About the Next-Generation Incident Command System (NICS)NICS is a web-based command & control environment for small to large to extreme scale incidents that facilitates collaboration across Federal, Tribal, Military, State, County, & Local/Municipal levels of preparedness, planning, response, and recovery for all-risk/all-hazard events. NICS facilitates situational awareness for widely dispersed responders.NICS is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, and is being developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in partnership with the operators from the California First Responder Community.U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityDHS_6532f572-4eac-11e0-aa9f-7c137a64ea2aNICS is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate ...Lincoln LaboratoryLL_bf48d9c6-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6abNICS is being developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in partnership with the operators from the California First Responder Community.Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCalifornia First Responder Community_bf48dae8-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6abTo facilitate collaboration across Federal, Tribal, Military, State, County, & Local/Municipal levels of preparedness, planning, response, and recovery for all-risk/all-hazard events._bf48dc1e-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6abOpennessNICS is:
Based upon Open standards: It runs on any computer, any operating system, any browser (except Internet Explorer 8 and earlier; IE 9 works fine)StandardsCommunityNon-proprietary: Not vendor owned; this is a community development projectEase of UseUses an "App Store" model: Apps can be developed by anyone, with easy plug-&-play functionalityContinuous ImprovementAlways improving: Like the Web, NICS will never be done; Adaptabilityit will always be improved and adapted by the communityCost-FreeAvailable at No cost to Emergency RespondersFocusAimed at the Tired-Dirty-Hungry: Carefully designed for the responder under extreme stressScalabilityFocused on scalability: Technology for small to large to extreme scale incidentsTechnology NeutralityNICS has seen this adoption by first responder organizations because:
* It is web-based and technology neutral
* It does not try to do everything -- It is designed for the responder under extreme stress -- the Tired-Dirty-Hungry; it is easy to learn and use.
* It is free for responder organizations (all funding has been provided by the government; no vendor has proprietary rights to NICS; it is an open standards, community development project).Collaboration & CommunicationProvide collaboration and communication capabilities across all echelons of responders._bf48dcbe-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6abRespondersNICS Users As of July 2012, over 700 first responders across more than 50 organizations have been trained in the use of NICS and are employing NICS daily (as examples, all CAL FIRE regional units, California Emergency Management Agency, all CAL FIRE Incident Management Teams, Riverside County Fire and Sheriff's Departments, Riverside County Office of Emergency Services, Sycuan Fire Department and the Golden Eagle Hotshots (Bureau of Indian Affairs), San Marcos Fire Department, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, and the U.S. Border Patrol, to cite a few.)CAL FIRE Regional UnitsCAL FIRE units and local departments (county and municipal) in Riverside and San Diego, as well as other California Counties, are integrating NICS into their day-to-day operations to train personnel and respond to incidents, such as wildland fires. During the 2011 Southern California fire season (June to November), the system was used in operational evaluations on a number of large wildland fires (Riverside and San Diego) that progressed beyond initial attack. Since 2010, NICS has been used on over 200 actual incidents. It has also been used in the Los Angeles, Boston, and San Diego marathons for management of medical team response.California Emergency Management AgencyCAL FIRE Incident Management TeamsRiverside County Fire and Sheriff's DepartmentsRiverside County Office of Emergency ServicesSycuan Fire DepartmentGolden Eagle HotshotsBureau of Indian AffairsSan Marcos Fire DepartmentSan Diego Fire-Rescue DepartmentU.S. Border PatrolNICS provides collaboration and communication capabilities across all echelons of responders; it enhances the quality and accessibility of sensor data; and it integrates location data for resources, vehicles, and personnel. During an incident, NICS provides an information backbone that manages and distributes data, including real-time vehicle location feeds, weather, critical infrastructure, and terrain information.
Incident data is displayed by using a web-based, open standards platform that allows users with the proper permissions to log into a map-based environment accessible via an ordinary web browser and Internet connection. NICS offers graphical tools, including geo-referenced virtual whiteboards, for dynamic interagency collaboration that facilitates a coordinated response.
Using these tools, responders are able to quickly form teams, send messages to one another, and remotely share maps and drawings that enhance the management of the incident. Sensor DataEnhance the quality and accessibility of sensor data_bf48dd72-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab1Location DataIntegrate location data for resources, vehicles, and personnel_bf48de1c-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab2Information BackboneProvides an information backbone that manages and distributes data, including real-time vehicle location feeds, weather, critical infrastructure, and terrain information_bf48debc-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3NICS supports an apps plug-in model, including the following:WhiteboardsOrganize and share whiteboard rooms_bf48df5c-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.1ChattingCommunicate and document information using “Text Based Chatting” (public and private)_bf48e010-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.2Map LayersSupport multiple base map layers including streets, topographical, satellite, and aeronautical_bf48e0b0-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.3Data WarehouseProvide a well-organized data warehouse_bf48e15a-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.4Vehicle LocationEnable automatic vehicle location (AVL)_bf48e222-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.5Personnel TackingSupport position location information (PLI) satellite based personnel tracking_bf48e2e0-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.6Aircraft FollowingSupport automated aircraft flight following (AFF)_bf48e39e-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab3.7Weather FeedsProvide robust real-time weather feeds_bf48e45c-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab2.8Form & ReportsProvide forms and support reporting_bf48e506-dd43-11e4-8b54-34c56abdd6ab2.92015-04-07OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net