Law Enforcement Technology

MAY 2014

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18 Law Enforcement Technology May 2014 www.officer.com S earch and rescue efforts continue after the devastating mudslide outside Oso, Wash. Even as rescue workers from multiple jurisdictions and disciplines work together to find any of the 90 people still missing, and to bring out the 25 souls confirmed lost in this tragedy, arm-chair quarterbacks are already bashing the decisions made by those in charge of the efforts. In response, representatives from involved agencies, including Arlington Rural Fire Department, the Washington National Guard and the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management say they are working together and have a clear incident plan. An Incident Command System/Unified Command (ICS/UC) appears to be playing a role in their coordination. ICS/UC is an efficient tool used to manage emergency responses, especially those that are multi-juris- dictional. The concept was born in 1970 after a devastating 13-day wildfire in California. Since that time, it has evolved to a manageable, efficient and effective system applicable to all public safety at the federal, state, county and local levels. In 2003, President George W. Bush issued the Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5 estab- lishing a single, comprehensive national incident management system (NIMS). A year later, Homeland Security, after close collaboration with a variety of state and local government officials, issued the NIMS. (ICS/UC is a part of NIMS.) Since that time, agencies large and small, public and private, have been training on and utilizing ICS/UC with great success. Most recently, active shooter incidents are being prepared for through NIMS/ICS training. Most people associate ICS/UC with enormous events and natural disasters like Super Storm Sandy. When a natu- ral disaster strikes, Federal Emergency Management Team (FEMA) gets on board and a governor or state repre- sentative set objectives and tasks sup- porting the common goals. Regardless, all incidents begin at the community level. Agencies, both volunteer and ICS/UC are successful in bringing multiple jurisdictions together for the common good By Michelle Perin Winging it emergency plan is not an LET_18-22_Winging0514.indd 18 4/18/14 3:30 PM

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