To allow responders at all levels to work together more effectively, the Federal Government mandated States and localities move towards NIMS (National Incident Management System) compliance starting this year (2005). The first in a series of deadlines hits on October 1st, 2005 when anyone involved in response or incident management should have completed IS-700 (the NIMS Introductory Course). The carrot attached to NIMS compliance is future WMD dollars that will only go to NIMS compliant municipalities. Saratoga County directly benefits from WMD dollars in State MCI training and supplies, drills (which in the future should fund EMS agency staffing costs), the new Communications van just acquired by the County Sheriff’s Dept., multiple public health initiatives including caches of bio and chemical antidotes and preparation for mass vaccination programs, as well as thousands of dollars in PPE soon to be distributed to departments that have requested it. To assure that Saratoga County continues to work effectively with outside agencies and gets all available state and federal support, EMS providers are strongly encouraged to get with the NIMS! Click here to learn more about NIMS. Take the IS-700 course online at no cost by clicking here.