IS-701.a

Introduction to Multi-Agency Coordination System (MACS) Course

Background:

A multi-agency coordination system is a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications integrated into a common system with responsibility for coordinating and supporting domestic incident management activities. The primary functions of multi-agency coordination systems are to support incident management policies and priorities, facilitate logistics support and resource tracking, inform resource allocation decisions using incident management priorities, coordinate incident management related information, and coordinate interagency and intergovernmental issues regarding incident management policies, priorities, and strategies. A typical multi-agency coordination system may contain one or several Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). A typical multi-agency coordination system may contact numerous Department Operations Center (DOCs). Depending upon the type and location of the emergency/disaster, various command elements (i.e. area commands, unified command or the incident commander) will have to coordinate activities within an established multi-agency coordination system.Course

Overview:
This course introduces Multiagency Coordination (MAC) Systems as described in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and shows how these systems can be used to improve incident response. MAC Systems consist of a combination of elements: personnel, procedures, protocols, business practices, and communications integrated into a common system. After taking this course, you should be able to improve the overall coordination with, and support for, incident management by developing and operating within MAC Systems.
While this course discusses the Incident Command System (ICS), it is not a substitute for ICS 400, Advanced ICS Command and General Staff-Complex Incidents.

Note: IS-701.a is an updated version of the IS-701 course. If you have successfully completed IS-701, you may want to review the new version of the course. For credentialing purposes, the courses are equivalent.

Course Objectives:
This course will describe to participants the components of a MAC System and establish relationships between all elements of the system. After taking the course, students should be able to:

• Define multiagency coordination at the local, tribal, State, and Federal levels of government.
• Define key terms related to Multiagency Coordination (MAC) Systems.
• Identify typical priorities established between elements of the MAC System.
• Describe the process of acquiring and allocating resources required by incident management personnel related to the entire MAC System.
• Identify potential coordination and policy issues arising from an incident relative to the entire MAC System.

Primary Audience:
Federal, State, tribal, and local emergency managers; first responders to include incident commanders from all emergency management disciplines; private industry personnel responsible for coordination activities during a disaster; and voluntary agency personnel.

Prerequisites:
N/A. However, completion of IS 700.a, National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction is recommended.

Course Length:
6 hours