There is a challenge for many emergency managers in letting elected officials, especially those serving on a governing body (council, legislature) what their role is in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) when there is an emergency.
Their role is primarily before and after an event. As I read recently a PowerPoint on the topic. I’ve amended that just a bit, changed and added:
- Clearly state agency/jurisdictional policy supporting and the use of ICS
- Provide financial resources to support the use of ICS
- Evaluate effectiveness of disaster responses and correct deficiencies following a response
- Support a multiagency approach
This is simple enough. It even passes the Barb Graff mantra of what you tell elected officials should be able to fit on the front of a T-Shirt.
