NCJ Number
205094
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 70 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2004 Pages: 19-20
Editor(s)
Charles E. Higginbotham
Date Published
February 2004
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article describes the elements and features of the Initial National Response Plan (INRP), an interim plan designed to facilitate a unified approach to domestic incident management across the Nation.
Abstract
As specified in the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, the purpose of the INRP is to enhance the ability of the Nation to manage domestic incidents by establishing a single, comprehensive national incident management system. Under this directive, the secretary of homeland security is designated as the principal Federal official responsible for domestic incident management. In addition, the directive recognizes the roles and responsibilities of State and local authorities in domestic incident management, which have the initial responsibility for managing domestic incidents. The Federal Government's role is to assist State and local authorities when their resources are overwhelmed or when Federal interests are involved. The INRP strengthens the Federal response to emergency incident management by establishing the permanent Homeland Security Operations Center, which serves as the primary national-level hub for domestic-incident-management operational communication and information. The INRP also provides for the creation of the Interagency Incident Management Group, which facilitates national-level situation awareness, policy coordination, and incident coordination during domestic incidents; the secretary of homeland security's designation of a principal Federal official to serve as the personal representative of the Department of Homeland Security locally during a domestic incident; and the development of joint field offices at the site of a local incident to facilitate the coordination of Federal, State, and local authorities. Under the INRP, the Department of Homeland Security and responders from across the United States continue the development of a national incident management system that will create additional standardized coordination procedures for incident managers.