The NIMS Integration Center announced that a new Independent Study Course called "IS-703 National Incident Management System (NIMS) Resource Management Training" is now available.

This interactive computer-based course provides the principles, tools, processes, and systems used in the NIMS that incident managers need for timely and effective resource management during an incident.

Primary tasks addressed in this course are:

1. Establishing systems for describing, inventorying, requesting, and tracking resources;
2. Activating these systems prior to and during an incident;
3. Dispatching resources prior to and during an incident; and
4. Deactivating or recalling resources during or after incidents.

The course shows that resources, including personnel, teams, facilities, equipment and supplies, are managed through this NIMS system by advance planning, resource identification and ordering, categorizing resources, use of agreements, acquisition management, management information systems, and protocols for ordering, mobilization and dispatching.

The course begins with resource management concepts and principles, and then addresses how to get an organization ready for managing resources in disasters. Next the course focuses on management of resources during an incident and goes on to a section dealing with the complex incident. There is then a section about reassessing readiness in the post-incident period followed by a summary and conclusion.

This course is designed for local and State emergency management personnel and takes approximately three hours to complete.

Federal agency emergency management personnel, as well as, private-sector and nongovernmental organization personnel are encouraged to complete the training also.

The course can be accessed through the FEMA Independent Study Program at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is703.asp.

A downloadable classroom version of the course will be posted on the FEMA
Independent Study website upon completion.