Incident Management Preparedness Advisors - from Concept to Reality and Beyond

Abstract

Abstract Coast Guard Incident Management Preparedness Advisors, or IMPA’s, have existed now for nearly five years. Have they lived up to their original billing or have they missed the mark? Was the original concept for IMPAs properly implemented? Today’s complex response and planning environment and governance structure provides ample justification for IMPAs and their work but challenges in implementation continue. The authors will review the original concept and discuss how IMPA implementation is understood both within the Coast Guard, and the interagency amongst partners and the private sector. Actual IMPA experiences and observations will be reviewed to identify gaps and suggest ways to leverage this important resource. Other preparedness advisor efforts will be compared to the current CG effort to suggest, or confirm, best practices. The National Contingency Plan envisions a robust preparedness program which is detailed in the Preparedness for Response (PREP) guidelines. The focus on preparedness, however, often is overshadowed by day-to-day concerns and all too often slides down the list of priorities without an “active” and forward leaning approach. IMPAs are conceptually intended to take this “active” approach in hopes of stabilizing preparedness initiatives, across all hazards, for the Coast Guard. IMPAs have had success nationally for the CG and continue to steward deeper improvements in preparedness, certainly as it relates to the NCP. They must also focus on the National Response Framework (NRF) which encompasses the NCP structure within Emergency Support Function 10 and utilizes many of the same concepts to support preparing for the use of response management systems. The IMPA’s must interact with FEMA via the Regional Incident Steering Committee (RISC) and have an understanding of the impacts of the recently National Frameworks. The authors’ recommendations will highlight strengths to the IMPA concept and suggest ways to positively lever IMPA support within a particular region. Additionally, a recommended list of IMPA common responsibilities will be proposed to further standardize IMPA efforts nationally.