NIMS Certification

Firefighters can become certified in NIMS.

NIMS, an acronym for National Incident Management System, is a program that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed as a training tool. The classes ready participants to help coordinate teams that manage local or regional emergencies.

Function

People can take specialized classes in emergency management, as long as they are U.S. citizens. The free classes teach the participants how to better manage responses to serious emergencies. According to Homeland Security, NIMS-certified staff may be required at incidents in order to receive federal emergency funds.

Considerations

The classes are offered online. Once successfully completed, a certificate of completion is issued. According to FEMA, public agencies like fire, law enforcement, utilities and medical providers require specific training programs. The NIMS classes might be required to meet certain job requirements among these workers.

Forward Planning

Public agencies must specify what the training requirements are for each departmental role. The NIMS program lays out its offerings in five-year increments, helping departments choose the NIMS classes it will require for its employees to take and successfully pass.

References

• Federal Emergency Management Agency: NIMS Training