National Incident Management System 

Emergency Operations 

Center How-to Quick 

Reference Guide

October 2022 
NIMS Emergency Operations Center How-to Quick Reference Guide

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Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1

1. Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1. NIMS Compliance and Integration ................................................................................. 1

What is an Emergency Operations Center? .............................................................................. 2

1. Hallmarks of an EOC ............................................................................................................... 3

Preliminary Assessments .......................................................................................................... 4

1. Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment ..................................................................................... 4

2. Capability Assessment ............................................................................................................ 4

2.1. Interagency Coordination ................................................................................................ 5

2.2. Multiagency Coordination Groups .................................................................................. 6

2.3. Private Sector .................................................................................................................. 8

2.4. EOC Staffing Requirements and Structure Type ........................................................... 9

2.4.1. ICS OR ICS-LIKE STRUCTURE ......................................................................................10

2.4.2. Incident Support Model ...............................................................................................11

2.4.3. DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE......................................................................................11

2.4.4. ORGANIZATIONAL CONCEPT AND FRAMEWORK........................................................11

2.4.5. EOC SKILLSETS AND USER GUIDE..............................................................................12

2.5. EOC Facility Support ..................................................................................................... 12

2.6. Plans and Procedures .................................................................................................. 13

2.7. Communications .......................................................................................................... 13

2.8. Lifelines ......................................................................................................................... 14

Site Selection .......................................................................................................................... 15

1. General Considerations ........................................................................................................ 15

1.1. Vulnerability .................................................................................................................. 15

1.1.1. Central Location and Proximity to Key Personnel ......................................................16

1.2. Traffic Flow and Congestion ........................................................................................ 16

1.3. Accessibility .................................................................................................................. 17

1.4. Parking .......................................................................................................................... 17
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1.5. Communications .......................................................................................................... 17

1.6. Security ......................................................................................................................... 18

1.7. Scalability ...................................................................................................................... 18

1.8. Community-Based Design ............................................................................................ 19

1.9. Alternate Sites .............................................................................................................. 19

1.10. Existing EOC Sites......................................................................................................... 20

2. Mitigation Considerations .................................................................................................... 20

2.1. Natural Hazards............................................................................................................ 20

2.2. Technological and Human-Caused Hazards ............................................................... 20

2.3. Virtual and Hybrid Operations ..................................................................................... 20

EOC Capabilities and Requirements ....................................................................................... 21

1. Determining Personnel Space Requirements ...................................................................... 21

1.1. EOC Functions .............................................................................................................. 21

1.2. Space Requirements .................................................................................................... 21

1.3. Additional Personnel Space Requirements ................................................................ 22

1.4. Sustained Operations .................................................................................................. 22

2. Communications Requirements ........................................................................................... 22

2.1. Interoperability.............................................................................................................. 23

2.2. Telecommunications (Including Teleconferencing, Videoconferencing, Text 

Messaging and Fax) ..................................................................................................... 23

2.3. Public Safety Radio ...................................................................................................... 24

3. IT Requirements ................................................................................................................... 24

3.1. Internet Connectivity .................................................................................................... 24

3.2. Computer Systems ....................................................................................................... 25

3.3. Audiovisual Support ..................................................................................................... 26

4. Supplies and Equipment Requirements .............................................................................. 26

4.1. Furniture and Office Equipment .................................................................................. 26

4.2. Food Supply .................................................................................................................. 26

4.3. Medical and Sanitary Supplies .................................................................................... 27

4.4. Status and Situation Boards ........................................................................................ 27
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4.5. Administrative Supplies ............................................................................................... 27

4.6. Support Services .......................................................................................................... 27

Room Design Features ............................................................................................................ 29

1. Design Considerations ......................................................................................................... 29

1.1. Basic Room Designs .................................................................................................... 29

1.2. Emergency Power ......................................................................................................... 31

1.3. Uninterruptible Power Supply ...................................................................................... 31

1.4. Physical Access ............................................................................................................ 32

2. Considerations for Multiuse Facilities .................................................................................. 32

2.1. Ancillary Space and Storage Areas ............................................................................. 32

2.2. Operations Room .......................................................................................................... 33

2.3. Classroom and Training Areas ..................................................................................... 33

2.4. Meeting Rooms ............................................................................................................ 33

3. Floor Plans ............................................................................................................................ 33

Information Management Systems ........................................................................................ 34

1.1. Information/Data Management Tools ........................................................................ 34

1.2. Geospatial Data and Analysis Capability .................................................................... 34

1.3. Crowdsourcing in Emergency Management ............................................................... 35

1.4. Hazard Prediction and Monitoring Capability ............................................................. 36

1.5. Crisis Information Management System..................................................................... 36

1.6. Personnel Qualification and Certification System ...................................................... 37

2. Infrastructure for Communications and Data Management ................................................ 37

2.1. Adequate Numbers of Phones, Multifunction Copy/Scan/Print/Fax Devices, Copiers, 

Computers .................................................................................................................... 37

2.2. Secure Communications .............................................................................................. 38

3. Cybersecurity ........................................................................................................................ 38

EOC Management ................................................................................................................... 40

1. Standard Operating Procedures ........................................................................................... 40

1.1. Authority ........................................................................................................................ 40
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1.2. Elected Officials, Senior Leaders, and Tribal Representatives ................................. 40

1.3. Conditions for Activation .............................................................................................. 41

1.4. Notice Events ................................................................................................................ 41

1.5. Notifications .................................................................................................................. 42

1.6. Setup ............................................................................................................................. 42

1.7. Deactivation .................................................................................................................. 43

1.8. Annual Review .............................................................................................................. 43

1.9. Testing and Exercising Activation Procedures ............................................................ 43

Planning, Training and Exercises ............................................................................................ 44

1. Planning................................................................................................................................ 44

1.1. The Preparedness Cycle .............................................................................................. 44

1.2. Incident Action Planning .............................................................................................. 45

2. NIMS Training and EOCs ...................................................................................................... 46

2.1. EOC Training Progression ............................................................................................ 46

3. Exercises and EOCs .............................................................................................................. 48

3.1. HSEEP Principles .......................................................................................................... 48

3.2. Exercise Types .............................................................................................................. 49

3.3. Equipment Checks ....................................................................................................... 50

3.4. Evaluation and Improvement ...................................................................................... 50

Resource Management During an Incident ............................................................................ 51

1.1. Identifying Requirements ............................................................................................. 51

2. Ordering and Acquiring ......................................................................................................... 52

2.1. Resource Requests ...................................................................................................... 52

2.2. Incident Assignments ................................................................................................... 53

Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... 54

Glossary ................................................................................................................................... 58

References and Resources ..................................................................................................... 73

COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance ..............................................................................73
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Cybersecurity ...............................................................................................................................73

Emergency Support Function (ESF) ...........................................................................................73

FEMA National Training and Education Division (NTED) ..........................................................73

Incident Command System (ICS) Resource Center ...................................................................74

Incident Action Planning Guidance............................................................................................74

Lifelines .......................................................................................................................................74

National Incident Management System (NIMS)........................................................................74

National Qualification System (NQS) .........................................................................................74

NIMS Training Program...............................................................................................................75

NQS EOC Skillsets and EOC Skillsets User Guide......................................................................75

OneResponder ............................................................................................................................75

Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) .............................................75

Vulnerability Assessment............................................................................................................75

Annex ....................................................................................................................................... 76

1. Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Self-Assessment Tool .................................................. 76

2. Tips for Using This Tool ......................................................................................................... 76

3. More Information .................................................................................................................. 77

4. Facility Features ................................................................................................................... 78

5. Survivability .......................................................................................................................... 80

6. Security ................................................................................................................................. 81

6.1. Facility ........................................................................................................................... 81

6.2. Communications/Networks ......................................................................................... 81

6.3. Personnel ...................................................................................................................... 82

7. Sustainability ........................................................................................................................ 83

7.1. Facility ........................................................................................................................... 83

7.2. Communications/Networks ......................................................................................... 83

8. Interoperability ..................................................................................................................... 85

8.1. Communications .......................................................................................................... 85

8.1.1. REQUIREMENTS...........................................................................................................85

8.1.2. RADIOS .........................................................................................................................85

8.2. Procedures .................................................................................................................... 86

8.3. Training ......................................................................................................................... 86

9. Flexibility ............................................................................................................................... 87
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9.1. Facility ........................................................................................................................... 87

9.1.1. PRIMARY EOC...............................................................................................................87

9.1.2. ALTERNATE EOC...........................................................................................................87

9.2. Communications/Networks ......................................................................................... 88

10. Other Considerations............................................................................................................ 90

Geographic data and analysis capability ...................................................................................90

Hazard prediction and monitoring capability ............................................................................90

Crisis information management system....................................................................................90

Personnel qualification and certification system ......................................................................90

11. Additional Comments and Other Key Information ................................................................ 91
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Introduction

The routine, day-to-day management of government differs greatly from emergency operations. 

During an emergency, effective decision-making relies on leaders’ ability to collect emergencyrelated information, which requires close coordination between key officials from a variety of 

departments, agencies and organizations. 

Having a coordination structure such as an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), from which leaders 

can coordinate and direct emergency efforts, is essential for emergency response and recovery.1

Governments, jurisdictions, municipalities, nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and members of 

the private sector, at all levels, should prepare for the possibility of an emergency that will 

significantly change operating procedures. Governments must be ready to direct and control 

emergency operations.2

1. Purpose

The purpose of this all-hazards how-to guide is to provide state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) 

jurisdictions with information and guidance related to setting up, operating, maintaining and 

deactivating an EOC that successfully meets the jurisdiction’s needs. This guidance applies an allhazards approach in its concepts, processes and principles. The Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) recognizes that certain hazards (such as COVID-19) may have specific implications, 

precautions and instructions that take effect under certain conditions and threat environments.

1.1. NIMS Compliance and Integration

Leaders should consider the National Incident Management System (NIMS) framework and 

principles when developing an EOC. Using appropriate terminology is especially important for 

ensuring consistency among jurisdictions at all levels of government.

1 An exception to the need for a central location could be when planning for a pandemic, in which case leaders should 

consider telecommuting or other policies that impose physical distance.

2 References to non-federal products throughout this document are provided as examples and not intended as an 

endorsement of any non-federal products by FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the federal government.
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What is an Emergency Operations 

Center? 

An EOC is a central command and control system responsible for carrying out the principles of 

emergency preparedness and emergency management, or disaster management at a strategic level 

during an emergency, and ensuring the continuity of operation of a company, political subdivision, or 

other organization. An EOC is a location from which leaders of a jurisdiction or organization 

coordinate information and resources to support incident management activities (on-scene 

operations). EOC team structure and composition can vary widely. Virtual or hybrid EOCs may be 

used to expand the EOC when physical space is limited, to create a safer operating environment 

(e.g., for social distancing measures or if access to the EOC is impeded), to include additional 

stakeholders from the whole community who may not be able to be physically present or to support 

coordination during incidents in which conditions do not require in-person coordination to perform 

EOC functions. 

An EOC is a physical, virtual or hybrid location and may be housed in a temporary facility or in a 

permanently established, central facility—perhaps a building that supports another government 

agency within the jurisdiction.

Deciding how to organize the EOC staff depends on factors such as the jurisdiction or organization’s 

mission, authorities, staffing, partner/stakeholder agencies represented, EOC facilities, 

communications capabilities and engaged elected officials. For more information on EOC structures 

and organization methods, see the Capability Assessment section of this guide.

Jurisdictions establish EOCs to meet their unique requirements and needs, so no two EOCs have 

exactly the same design. Some jurisdictions see the EOC as the nerve center and tactical hub for 

incident response. Others see an EOC as a resource coordination center that locates and deploys 

resources but does not direct tactical-level responses. Some envision an EOC as a room with 

stadium seating and rows of desks facing large screens, while others imagine an open room with 

tables and chairs for each Emergency Support Function (ESF). In the end, the structure and functions 

largely depend on the requirements of the individual jurisdiction.

Primary functions of staff in EOCs, whether virtual or physical, include:

 Collecting, analyzing and sharing information; 

 Supporting resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking; 

 Coordinating plans and determining current and future needs; and

 In some cases, providing coordination and policy direction. 
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1. Hallmarks of an EOC

An EOC is a coordination structure for collecting, analyzing and sharing information. During an 

incident, the EOC collects a large amount of data from multiple sources. Analysts from appropriate 

stakeholder organizations analyze the data and distill it into reports so that decision makers have 

the best possible information and intelligence when deciding how the jurisdiction will respond.

Further, the EOC communicates information to response team members in the field, giving them 

greater insight into their work.

All EOCs have the following three hallmarks:

 An EOC supports resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking. 

o An EOC serves as a single source for requesting additional resources from across the 

jurisdiction and from surrounding jurisdictions. Whether the EOC gives tactical instructions or 

dispatches resources requested from tactical commanders depends on the jurisdiction. 

However, all EOCs can analyze data, identify shortfalls, find resources, dispatch resources 

and monitor their return in order to give personnel on the ground the support they need to do 

their job.

 An EOC coordinates plans and determines current and future needs. 

o An EOC is a synthesis of multiple departments, agencies and organizations that work 

together in a coordinated fashion. EOC personnel facilitate a standard planning process to 

achieve EOC objectives. They also provide a range of planning services to address current 

needs and anticipate and devise ways to meet future needs.

 An EOC provides coordination and policy direction. 

o An EOC helps to integrate stakeholders and works with senior officials to facilitate the 

development of policy direction for incident support. EOC personnel work with legal counsel, 

authorize relevant protocols and procedures for response and coordination, and ensure the 

dissemination of timely, accurate and accessible information to the public. In addition, the 

staff in an EOC liaise with other government agencies at all levels, including federal and 

SLTT.
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Preliminary Assessments

Before establishing an EOC, jurisdictions conduct hazard and vulnerability assessments and 

capability assessments to ensure that the facility can withstand the impacts of potential hazards and 

can implement a coordinated response to these hazards. If using a hybrid or virtual environment, 

hazard and vulnerability assessments may include additional facilities, including the homes and 

offices of staff members and key stakeholders. Other tools beyond these suggestions may exist, 

such as RAPT, that support visualizing and assessing challenges to community resilience. 

1. Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment

Each jurisdiction conducts a hazard, vulnerability, 

and risk assessment to identify natural, 

technological and human-caused threats and 

hazards and rank them based on their likelihood 

and potential consequences. Jurisdictions use the 

assessment results to determine the EOC’s 

physical design, ideal location and necessary 

capabilities. This work is essential because an 

EOC must be designed to withstand the impacts 

of likely hazards. FEMA’s Threat and Hazard 

Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) 

provides detailed information that can be used 

for this process. In a hybrid or virtual 

environment, it is possible that alternate 

locations (including homes and offices of staff 

members and key stakeholders) may not be built 

to the same standards of a physical EOC.

2. Capability Assessment

The next step in planning an EOC is to identify the 

capabilities the EOC must have in order to 

coordinate a response to the identified hazards 

and risks. A capability assessment is a 

fundamental concept of emergency planning at 

all levels of government. The EOC capability assessment includes various considerations outlined in 

the following sections.

Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool 

FEMA designed the Resilience Analysis 

and Planning Tool (RAPT) to help 

emergency managers at local, state and 

regional levels visualize and assess 

challenges to community resilience. 

RAPT allows users of all GIS skill levels to 

assess county-level challenges to 

resilience and to tell a visual story of 

priority needs for a range of issues, such 

as the following:

 Populations that may have greater 

challenges because of socioeconomic 

characteristics or proximity to critical 

infrastructure

 Potential difficulties in re-establishing 

community lifelines after a disaster

 Community zoning or land use plans 

that conflict with local hazards
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2.1. Interagency Coordination

Local authorities handle most incidents using communications systems, dispatch centers and 

incident personnel within a single jurisdiction. Larger and more complex incidents may begin with a 

single jurisdiction but rapidly expand to multi-jurisdictional and multidisciplinary efforts requiring 

outside resources and support.

EOC staff members coordinate with agencies/organizations inside and outside their jurisdiction that 

may provide assistance during an emergency. These include county, regional, state, and tribal

stakeholders who have response and recovery roles and responsibilities, or who represent other 

entities (for example, port authorities, mass transit agencies, regional task forces and critical 

infrastructure owners and operators) and assist through formalized agreements. County EOCs 

typically coordinate directly with state EOCs. State EOCs function much like county EOCs, except they 

are also in direct coordination with federal agencies.

The Command and Coordination component of NIMS provides the user community with systems, 

principles and structures. Incident Command and Coordination consists of four areas of 

responsibility:

 Tactical activities to apply resources on scene; 

 Incident support, typically conducted at EOCs:

o Operational and strategic coordination

o Resource acquisition

o Information gathering, analysis and sharing; 

 Policy guidance and senior-level decision-making; and

 Outreach and communication with the media and public to keep them informed about the 

incident. 

Additional considerations for Information Technology in an EOC can include:

 Internal and external software licensing agreements and interoperability; 

 File storage, access and security; and 

 Agency policies around the use of specific ecosystems (e.g., Office 365, Google Workspace) or 

even proprietary systems when collaborating. This may also include collaboration with private 

sector partners, the use of external or guest accounts, and general permission levels associated 

with hybrid or virtual tools.
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Additionally, hybrid or virtual EOC models allow for the expansion of an EOC beyond the bounds of 

typical space requirements. However, choosing a system that provides this scalability should balance 

access needs, including the ability to handle an increased user base, internal and external access 

concerns, and the user experience on virtual machines, desktops, laptops, tablets and phones.

Multiagency coordination and Unified Command requirements influence EOC design and space 

requirements. Leaders should consider several factors during the EOC design phase:

 During large incidents, outside agencies and organizations often send representatives to the 

EOC. These team members may need specialized communications equipment, power sources 

and parking for support vehicles.

 An EOC may need to expand as an incident becomes more complex. To avoid functionality 

issues, design the EOC to accommodate expanding on-site personnel numbers.

 The size of the jurisdiction’s population may play a role in how large the facility should be.

 Jurisdiction size and population growth both play into interagency coordination, since agencies 

grow with the population.

2.2. Multiagency Coordination Groups

Multiagency Coordination Groups (MAC Groups), sometimes called Policy Groups, typically consist of 

agency administrators or organization executives or their designees. MAC Groups provide policy 

guidance to incident personnel, support resource prioritization and allocation, and enable decisionmaking among elected and appointed officials and senior executives—both those in other 

organizations and those directly responsible for incident management.

For more information on the organizational context of the NIMS Command and Coordination 

component, see Figure 1 and Figure 2 below, copied from FEMA training course E/G/L 0400: 

Advanced Incident Command System for Command and General Staff – Complex Incidents.
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Figure 1. NIMS Components: Command and Coordination

Figure 2. NIMS Components: Multiagency Coordination Group

Note: Do not confuse this type of interagency coordination with the NIMS Multiagency Coordination 

System (MACS). Under NIMS, MACS provides the architecture to support coordination for incident 

prioritization, critical resource allocation, communications systems integration and information 

coordination. MACS components include facilities, equipment, EOCs, specific multiagency 

coordination entities, personnel, procedures and communications. These systems help agencies and 

organizations fully integrate the subsystems of NIMS.
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2.3. Private Sector

FEMA defines community resilience—a core capability under the mitigation mission area of the 

National Preparedness Goal (NPG)—as the capacity of individuals, communities, businesses, 

institutions and governments to adapt to changing conditions and to prepare for, withstand and 

rapidly recover from disruptions to everyday life, such as natural disasters and hazardous materials 

(HAZMAT) incidents. Community resilience grows through public-private relationships—by integrating 

shared capabilities and resources in planning, exercising and systematically incorporating key 

lessons learned across the whole community emergency management experience.

Private sector entities own and operate the majority of the nation’s critical infrastructure. Private 

sector organizations therefore play a key role in providing goods, services, knowledge and technical 

expertise that can complement and ensure the effectiveness of the public sector’s preparedness, 

response, recovery and mitigation operations. The private sector encompasses organizations and 

entities that are not part of any governmental structure. Private sector organizations include NGOs, 

trade associations, academia, businesses and industry. NGOs are also essential infrastructure 

partners in emergency planning, coordination, management and response.

Private sector organizations and NGOs are critical components in the effort to enhance the nation’s 

resilience to natural and human-caused disasters. FEMA views the private sector as equal—and 

equally responsible—partners with the public sector in every phase of emergency management. 

Private sector and NGO partners provide value by engaging in a variety of activities:

 Participating in fusion centers and EOCs; 

 Conducting joint training activities; 

 Educating the public on emergency preparedness; 

 Ensuring the efficient and effective use of available resources during an emergency; 

 Developing and enhancing plans and protocols for emergency response, assessment, resource 

sharing, etc.; 

 Developing and enhancing plans for integrating nongovernmental entities in preparedness, 

response and recovery; and

 Sharing critical information in preparation for and in response to an incident. 

Private sector and NGO participation in emergency management planning and coordination provides 

EOCs with critical information on private sector and NGO issues, such as operational timelines, 

facility locations, building access needs, transportation needs, relocation logistics, security issues 

and recovery priorities.

Note: The National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) is FEMA’s virtual clearinghouse 

for two-way information sharing between public and private sector/NGO stakeholders before, during 
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and after disasters. For information about the features, capabilities and requirements of virtual 

EOCs, see the Room Design Features section of this guide. To see the Business Emergency 

Operations Center (BEOC) Quick Start Guidance fact sheet, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/beoc-fact-sheet.pdf. 

2.4. EOC Staffing Requirements and Structure Type

In planning for an EOC, leaders should factor in the types and numbers of personnel who will work in 

the facility to ensure its success—not only local personnel but other liaisons and representatives who 

may be present in the EOC during activations. Staffing should support sustained operations and 

provide the deepest roster that is feasible at each position. In other words, planners should consider 

the maximum staffing levels that may be necessary, along with what is practical for their jurisdiction.

A significant advantage of a hybrid or virtual environment is the ability to move between different 

EOC structure models based on the incident type, technology limitations, and staffing availability. 

Without the limitations of a physical space, virtual environments enable a “flattening” of the incident 

management system across field-based command structures, support-focused emergency 

operations centers and policy-level Multiagency Coordination Groups. The structure and flow of 

communication and coordination across all stakeholders are dynamic and evolving based on the 

needs of the incident(s).

The box below outlines various considerations for staffing and configuring an EOC.

Considerations for EOC Configuration and Staffing

EOC team configurations can vary widely based on the following considerations: 

 Jurisdictional/organizational authorities; 

 Available staffing and staff schedules; 

 Partners and stakeholders represented; 

 EOC facilities and capabilities; 

 Engaged elected officials; and

 Nature and complexity of the incident or situation. 

Like the ICS, the EOC structure follows the NIMS management principle of modular organization, 

which indicates that leaders are responsible for the functions of unstaffed subordinate positions.

Leaders should structure their EOC teams based on one of the common organizing methods that 

NIMS identifies (see Table 1). The explanations below can help leaders decide which EOC 

organizational structure best fits their situation, enabling them to respond most efficiently and 

effectively. Jurisdictions should consider which type best fits their needs.
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Table 1: EOC Organizational Structure in NIMS

Structure Type Benefits

ICS or ICS-like Structure The ICS organizational structure is familiar to

those with ICS training. It most closely aligns 

with the structure used for on-scene incident

management.

Incident Support Model This structure puts the EOC director in direct 

contact with those conducting situational 

awareness and information management. It 

streamlines resource sourcing, ordering and 

tracking.

Departmental Structure By operating in the context of their normal

relationships, department/agency

representatives can function in the EOC with 

minimal preparation and startup time.

2.4.1. ICS OR ICS-LIKE STRUCTURE

Many jurisdictions use an ICS or ICS-like structure in their EOC. This is typically because emergency 

managers are familiar with the structure, and it aligns with the structure used in the field. It also

provides a useful functional breakdown, particularly for EOCs that might take on operational 

missions. An ICS-like EOC structure generally reflects the standard ICS organization but with 

variations to emphasize the coordination and support mission of EOCs (as opposed to the tactical

and logistics management role of on-scene responders). For example, EOC leaders often 

differentiate between field personnel and EOC personnel by adding “Support” or “Coordination” to 

EOC section titles. Additionally, some EOC leaders may modify certain ICS processes or functions to 

better reflect EOC activities and responsibilities.3 EOC leaders may select a standard ICS 

organization for one or more of these reasons:

 EOC staff provide tactical direction to an incident; 

 EOC management wishes to use ICS-trained personnel with no additional training requirements; 

and

 EOC managers want to mirror the organization of on-scene personnel. 

3 For more information about the ICS structure, see the NIMS document: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-

07/fema_nims_doctrine-2017.pdf. 
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2.4.2. INCIDENT SUPPORT MODEL

The Incident Support Model is a variation of the ICS structure. It does the following:

 Regroups the information management and situational awareness functions of the ICS Planning 

Section, and the intelligence dissemination function of the ICS Intelligence/Investigations 

Section, if necessary; and

 Combines the functions of the ICS Operations Section, the ICS Logistics Section and the 

comptroller/purchasing functions of the ICS Finance/Administration Section. 

EOCs that use an Incident Support Model structure typically focus exclusively on support functions 

rather than on operations or managing response/recovery efforts. As with the ICS or ICS-like 

structure, the director of an Incident Support Model EOC has support personnel assigned to key 

functions, plus subject matter experts and technical specialists.

2.4.3. DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE

Jurisdictions and organizations may choose to maintain their relationships with the departments and 

agencies they already work with in responding to and recovering from incidents. Leaders can then 

configure their EOC staff by the team members’ departments, agencies and organizations. Leaders 

can also organize by ESF rather than by department.

Staff in departmentally structured EOCs typically require less training than staff in other EOC 

structures. Departmentally-structured EOCs emphasize coordination and equal footing among all 

departments and agencies. In this model, a single individual—either the jurisdiction’s emergency 

manager or another senior official—directly coordinates the jurisdiction’s support agencies, NGOs 

and other partners. Departmental representatives bring the resources, expertise and relationships 

associated with their organizations and functions. The EOC makes decisions to achieve mutually 

agreed-upon objectives, as in a Unified Command. The roles and responsibilities of a departmental

EOC reflect the day-to-day responsibilities of the represented departments and agencies. This 

structure enables jurisdictions and organizations to address incidents effectively while maintaining 

their normal authorities, responsibilities and relationships.

2.4.4. ORGANIZATIONAL CONCEPT AND FRAMEWORK

NIMS describes in detail the three organizational methods defined above. Recognizing the broader 

context of coordinating structures, NIMS gives leaders the flexibility to adopt other response 

structures used in various organizations. These methods, often used alongside other approaches, 

outline who responds in emergencies and how these coordinating partner organizations, functional 

units and others work together to respond to and recover from events. These EOC configuration 

options include the following:

 Major management activities method: This structure includes a focus on primary actions guided 

by management decisions. The Policy Group, coordination group, operations group and 

resources group are responsible for executing those decisions.
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 ESF organizational method: This structure provides the flexibility to align and assign stakeholder 

resources according to their capabilities, tasks and requirements to augment and support the 

EOC’s response. The ESF model also provides well-defined lines of communication between 

departments, local jurisdictions and federal agencies. Though many state and local jurisdictions 

follow the federal government ESF model, this model may not apply to smaller jurisdictions. For 

more information, visit https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nationalpreparedness/frameworks/response#esf. 

2.4.5. EOC SKILLSETS AND USER GUIDE

The diversity among EOCs can create challenges in sharing personnel across jurisdictions’ EOC 

organizations. Different EOCs may use different titles for positions performing similar functions or 

may assign different responsibilities to similarly titled positions. As part of the National Qualification 

System (NQS), EOC Skillsets support standardized qualifications for EOC personnel, while remaining 

flexible enough to accommodate individual EOCs of all sizes and kinds, regardless of organizational 

structure.

The EOC Skillsets describe common EOC functions and provide a flexible approach to qualifying EOC 

personnel. EOC leaders, representing any level of government or the private sector or NGOs, can mix 

and match skillsets, combining them to create EOC Position Task Books (PTBs) that reflect the EOC’s 

personnel needs. PTBs identify the minimum competencies, behaviors and tasks that personnel 

demonstrate to become qualified for a defined incident management or support position.

The EOC Skillsets User Guide explains what EOC Skillsets are and how to use them to construct 

PTBs. The box below provides a real-world example of how an organization used EOC Skillsets to 

construct PTBs. To download the EOC Skillsets and EOC Skillsets User Guide, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components/emergency-operations-center. 

Real-World Use of EOC Skillsets:

New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

“Last fall, members of NYS DHSES OEM completed the L2300 course. One of the biggest takeaways that we got from the class was a much clearer understanding of how to use the twenty 

NQS EOC Skillsets, along with NYS-developed skillsets, to develop comprehensive PTBs for our 

own state EOC positions. We presented a proposal to do that in OEM, our executives immediately 

saw the advantages, as it addressed qualifying and credentialing challenges in the state EOC, 

and in December 2019 we launched a Project Team to begin work on this.”

— Chief of Headquarters and Incident Management Team Operations

2.5. EOC Facility Support

While the focus of EOC planning is to build the staffing capacity to coordinate response activities, 

planners must remember that the EOC is a facility and therefore requires facility management.
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Examples of EOC facility support include security, parking, break rooms, IT infrastructure, 

maintenance contracts, catering, janitorial services and maintaining on-hand supplies.

Facility support involves more than logistical support. It also involves gaining financial support for the 

EOC. In tough economic times, emergency managers and practitioners may find it hard to gain 

funding to develop or improve an EOC. Funding plays a critical role in planning to build or expand an 

EOC. Gaining support from officials is the main way to secure funding. Additionally, federal funding 

may be available for EOC planning.

With hybrid or virtual models, facility support becomes more complex. If staff are working from home, 

there is not an expectation of janitorial or catering services, and other responsibilities such as having 

personal protective equipment (PPE), backup power or high-speed internet become the responsibility 

of individual staff members. A necessary consideration for agency leadership is the provision of 

necessary equipment and supplies (such as docking stations, multiple monitor setups and other 

peripherals) or financial stipends to limit the burden of the virtualization shift on staff members. IT 

support becomes critical for both hardware and software. Virtual or hybrid models may also provide 

greater flexibility in terms of financial support—software as a service (SaaS) may allow for rapidly 

expanding or contracting licenses. 

2.6. Plans and Procedures

The capability assessment should address whether an EOC’s plans and procedures—whether the 

EOC is in development or in place—adequately address the risks and hazards identified in the hazard 

and vulnerability assessment. These plans and procedures should cover activating the EOC, notifying 

key personnel to report, staffing the EOC around the clock, providing for Continuity of Operations 

(COOP) and deactivating the EOC, including producing after-action reports. For more information, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/continuity-resource-toolkit. These plans and procedures should consider 

physical, hybrid and virtual EOC environments.

2.7. Communications

EOC leaders should assess the EOC’s ability to communicate with the whole community.4 This 

assessment should include jurisdictional departments, agencies, organizations and partners, 

including first responders, first receivers, public health personnel, transportation, public works 

assets and the general public. EOCs should also consider their capacity to communicate with other 

levels of government, neighboring jurisdictions, regional partners, private industry and other 

response and recovery partners. The capability assessment should include items such as alert and 

notification equipment, warning systems, communications systems, hazard analysis and monitoring, 

action tracking and resources management.

4 For details, visit https://www.fema.gov/whole-community. 
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2.8. Lifelines

EOCs should assess their ability to monitor and support community lifelines, which focus on critical 

survivor-centric needs. FEMA developed the community lifelines concept in coordination with whole 

community representatives to increase effectiveness in disaster operations and better position the 

agency to respond to catastrophic incidents using plain language information-sharing and reporting.

EOCs monitor and support community lifelines by creating stabilization targets. More information can 

be found in the Lifelines Community Toolkit.

The community lifelines concept allows emergency managers and EOCs to:

 Characterize an incident and identify the root causes of priority issues; 

 Clearly communicate issues with partners and stakeholders; 

 Distinguish the highest priorities and most complex issues; and

 Promote data-driven decision-making. 

The lifelines focus on the following areas: Safety and Security; Food, Water, Shelter; Health and 

Medical; Energy; Communications; Transportation; and Hazardous Materials. For more information, 

visit https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/lifelines. 

Figure 3. Icons for FEMA’s Community Lifelines
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Site Selection

This section focuses on criteria for selecting an appropriate physical EOC location. Site selection and 

EOC construction should abide by state and local building codes, Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) standards, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines and any applicable grant 

requirements.5 This guide outlines several elements and attributes leaders should consider when 

assessing a site’s fitness and suitability to serve as an EOC. To save time and money, jurisdictions 

may identify existing structures that could serve as EOCs before considering new construction.

Consider either converting a vacant structure into an EOC or improving/expanding an existing EOC.

1. General Considerations

1.1. Vulnerability

The biggest consideration in EOC site selection is avoiding potential hazards. For example, it would 

be counterproductive to locate EOCs in flood plains, on seismic hazards such as faults and 

liquefaction zones, in potential tsunami and storm-surge inundation zones or in high-risk structures, 

where they may sustain damage during the very incidents they need to respond to. Of course, no 

location is risk-free, and jurisdictions may find that each potential site has its own risks.

Jurisdictions should use the results of their hazard and vulnerability assessments to determine 

which hazards pose the greatest risk. They can then select a site based on its probable resilience to 

those risks, along with any financial and logistical constraints. For example, EOCs in earthquake 

zones must be capable of withstanding a major earthquake. EOCs in hurricane-prone areas must 

consider storm surge and wind speeds.

Consider smaller, more localized hazards in addition to larger risks facing the jurisdiction. For 

example, look for sites that will see minimal debris from collapsing buildings or failing structures. 

This is important for urban EOCs, which may be in a courthouse basement or near a high-rise. Do not 

locate EOCs near high-risk locations, structures or infrastructure elements, including airfields, 

airports, railroads, high-voltage power lines and pipelines.

Avoiding hazards may be challenging when using the hybrid or virtual models. Because locations 

such as individual stakeholders' primary and secondary homes and offices may become operating 

locations, considerations should be made on most likely hazards for each. Efforts should be made to 

avoid operating in locations with significant risk, and criteria may be established by leadership on 

stakeholders authorized to operate virtually based on vulnerability. Stakeholders should develop 

5 For information about ADA standards, visit http://www.ada.gov; for EPA guidelines, visit http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs. 
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contingencies for locations which are extremely vulnerable. One contingency may be to relocate from 

a home or office to a physical emergency operations center.

1.1.1. CONGRESS PASSED THE DISASTER RECOVERY REFORM ACT (DRRA) OF 2018 TO 

REDUCE FEMA’S COMPLEXITY AND ENHANCE THE NATION’S CAPACITY TO 

RESPOND TO FUTURE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS.6 DRRA SECTION 1206 AMENDED 

SECTIONS 402 AND 406 OF THE ROBERT T. STAFFORD DISASTER RELIEF AND 

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT. THE AMENDMENT AUTHORIZED FEMA TO ASSIST 

SLTT GOVERNMENTS TO HELP ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE BUILDING CODE AND 

FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ORDINANCES, INCLUDING ASSESSMENTS FOR 

SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE COMPLIANCE.CENTRAL LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO 

KEY PERSONNEL

To enable a fast response to all parts of the jurisdiction, leaders should locate the EOC centrally and 

ensure close coordination with the Joint Information Center (JIC). The location of both the EOC and 

the JIC should enable emergency management officials and response personnel to respond quickly 

to:

 The EOC itself (when in a physical location); 

 The operational needs of the EOC (whether in a physical or virtual location); and

 Affected areas. 

Hybrid or virtual environments warrant additional planning measures when looking at location and 

proximity to key personnel. Virtual environments allow for the inclusion of staff outside of an 

impacted area, in different time zones, or even in different countries. Personnel outside of the 

impacted area may have more reliable access to communications and may not be personally 

impacted by the incident. The ability and availability of key personnel to work in a hybrid environment 

differs by position; logistics staff may need to physically issue PPE, whereas planning staff may be 

able to conduct planning meetings virtually. Jurisdictions and organizations with limited staff may be 

limited by a hybrid or virtual environment as they may be required to fill multiple off-site support and 

on-site operations roles simultaneously. 

Hybrid or virtual environments may provide additional opportunities to assist agencies in their efforts 

to recruit and retain qualified and diverse staff for emergency operations.

1.2. Traffic Flow and Congestion

Ideally, the EOC will be located in an area with limited traffic, so that routine congestion cannot affect 

EOC operations. While this is not always possible because of high population density or the EOC’s 

6 For more information, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster-recovery-reform-act-2018. 
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central location, traffic studies or traffic limitation methods (such as modified traffic-light patterns or 

expansion of existing roads and infrastructure) can reduce traffic problems during incidents.

Select a site with minimal traffic congestion and chokepoints (for example, avoid inadequate 

thoroughfares and bridges). Additionally, ensure that the EOC will be accessible even following 

catastrophic incidents. For example, in an earthquake zone, locating the EOC near a bridge or 

overpass may cut off access to the EOC after an incident, hindering activation and staffing.

1.3. Accessibility 

For ease of access during an incident, locate the EOC near an adequate road network. Consider any 

hazardous commodities to be transported on main roads or interstate highways, ensuring that a 

HAZMAT incident will not impede emergency operations. In addition, ensure multi-road access to the 

EOC, allowing emergency personnel to enter and exit the area freely in the event of road blockage or 

incident-related traffic or debris.

Accessibility to a hybrid or virtual EOC may be thought of in terms of internet accessibility or access 

to critical applications (sometimes with the use of virtual private networks). Internet availability and 

accessibility is typically diminished during all hazards. A benefit of a virtual EOC is the ability to 

remain connected from disparate locations despite hazard impact areas. 

Hybrid and virtual models add numerous other accessibility considerations. With many additional 

locations where stakeholders may be remotely operating, planning on primary and alternate routes 

to and from a physical EOC and/or other critical locations should be conducted. Stakeholders with 

vulnerable operating locations should refrain from using those locations during higher risk 

timeframes to reduce the possibility of a loss of accessibility (e.g., coastal vacation home during 

hurricane season).

1.4. Parking

The EOC should provide adequate and secure parking. Planners should ensure that the site can 

accommodate more than the number of vehicles anticipated during full activation. In multijurisdictional incidents, ensure parking for federal and state liaisons. Additionally, provide parking for 

guests such as the media on EOC and JIC premises.

1.5. Communications

The EOC location should provide strong radio transmission and reception. This is particularly 

important in rural areas with significant relief in the landscape. The locations of cell and radio 

towers, both in relation to the EOC and in relation to each other, play a large role in ensuring 

continuous communications. Planners should conduct a communications study before site selection 

to ensure acceptable communications capability. 

In addition, web-based, interoperable, scalable, flexible and emergency management software tools 

(e.g., WebEOC) are also critical, as are geospatial and visualization tools (e.g., ArcGIS Online) and 
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web-publishing tools for public facing communications. Platforms like these support multimodal 

communications, incident management and collaboration across partner departments, agencies and 

organizations. Look for more IT requirements below, in the sections titled EOC Capabilities and 

Requirements, Room Design Features and Information Management Systems.

Hybrid and virtual models should consider fixed broadband internet access and bandwidth to all 

stakeholder operating locations. Because modern virtual incident management systems can be 

accessed on most mobile devices, cellular broadband coverage and bandwidth should be considered 

by users looking to operate remotely.

1.6. Security

Locate the EOC in an area that is easy to secure. Keeping EOC staff safe and protecting 

communications and support systems are particularly critical. Carefully plan security solutions to 

maintain the aesthetic quality of the EOC’s surroundings so that residents and visitors feel welcome, 

comfortable and safe. Keep security design in tune with the community context and objectives, 

rather than focusing solely on individual project objectives. Community-based solutions that 

encourage community participation in the project design can ensure that the EOC respects and 

perhaps even enhances its neighborhood. Note, however, that not all elements of the security plan 

can be shared with the public. Use discretion in dispensing security information.7

In a hybrid or virtual EOC, individual staff members may be responsible for security measures. This 

may include securing sensitive paperwork at home, multi-factor authentication on devices, and 

identifying secure spaces to conduct meetings when privileged or sensitive information is discussed. 

The cybersecurity of devices is also a concern; a plan should be in place to ensure critical updates to 

devices when outside of trusted networks. 

Beyond the physical security of hybrid or virtual EOCs, stakeholders must be vigilant in their use of 

collaboration software. Ensuring videoconferencing applications are password protected, guest 

access is restricted, and staff are experienced in moderating meetings becomes critical.

1.7. Scalability

Leaders should select the EOC site with long-term growth in mind, particularly in smaller towns and 

rural areas. EOC space needs will vary based on the type of emergency or the stage of response. As a 

result, EOC sites should be expandable to meet different contingencies.

EOC sites that serve as training facilities or that house fire service vehicles or law enforcement 

facilities should accommodate growth plans for all site occupants. This may call for a design that 

accommodates building expansion, warehouse growth, additional parking, etc. In situations where 

7 For more information, see FEMA 430: Site and Urban Design for Security: Guidance Against Potential Terrorist Attacks, 

2007. 
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EOC construction funds are limited, designing for growth allows for future expansion of a facility once 

funds become available.

In a hybrid or virtual EOC, scalability may require additional pieces of hardware and increased 

software licenses both internally with staff and externally with other key stakeholders. License 

expansion may be used outside of the EOC such as in virtual joint information centers and 

department operation centers. Considerations about demobilization and contracting license 

requirements should also be part of the planning process.

The hybrid and virtual models enable physical EOCs to expand with additional staff without the need 

for additional workstation space. Jurisdictions and organizations should consider these models to 

enhance their scalability of primary physical sites.

1.8. Community-Based Design

In constructing an EOC facility, jurisdictions should not alter listed or nationally designated historic 

sites or structures. Planners should consider the proximity of protected historical sites or structures 

to a proposed EOC location during the site selection process. This sensitivity also applies to building 

design. As EOCs are functional buildings that will be in place for a long time, the design of the facility 

should reflect the community’s architectural values. Design and landscaping should blend with the 

local community rather than stand out from it.

1.9. Alternate Sites

If an EOC proves unable to support an emergency response effort, the jurisdiction should identify an 

alternate EOC with capabilities equal or greater than the primary EOC. Having a preselected and 

prepared secondary site, together with relocation plans, will enable an EOC to relocate quickly and 

seamlessly. A mobile unit equipped with communications capabilities greatly enhances an EOC’s 

ability to relocate without seriously degrading its coordination and control functions. Leaders should 

consider planning for an alternate facility while developing the primary EOC. In addition, by planning 

for an alternate site, planners may identify opportunities for minor design changes that would ease 

migration to an alternate site. For example, the planner could consider using mirrored servers or 

telephone switchovers.

COOP plans should specify who can activate alternate sites, why and how they should activate them 

and how the jurisdiction will notify people about the activation. Each of these components should 

become part of routine training and exercising of alternate EOC sites. This preparation will assist in 

the efficient transition to an alternate site in an emergency.

Virtualization of emergency operations centers enables many additional opportunities for alternate 

platforms to manage incidents. Where historically an alternate EOC may have been another physical 

site, it may be determined by the agency that a virtual EOC may be an effective alternate solution 

instead. Virtual EOC systems may be an effective temporary solution while the alternate physical site 

is being activated. The more familiar staff and stakeholders are with the tools and systems used in a 
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virtual EOC, the more effective they will be using them in continuity of operations incidents. Even 

during the activation of a physical alternate EOC, there may be a need to access virtual EOC services. 

Plans should consider access to these systems for all alternate EOC locations.

1.10. Existing EOC Sites

The most important thing to consider when enhancing or updating an existing EOC is how to optimize 

the space and technology available. The EOC Capabilities and Requirements section of this guide, 

below, discusses planning an EOC update.

2. Mitigation Considerations

2.1. Natural Hazards

Most potential EOC sites have one or more potential natural hazards. Jurisdictions should consider 

natural hazards and select a location that minimizes their potential impact and improves operational 

resilience. These hazards include earthquakes, flooding, wind, wildfire, mudslides, disease outbreak

and sinkholes.

2.2. Technological and Human-Caused Hazards

Leaders should also consider technological and human-caused hazards when selecting a site. The 

site should minimize the potential impact of hazards such as chemicals, nuclear power plants and 

terrorism. 

2.3. Virtual and Hybrid Operations

If an EOC is in an area susceptible to natural, technological, or human-caused hazards, a 

consideration for hybrid or virtual EOCs may be to identify staff in geographically separated areas 

where virtual operations can be continued. This philosophy is like how large organizations manage 

data center and cloud provider redundancy. National and international organizations may have other 

office sites outside of areas at risk of certain types of hazards where staff are located that could 

support operations. Local, state and regional organizations may establish mutual aid agreements 

with organizations in areas that may not encounter similar hazards in order to utilize staff for 

functions that can be done remotely.
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EOC Capabilities and Requirements

This section discusses how jurisdictions use preliminary assessments (especially capabilities and 

needs assessments) to identify design requirements for the EOC. It also discusses the need to 

compare the capabilities and requirements with the jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) 

to ensure that the EOC will meet the jurisdiction’s needs.

1. Determining Personnel Space Requirements

1.1. EOC Functions

EOC functions and activities drive design and layout considerations. An EOC’s key activities include 

the following:

 Authorizing EOC activation; 

 Directing EOC operations; 

 Gathering and providing information; 

 Identifying and addressing issues; 

 Providing internet connectivity and ensuring interoperable communications capabilities among 

all partner agencies and organizations; 

 Response planning and future planning; and

 Demobilizing EOC management. 

Each key activity comprises critical tasks. In turn, each critical task has resource requirements 

(personnel, equipment and supplies). These resource requirements drive EOC design. A crucial step 

in designing an EOC is to determine which capabilities are necessary for the EOC and to use this 

information to establish design criteria.

Some EOC functions may happen offsite. For example, the JIC may or may not be co-located with the 

EOC. The site plan must therefore support operations at the EOC while also considering the need for 

connectivity to remote locations.

1.2. Space Requirements

Planners should consider both minimum and maximum staffing levels, including staff necessary to 

sustain 24-hour operations. Staffing numbers should include any liaisons from other agencies or 

levels of government who may arrive in response to an incident.
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1.3. Additional Personnel Space Requirements

Planners should consider the need for support services, restroom space, meeting space and a “quiet 

room” for stress counseling. Ideally, personnel will also have designated areas for meals, rather than 

having to eat in their workspace, as well as a space set aside for breaks and relaxation, where 

feasible. Storage for emergency food and water supplies is also necessary. Finally, planners should 

consider the need for executive office space.

1.4. Sustained Operations

Another consideration is the length of time that the EOC may have to self-sustain. For example, 

under many circumstances, EOC staff can use an outside catering service. However, if the hazard 

and vulnerability analyses suggest that there may be periods of isolation, the EOC must have enough 

food and water on hand to sustain the staff. Where feasible, planners should consider the need for 

well-functioning on-site shower facilities (fixed or temporary).

In addition to food, water and hygiene, planners must consider the need for sanitary supplies and 

office products during a period of self-contained operation. Sanitary supplies can be bulky and take 

considerable space. These supplies are even more important during a pandemic.

In a hybrid or virtual environment, it should be clearly communicated what the expectation is of 

virtual staff at locations outside of a physical EOC. Determining if supply kits/stay kits are required, 

how long staff can sustain operations virtually, when remote stakeholders would be required to 

relocate to the physical EOC, or if the EOC is required to resupply staff members are all 

considerations.

2. Communications Requirements

The EOC’s ability to function depends on its ability to communicate. Planners must therefore 

consider several challenges involved in maintaining a functional communications system. Voice and 

data communications in and out of the EOC must be reliable to ensure that information and critical 

decisions can transfer quickly to the correct personnel. The EOC design must also facilitate face-toface communication to optimize EOC efforts.

Not all EOCs have the same communications requirements. Planners should tailor the 

communications infrastructure to support both internal and external functional needs, integrated 

with other emergency management elements. Some areas have opted to use amateur radios.

The National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) is the Nation’s strategic plan to strengthen 

and enhance emergency communications capabilities. The NECP provides guidance to those that 

plan for, coordinate, maintain, invest in, and use communications to support public safety 

operations. For more information on the NECP that may support planning for communications 

requirements, visit: https://www.cisa.gov/necp.
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2.1. Interoperability

A jurisdiction’s primary response communications systems typically include police, fire and medical 

services radio systems. These first responders are accustomed to communicating with each other 

and with 911 dispatchers, whether or not the 911 center is co-located with the EOC.

A more pressing concern is integrating expanded emergency operations to include agencies that 

respond alongside first responders. These include first receivers at hospitals, triage centers, mass 

care shelters, special needs shelters, educational facilities and the specialized operations centers 

that coordinate operations centers for various state, county and municipal agencies. Among these 

agencies are traffic control centers, public health operations centers, transportation dispatchers, 

transit agency operations centers, fusion centers, JICs, etc.

In a hybrid or virtual environment, interoperability will also include system interoperability for virtual 

collaboration or operations software (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Cisco 

WebEx Meetings etc.). Interoperability may also include data interoperability when sharing files or 

geospatial resources. Finally, hybrid or virtual environments have the aggravating factor of agency 

firewalls, incompatible software and hardware, and general IT policy limitations.

2.2. Telecommunications (Including Teleconferencing, Videoconferencing, 

Text Messaging and Fax)

The EOC should have adequate telephone extensions and fax capabilities for full operations. 

Planners should consider landline capabilities, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video relay 

systems, digital systems and other reliable voice and data communications options as a primary 

system. Text messaging can assist with communications, as it provides an immediate avenue for 

written communication. SMS (short message service) is a text messaging service component of most 

telephone, internet and mobile device systems. In some events, text and SMS may have a higher 

reliability and transmit quicker than voice. 

Cellular and pager service is important, when available, not only for activation and on-call personnel, 

but also for personnel who are working remotely or traveling among neighboring EOCs, joint field 

offices (JFOs) and incident scenes. Consider cell phones with two-way radio capability, as well as 

technology such as cell phone signal boosters/repeaters. Remember that cellular and pager service 

depends on both power and intact cellular towers. Additionally, the load on the network plays a 

significant role in subscribers’ ability to communicate. During some incidents, cellular and pager 

service will not be available. As necessary. the EOC should stock satellite mobile phones if in a

remote area, where there are no landline or cellular telephone networks or in an area where existing 

networks are damaged or overloaded.

Telecommunications becomes even more important in a hybrid or virtual environment where face-toface communication is limited. Ensuring staff still have cellular and pager service at their home or 

alternate location, as well as satisfactory bandwidth to participate in or facilitate teleconferencing or 

videoconferencing systems is critical.
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2.3. Public Safety Radio

EOC planners should consider several factors related to public safety radio. For example:

 Will agencies provide their own radios, or will this equipment be part of the EOC project?

 Will the installation be temporary (requiring handheld radios) or permanent (requiring a radio 

base station)?

 If agencies provide the radios, will they require power and antenna hookups for extended 

operations?

 Will radios be available in the Operations Room (Ops Room) or monitored in a separate 

communications room?

 Will different radio systems create interference with each other?

 Does the EOC have enough electrical outlets for all the expected equipment?

 Will a radio repeater be necessary to retransmit and extend radio frequencies?

 Are chargers necessary for radios, cell phones, pagers, etc.? 

In hybrid and virtual models, access to public safety radios may be limited. Organizations should 

consider availability of portable radios, chargers and accessories for all who need land mobile radio 

access, if their remote operating locations provide necessary radio coverage, distribution and 

accountability of radios. Alternate and more inexpensive solutions to access radio networks should 

be considered including Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP), mobile and web applications.

3. IT Requirements

Understanding the EOC functions allows the planner to determine the technology required to perform 

those functions. In addition to communications requirements, successful EOC activity relies heavily 

on modern digital technology.

3.1. Internet Connectivity

The internet offers several essential capabilities often overlooked in EOC planning. EOC public 

information and media staff need the ability to access and update websites, publish blog posts and 

provide releases via streaming video and audio. EOC planning should include space and system 

requirements to enable these capabilities.

As mentioned in the Telecommunications (Including Teleconferencing, Videoconferencing, Text 

Messaging and Fax) section above, functioning internet capability usually requires power (electricity) 

and an internet service provider (ISP). IT redundancy considerations are an important part of 

planning and preparedness. Planners should therefore identify several options and evaluate the 
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25 

specifications, requirements, capabilities, reliability and cost of each before placing an order. Upon 

acquiring technology, planners should test it to ensure it is ready for real-world activation. If 

operating in a hybrid or virtual environment, internet connectivity becomes a single point of failure. 

Testing mobile wi-fi hotspots, portable routers and boosters, or mobile broadband sticks at alternate 

sites, as well as identifying backup ISPs or alternate technology such as satellite internet should be 

considered. Connectivity options include the following:

 Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot: This portable device allows users to set up an internet connection almost 

anywhere. It works by taking a long-term evolution (LTE) wireless broadband signal from a 

cellular network provider and converting it to a Wi-Fi signal that a laptop computer or 

smartphone can use; 

 Portable routers and boosters: Portable routers transfer data, via internet protocol (IP) packages 

from a given source, to create an internet hotspot. Wi-Fi boosters extend the range of the existing 

Wi-Fi in a location by receiving the wireless signals from the router and repeating them with 

powerful amplifiers and antennas; 

 Mobile broadband USB stick: This compact device connects a computer to a cellular data 

network, providing internet access in the same way that a smartphone does. The device plugs 

into a computer’s USB port and looks like a memory stick or flash drive; 

 Internet by satellite: Orbiting satellites provide an alternate way to access all-location internet 

and phone communication networks. Because the service does not rely on land-based internet 

infrastructure, it is less vulnerable to outages caused by cellular dead zones and incidents such 

as fires and hurricanes; and

 Relocation: Relocating to a designated secondary or alternate EOC location is another way to 

restore connectivity.

Considerations should be made for systems and software that provide some functionality without 

internet connectivity. During a disaster, internet connectivity may be intermittent or non-existent. 

Systems should be able to store data locally with the ability to sync when connectivity is restored.

3.2. Computer Systems

In developing EOC computer systems, the planner starts by considering the functions users will 

perform. This information provides insight into the number of computers necessary and the potential 

processing load on the system. It also informs decisions related to connectivity, such as the use of 

wireless versus wired systems, and processing, such as the use of server-resident versus standalone 

software.

Another important consideration is whether to temporarily remove firewalls and internet blocks 

during an emergency. Some organizations block access to certain websites (such as social media 

sites) during normal operations, but allow access to them in an EOC, knowing they may be useful. If 
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26 

the organization permits and authorizes, approved EOC personnel may arrange to have such 

restrictions removed from computers located in or activated during EOC operations.

In hybrid or virtual environments, the expected length of activation may help determine the need to 

transition to laptops or to relocate fixed systems to alternate sites. Coordination with IT will help 

inform the EOC on security concerns, updates and patches, and access to critical applications.

Also consider virtual machine and cloud-based computer technologies. These allow staff to access 

their desktop environment from any device (mobile, other operating systems, TVs, etc.) and any 

location while gaining immediate access to their applications and documents.

3.3. Audiovisual Support

Display capacity is an important part of a modern EOC. Audiovisual display options range from simple 

projectors to elaborate closed-circuit television systems. Many incident management programs now 

make status information (including television and radio broadcasts) available to individual users, 

which potentially reduces the need for elaborate display systems. Managers should consider the use 

of closed-captioning or visible sign language interpreters, as necessary. Audiovisual systems should 

be able to accommodate hybrid and virtual models where staff may simultaneously be in the EOC 

and at alternate sites.

4. Supplies and Equipment Requirements

After leaders have determined the layout of the EOC, they define the requirements for non-fixed 

equipment, supplies and rations, as described below.

4.1. Furniture and Office Equipment

EOCs provide all necessary furniture and office equipment. When possible, planners should procure 

folding or collapsible items to reduce necessary storage space and consider furniture that is easy to 

transport and move. Planners should also obtain furniture and equipment for staff that requested 

reasonable accommodations. Staff members operating in a hybrid or virtual environment may not 

have appropriate office furniture to operate for extended periods including desks and chairs. 

4.2. Food Supply

EOCs may feed their personnel in a number of ways, such as through outside caterers, standby 

contracts with local NGOs that maintain kitchens, donations from restaurants or stored foods—

including prepackaged emergency food supplies such as meals ready to eat (MRE) or commercial 

foods with a relatively long shelf life. Supplied food should meet the dietary requirements of the staff. 

Staff should ensure that stored food products meet certain storage requirements and should rotate 

them based on expiration dates. Users operating in a hybrid or virtual environment should consider 

access and availability of food during extended operations and a need to store meals on site. While 
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27 

catering is outside the scope of most working remotely, meal delivery services may be a viable 

solution depending on the incident.

4.3. Medical and Sanitary Supplies

Medical supplies are generally limited. On-hand sanitary supplies should meet the needs of assigned 

EOC staff for an extended period. Proper, adequate PPE should also be available, along with training 

or instructions on storage, handling, use, application and disposal. Users operating in a hybrid or 

virtual environment should consider access and availability of medical and sanitary supplies during 

extended operations and a need to store supplies on site.

4.4. Status and Situation Boards

Visual displays are important because they provide staff members with immediate access to 

information without verbal interruptions. Hybrid and virtual environments present numerous 

opportunities to leverage collaborative services to display situation information. This may include 

interactive dashboards, maps, Kanban-style card systems, and other virtual whiteboards.

4.5. Administrative Supplies

EOCs should keep enough supplies on hand to conduct efficient emergency operations and support 

janitorial services for an extended period. Administrators should also keep a hard copy of relevant 

forms, documents, checklists, etc., in addition to the copies that the responsible parties maintain. 

While hybrid or virtual environments may reduce the need for paper-based processes, users should 

consider access and availability of administrative supplies during extended operations and a need to 

store supplies on site. This may be particularly important in long-term power outages or situations 

where computer systems are inoperable or temporarily out of service. 

4.6. Support Services

Like any other office facility, an EOC requires support services, and the demand for these services 

may increase during activation. For example, janitorial services usually occur once a day, at night. 

However, a facility operating 24 hours a day will need more frequent trash pickup and restroom 

maintenance.

The EOC may also need other support services, such as catering or stress management counseling. 

The EOC usually orders these services only as necessary, but an on-call arrangement poses a 

number of potential problems. For example, vendors may not have the capacity to provide services in 

an emergency, there may be security and confidentiality concerns, and the EOC may become too 

congested, as too many people try to work in a small space at the same time.

Consequently, EOC managers must decide what services are necessary routinely and what services 

should increase during activation. Managers should consider adding emergency clauses to existing 

service contracts and developing standby contracts. Finally, they should identify multiple vendors for 

critical services.
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Users operating in a hybrid or virtual environment should consider the viability of community lifelines 

to the locations they will be operating from. An extended loss of electricity, potable water, wastewater 

or trash services at their home or office may require users to relocate to a physical EOC space.
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Room Design Features

This section addresses how leaders can place equipment, capabilities and personnel to maximize 

operational efficiency and effectiveness, facilitate NIMS-compliant operations and support 

expandable operations. It also addresses multiuse considerations, expandability and continuous 

operations.

1. Design Considerations

1.1. Basic Room Designs

There are five basic EOC designs: the boardroom, mission control, marketplace, bull’s-eye, and 

virtual EOC.8 Regardless of the chosen room design, sightlines should be taken into consideration to 

ensure staff are able to see necessary visuals.

 Boardroom: This is the classic EOC layout in which agency representatives work around a Ushaped table, with the main visual display in the front of the room. Support staff sit behind the 

main participants, and additional visual displays line the walls behind them. This layout 

emphasizes collaboration and coordination.

 Mission control: This layout approximates a lecture hall, with staff seated in rows or semicircles 

facing large visual displays. This layout is heavily dependent on technology, and staff members 

communicate primarily through incident management software. This layout works well for 

technical tasks but may limit collaboration and interaction among staff.

 Marketplace: This is another classic EOC design. Staff members sit in separate, function-specific 

groups (for example, ESFs or ICS units) that emphasize collaboration among specialists. Staff 

members then need to coordinate across groups.

 Bull’s-eye: In this layout, key leaders sit at a main table, with additional staff seated at tables 

behind them in concentric circles. This arrangement emphasizes the standing of the key players 

but can limit collaboration. For this reason, and because it is also space intensive, it is not an 

ideal EOC layout.

 Virtual EOC: This is not technically a layout but rather a means of augmenting the physical layout 

of an EOC. By creating a virtual EOC through web-based technology, EOC staff can collaborate 

with other groups and agencies without having their representatives physically located in the 

8 Botterell, Art. A Design Language for EOC Facilities, 2002.
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EOC. A virtual EOC can serve as an adjunct to any physical layout. See the example in the box 

below.

Virtual EOC Example:

National Business Emergency Operations Center 

The National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC) is FEMA’s virtual clearinghouse for 

two-way information sharing between public and private sector stakeholders before, during and 

after disasters. 

The NBEOC uses web-based platforms, dashboards and other virtual tools to communicate and 

coordinate with its members. During emergency operations, the NBEOC provides real-time 

situational awareness about the incident and the needs of affected people and communities. 

FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, Private Sector Division, operates the NBEOC under 

ESF #14: Cross-Sector Business and Infrastructure. The NEBOC operates within FEMA’s National 

Response Coordination Center (NRCC). 

For more information, visit https://www.fema.gov/business-industry/national-businessemergency-operations-center. 

In designing a virtual EOC for successful implementation, operation and continuous improvement, 

leaders discuss many of the same capabilities and considerations as they do for physical EOCs.

Essential elements include the following:

 Establishing activation, operation and deactivation criteria, processes and procedures with all 

virtual EOC partners and participants; 

 Defining clear roles and responsibilities involved in an activated virtual EOC; 

 Conducting partner training and exercises in all relevant virtual EOC operations; 

 Ensuring that the technology to support internet connectivity, teleconferencing, 

videoconferencing, real-time status monitoring, alerts/notifications, telecommunications and 

mobile/radio communications is available and operational 24/7; 

 Monitoring, tracking, reporting and maintaining documentation on event status, personnel and 

other resources; 

 Creating an effective user interface and user experience; and

 Incorporating lessons learned in ongoing, comprehensive virtual EOC planning and coordination. 

A number of other design considerations also contribute to an effective EOC. EOC must maintain a 

COOP to ensure the EOC remains operable. Consider carefully augmenting physical EOCs with virtual 

components to prevent the creation of “silos” and disconnect between stakeholders working in 
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31 

person versus those working remotely. When possible, mirror some physical EOC components in the 

virtual environment such as providing individual/breakout teams and channels, creating “always 

open/always on” channels for collaboration, or even including emerging technologies such as 

augmented or virtual reality systems. Contingencies to virtual EOC operations should always be 

considered, particularly related to power outages, communications failures, technology failures, and 

intentional cyber attacks.

1.2. Emergency Power

During a disaster, the EOC may experience extensive power outages. Thus, the EOC needs enough 

emergency auxiliary power (usually in the form of backup generators) to support the EOC’s 

operations 24 hours a day for an extended period. Leaders should schedule regular backup and 

maintenance of this system to ensure its functionality under full workload conditions for a full 

operational period. If staff members are unable to complete this maintenance task, consider 

contracting with a local vendor.

Testing and training in the use of the backup generators (where applicable) are essential parts of a 

comprehensive preparedness plan. It is important to know what will and won’t be powered by 

backup power, such as certain outlets, electronic gates or doors, elevators and HVAC. In addition to 

training EOC personnel in the use, operation and maintenance of the backup generators, leaders 

should post the generator operation instructions in a conspicuous location, accessible and known to 

those trained to operate and monitor the equipment.

Locations used for hybrid and virtual emergency operations should also consider emergency power 

requirements. Locations should consider the installation of fixed generators, the safe use of portable 

generators, solar plus battery storage, and other resilient energy systems.

1.3. Uninterruptible Power Supply

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a type of device that powers equipment, nearly 

instantaneously, in the event of grid power failure, protecting the equipment from damage. UPS 

systems vary significantly in their design and functionality, and these differences affect their 

capabilities and cost.

All UPS systems serve two main purposes: They provide backup power as quickly as possible in the 

event of power loss, and they offer some degree of protection from power quality issues that may 

damage equipment. UPS systems fulfill these goals to varying degrees depending on their design 

and features.

Small UPS units typically use batteries to provide power to two to four pieces of equipment for a 

limited duration (10 to 20 minutes, depending on the load). Planners should ensure that these UPS 

units can provide backup power for the time necessary to support their assigned equipment until 

emergency power comes online.
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Data servers, computer systems, industrial settings and laboratories all commonly use UPS systems. 

Because a UPS protects equipment, it is appropriate for any situation where electrical loads may be 

sensitive to power loss or other power quality issues. For example, UPS systems are commonly used 

for computers and servers because power loss to these loads may result in data loss or component 

damage.

While UPS systems and portable batteries may provide power for short-term outages, they likely will 

not effectively bridge the gap for extended power outages; this will impact virtual or hybrid staff 

disproportionately. Options such as solar panels coupled with storage packs, home generators, and 

alternate energy sources may be necessary for virtual operations.

Many telephone systems are now computerized and need a UPS to ensure reliability during power 

fluctuations. UPS units can also support a phone system either until emergency power comes online 

or long enough to facilitate an orderly shutdown.

1.4. Physical Access

If the EOC shares access with another organization or other government services, leaders should 

implement processes to restrict access to operational areas when appropriate. This could include 

controlling entry to the EOC using a card access system that provides 24-hour access to the facility. 

Ensure that none of the access control systems (card access, elevators, lock-out stairwells) could 

prevent access to or egress from the facility if they become nonoperational (for example, if primary 

and auxiliary power systems fail or network/server outages occur). Planners should also consider 

security measures for parking areas.

2. Considerations for Multiuse Facilities

Having a dedicated EOC, while highly desirable, is not always feasible, for financial or political 

reasons. Consequently, some EOCs operate as multiuse facilities. Designing a multiuse facility 

requires careful thought, as multiuse designs involve a compromise between often opposing 

interests. For example, office users may demand individual offices, while the EOC favors an open 

plan layout. The answer to such a conflict lies in defining the primary use.

If the government EOC is co-located or if the facility housing the EOC is multiuse, users from different 

organizations can share many areas of the building, provided appropriate access control precautions 

exist for operational areas. A summary of shared and exclusive spaces and rooms follows.

2.1. Ancillary Space and Storage Areas

The EOC can share ancillary and storage areas with other government functions during periods of 

inactivation, but EOC personnel must have easy and rapid access during times of activation. These 

spaces can include supply closets, janitorial closets, hallways, conference rooms, etc. In some cases,

climate-controlled storage may be needed for electronics and network elements. Policies on shared 

areas should state that during periods of activation at a certain level, EOC needs take priority. If this 
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33 

is not possible because of activities within the shared building, the jurisdiction should consider 

alternate plans.

2.2. Operations Room

The EOC should reserve its Ops Room—home to its displays, equipment and emergency functions— 

for activations and other scheduled activities, such as authorized classroom training. The Ops Room 

should not become an informal workspace or overflow office space.

2.3. Classroom and Training Areas

Classrooms and training areas independent of the Ops Room can serve as operational sleeping or 

feeding areas during emergency activations. If this is the intent, the design should reflect a number 

of considerations, including proximity of restrooms; access to lockers for personal belongings; 

storage for cots, folding tables and other furniture; and overhead lighting designed to accommodate 

sleep and quiet activity in different areas of the room. An architect can advise planners on additional 

requirements, including design and fire code requirements for sleeping quarters.

2.4. Meeting Rooms

Large EOCs normally need nearby conference facilities where key emergency personnel can discuss 

priority problems away from the noise and disruption of the Ops and Communication rooms. If these 

conference areas are shared, they should be marked as intended primarily for the EOC’s use (under 

mutually agreed-upon criteria, terms and conditions). Leaders should establish procedures that give 

the EOC immediate priority access during emergency operations.

3. Floor Plans

The arrangement of furniture and equipment in an EOC often changes following a call to action. 

Leaders should post floor plans and train personnel to arrange spaces so that EOC operations can 

begin as quickly as possible following disasters, incidents and events.

Where possible, planners should keep the floor plan flexible and consider the following:

 Provide at least twice the number of outlets and network drops necessary in a given EOC; 

 Indicate the location of ports for internet, telephones, satellite phones and radios. Label on floor 

plan as well as any physical labeling that can be done. Specify which ports are generic/specific,

and which ports are always working or require patching; 

 Allow for accessibility for those with disabilities or access and functional needs; and

 Use moveable furniture and hide cabling in a suspended floor or ceiling to protect against trip 

hazards. (If furniture is not moveable, fixed electrical and communications outlets are fine, and 

outlets do not have to be visible.)
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Information Management Systems

This section discusses the handling and transfer of all information related to an incident, including 

sensitive information and secure communications.

1.1. Information/Data Management Tools

Effective emergency response involves knowledge of critical information that can help inform an 

appropriate response. The following tools and capabilities are examples that may be useful during an 

emergency response:

 Geospatial data and analysis capability: Will the EOC have access to geospatial information for 

the jurisdiction—maps, imagery or GIS?

 Crowdsourcing in emergency management: Will the EOC have the correct skillset to conduct 

crowdsourcing? Will the EOC have queries set up in advance of an incident? 

 Hazard prediction and monitoring capability: Will the EOC have hazard prediction capabilities 

(models) that can plot and predict downwind hazards for chemicals or radioactive fallout? Will 

the EOC have hazard protection capabilities (models) and monitors for natural hazards—for 

example, flood gauges, tsunami warning systems or seismic monitoring systems?

 Crisis information management system: Will the EOC have a crisis information management 

system that integrates the necessary information so users can access it quickly and efficiently?

 Personnel qualification and certification system: Will the EOC have a system to track qualified 

and certified personnel within the jurisdiction?

1.2. Geospatial Data and Analysis Capability

Knowing the precise location of buildings, roads and critical infrastructure is essential to an effective 

response. The EOC should have the capability to access geographical information quickly and 

effectively. This information can take the form of specialized databases or incident logs that list 

critical infrastructure. See the discussion of RAPT in the Preliminary Assessments section above for 

more information.

This information is important in dispatching first responders, determining evacuation routes and 

securing areas during events such as civil unrest and bomb threats. When combined with adequate 

hazard prediction and monitoring capabilities, geospatial information provides a powerful capability 

to identify at-risk populations during hazards such as flash floods, tornadoes and downwind 

chemical hazards. Precise information about buildings can also help identify facilities that may 

require a large-scale evacuation (for example, long-term care facilities, schools, hospitals and 

prisons).
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Access to geospatial data and products may be dependent on your licensing model. On-premise and 

enterprise solutions typically offer greater control, but cloud-based solutions can scale rapidly for 

large events. Consider remote user access to on-premise GIS servers if they are not on 

organizational networks. In addition, some GIS tools and software require significant processing 

power which may require a higher-end computer for some staff.

1.3. Crowdsourcing in Emergency Management

Crowdsourcing is a method for gathering open-source ideas, content or services produced by many 

people scattered across the digital world and then curating this data into consumable and 

informative products. Digital volunteer networks (DVNs), which lead specific crowdsourcing efforts, 

are the virtual equivalent of field-based voluntary organizations.

These networks perform crowdsourcing by dividing the collection, analysis and visualization of data 

between trained volunteers who have experience in fields such as mapping, coding, communications 

and social media. The resulting products provide emergency managers with increased situational 

awareness and identify resource gaps based on data that would have otherwise been untapped. In 

many cases, crowdsourced data is more accurate and faster to obtain than traditionally sourced 

data.

FEMA’s NRCC Crowdsourcing Unit acts as a liaison between the emergency management community 

and DVNs. The NRCC generates requests for crowdsourced products based on critical information 

gaps that can inform sound decision-making. During disaster activations, the Crowdsourcing Unit 

maintains digital communication channels and hosts daily coordination calls with DVNs to 

communicate disaster response priorities, gain situational awareness of DVN crowdsourcing efforts 

and facilitate critical information sharing.

During the 2017 hurricane season, FEMA used crowdsourcing by coordinating with DVNs and 

organizing two disaster hackathons. These efforts showed that crowdsourced data, tools and 

services can enhance situational awareness and decision-making. Crowdsourced data is also critical 

for improving machine learning and artificial intelligence applications that can enhance emergency 

response efforts. For more information on FEMA’s crowdsourcing efforts and initiatives, visit 

https://www.nysgis.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FEMA-Crowdsourcing-Unit-OnePager_508.pdf. 

FEMA’s NRCC Crowdsourcing Unit

During NRCC activations, FEMA’s NRCC Crowdsourcing Unit identifies impacts to critical lifelines 

through two types of activities:

 Active crowdsourcing—by coordinating with DVNs to develop crowdsourced products specific 

to the disaster

 Passive crowdsourcing—by using existing crowdsourcing platforms and social media 

monitoring tools developed by the private sector tech industry 
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1.4. Hazard Prediction and Monitoring Capability

Hazard prediction encompasses an EOC’s ability to predict and monitor impending or existing 

hazards. This capability may include computer modeling for chemical or radioactive hazards, as well 

as the ability to monitor streams, severe weather, hurricanes and earthquakes. Weather monitoring 

capability (temperature, wind speed and rainfall) can help users predict and track natural hazards, 

such as mudslides, wildfires and flash floods. The jurisdictional hazard and vulnerability assessment 

identifies hazards that may require prediction and monitoring capability at the EOC. Since EOCs vary 

in size, scope and capability, EOCs may or may not have staff trained in and familiar with hazard 

prediction and monitoring capability. FEMA recommends that EOC leaders consider hazard 

prediction and monitoring training and expertise when recruiting staff and assessing skillsets. When 

this expertise is not available within the EOC, consider establishing partnerships with this capability 

in the region.

In a hybrid or virtual environment, ensure access to modeling applications, sensitive plans and 

procedures (e.g., dam emergency action plans), live feeds from stream gauges and weather stations, 

and other hazard prediction and monitoring capabilities are still accessible. 

1.5. Crisis Information Management System

A crisis information management system may consist of open-source, free, or commercial, off-theshelf software, often with additional applications for specialized needs. The system should manage 

key information such as GIS information and hazard prediction models. A crisis information

management system should help users manage the incident and track resource deployment, 

response teams and other response capabilities, according to the jurisdiction’s plan. It should also 

manage diverse data elements such as threat assessments, status reports, incident alerts, 

contingency plans, response plans, damage assessments, supplies, personnel data (including 

certifications and phone numbers), recovery plans and incident logs.

While a commercial, off-the-shelf system is not a requirement, each EOC should have a good file 

management system, with logical, intuitive file locations and naming conventions. Remember that 

systems can fail, so electronic and hard copy backup methods are important.

Consider utilizing automated processes to track, approve, and archive documents, as well as satisfy 

records retention policies. Data storage, security, access and interoperability amongst crisis 

information management systems is also critical. Like many software solutions, crisis information 

management systems may be hosted on-premise or in the cloud. If using an on-premise solution, 

considerations must be made for hybrid or virtual users to ensure secure access to the system from 

their devices. While there are many purpose-built crisis information management systems on the 

market, organizations should consider other cloud-based collaboration and project management 

tools with similar functionality for their virtual emergency operations center. In some cases, their 

organization or jurisdiction may have already invested significant resources to acquire licenses and 

conduct training for staff members on these commercial off-the-shelf solutions, helping to increase 

likelihood of adoption by all stakeholders without having to learn a completely new system. 
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Interoperability between crisis information management systems should be considered, as various 

jurisdictions and organizations may be utilizing the same brand of system, although there is no ability 

to share information, resource requests or files between each. 

1.6. Personnel Qualification and Certification System

FEMA developed NQS as a supplement to the Resource Management component of NIMS. NQS 

establishes guidance and tools to assist stakeholders in developing processes for qualifying, 

certifying and credentialing deployable incident management and support personnel. NQS can help 

EOCs build or refine qualification, certification and credentialing processes, making them effective 

and consistent nationwide. NQS establishes standard minimum qualifications for specific incidentrelated positions to provide consistency across the nation and support nationwide interoperability. 

Using the NQS approach ensures that personnel deploying through mutual aid agreements and 

compacts have the capabilities to perform the duties of their assigned roles. For more information on 

NQS, visit https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components#nqs. 

OneResponder, the application supporting NQS, is a web-based master qualification system that 

provides a common language and approach for qualifying and certifying emergency personnel. 

OneResponder allows users to customize position qualifications, create resource catalogs, establish 

and maintain data-sharing networks with other participants and collaborate on master resource 

catalogs. It is designed to support the development of a national incident workforce. For more 

information on OneResponder, visit https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/web/national-resourcehub/personnel-qualifications/. 

2. Infrastructure for Communications and Data 

Management

The communications and data management infrastructure represents the backbone of EOC 

operations. Resilient communications systems, including voice and data circuits, local computer 

networks and connectivity to the internet are essential to the EOC's coordination and management 

function. Planning and implementing proper infrastructure will allow EOC operations to function 

properly.

2.1. Adequate Numbers of Phones, Multifunction Copy/Scan/Print/Fax 

Devices, Copiers, Computers

EOCs should have enough phones, internal directories, fax machines, photocopiers, computers and 

plotter printers (when and where feasible) to support regular staff, additional personnel from partner 

agencies and surge personnel from various agencies who may be present during an emergency. In 

addition to physical equipment, the EOC should consider the space needs to accommodate 

additional personnel. As operations expand, personnel often spread into rooms previously used for 

normal, non-operations activities. Emergency managers should consider the space requirements for 

emergency operations—and the need for as much flexible operational space as possible. Stringing 
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38 

extra phone lines together or making use of raised floors can enhance the flexibility of a facility’s 

available space. Useful computer peripherals to maximize computer work performance such as 

multiple monitors, webcams, or headsets should also be considered in and out of the physical EOC. 

Organizations should consider how to distribute these peripherals in advance for stakeholders that 

may not have access on their personal computers at home. Some organizations provide some 

access to “bring-your-own-device" laptops, although many only authorize devices owned by the 

organization to be used for work purposes. This should be considered in the event virtual emergency 

operations must be scaled up quickly to include non-traditional stakeholders without access to 

organization-furnished devices.

2.2. Secure Communications

Sometimes, especially during emergencies, EOCs need to send and receive highly sensitive 

information requiring secure communications. Secure data communications capabilities are critical, 

including secure audio transmission capabilities. Additionally, rooms with secure communications 

equipment need higher physical security measures to ensure that only authorized personnel have 

access to the equipment. EOCs that may need to conduct classified business should develop policies 

for how staff must return to an appropriately outfitted physical EOC or office space when secure 

communications are needed.

3. Cybersecurity

EOCs should protect their systems against physical and cyber risks (e.g., unauthorized access, denial 

of service, ransomware). As cyber threats and vulnerabilities grow in complexity and sophistication, 

incidents become more numerous and severe against EOCs. Therefore, it is critical that EOCs take 

proactive measures to carefully manage their cybersecurity risks. Establishing cybersecurity risk 

management can help EOCs identify and prioritize risks, protect resources, detect threats, and 

enable coordinated, effective response and recovery. Despite every effort, cyber incidents will occur. 

EOCs should be prepared to execute response processes and procedures, prevent expansion of the 

event and mitigate its effects. Incident response plans, recovery or resiliency plans, and continuity of 

operations plans are useful in a cybersecurity incident response. Recovery planning processes and 

strategies are improved by incorporating lessons learned into future activities. Response personnel

should be trained on the latest security, resiliency, continuity, and operational practices and 

maintain in-service training as new technology and methods are made available.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) works closely with public, private sector 

and international partners, offering technical assistance, information security and education to 

protect our nation’s critical infrastructure from a broad range of current cyber, communication and 

physical threats. For personalized support, visit CISA Central at https://www.cisa.gov/central. For 

detailed cybersecurity guidance and best practices, visit the Publications Library at 

https://www.cisa.gov/publications-library and subscribe to National Cyber Awareness System 

products at https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas. 

To improve EOC communications and cyber resiliency, visit:
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39 

 Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit: Assists public safety agencies and 

others responsible for communications networks in evaluating current resiliency capabilities, 

identifying ways to improve resiliency and developing plans for mitigating the effects of potential 

resiliency threats. Within the Toolkit, the Cyber Resiliency Resources for Public Safety Fact Sheet 

highlights resources provided by the federal government, industry and trade associations. The 

factsheet is intended to assist EOCs in determining their current network cybersecurity and 

resiliency capabilities and identify ways to improve their ability to defend against cyber incidents. 

The fact sheet can be accessed here: 

https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/video/22_0307_ecd_Cyber_Resiliency_Resources_for

_Public_Safety_Factsheet_508c.pdf. 

 SAFECOM Emergency Communications Center (ECC) Cybersecurity Resources: Includes the 

Cyber Risks to Next Generation 911 (NG911) document which provides sample risk reduction 

strategies, actions, and educational and training resources. The NG911 document can be found 

here: https://www.cisa.gov/publication/next-generation-911. In addition, the National 911 

Program Office also hosts Cybersecurity Resources. Access these resources at 

https://www.cisa.gov/safecom/resources. 
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40 

EOC Management 

This section discusses functions and considerations for supporting and sustaining EOC operations.

1. Standard Operating Procedures

As part of the planning process, leaders should develop and distribute standard EOC operating 

procedures to all concerned. Procedures should describe EOC layout and functions, the duties of 

major teams and individuals and the use of EOC displays, message forms and other operational 

forms. Standard operating procedures can rely on FEMA guidance regarding EOC operations, 

organization and staffing—including recommendations on wall displays, staff and individual 

functions, message flow and forms, and other operational procedures.

During a developing emergency, EOC activation may become necessary. EOC standard operating 

procedures clearly outline simple processes for opening the EOC, including the following elements:

 Authority; 

 Elected officials, senior leaders, and tribal representatives; 

 Conditions for activation; 

 Notice events; 

 Notifications; 

 Setup; 

 Deactivation; 

 Annual review; and

 Testing and exercising activation procedures. 

1.1. Authority

Standard operating procedures should list at least three officials—by title, not name—with the 

authority to activate the facility and call in EOC staff. Procedures should also include any special 

considerations for the activation of hybrid or virtual emergency operations.

1.2. Elected Officials, Senior Leaders, and Tribal Representatives

FEMA’s National Integration Center (NIC) has developed several resources focused on EOCs, all 

based on feedback and technical assistance requests. One such resource, the Senior Leader Toolkit, 

includes the Elected Official/Senior Leader Quick Reference Guide. This guide contains:
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41 

 Overarching priorities that apply to every incident; 

 Essential responsibilities of senior executives; 

 What to expect; and

 Public messaging examples. 

Intentionally broad, the guide applies to diverse organizations across the nation. FEMA recommends 

that emergency managers customize the reference guide by including organizational points of 

contact (POCs) and relevant operational details, such as how often the EOC will provide situation 

reports. Emergency managers should review the customized reference guide with their leadership 

before an incident occurs. To view the Senior Leader Toolkit, visit https://www.fema.gov/emergencymanagers/nims/components/senior-leader-toolkit. 

Virtual environments may allow for greater flexibility when engaging elected officials, senior leaders, 

and tribal representatives. Dashboards, situational awareness reports and other information sources 

can be tailored to specifics roles and organizations, allowing for an always updating view-only 

stream.

1.3. Conditions for Activation

Standard operating procedures or other documents should clearly address questions such as these: 

Under what conditions should the EOC be activated? To what level of activation? What determines 

the type of EOC activated (virtual, hybrid or in person)? Can authorized individuals activate the EOC 

and emergency staff for a surprise emergency exercise?

Conditions for activation may differ in a hybrid or virtual environment. It should be expected that 

activations become more common when hybrid or virtual environments can provide “hot EOC” 

capabilities 24/7. Determining if specific events necessitate one option over another, reexamining 

activation thresholds and exploring the ability to support neighboring or even distant jurisdictions 

virtually are important differences in hybrid and virtual environments. Decision trees and predetermined criteria can assist jurisdictions in routinizing their activation processes across physical, 

hybrid and virtual environments. Criteria should also be established for individual stakeholders on 

when to discontinue virtual emergency operations and relocate to an office or physical EOC. Some of 

these criteria could include unsafe working conditions, long-duration power outages, internet 

outages, etc.

1.4. Notice Events

EOCs often become involved in planned activities such as inaugurations, parades, demonstrations, 

fairs, sporting events, etc. The EOC activates merely in anticipation of a potential incident, not in 

response to one. To be clear, EOCs can be activated for both events (planned and scheduled) and 

incidents (unplanned and unscheduled). Staff members should account for known risks and threats 

and establish policies and procedures that can adapt as necessary to changing requirements. Hybrid 
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42 

and virtual EOC activations may be an effective way to initiate preparedness coordination across all 

stakeholders in an expected long-duration incident, gradually shifting to an in-person activation as 

conditions warrant and if a physical EOC is established. This process can reduce fatigue and toil 

across key stakeholders before the incident has even scaled up. 

1.5. Notifications

Standard operating procedures should include a notification contact list of all crisis management 

team members, including work, home and other phone numbers at which they can be reached, as 

well as virtual communication methods such as email or chat applications. This list should be 

created during steady-state and updated regularly. Additionally, the primary method of 

communication should be predetermined and tested. 

The list should also designate which agencies inside and outside the jurisdiction leaders should 

notify in an emergency, depending on the nature of the incident. Jurisdictions may consider using a 

high-speed notification system to notify staff about activation. Furthermore, links to the applicable 

location within crisis information management system or collaboration suites can be embedded 

directly in the notification, giving stakeholders “one-click” access to link up with their peers.

1.6. Setup

If the EOC is not a 24-hour facility, the standard operating procedures should specify how to set up 

the Ops Room and who is responsible for various setup tasks. At minimum, documentation should 

include the following:

 Keys: Who (by title) has them, or where are they located? How are software passwords safely 

shared and updated?; 

 Furniture: Where is it stored and where does it go? Who is responsible for furniture setup, and 

how will they receive the alert? Include an EOC floor plan; 

 Communications: If the EOC does not have permanently installed communications devices 

(phone sets, government radio transceivers, intercom systems, commercial radios, television 

receivers, scanners, etc.), where are they stored? Where do they belong in the EOC? Who is 

responsible for communications setup, and how will they receive the alert? Again, a floor plan is 

necessary; 

 Display devices: If the EOC does not have mounted display devices, where are they stored and 

where do they belong upon EOC activation? Who is responsible for these devices?; and

 Equipment and supplies: Where are the copy machines, typewriters, calculators, cameras, maps, 

grease pencils, whiteboard, erasers, forms, staplers, staple removers, pens, pencils, paper and 

other supplies stored, and who is responsible for bringing them to the EOC? 
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Virtual activations: Who manages the virtual platform and licenses? Do any incident-specific chat 

channels need to be configured? Do any video calls need to be scheduled? Do any files or pages 

need to be added or reconfigured on the crisis information management system? Do employees take 

laptops home with them daily for continuity of operations in the event the EOC is unreachable?

1.7. Deactivation

It is rare that EOCs deactivate all at once. The best deactivation method scales back functions over 

time, as resources become unnecessary. Standard operating procedures should detail the 

deactivation process: Who determines when an operation can deactivate, and who is responsible for 

cleanup and replenishing expendables?

Deactivation should include after-action reports, which are valuable in communicating operational 

deficiencies and lessons learned to state, federal and cooperating agencies and jurisdictions.

Similar to the possible use of virtual emergency operations in the process of scaling up a physical 

EOC, deactivation of physical EOCs may also initiate an increase in hybrid or virtual activities for the 

remainder of the incident to reduce fatigue and toil. While all organizations may eventually 

discontinue their use of a virtual system, many others may continue to use the services for months 

into recovery. This situation may be another reason to consider the use of existing and familiar 

collaboration platforms to manage crisis information within an organization.

1.8. Annual Review

EOCs should review their standard operating procedures annually to ensure consistency with current 

plans, procedures, equipment, recordkeeping systems, display devices and communications 

capabilities. Contact lists also require regular updating. After leaders update the procedures, they 

can schedule supplementary training sessions or exercises, in addition to regularly scheduled

exercises, to reinforce changes in the operating procedures.

1.9. Testing and Exercising Activation Procedures

Like any aspect of emergency operations, leaders should test EOC activation, setup, and 

deactivation procedures using drills or training sessions. Leaders can then modify the procedures to 

fit the jurisdiction’s needs and the changing capabilities of the EOC staff and emergency equipment. 

See the Planning, Training and Exercises section of this document, below, for more details.

Hybrid and virtual procedures should be tested as realistically as possible, with opportunities for 

stakeholders to attempt connecting to crisis information management systems using the locations 

and devices that they may find themselves in during an emergency. In addition, efforts should be 

made to conduct hybrid and virtual exercises after hours and/or weekends to uncover potential 

challenges with activating emergency operations outside of normal business hours. 
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Planning, Training and Exercises

1. Planning

Planners are responsible for coordinating and developing plans that are flexible, actionable, and 

guide operations to accomplish a mission. EOCs perform two types of planning: deliberate planning 

and incident action planning. 

Effective planning ensures that the whole community is represented and involved in the planning 

process. The most realistic and complete plans are prepared by a diverse planning team, including 

representatives from the jurisdiction’s departments and agencies, civic leaders, businesses and 

organizations (civic, social, faith-based, humanitarian, educational, advocacy, professional) who are 

able to contribute critical perspectives or have a role in executing the plan.

1.1. The Preparedness Cycle

Planning, especially in the EOC context, includes the collection, evaluation and dissemination of 

operational information related to an incident. The Planning section maintains information on the 

current situation, the forecast and the status of resources assigned to the incident.

Through the use of EOC Skillsets personnel can be trained and qualified to perform the following 

Planning Tasks in an EOC: 

 Reference pre-incident plans; 

 Develop and write EOC action plans and other incident-specific plans; 

 Disseminate plans; and

 Facilitate the ongoing planning process. 

Planning is one of the key components of the preparedness cycle. The preparedness cycle (Figure 4) 

illustrates the way leaders continuously evaluate and improve their plans through a cycle of planning, 

organizing, equipping, training, exercising, evaluating and taking corrective action.
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Figure 4. The Preparedness Cycle

For more information on developing and maintaining the EOP and general planning, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/developing-maintaining-emergency-operationsplans.pdf. 

1.2. Incident Action Planning

The incident action planning process and IAPs (Incident Action Plans) are central to managing 

incidents. IAPs help synchronize operations and ensure that operations support incident objectives. 

Using a disciplined system of planning phases and meetings fosters collaboration/partnerships and 

keeps incident operations focused. The incident action planning process has the following phases:

 Understand the situation; 

 Establish incident objectives; 

 Develop the plan; 

 Prepare and disseminate the plan; and

 Execute, evaluate and revise the plan. 

For more information and guidance on incident action planning, see the References and Resources

section of this document, below, and visit 

https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/assets/incident%20action%20planning%20proce 

ss.pdf. 
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2. NIMS Training and EOCs

NIMS provides principles, structures and processes that link the nation’s responders together, 

enabling them to meet challenges that are beyond the capacity of any single jurisdiction or 

organization. The effectiveness of NIMS hinges on how well incident personnel at all levels 

understand their roles and responsibilities. Training is critical to building a common understanding 

and ensuring that responders apply NIMS concepts across SLTT jurisdictions, as well as partner 

organizations. NIMS training is one piece of a comprehensive incident management program 

involving a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, equipping, training, exercising, evaluating and 

taking corrective action.

The NIMS Training Program outlines a path for developing and maintaining NIMS and provides 

guidance for EOCs in developing their training plans. To see the full NIMS Training Program, visit 

https://www.fema.gov/nims-training. 

2.1. EOC Training Progression

The NIMS Training Program recommends that EOC staff follow the EOC training progression. Each 

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) determines how far individuals need to progress based on their 

role within the EOC and the size and complexity of incidents they will support. See Figure 5 for 

details. 

Figure 5. EOC Training Progression

In an EOC environment, just-in-time training (JITT) provides essential administrative, functional and 

operational information for those serving in various EOC roles. JITT is supplemental to ICS training 

and other advanced training. See the box below for details.
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Just-in-Time Training in EOCs

JITT typically provides trainees with specific, readily-available information right when they need it. 

It answers questions such as:

 What information, tools and assistance, if applicable, are required to do my tasks?

 How do I execute the required processes in the EOC?

 What tasks come next for my assigned job?

Other critical EOC elements covered in JITT methods include:

 Check-in/check-out process

 How the EOC functions

 Safety

 EOC layout

 Workstations

 Job assignment

 Media and public relations

 Situation updates and operational periods

All EOC Personnel: All incident personnel working within an EOC should complete the following 

courses for foundational knowledge of incident response:

 IS-1009: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100 – This course introduces ICS 

and provides the foundation for higher-level ICS training; and

 IS-700: National Incident Management System, An Introduction – This course introduces NIMS 

concepts and principles.

EOC Personnel with Leadership Responsibilities: Supervisory personnel working within an EOC 

should complete the following courses for additional background in incident management systems 

with leadership responsibilities:

 IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction – This course introduces participants to 

the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework (NRF); 

9 Note: Many FEMA Emergency Management Institute courses use alpha identifiers and numbers in the course title (for 

example, IS-100C: Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100). The alpha identifier at the end (in this example, 

C) typically indicates the version of the course—the higher the letter, the more recent the course.
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 IS-2200: Basic EOC Functions – This course prepares incident personnel working in an EOC to 

understand the role and functions of an EOC during incident response and the transition to 

recovery; 

 E/G/L 0191: Emergency Operations Center/Incident Command System Interface – This course 

reviews ICS and EOC responsibilities and functions.

o FEMA recommends that personnel with leadership responsibilities in an EOC complete IS2200 instead of IS-200. 

EOC Personnel Designated as Leaders/Supervisors: EOC leaders need enhanced knowledge. This 

course applies higher-level concepts, methods and tools for larger, more complex incidents:

 E/G/L 2300: Intermediate EOC Functions – This course describes the role, design and function 

of EOCs as components of a MACS. 

EOC Advanced Training: This training is above and beyond what is necessary for FEMA preparedness 

grant eligibility. Students participating in these advanced courses will broaden their understanding of 

emergency management concepts:

 Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) – 

This is an exercise-based training series for EOC personnel; and

 FEMA’s Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) – This program includes three 

academies: Basic, Advanced and Executive.

3. Exercises and EOCs

Conducting exercises is an integral part of the preparedness cycle. Exercises provide leaders with an 

opportunity to shape planning, assess/validate capabilities and identify strengths and areas for 

improvement. The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program10 (HSEEP) provides a set of 

guiding principles for exercise and evaluation programs, as well as a common approach to exercise 

program management, design/development, conduct, evaluation and improvement planning. This 

section covers exercise concepts.

3.1. HSEEP Principles

HSEEP is the cornerstone of the nation’s guidance for exercise design, development and evaluation. 

HSEEP is flexible, scalable, adaptable and designed for use by stakeholders across the whole 

community. Nationwide use of HSEEP supports a consistent approach to exercises and measuring 

10 For more information about HSEEP, visit https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nationalpreparedness/exercises/hseep. 
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49 

progress toward building, sustaining and delivering core capabilities. The fundamental principles of 

HSEEP, detailed below, align and support the NIMS guiding principles:

 Driven by senior leader guidance; 

 Informed by risk; 

 Capability-based and objective-driven; 

 Follows a progressive exercise planning approach; 

 Encourages whole community integration; and

 Uses a common methodology. 

3.2. Exercise Types

The type of exercise selected will depend on the specific objectives, goals, resources and needs of 

the jurisdiction planning the exercise. HSEEP has two broad categories of exercises—discussionbased and operations-based—which together encompass seven exercise types:

Discussion-based exercises:

 Seminars: familiarize players with current plans, policies, agreements and procedures; 

 Workshops: achieve a specific goal or build a product (for example, standard operating 

procedures, policies or plans); 

 Tabletop exercises: help participants understand and assess plans, policies, procedures and 

concepts; and

 Games: explore decision-making processes and examine the consequences of decisions. 

Operations-based exercises (the higher level of the exercise program):

 Drills: test a single operation or function; 

 Functional exercises: test and evaluate capabilities, functions, plans and staffs in real time; 

movement of resources is usually simulated; and

 Full-scale exercises: typically, the most complex and resource-intensive; implement and analyze 

plans, policies, procedures and cooperative agreements; usually include real-time movement of 

resources. 

Facility drills are training activities aimed at perfecting facility functions and skills. The drills help 

staff members become proficient in their emergency functions through repetitive practice. They are 
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50 

usually short in duration. Trainers can either announce them ahead of time or execute them as a 

surprise to test capability and proficiency.

Hybrid and virtual environments warrant separate drills to help build proficiency. An example of a drill 

focused on virtual emergency operations would be a monthly test for all stakeholders accessing the 

crisis information management system(s) from their mobile devices at home.

3.3. Equipment Checks

Regular mechanical and equipment checks are another integral part of every EOC plan. All of the 

following require regular checks for reliability and operability:

 Emergency systems, lighting, backup power, audio/visual equipment and communications; 

 Battery-powered equipment, from portable radios to handheld calculators; and

 All computers serving the EOC (test hardware, update software). 

Ultimately, if an EOC is to respond to a variety of crises, it must be prepared to react with current 

data, functioning equipment and trained personnel. If any of these key elements fails, the EOC may 

not be able to serve the jurisdiction it intends to protect.

3.4. Evaluation and Improvement

Planning and conducting exercises are important phases in EOC preparation. However, through 

exercise evaluation, jurisdictions assess the capabilities necessary to accomplish a mission, function 

or objective. Evaluation connects the exercises to the Evaluate/Improve phase of the preparedness 

cycle (Figure 4). 

The communication of accurate, timely exercise evaluation results is crucial and typically takes place 

through the development of the after-action report and improvement planning process. The resulting 

document includes an exercise overview, a capabilities analysis and a list of corrective actions. 

Leaders should track these corrective actions and continually report on them until their completion. 

These efforts are part of a comprehensive continuous improvement process that applies before, 

during and after an exercise.
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Resource Management During an 

Incident

Managing resources during an incident involves standard methods to identify, order, mobilize and 

track resources. Sometimes, the identification and ordering process compresses, such as when an 

Incident Commander (IC) identifies the resources necessary for a given task and orders them 

directly. However, in larger, more complex incidents, the IC relies on the resource management 

process and ICS/EOC personnel to identify and meet resource needs. Figure 6 shows the six main 

tasks involved in resource management during an incident.

Figure 6: Resource Management Process

1.1. Identifying Requirements

During an incident, field and EOC personnel continually identify, validate and refine resource needs. 

This ongoing process involves identifying the type and quantity of necessary resources, the shipping 

address for resources and who will receive and use the resources.
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Resource availability and needs constantly change as an incident evolves. Consequently, incident 

management personnel and their affiliated organizations should coordinate as closely and as early 

as possible, both before and during incidents.

2. Ordering and Acquiring

Incident and EOC staff make initial and ongoing assessments of resource requirements and either 

activate or request those resources. Incident personnel can order additional resources by executing 

contracts, implementing mutual aid agreements or requesting assistance from another level of 

government (for example, from local government to state, or from a state to the federal government). 

To facilitate reimbursement and prevent duplication, EOCs should understand and follow appropriate 

authorities and processes for ordering and acquiring resources.

Incident and EOC personnel request resources based on incident priorities and objectives. They base 

decisions about resource allocation on jurisdictional or organizational protocol (for example, 

minimum staffing levels) and, when applicable, on the resource demands of other incidents. The 

organization providing resources consents to the request and communicates any discrepancies 

between requested resources and those available for delivery.

2.1. Resource Requests

Organizations requesting resources should provide enough detail that those receiving the request 

will understand what is necessary. Using NIMS resource names and types helps ensure clear 

communication. Requestors should include the following information in a request:

 Detailed item description, including quantity, kind and type (if known) or a description of required 

capability and its intended use; 

 Suitable substitute resources and preferred sources, if they exist; 

 Detailed specifications for uncommon or nonstandard incident resources; 

 Required arrival date and time; 

 Required delivery or reporting location; 

 Position title of the individual to whom the resource should report, if applicable; and

 Any incident-specific health or safety concerns (for example, vaccinations, adverse living/working 

conditions or identified environmental hazards). 

Personnel receive assignments based on their qualifications and the incident’s needs, as well as on 

jurisdictional licensing requirements or limitations. Personnel in some fields, including law 

enforcement and medicine, have limited authority outside the jurisdiction in which they are sworn or 

licensed.
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Published by the NIC, the Resource Typing Library Tool (RTLT) is FEMA’s online catalog of national 

resource typing definitions, position qualifications and PTBs. For more information about this tool, 

visit https://rtlt.preptoolkit.fema.gov/Public/Home/Help. 

Figure 7: Resource Typing Library Tool

2.2. Incident Assignments

Safe, effective incident management depends on all personnel executing their responsibilities 

according to established guidelines. Personnel deploy to incidents at the request of the appropriate 

authority. Individuals remain deployment-ready by maintaining the skills, knowledge, certifications, 

physical fitness, equipment and other elements that FEMA requires or recommends for their 

position.

As part of a comprehensive orientation program for deployed resources, EOCs may consider 

developing a welcome kit—perhaps part of a JITT packet—containing information for on-site and offsite readiness. Items include an area/facility map, key phone numbers (including Liaison Officer 

phone numbers), Wi-Fi password/instructions, links to the IAP, etc. 
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Abbreviations

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AFN Access and Functional Needs

AHJ Authority Having Jurisdiction

BEOC Business Emergency Operations Center

CBRN Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CISA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

COOP Continuity of Operations

CRIA Community Resilience Indicator Analysis

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DOC Department Operations Center

DRRA Disaster Recovery Reform Act

DVN Digital Volunteer Network

ECC Emergency Communications Center

EEI Essential Elements of Information

EMAC Emergency Management Assistance Compact

EMI Emergency Management Institute

EMPP Emergency Management Professional Program

EMS Emergency Medical Services

EOC Emergency Operations Center

EOP Emergency Operations Plan

EPA Environmental Protection Agency
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ESF Emergency Support Function

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

GIS Geographic Information Systems

HAZMAT Hazardous Materials

HSEEP Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program

HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

IAP Incident Action Plan

IC Incident Commander

ICP Incident Command Post

ICS Incident Command System

IEMC Integrated Emergency Management Course

IMAT Incident Management Assistance Team

IMT Incident Management Team

ISP Internet Service Provider

IT Information Technology

JFO Joint Field Office

JIC Joint Information Center

JIS Joint Information System

JITT Just-In-Time Training

LAN Local Area Network

LTE Long-term Evolution

MAC Group Multiagency Coordination Group

MACS Multiagency Coordination System

MRE Meals Ready to Eat
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NBEOC National Business Emergency Operations Center

NCPIP National Continuity Policy Implementation Plan

NDRF National Disaster Recovery Framework

NG911 Next Generation 911

NGO Nongovernmental Organization

NIC National Integration Center

NIMS National Incident Management System

NPF National Planning Frameworks

NPG National Preparedness Goal

NQS National Qualification System

NRCC National Response Coordination Center

NRF National Response Framework

NTED National Training and Education Division

Ops Room Operations Room

PIO Public Information Officer

PMEF Primary Mission Essential Functions

POC Point of Contact

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

PSC Planning Section Chief

PTB Position Task Book

RAPT Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool

ROC Regional Operations Center

RoIP Radio over Internet Protocol

RSF Recovery Support Function
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RTLT Resource Typing Library Tool

SaaS Software as a Service

SLTT State, Local, Tribal and Territorial

SMS Short Message Service

THIRA Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

UPS Uninterruptable Power Supply

USNG United States National Grid

VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol

WAN Wide Area Network 
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Glossary

For the purpose of National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Emergency Operation Centers

(EOCs), the following terms and definitions apply:

Access and Functional Needs (AFN): Individual circumstances requiring assistance, accommodation 

or modification for mobility, communication, transportation, safety, health maintenance, etc., due to 

any temporary or permanent situation that limits the ability of an individual (such as a person with 

disabilities) to act in an emergency.

Agency: A government element with a specific function offering a particular kind of assistance.

Agency Administrator/Executive: The official responsible for administering policy for an agency or 

jurisdiction.

Agency Representative: A person whose agency or organization (a primary, assisting or cooperating 

state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) or federal government agency; a non-governmental

organization (NGO); or a private organization) has the authority to make decisions affecting the 

agency or organization’s participation in incident management activities, in consultation with the 

organization’s leadership.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against 

individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation and all 

public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of this law is to make sure 

that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities. The ADA gives civil rights 

protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of 

race, color, sex, national origin, age and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with 

disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government 

services and telecommunications.

Area Command: An organization that oversees the management of multiple incidents or oversees 

the management of a large or evolving situation with multiple Incident Command System (ICS) 

organizations. See Unified Area Command.

Assigned Resource: A resource that has checked in and received work assignments for an incident.

Assignment: A task given to a person or team to perform based on operational objectives defined in 

the Incident Action Plan (IAP).

Assistant: A title for subordinates of principal Command Staff and subordinates of EOC executive 

staff. The title indicates a level of technical capability, qualification and responsibility subordinate to 

the primary positions. Unit leaders may also have assistants.
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Assisting Agency: An agency or organization providing personnel, services or other resources to the 

agency with direct responsibility for incident management.

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): An entity that has the authority and responsibility for developing, 

implementing, maintaining and overseeing the personnel qualification process within its organization 

or jurisdiction. The AHJ may be a state or federal agency, training commission, NGO, private sector 

company or a tribal or local agency such as a police, fire or public works department. In some cases, 

the AHJ may provide support to multiple disciplines that collaborate as part of a team, such as an 

Incident Management Team (IMT).

Available Resource: A resource that is checked in and available for assignment on an incident.

Badging: Assigning physical, incident-specific credentials to establish legitimacy and permit access 

to incident sites. See credentialing.

Base: See incident base.

Branch: The organizational level having functional or geographical responsibility for major aspects of 

incident operations. A branch falls between the Section Chief and the division or group in the 

Operations Section, and between the section and units in the Logistics Section. The Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses Roman numerals or functional areas to identify 

branches.

Camp: A geographical site within the general incident area (separate from the incident base) that 

has the equipment and staff to provide sleeping accommodations, food, water and sanitary services 

to incident personnel.

Certification: The process of authoritatively attesting when individuals meet qualifications 

established for key incident management functions and are, therefore, qualified for specific 

positions.

Chain of Command: The orderly line of authority within the ranks of incident management 

organizations.

Check-In: The process by which resources first report to an incident. All responders, regardless of 

agency affiliation, report in to receive an assignment in accordance with the Incident Command (IC) 

or Unified Command’s established procedures.

Chief: The ICS title for individuals responsible for managing functional sections: Operations, 

Planning, Logistics and Finance/Administration.

Clear Text: Communication that does not use codes. See plain language.

Command: The act of directing, ordering, or controlling by virtue of explicit statutory, regulatory, or 

delegated authority.
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Command Staff: A group of incident personnel that the IC or Unified Command assigns to support 

the command function at an Incident Command Post (ICP). Command Staff often include a Public 

Information Officer (PIO), a Safety Officer, a Liaison Officer and any assistants they may have. 

Additional positions may be necessary, depending on the incident.

Community Resilience Indicator Analysis (CRIA): A federal analysis of peer-reviewed research on 

community resilience challenges in U.S. counties.

Continuity of Operations (COOP): As defined in the National Continuity Policy Implementation Plan 

(NCPIP) and the National Security Presidential Directive-51/Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive-20 (NSPD-51/HSPD-20), COOP is an effort within individual executive departments and 

agencies to ensure that Primary Mission Essential Functions continue to occur during a wide range 

of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents and technological or attack- related 

emergencies.

Cooperating Agency: An agency supplying assistance other than direct operational or support 

functions or resources to the incident management effort.

Coordinate: To exchange information systematically among principals who may need certain types of 

information to carry out specific incident management responsibilities.

Core Capability: An element defined in the National Preparedness Goal (NPG) as necessary to 

prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from the threats and hazards that pose 

the greatest risk.

Credentialing: Providing documentation that identifies personnel and authenticates and verifies their 

qualification for a particular position. See badging.

Critical Infrastructure: Assets, systems and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the 

United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating impact on security, 

national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.

Data: The rawest form of information, which can include numbers, characters, symbols, or words, 

that have not yet been placed into context or evaluated against other data and information. Data 

may come from a wide variety of inputs, including operational federal and non-federal assets, 

eyewitness reports, field observations, social media, and weather reports.

Delegation of Authority: A statement that the agency executive delegating authority and assigning 

responsibility provides to the IC. The Delegation of Authority can include priorities, expectations, 

constraints and other considerations or guidelines, as necessary.

Demobilization: The orderly, safe and efficient return of an incident resource to its original location 

and status.
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Department Operations Center (DOC): An operations or coordination center dedicated to a single, 

specific department or agency. A DOC focuses on internal agency incident management and 

response. DOCs are often linked to a combined agency EOC, with an authorized agent (or agents) 

representing the department or agency.

Deputy: A fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be delegated the authority 

to manage a functional operation or to perform a specific task. In some cases, a deputy can act as 

relief for a superior and, therefore, should be fully qualified in the position. Deputies can be assigned 

to the IC, EOC director, General Staff and branch directors.

Digital Volunteer Network (DVN): A collection of volunteers who support emergency management 

efforts during disasters by curating, analyzing and creating visualizations of crowdsourced data (data 

collected from large groups of people who submit information/responses via websites, social media 

and smartphone apps).

Director: The ICS title for an individual responsible for supervising a branch. Also, an organizational 

title for an individual responsible for managing and directing the team in an EOC.

Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA): Part of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act 

of 2018. The DRRA aims to improve FEMA’s disaster preparedness, response, recovery and 

mitigation programs and build the nation’s capacity for future catastrophic events.

Dispatch: The ordered movement of a resource or resources to an assigned operational mission, or 

an administrative move from one location to another.

Division: The organizational level having responsibility for operations within a defined geographic 

area. Divisions are established when the number of resources exceeds the manageable span of 

control of the Section Chief. See group.

Emergency: Any incident, whether natural, technological or human caused, that necessitates 

responsive action to protect life or property.

Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC): A congressionally ratified agreement that 

provides form and structure to interstate mutual aid. Through EMAC, a disaster-affected state can 

request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently, resolving two key 

issues up front: liability and reimbursement.

Emergency Management Institute (EMI): FEMA’s national focal point for the development and 

delivery of emergency management training to enhance the capabilities of officials from SLTT 

governments and volunteer organizations.

Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP): A structured and progressive framework to 

help emergency managers acquire the knowledge, skills and abilities to enter and progress through 

the field and to meet the challenges of a dynamic and complex environment. The EMPP curriculum is 

designed to provide a lifetime of learning for a career in emergency management.
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Emergency Operations Center (EOC): The physical location where the coordination of information and 

resources to support incident management (on-scene operations) normally takes place. An EOC may 

be housed in a temporary facility or in a permanently established, central facility, or a building that 

houses another government agency within the jurisdiction. A virtual EOC is an exception to a physical 

EOC.

Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): A plan for responding to a variety of potential hazards.

Emergency Support Functions (ESF): An organized grouping of the governmental, private sector and 

NGO capabilities and services that are most likely to be necessary for managing domestic incidents.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): An agency of the United States government whose mission is 

to protect human and environmental health and is responsible for creating standards and laws 

promoting the health of individuals and the environment. The agency is headquartered in 

Washington, D.C.

Essential Elements of Information (EEI): Important and standard information items supporting timely 

and informed decisions.

Evacuation: The organized, phased and supervised withdrawal, dispersal or removal of civilians from 

dangerous or potentially dangerous areas, and their reception and care in safe areas.

Event: See planned event.

Federal: Of or pertaining to the federal government of the United States.

Finance/Administration Section: The ICS section responsible for an incident’s administrative and 

financial considerations.

Fusion Center: State-owned and operated centers that serve as focal points in states and major 

urban areas for the receipt, analysis, gathering and sharing of threat-related information between 

State, Local, Tribal and Territorial (SLTT), federal and private sector partners.

General Staff: A group of incident personnel organized according to function and reporting to the IC 

or Unified Command. The ICS General Staff consists of the Operations Section Chief, Planning 

Section Chief, Logistics Section Chief and Finance/Administration Section Chief.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS): A framework for gathering, managing and analyzing data 

rooted in the science of geography. GIS analyzes spatial location and organizes layers of information 

into visualizations such as maps and 3D scenes, providing deeper insights into patterns, 

relationships and situations.

Group: An organizational subdivision established to divide the incident management structure into 

functional areas of operation. Groups are composed of resources assembled to perform a special 

function not necessarily within a single geographic area. See division.
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Hazard: Something potentially dangerous or harmful; often the root cause of an unwanted outcome.

Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP): A set of guiding principles for exercise 

programs, as well as a common approach to exercise program management, design, development, 

conduct, evaluation and improvement planning.

Incident: An occurrence, natural or human caused, that necessitates a response to protect life or 

property. In this document, incident includes planned events as well as emergencies and disasters of 

all kinds and sizes.

Incident Action Plan (IAP): An oral or written plan containing the IC’s or Unified Command’s objectives 

and addressing tactics and support activities for the planned operational period, typically 12 to 24 

hours.

Incident Base: A location where personnel coordinate and administer logistics functions for an 

incident. There is typically only one base per incident. The ICP may be co-located with the incident 

base.

Incident Command: The ICS organizational element responsible for overall management of the 

incident and consisting of the IC or Unified Command and any additional activated Command Staff.

Incident Commander (IC): The individual responsible for on-scene incident activities, including 

developing incident objectives and ordering and releasing resources. The IC has overall authority and 

responsibility for conducting incident operations.

Incident Command Post (ICP): The field location where staff perform the primary functions of incident 

command. The ICP may be co-located with the incident base or other incident facilities.

Incident Command System (ICS): A standardized approach to the command, control and coordination 

of on-scene incident management, providing a common hierarchy within which personnel from 

multiple organizations can work. ICS brings procedures, personnel, facilities, equipment and 

communications into a common organizational structure to aid in the management of on-scene 

resources during incidents. ICS applies to small, large and complex incidents of all kinds, including 

planned events.

Incident Management: The broad spectrum of activities and organizations providing operations, 

coordination and support at all levels of government, using both governmental and nongovernmental 

resources to plan for, respond to and recover from an incident, regardless of cause, size or 

complexity.

Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT): A team of ICS-qualified personnel, configured 

according to ICS, that deploy in support of affected jurisdictions and on-scene personnel.

Incident Management Team (IMT): A rostered group of ICS-qualified personnel consisting of an IC, 

Command and General Staff, and personnel assigned to other key ICS positions.
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Incident Objective: A statement of a desired incident outcome. Incident objectives drive strategies 

and tactics. Incident objectives should be realistic, achievable and measurable, yet flexible enough 

to allow strategic and tactical alternatives.

Incident Personnel: All individuals who have roles in incident management or support, whether on 

scene, in an EOC or in a Multiagency Coordination Group (MAC Group).

Information: Knowledge or data from a variety of federal and non-federal resources about a 

particular fact or circumstance that has been placed into a context and can be used to make 

decisions but has not been analyzed. 

Information Management: The collection, organization and control of the structure, processing and 

delivery of information from one or more sources to one or more audiences who have a stake in that 

information.

Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC): A four-day, exercise-based training activity 

allowing EOC personnel to practice simulated, realistic crisis situations within a structured learning 

environment.

Intelligence: In NIMS, intelligence refers exclusively to threat-related information developed by law 

enforcement, medical surveillance, and other investigative organizations. 

Intelligence/Investigations Function: The effort to determine the source or cause of an incident (for 

example, disease outbreak, fire, complex coordinated attack or cyber incident) to control its impact 

and help prevent the occurrence of similar incidents. In ICS, this function may belong to the Planning 

Section, Operations Section, Command Staff or General Staff (as a separate section) or to a 

combination of these entities.

Interoperability: The ability of systems, personnel and equipment to exchange functionality, data, 

information and services with other systems, personnel and equipment—among public and private 

agencies, departments and other organizations—in a manner enabling them to operate effectively 

together.

Joint Field Office (JFO): The primary federal incident management field structure. The JFO is a 

temporary federal facility that provides a central location for the coordination of SLTT and federal 

governments, private sector organizations and NGOs that have primary responsibility for response 

and recovery.

Joint Information Center (JIC): A facility in which personnel coordinate incident-related public 

information activities. The JIC serves as the central POC for all news media. PIOs from all 

participating agencies co-locate in, or coordinate virtually through, the JIC.

Joint Information System (JIS): A structure that integrates overarching incident information and 

public affairs into a cohesive organization designed to provide consistent, coordinated, accurate, 

accessible, timely and complete information during crisis or incident operations.
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Jurisdiction: Jurisdiction has two definitions depending on the context:

 A range or sphere of authority: Public agencies have jurisdiction at an incident related to their 

legal responsibilities and authority. Jurisdictional authority at an incident can be political or 

geographical (for example, SLTT or federal boundary lines) or functional (for example, law 

enforcement or public health).

 A political subdivision (for example, municipal, county, parish, state or federal) with the 

responsibility to ensure public safety, health and welfare within its legal authorities and 

geographic boundaries.

Just-In-Time Training (JITT): A training system that provides required knowledge and skills right when 

and where they are needed so that trainees can apply them immediately and avoid learning loss.

Kind: As applied to incident resources, a class or group of items or people of the same nature or 

character or classified together because they have common traits.

Leader: The ICS title for an individual who is responsible for supervising a unit, strike team, resource 

team or task force.

Liaison Officer: A member of the ICS Command Staff responsible for coordinating with 

representatives from cooperating and assisting agencies or organizations.

Lifelines: The most fundamental services in the community that, when stabilized, enable all other 

aspects of society to function.

Local Government: A public entity responsible for the security and welfare of a designated area as 

established by law. A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, 

special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council is 

incorporated as a nonprofit under state law), regional or interstate government entity, agency or 

instrumentality of a local government, tribe or authorized tribal entity (in Alaska, a Native Village or 

Alaska Regional Native Corporation), rural community, unincorporated town or village or other public 

entity.

Logistics: Processes and procedures for providing resources and other services to support incident 

management.

Logistics Section: The ICS section responsible for providing facilities, services and material support 

for an incident.

Management by Objectives: A management approach fundamental to NIMS that involves (1) 

establishing objectives (specific, measurable and realistic outcomes to be achieved), (2) identifying 

strategies, tactics and tasks designed to achieve the objectives, (3) performing the tactics and tasks, 

and measuring and documenting results and (4) taking corrective action to modify strategies, tactics 

and performance to achieve the objectives.
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Manager: The individual within an ICS organizational unit who has specific managerial 

responsibilities (for example, Staging Area Manager or Camp Manager).

Meals Ready to Eat (MRE): Self-contained, shelf-stable meals used as the main operational food 

ration, providing adequate nutrition during combat or field work for the U.S. armed forces.

Mission Area: One of five preparedness areas (prevention, protection, mitigation, response and 

recovery) designated in the NPG for grouping core capabilities.

Mitigation: The capabilities necessary to reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impacts 

of natural and human-caused disasters, incidents and events.

Mobilization: Processes and procedures for activating, assembling and transporting resources that 

have been requested to respond to or support an incident.

Multiagency Coordination Group (MAC Group): A group, typically consisting of agency administrators 

or organization executives or their designees, that provides policy guidance to incident personnel, 

supports resource prioritization and allocation, and enables decision-making among elected and 

appointed officials, senior executives from other organizations and those responsible for incident 

management.

Multiagency Coordination System (MACS): An overarching term for the NIMS Command and 

Coordination systems: ICS, EOC, MAC Group/Policy Group and JIS.

Mutual Aid Agreement or Assistance Agreement: A written or oral agreement between and among 

agencies/organizations and jurisdictions that provides a mechanism for quickly obtaining assistance 

in the form of personnel, equipment, materials and other associated services. The primary objective 

is to facilitate the rapid, short-term deployment of support prior to, during and after an incident.

National: Of a nationwide character, including the SLTT and federal aspects of governance and 

policy.

National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC): FEMA’s virtual clearinghouse for two-way 

information sharing between public and private sector/NGO stakeholders before, during and after 

disasters.

National Incident Management System (NIMS): A systematic, proactive approach for guiding all 

levels of government, NGOs and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, 

mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. NIMS provides stakeholders across 

the whole community with the shared vocabulary, systems and processes to successfully deliver the 

capabilities described in the National Preparedness System. NIMS provides a consistent foundation 

for dealing with all incidents, from daily occurrences to those requiring a coordinated federal 

response.
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National Integration Center (NIC): The FEMA group that develops doctrine and tools to lead the 

whole-community implementation of the National Preparedness System and NIMS.

National Planning Frameworks (NPF): Guidance documents, one for each of the five preparedness 

mission areas, describing how the whole community works together to achieve the NPG. The 

frameworks foster a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities, from the firehouse to the 

White House, and clarify how the nation coordinates, shares information and works together to 

achieve a more secure and resilient nation.

National Preparedness: Planning, organizing, equipping, training and exercising to build and sustain 

the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to and recover 

from the threats that pose the greatest risk to national security.

National Preparedness Goal (NPG): Doctrine describing what it means for the whole community to be 

prepared for the types of incidents that pose the greatest threat to national security, including acts of 

terrorism, emergencies and disasters, regardless of cause. The goal reads, “A secure and resilient

Nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, 

mitigate, respond to and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk.”

National Preparedness System: An organized process to achieve the NPG’s stated goal of a secure

and resilient nation.

National Qualification System (NQS): A foundational guideline for qualifying personnel resources 

within NIMS. The guideline establishes guidance and tools to help stakeholders develop processes 

for qualifying, certifying and credentialing deployable emergency personnel.

National Response Coordination Center (NRCC): A multiagency coordination center located at FEMA 

headquarters. Its staff coordinates the overall federal support for major disasters and emergencies, 

including catastrophic incidents and emergency management program implementation. The National 

Response Coordination Center (NRCC) also houses the NBEOC.

National Response Framework (NRF): A guide for the nation’s response to all types of disasters and 

emergencies. It is built on NIMS concepts for aligning key roles and responsibilities. It includes the 

ESFs.

Nongovernmental Organization (NGO): A nonprofit group that is based on the interests of its 

members, individuals or institutions. An NGO is not created by a government, but it may work 

cooperatively with the government. Examples of NGOs include faith-based groups, relief agencies, 

organizations that support people with AFN and animal welfare organizations.

Normal Operations/Steady State: The activation level that describes routine monitoring of the 

jurisdictional situation, with no event or incident anticipated.
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Officer: The ICS title for a Command Staff member authorized to make decisions and act related to 

his/her area of responsibility.

Operational Period: The time scheduled for executing a given set of operation actions, as the IAP 

specifies. Operational periods can vary in length but are typically 12 to 24 hours.

Operational Security: Implementing procedures and activities to protect sensitive or classified 

operations involving sources and methods of intelligence collection, investigative techniques, tactical 

actions, countersurveillance measures, counterintelligence methods, undercover officers, 

cooperating witnesses and informants.

Operations Room (Ops Room): A specific location in the EOC where displays, equipment and 

emergency functions reside.

Operations Section: The ICS section responsible for implementing tactical incident operations 

described in the IAP. The Operations Section may include subordinate branches, divisions and 

groups.

Organization: Any association or group of people with like objectives. Examples include government 

departments and agencies, NGOs and private sector entities.

Plain Language: Communication that the intended audience can understand and that meets the 

communicator’s purpose. For NIMS, plain language refers to a communication style that avoids or 

limits the use of codes, abbreviations and jargon during incidents involving more than one agency.

Planned Event: A scheduled, non-emergency activity such as a sporting event, concert or parade.

Planning Meeting: A meeting held at any point before or during an incident to select strategies and 

tactics for incident control operations and to plan for service and support.

Planning Section: The ICS section collects, evaluates and disseminates operational information 

related to an incident and helps prepare and document the IAP. This section also maintains 

information on the current and forecasted situation and on the status of assigned resources.

Position Qualifications: The minimum criteria necessary for individuals to fill a specific position.

Position Task Book (PTB): A document identifying the competencies, behaviors and tasks that 

personnel should demonstrate to become qualified for a defined incident management or support 

position.

Prevention: The capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent or stop a threatened or actual act of 

terrorism. In national preparedness guidance, prevention refers to preventing imminent threats.

Private Sector: Organizations and individuals that are not part of a governmental structure. The 

private sector includes for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, formal and informal structures, 

commerce and industry.
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Protection: The capabilities necessary to secure the homeland against acts of terrorism and humancaused or natural disasters, incidents and events.

Protocol: A set of established guidelines for action (applying to individuals, teams, functions or 

capabilities) under various specified conditions.

Public Information: Processes, procedures and systems for communicating timely, accurate and 

accessible information on an incident’s cause, size and current situation; resources committed; and 

other matters of general interest to the public, responders and additional stakeholders, whether 

directly or indirectly affected.

Public Information Officer (PIO): A member of the ICS Command Staff responsible for interfacing with 

the public, the media and other agencies that have incident-related information needs.

Recovery: The capabilities necessary to help communities affected by an incident recover effectively.

Recovery Plan: A plan to restore an incident-affected area or community.

Recovery Support Functions (RSF): Organizing structures for the key functional areas of assistance 

outlined in the National Disaster Recovery Framework that group capabilities of government, private 

sector and NGO partner organizations to promote effective recovery from disasters before and after 

disasters strike.

Reimbursement: A mechanism to recoup funds expended for incident-specific activities.

Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT): A publicly available GIS web map that allows users to 

visualize and prioritize resilience, response and recovery strategies.

Resource Management: Systems for identifying available resources at all jurisdictional levels to 

enable timely, efficient and unimpeded access to resources necessary to prepare for, respond to or 

recover from an incident.

Resources: Personnel, equipment, teams, supplies and facilities available or potentially available for 

assignment to incident operations. NIMS describes resources by kind and type and uses them in 

operational support or supervisory capacities at an incident or at an EOC.

Resource Team: See strike team.

Resource Tracking: The process that all incident personnel and staff from associated organizations 

use to maintain information regarding the location and status of resources ordered for, deployed to 

or assigned to an incident.

Resource Typing Library Tool (RTLT): FEMA’s online catalog of national resource typing definitions, 

position qualifications and PTBs.
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Response: The capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment and meet 

basic human needs after an incident has occurred.

Safety Officer: In ICS, a member of the Command Staff responsible for monitoring incident 

operations and advising the IC or Unified Command on all matters relating to operational safety, 

including the health and safety of incident personnel. The Safety Officer modifies or stops the work 

of personnel to prevent unsafe acts.

Section: The ICS organizational element having responsibility for a major functional area of incident 

management (Operations, Planning, Logistics or Finance/Administration); capitalized when part of an 

official name.

Single Resource: An individual, a piece of equipment and its personnel complement, or a crew/team 

of individuals with an identified work supervisor that can support incident response.

Situation Report: Confirmed or verified information regarding the details of an incident.

Span of Control: The number of subordinates for which a supervisor is responsible, usually 

expressed as a ratio of supervisors to individuals.

Staging Area: A temporary location for available resources in which personnel, supplies and 

equipment await operational assignment.

Standard Operating Procedure: A reference document or operations manual that provides the 

purpose, authorities, duration and details for the preferred method of performing a single function or 

several interrelated functions in a uniform manner.

State: In this guide, it includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States.

Status Report: Any report (such as a spot report) that includes vital or time-sensitive information. 

Status reports are typically function-specific. They are less formal than situation reports and are not 

always issued on a specific schedule.

Strategy: The general course of action or direction to accomplish incident objectives.

Strike Team: A set number of resources of the same kind and type that have an established 

minimum number of personnel, common communications and a team leader; capitalized when part 

of an official name. In the law enforcement community, strike teams are called resource teams.

Supervisor: The ICS title for an individual responsible for a division or group.

System: Any combination of processes, facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and 

communications integrated for a specific purpose.
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Tactics: The deployment and directing of resources on an incident to accomplish the objectives.

Task Force: Any combination of resources of various kinds and types assembled to support a specific 

mission or operational need; capitalized when part of an official name.

Terrorism: Any activity involving an act (1) that is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive 

of critical infrastructure and is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state or 

other subdivision of the United States and (2) that appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce a 

civilian population, or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or to affect 

the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

Threat: A natural or human-caused occurrence, an individual, an entity or an action having or 

indicating the potential to harm life, information, operations, property or the environment.

Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA): A three-step risk assessment process 

that helps communities understand their risks and determine the level of capability they need to 

address those risks.

Tools: Instruments and capabilities that allow the professional performance of tasks, such as 

information systems, agreements, doctrine, capabilities and legislative authorities.

Tribal Nations: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) 

uses the term "Indian tribal governments." The term 'Indian tribal government' means the governing 

body of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the 

Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized 

Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a et seq.).

Type: A NIMS resource classification that applies a metric to the capability of a specific kind of 

resource to designate it as a specific numbered class.

Unified Area Command: A version of command that applies when incidents under an Area Command 

are multijurisdictional. See Area Command.

Unified Command: An ICS command structure that applies when more than one agency has incident 

jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions.

Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS): A system that compensates for loss of power to service

equipment for a limited period. UPS units include short-duration battery devices and standby 

generators for longer duration.

Unit: The organizational element with functional responsibility for a specific activity within the 

Planning, Logistics and Finance/Administration sections in ICS; capitalized when part of an official 

name.

Unit Leader: The individual in charge of a unit in ICS.
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United States National Grid (USNG): A point and area reference system that FEMA and other incident 

management organizations use as an accurate and expeditious alternative to latitude/longitude.

Unity of Command: A NIMS guiding principle stating that everyone involved in incident management 

reports to and takes direction from only one person.

Unity of Effort: A NIMS guiding principle that provides coordination through cooperation and common 

interests and does not interfere with federal department and agency supervisory, command or 

statutory authorities.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): A technology that enables voice calls using a broadband internet 

connection instead of an analog phone line.

Whole Community: A focus on enabling a wide range of players from the private and nonprofit 

sectors to participate in incident management activities to foster better coordination and working 

relationships. Stakeholders include NGOs, the general public and all levels of government.
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References and Resources

The following resources can assist communities across the nation in establishing, operating and 

continuously improving Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs). 

COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance

 The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) COVID-19 Pandemic Operational 

Guidance: All Hazards Incident Response and Recovery provides actionable guidance for state, 

local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) officials to prepare for response and recovery operations amidst 

the COVID-19 pandemic. This document highlights how FEMA has adapted to operating in the 

COVID-19 pandemic environment, but to the greatest extent possible, the foundational 

emergency management concepts remain. Updated and pertinent information is also available 

at https://www.fema.gov/media-collection/covid-19-pandemic-operational-guidance-all-hazards

 https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/fema-2020-hurricane-pandemicplan_english.pdf

Cybersecurity

 The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) leads the nation’s strategic and 

unified work to strengthen the security, resilience, and workforce of the cyber ecosystem to 

protect critical services and the American way of life.

 CISA Central

 Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Initiative

 Public Safety Cyber and Resiliency Toolkit

 SAFECOM Emergency Communications Center (ECC) Cybersecurity Resources

Emergency Support Function (ESF)

 The ESFs, part of the National Response Framework (NRF), provide the structure for coordinating 

federal interagency support for a federal response to an incident.

 https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/frameworks/response

FEMA National Training and Education Division (NTED)

 NTED develops and delivers training courses to prepare state and local first responders to 

prevent, protect, respond to and recover from catastrophic events.
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 https://www.firstrespondertraining.gov/frts/npccatalog?catalog=EMI11

Incident Command System (ICS) Resource Center

 The ICS Resource Center, which the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) maintains, provides 

information about and links to an extensive array of ICS training materials, job aids, position 

checklists and forms.

 https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/index.htm

Incident Action Planning Guidance

 The incident action planning process and Incident Action Plans (IAPs) are central to managing 

incidents. The incident action planning process helps synchronize operations and ensure that 

they support incident objectives.

 An excerpt of the incident action planning process is located in the EOC Toolkit at 

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components#eoc

 https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/assets/incident%20action%20planning%20pr 

ocess.pdf

Lifelines

 FEMA developed the community lifelines construct to increase effectiveness in disaster 

operations and better position the agency to respond to catastrophic incidents.

 https://www.fema.gov/lifelines

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

 On the NIMS website, users can find links to NIMS documents, guidelines and operational tools, 

as well as training information, implementation guidance, updates and contact information for 

the FEMA Regional NIMS Coordinators.

 https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components

National Qualification System (NQS)

 The NIMS Guideline for the NQS describes the components of a qualification and certification 

system, defines a process for certifying the qualifications of incident personnel, describes how to 

11 This resource contains references to non-federal resources and materials. Such references do not constitute an 

endorsement by the U.S. government, or any of its employees, of the information or content which a non-federal resource 

or material provides. 
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75 

establish and implement a peer review process and introduces the process of credentialing 

personnel.

 NQS also provides Job Titles/Position Qualifications and Position Task Books (PTBs) for a range 

of incident management, incident support and emergency management positions.

 https://www.fema.gov/national-qualification-system

NIMS Training Program

 The NIMS Training Program specifies NIC and stakeholder responsibilities and activities for 

developing, maintaining and sustaining NIMS training.

 https://www.fema.gov/nims-training

NQS EOC Skillsets and EOC Skillsets User Guide

 EOC Skillsets promote a national vocabulary for EOC personnel qualifications and let EOC leaders 

build position qualifications according to their organization’s needs and resources.

 https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/components#eoc

OneResponder

 OneResponder, the application supporting NQS, is a web-based expert qualifications system that 

provides a common language and approach to qualify and certify emergency personnel. 

 Personnel Qualifications - National Resource Hub - Preparedness Toolkit (fema.gov)

Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)

 The THIRA process helps communities understand their risks and determine the capabilities they 

need to address those risks.

 https://www.fema.gov/threat-and-hazard-identification-and-risk-assessment

Vulnerability Assessment

 The vulnerability assessment is an in-depth analysis of a building’s functions, systems and site 

characteristics to identify the building’s weaknesses and lack of redundancy, and to determine 

mitigations or corrective actions to reduce vulnerabilities.

 https://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/prevent/rms/155/e155_unit_iv.pdf 

 https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-395
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Annex

1. Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Self-Assessment 

Tool

This Annex to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) EOC How-to Quick Reference Guide 

is a self-assessment tool to help state and local EOC leaders identify operational gaps and areas 

requiring improvement in the EOC. The self-assessment is a comprehensive tool, though not allinclusive, for use in two scenarios:

 When planning and setting up a primary EOC or alternate EOC; and

 When reviewing and refreshing an existing EOC, whether primary or alternate. 

This tool consists of a series of detailed questions and considerations related to EOC assessment, 

mitigation, action steps and implementation in six primary areas: Facility Features, Survivability, 

Security, Sustainability, Interoperability and Flexibility. The questions warrant different responses 

depending on the EOC’s type (state or local) or nature (primary or alternate). Not all items will apply 

to all EOCs.

2. Tips for Using This Tool

Ideally, EOC leaders will use this self-assessment tool to create a comprehensive plan and checklist, 

or punch list, of ways to improve their primary or alternate EOC—and will then use their checklist to 

plan, implement, track and report on improvements. Checklist items can be administrative tasks or 

operational readiness items. The plan/checklist can provide a baseline profile of the EOC’s unique 

capacity, capability and readiness. It can also inform the EOC’s overall planning, coordination, 

resource management and training/exercise goals.

A few tips can help as you use this tool:

 Physical space. When assessing the physical space of an EOC or alternate EOC:

o Include the area in square feet;

o Consider the number of staff per shift and requested reasonable accommodations; and

o Assess ability to accommodate surge operations. 

 Telephone communications. When assessing communications capabilities, provide sufficient 

detail to fully assess the adequacy of each capability. With telephones, for example, consider:

o Number of devices available; 
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o Number of lines (phone jacks) in each room; and

o Capabilities of the phone switch (for example, can the switch support additional phone drops, 

if required, for surge operations?). 

 Computers. When assessing computers, consider:

o Access to network connectivity; and 

o Network’s ability to handle increased traffic resulting from increased emergency operations 

activity. 

 Radio devices. When assessing radio capabilities:

o Provide sufficient descriptive information about devices (for example, portable transceiver, 

radio console); 

o List the number of devices on hand; 

o Determine the quantity necessary to support normal and surge operations; and

o Consider access to batteries, chargers and spares for portable devices. 

 Other issues. Be sure to address any concerns or issues not included in the self-assessment 

questions using the blank page at the end of this document.

 Timeline. Many self-assessment questions imply the notion of a timeline for completion (such as 

when the response is “no” or “not yet”). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has 

not set deadlines for completing these items but encourages EOC leaders to develop a 

checklist—with or without associated deadlines—to help identify, categorize, prioritize and track 

open items.

3. More Information

For more information about how to establish, operate and continuously improve an EOC, see the 

References and Resources section of the main guide, above.

If you have questions about the content of this EOC Self-Assessment Tool, send an email to FEMANIMS@fema.dhs.gov.
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4. Facility Features

This category examines the physical features of primary and alternate EOC facilities, including the 

site, structure, accessibility and capacity. EOC spaces to consider include the Operations Room (Ops 

Room), conference rooms, communications center, secure communications room and multiuse 

space. Multiuse space is typically an administrative or conference area that non-EOC staff use for 

daily functions but then vacate, moving to another location, if EOC staff need it for emergency 

operations during major disaster or surge situations.

1. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC already exist?

2. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in an urban, suburban or rural area?

3. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC near a government center, such as a city hall, county 

courthouse or state capitol?

4. Do government executives/key officials have rapid access to the primary EOC/alternate EOC?

5. Are additional government personnel readily available to augment the primary EOC/alternate 

EOC should the emergency escalate beyond the on-duty team’s capacity?

6. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC centrally located, allowing rapid response to all parts of the 

jurisdiction?

7. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in a low-congestion area, without transportation chokepoints 

such as inadequate thoroughfares, bridges, etc.? 

8. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC location minimize the risk of damage from collapsing 

buildings?

9. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC facility have structural integrity?

10. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in an area that allows experts to secure it quickly, if necessary?

11. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in a known high-risk area—for example, in a flood or 

earthquake zone or near a nuclear power plant or Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) site? If yes, 

explain. Are plans in place to mitigate risk?

12. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have easy access to an adequate road network?

13. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC within a building (basement, ground floor, upper floor) or is it 

below grade in a shelter?

14. Is the building/shelter housing the primary EOC/alternate EOC close to or set back from a tree 

line?

15. Is the structure for the primary EOC/alternate EOC ADA complaint?

16. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have adequate parking? Are the parking spaces above or 

below ground? In a parking lot or a garage? Are there ADA compliant parking spaces?
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17. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have space to accommodate a helicopter landing pad? Is 

the surrounding area sufficiently clear of obstructions to allow a helicopter to approach and 

land?

18. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in a government-owned facility or a leased facility?

19. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC occupy an independent building/shelter, or does it use 

space in another organization’s facility—for example, is it within a state or local police 

headquarters, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) facility, National Guard armory or commercial 

building?

20. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC dedicated to EOC operations or is it multi-use?

21. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC consist of one large room or a complex of rooms?

22. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have sufficient space for an Ops Room or area (to perform 

emergency response and management functions), a conference/media area (for meetings and 

press briefings), a communications center (for centralized fax transmission, radio transmission 

and videoconferencing) and a secure communications room (for secure voice, fax and video)?

23. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a dedicated Ops Room? If so, is it large enough to 

support the EOC staff as well as liaison staff from partner agencies and organizations?

24. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a dedicated conference/media room? If so, is it large 

enough to support meetings and media briefings? Is it physically separated from the operations 

area so that media briefings do not interfere with ongoing operations?

25. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a dedicated communications center? If so, is the 

space adequate to support EOC communications requirements?

26. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a secure communications room? If so, is the space 

adequate to support cleared EOC staff and secure communications requirements?

27. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have designated multiuse space? If so, is the space large 

enough to support expanded operations? Is the space readily available?

28. Can the primary EOC/alternate EOC support supplemental staff from other federal or state 

agencies in a major disaster or surge situation? If not, is the space reconfigurable, or are there 

plans in place to provide the necessary additional space?

29. Have experts conducted an electrical audit of the facility to assess capability, fitness and 

adequacy to support the electrical demands of a primary EOC/alternate EOC operating 24/7?
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5. Survivability

This category relates to the EOC’s ability to sustain the effects of a realized risk and to continue 

operating from the primary EOC or a fully capable alternate location—that is, an alternate EOC that 

can activate if the primary location suffers severe damage or becomes inaccessible.

1. Have leaders identified an alternate EOC location to ensure Continuity of Operations (COOP)? 

2. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in a known high-risk area—for example, in a flood or 

earthquake zone or near a nuclear power plant or HAZMAT site?

3. Can the primary EOC/alternate EOC survive the effects of relevant risks, such as natural and 

human-caused hazards?

4. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have special structural features or capabilities that improve 

its survivability?

5. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a collective protection system for chemical, biological, 

radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents?

6. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have protection from blast effects?

7. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC above the ground floor, on the ground floor or below grade?
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6. Security 

This category relates to guarding against potential risks and protecting operations from the 

unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information—that is, ensuring sufficient security and structural 

integrity to protect the facility, its occupants, its communications equipment and its systems from 

relevant threats and hazards.

6.1. Facility

1. Is the primary EOC/alternate EOC in an urban, suburban or rural area?

2. Are physical security measures (barriers, security cameras, etc.) already in use in the primary 

EOC/alternate EOC? Are these existing security features adequate? If not, what additional 

security features, such as access controls, barriers, secure areas and surveillance devices, are 

required?

3. What systems are in place to control access to, and within, the primary EOC/alternate EOC? Is a 

badge or card-swipe system in use? Are the systems adequate to control access to the facility 

and within the facility?

4. Does appropriate staff have 24-hour access to the primary EOC/alternate EOC?

5. Are there any access control systems (card access systems, elevators, lock-out stairwells) that, if 

nonoperational, could prevent access to the primary/alternate EOC facility? If yes, what alternate 

plans are in place to ensure access?

6. What, if any, plans are in place to increase security capabilities at the primary EOC/alternate EOC 

as threat levels rise? Examples include adding barriers, increasing surveillance and adding 

guards.

7. Do authorized staff have access to secure spaces where they can discuss classified or sensitive 

information in isolation from unauthorized/uncleared individuals at the primary EOC/alternate 

EOC?

8. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a secure communications room? Does it meet FEMA 

security requirements? Is the square footage of the room adequate?

9. What systems are in place to control access to the secure communications room at the primary 

EOC/alternate EOC? Are existing controls adequate?

6.2. Communications/Networks

1. Do local area networks (LAN) supporting emergency operations at the primary EOC/alternate 

EOC have adequate protection against cyberattacks (unauthorized access, denial of service, 

malicious code, etc.)? If not, what capabilities are necessary?
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2. Do statewide wide area networks (WAN) supporting emergency operations have adequate 

protection against cyberattacks (unauthorized access, denial of service, malicious code, etc.)? If 

not, what capabilities are necessary?

3. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a secure voice capability? If so, is it adequate to 

support emergency operations?

4. Do nonsecure telephones at the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a privacy feature?

5. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a secure fax capability? If so, is it adequate to support 

emergency operations?

6. Are radio communications at the primary EOC/alternate EOC protected (encrypted)? Do these

radios have privacy features?

7. Does any of the telecommunications/internet capabilities rely on external equipment?

6.3. Personnel

1. Is security clearance required for personnel at the primary EOC/alternate EOC?

2. If so, do cleared personnel receive training in the following?

3. Using secure communications equipment

4. Controlling and protecting classified material

5. Managing and controlling communications security 

6. Do individuals with security clearance have the appropriate identification, such as a unique mark

on their identification badge?
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7. Sustainability

This category relates to supporting operations for extended durations. The primary EOC/alternate 

EOC should be able to sustain operations 24/7 during all emergencies without interruption. It 

should, to the extent possible, be in an area that is not at considerable risk for known hazards. For 

example, planners should avoid flood zones, earthquake zones and areas near nuclear power plants 

and HAZMAT sites.

7.1. Facility

Can the primary EOC/alternate EOC support 24/7 operations for an extended period? Are the 

operational and administrative supplies—food, water, fuel for backup generators, paper products, 

office supplies, etc.—adequate to sustain operations?

1. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have backup power (typically generator power)?

2. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) unit? (UPS 

units typically use batteries to provide power for a limited duration—perhaps 10 or 20 minutes, 

depending on the load.) If yes, what systems/functions does the UPS support? Is the duration of 

the UPS adequate to support these systems/functions until the backup power comes online?

3. Do heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at the primary EOC/alternate EOC 

have central, building-wide management or local management?

4. Are the HVAC systems at the primary EOC/alternate EOC available and controllable 24/7?

5. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have access to support areas, such as file rooms, server 

sites, etc.? 

6. What, if any, special constraints or special access needs could interfere with sustained 

operations at the primary EOC/alternate EOC?

7. Does the alternate EOC have the same capabilities as the primary location? If not, what are the 

differences?

7.2. Communications/Networks

Is the number of telephones, both secure and nonsecure, adequate for the primary EOC/alternate 

EOC to conduct emergency response and management operations?

1. Are telephones connected via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology at the primary 

EOC/alternate EOC?

2. Are telephones at the primary EOC/alternate EOC hardwired, with a direct connection to a local 

commercial carrier (and a dial tone from the local switch) rather than connected via VoIP 

technology? (The advantage is that if the EOC loses power, hardwired phones should continue to 

function.)
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3. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have dedicated machines for transmitting and receiving 

faxes?

4. Is the number of fax machines, both secure and nonsecure, adequate to conduct emergency 

response operations at the primary EOC/alternate EOC?

5. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have secure fax capabilities?

6. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have enough printers to conduct ongoing emergency 

response operations?
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8. Interoperability

This category involves sharing common operating principles and exchanging routine and timesensitive information among local jurisdictions, state-level EOCs and FEMA’s network of operations 

centers. An EOC should be able to communicate with key state agencies, local government EOCs, 

emergency response teams at or near an incident site, neighboring state EOCs and federal 

authorities, including the FEMA Regional Operations Center (ROC) and the FEMA Operations Center.

8.1. Communications

8.1.1. REQUIREMENTS

1. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a requirement to monitor the communications of key 

emergency services—police, fire, EMS, HAZMAT and public works—or of other services? If so, 

does the capability exist and is it adequate?

2. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a requirement to establish an emergency 

communications network that includes the key emergency services and local EOCs/jurisdictions? 

If so, does the capability exist and is it adequate?

3. If a requirement exists, can the primary EOC/alternate EOC communicate with the following 

entities?

o Local EOCs throughout the state; 

o FEMA ROC and FEMA regional staff; 

o FEMA Disaster Field Office; 

o Primary EOC/alternate EOC locations in other states; 

o Operations centers of state-level emergency services organizations; 

o Incident Commanders (IC) or Incident Command Post (ICP); and 

o Operations centers of the regional and local airport, highway, port and waterway authorities; 

hospitals and ambulance service providers; nuclear power plants; dams; private sector 

utilities (power, telephone, sewer and water) and chemical companies. 

4. Are the communications means at the primary EOC/alternate EOC adequate to meet 

communications requirements? Consider radios, telephones, cell phones, available frequency 

spectrum and other issues.

8.1.2. RADIOS

1. Do agencies provide radios, or are radios part of the primary/alternate EOC project?
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2. Is the installation at the primary EOC/alternate EOC temporary (requiring handheld radios) or 

permanent (requiring a radio base station)?

3. If agencies provide radios, do they require power and antenna hookups for extended operations?

4. Do radios reside in the Ops Room or a separate communications room at the primary 

EOC/alternate EOC?

5. Could different radio systems create interference with each other?

6. Are chargers necessary for radios, cell phones, pagers, etc.? 

8.2. Procedures

1. Do state and local government EOCs, both primary and alternate, have common operations, 

reporting and communications procedures to follow during an all-hazards event response?

2. If the primary EOC/alternate EOC has a requirement to exchange information with local 

EOCs/jurisdictions and key emergency services—police, fire, EMS, HAZMAT and public works—are 

procedures and checklists in place to facilitate the process?

3. Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a process for assembling and disseminating 

scheduled reports, if required?

8.3. Training

1. Do state and local government primary/alternate EOCs conduct routine, recurring or periodic 

joint communications training events to exercise the communications capabilities necessary for 

responding to an all-hazards event?

2. If so, do leaders record the results of joint communications training in a “lessons learned” 

document and use them to improve communications operations? Do they also use the results to 

identify communications deficiencies and develop solutions that correct the deficiencies and 

improve communications capabilities?

3. Do state and local government primary/alternate EOCs conduct routine, recurring or periodic 

joint training exercises to practice, test and refine their common operations, reporting and 

communications procedures?

4. If so, do leaders record the results of joint training in a “lessons learned” document and use 

them to improve common procedures?

5. Do EOC leaders use actual experiences to validate existing common procedures and create new 

ones?
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9. Flexibility

This category has to do with scaling operations and adapting the operational pace to the all-hazards 

event. For example, the primary EOC/alternate EOC should have sufficient space, equipment, 

furniture, administrative supplies, etc., to meet mission requirements.

9.1. Facility

9.1.1. PRIMARY EOC

1. Is the primary EOC facility dedicated to EOC operations? If not, does the EOC occupy space in 

another organization’s facility—for example, is it within a state or local police headquarters, EMS 

facility, National Guard armory or commercial building?

2. Whether the facilities are dedicated or shared, is the square footage available to the EOC 

adequate to conduct emergency response operations?

3. Is the EOC operational only during emergency response and management operations? Or is the 

EOC operational 24/7, with staff and capabilities present and active whether or not an 

emergency response is underway?

4. Are activation, layout and setup procedures in place for the EOC?

5. Are the plans and procedures in place to tailor the EOC’s activation and operations to the scale 

of emergency response activities? (For example, a small-scale event might require fewer 

staff/capabilities and limited emergency response operations; a large-scale event might require 

all staff, full capabilities and extensive emergency response operations.)

6. Have leaders identified the conditions that would cause the EOC to move to the alternate 

location? Are relocation procedures in place?

7. Do leaders hold EOC activation and relocation exercises periodically? If so, are member 

agencies’ participation levels sufficient to ensure efficient and timely activation during actual 

events? Do participants include key EOC personnel?

8. Does the EOC have a dedicated conference/media room? If so, is the square footage adequate?

9. Does the EOC have access to multiuse space? If so, is the square footage adequate?

9.1.2. ALTERNATE EOC

1. Does an alternate EOC already exist to ensure COOP for emergency response operations?

2. Is the alternate EOC facility dedicated to EOC operations? If not, does the EOC occupy space in 

another organization’s facility—for example, a state or local police headquarters, EMS facility, 

National Guard armory or commercial building?

3. Whether the facilities are dedicated or shared, is the square footage available to the alternate 

EOC adequate to conduct emergency response operations?
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4. Are activation, layout and setup procedures in place for the alternate EOC?

5. Are the plans and procedures in place to tailor the alternate EOC’s activation and operations to 

the scale of emergency response activities?

6. Have leaders identified the conditions that would cause the alternate EOC to activate in place of 

the primary EOC?

7. Does the alternate EOC have the same capabilities as the primary EOC? If not, what are the 

differences?

8. Do leaders hold alternate EOC activation exercises periodically? If so, are member agencies’ 

participation levels sufficient to ensure efficient and timely activation during actual events? Do 

participants include key EOC personnel?

9. Does the alternate EOC have a dedicated conference/media room? If so, is the square footage 

adequate?

10. Does the alternate EOC have access to multiuse space? If so, is the square footage adequate?

9.2. Communications/Networks

1. Is the number of computers in the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space adequate 

to support emergency response operations?

2. Is the number of servers in the primary EOC/alternate EOC adequate to support emergency 

response operations?

3. Is the number of telephones, both secure and nonsecure, in the primary EOC/alternate EOC and 

any multiuse space adequate to support emergency response operations?

4. Are telephones in the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse spaces hardwired, with a 

direct connection to a central local office rather than connected via VoIP technology? (The 

advantage is that if the EOC loses power, hardwired phones should continue to function.)

5. Do any telephones have the following capabilities?

o Audio recording

o Caller ID

o Voice conferencing

6. Is the number of printers in the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space adequate to 

support emergency response operations?

7. Is the number of fax machines in the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space 

adequate to support emergency response operations?
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8. Do the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space have video display capabilities? If so, 

do they also have the capability to play the audio associated with the video?

9. Do the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space have videoconferencing capabilities?

10. Do the primary EOC/alternate EOC and any multiuse space have the capability to receive 

public/intercom announcements?

11. Can telecommunications capabilities in the primary EOC/alternate EOC scale to support surging 

emergency response and management activities?

12. Are appropriate cables and adapters available to connect different computers to the display 

system?
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10. Other Considerations

Geographic data and analysis capability 

 Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have access to geospatial information for the jurisdiction— 

maps, imagery and GIS?

Hazard prediction and monitoring capability

 Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have hazard prediction capabilities (models) that can plot 

and predict downwind hazards resulting from chemicals or radioactive fallout?

 Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have hazard protection capabilities (models) and monitors 

for natural hazards—such as flood gauges, tsunami warning systems or seismic monitoring 

systems?

Crisis information management system

 Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a crisis information management system that 

integrates relevant information so users can access it quickly and efficiently?

Personnel qualification and certification system 

 Does the primary EOC/alternate EOC have a system to track qualified and certified personnel 

within the jurisdiction?
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11. Additional Comments and Other Key Information

(Use this section for your organization’s specific information, notes and next steps)