Emergency Services personnel learn national incident procedures

By Rob Schuette, The Real McCoy

      Mid- and upper-level emergency management personnel from Fort McCoy, along with a number of their counterparts from local and state agencies throughout the region, learned updated techniques to handle emergency incidents. The training was part of a three-day course held June 24-26 at Fort McCoy.

Emergency Services personnel from throughout the region receive training on the new National Incident Management System. The training was held at the Fort McCoy Fire Department classroom. (Photo by Rob Schuette)

      Adam Ballard, an assistant fire chief for the Fort McCoy Directorate of Emergency Services/Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, said the training was on two modules of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

      Personnel from all agencies that would be involved in emergency incidents are required to take NIMS training, Ballard said.            

      The training was mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5.

      HSPD-5 was signed after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist incident, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

      The purpose of the training is to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents by establishing a single, comprehensive national incident management system. The incidents could be natural disasters and emergencies, including acts of terrorism, for example.

       "This training is to get all (area) responders on board with the system," Ballard said. "It ensures everyone is working within the same framework and it helps ensure that any given emergency response flows well."

       The course was taught by Western Technical College instructors. To ensure there were sufficient numbers of personnel available to hold the class, it was opened to emergency-response personnel from throughout the region.

      A bonus of their attendance was to meet personnel from other agencies with whom they could exchange information, training techniques and experiences. Ballard said this also helped strengthen the installation's mutual-aid agreements with local fire departments, and other agencies that deal with emergency situations.

      The training modules offered were the Incident Command System (ICS) 300, which is the Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents, and the ICS 400, which is the Advanced ICS for Major and/or Complex Incidents.

      Among the organizations with attendees at one or both of the training sessions were the Department of Corrections (Eau Claire, Wis.), the Winona, Minn., Dive/Rescue Team and Civil Air Patrol, the Emergency Medical Services clinic manager from Gundersen/Lutheran, a Monroe County (Wis.) Sheriff's Department deputy, police chief from La Crosse, Wis., and Trempealeau and Buffalo County (Wis.) officials.

      "This training will help us better serve the public in the event of an incident," Ballard said. "We can use the techniques in the upcoming exercises we are participating in."

      More information about NIMS is available at the Web site http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/.