administered DHS. See page #2 paragraph 3 and 4 of the joint document - 09-07-2005 NIMS HSEM and MnSCU Joint Document
Examples are grants like FIRE Act Grants and others like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP).
See 08-04-2005 Preliminary List of Federal Preparedness Grant Programs (PDF 25KB, TXT 5KB)
-
Federal Preparedness Grant Programs (PDF 25KB, TXT 5KB)
This information was provided by federal departments and agencies to the NIMS Integration Center regarding their preparedness funding programs with state and local entities, including cooperative agreements, memorandums of understandings, grants and contracts. We are making this preliminary list available to help state and local entities identify funding streams that may be affected in connection with NIMS implementation requirements. This should not be considered a definitive list of federal preparedness grants and agreements.
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