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Intrastate Mutual Aid System (IMAS)

With support from DHS' National Integration Center (NIC), the ultimate goal of IMAS is to support the development of comprehensive and functional mutual aid plans for the fire service in all states and, eventually, tribal nations and U.S. territories.

IMAS Success Stories

Proving Mutual Aid: Wisconsin Successfully Activates Fire Service Emergency Response Plan (pdf)

Proving Mutual Aid: Texas' Experience with Hurricane Ike  (pdf)

Toolbox

Guide to Intrastate Mutual Aid Planning (pdf)
A guide to assist the fire service in any state to develop or enhance intrastate mutual aid plans. The guide includes a recommended planning process, proposed functional components of a plan, best practice tips to help with planning, and some obstacles and supporting factors that could affect the development of a plan.

IMAS Development Timetable (pdf)

IMAS Technical Advisors (TAs) (pdf, updated 1/13/11)
Selected for their experience in mutual aid knowledge, planning and operation, each TA is assigned to work with project states on their IMAS planning process to develop or enhance their statewide mutual aid plans. Please contact IMAS staff to receive a TA's contact information.

Field Guide Development

To help states market and educate fire service personnel on their plan, the IAFC can assist in the creation of a pocket- sized field guide based on the response plan. Once agreed by the stakeholders, the states and localities are encouraged to distribute the field guides to their emergency response personnel. The following examples can be used as templates.

• Tennessee FROG (pdf)
• Texas Field Guide (pdf, 2.6 mb, updated 11/2/09)
• California FIRESCOPE (pdf, 2.1 mb)

State Marketing Tools

Getting the word out about a state's mutual aid plan is a key step towards having a successful mutual aid system. View the examples below for ideas:

• Tennessee Tactical Marketing Plan (pdf, 2 mb)
• IMAS Marketing Tool: Tennessee Marketing Video
• Minnesota Mutual Aid Pocket Guide (pdf)

Training Templates

Training key personnel is essential for a mutual aid plan to operate well. View the sample training materials below for guidance:

• Mutual Aid Coordinator Handbook (.doc)

Tabletop Exercise Scenarios

Plan maintenance ensures that a state's plan is current and maintained as a working document.  Tabletop exercises can be used to identify gaps in a plan, train on a plan, and update appendices and forms.  View the scenarios below that have been created for conducting tabletop exercises.

• Exercise 1: Building Collapse Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 2: Chemical Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 3: Earthquake Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 4: Heat Emergency Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 5: Terrorism Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 6: Tornado Scenario (pdf)
• Exercise 7: Transportation Scenario (pdf)

Articles on IMAS

• Mutual Aid Demonstration at FRI a Success: MABAS Drill exercises and educates
  September 15, 2010
• Developing and Testing IMAS's New Resource-Management System
  IAFC On Scene - March 1, 2010
• IAFC's Mutual Aid Program: Intrastate Mutual Aid System
  IAFC On Scene - June 15, 2008
• Intrastate Mutual Aid System: Neighbors Helping Neighbors
  IAFC On Scene - April 1, 2009
• Georgia Mutual Aid Group invites IAFC to observe the Kneeknocker Fire response
  IAFC On Scene - June 15, 2007
• IMAS Year 2 Stakeholder Meeting: Passion and commitment in Ohio
  IAFC On Scene - April 15, 2007
• An Insider's Perspective: How one IMAS pilot state feels about the project (pdf)
  FireRescue Magazine - April 2006
• Project to help build intrastate mutual aid system
  IAFC On Scene - February 1, 2006

Presentations

• EMC and IMAS Activities (pdf): Presentation to Board of Directors, August 11, 2008 
• A Homeland Security Success: Building a Culture of Preparedness (pdf)
• IAFC Intrastate Mutual Aid System Overview Presentation
• California OES Presentation
• Florida Fire Chiefs Association State Emergency Response Plan Overview
• Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System
• Ohio Fire Chiefs Association OFSERP
• USDA Forest Service
• DHS National Fire Service Responder Credentialing System

Stakeholder Meetings

2010 National Mutual Aid Stakeholders Meeting: June 1-3, 2010 in St. Charles, MO

 Meeting Attendees
 FEMA Region Work Group Minutes

2009 National Mutual Aid Stakeholders Meeting: June 2-4, 2009 in St. Charles, MO

	FEMA Region Work Group Minutes
	Meeting Attendees
	NEMA Briefing, June 2009
	NEMA EMAC Update, June 2009
	IMAS Program Update, June 2009

February 2008 Regional Meetings

	Regional meeting program overview presentation
	Planning timeline presentation

Worchester, MA Regional Meeting: February 27, 2008

Meeting minutes      Attendees

Kansas City, MO Regional Meeting: February 22, 2008

Meeting minutes      Attendees

Salt Lake City, UT Regional Meeting: February 21, 2008

Meeting minutes      Attendees

Columbus, OH: March 7-8, 2007

	Meeting minutes
	Attendees/participants

Denver: February 6-7, 2006

	Meeting minutes
	Attendees/participants