| NIMS Compliance
In 2005, compliance
with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) requirements became
a major effort within the emergency management community. The
Georgia Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency
(OHS/GEMA) published guidelines, coordinated with the United States
Department of Homeland Security (OHS), that must be completed by
October 1, 2006, by jurisdiction Emergency Management Agencies to meet
NIMS compliance. This compliance is required for jurisdictions to
continue receiving OHS grants after that date.
There has been debate
about these requirements extending to volunteer groups such as
ARES. In some jurisdictions, ARES volunteers are considered first
responders and NIMS compliance requirements have been extended to those
groups by the jurisdiction's Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
In other jurisdictions that has not been the case. However, the
Georgia Section ARES leadership encourages all ARES members to strive
to demonstrate a willingness toward compliance with the requirements
even if not required by your local EMA. For further information
go to the NIMS Compliance page.
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