in conjunction with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) began training Australians. This was done on‐campus at the National Fire Academy to assist them in getting advanced training on the US version of ICS. Specific individuals were chosen to attend the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. With the ICS training from the National Fire Academy, Australian first responders began to adapt the Australian Inter‐Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) method to integrate with the ICS method. This ensured that whenever the Australian personnel worked with other agencies from around the world, they would be able to work nearly seamlessly with each other.
The latest iteration of the Australian Inter‐Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) method utilizing the Incident Control System is also compatible with the ICS method used in the United States. Much like the United States utilizes NIMS for integration of resources, and they use the ICS method to manage the incident, the Australians utilize AIIMS for the integration of resources and the Incident Control System to manage the incident. In recent years, the United States and Australia have seamlessly exchanged Incident Management Teams (IMTs) during eventful fire seasons. This integration from each other's country went smoothly, with relatively few problems.
Beyond the use of Incident Control System, another IMS method commonly used in the United States for healthcare facilities is the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) to manage emergencies and disasters in hospitals. Similarly, the Australian healthcare system is closely mirrored to HICS, but it is called Hospital Incident Management System ([HIMS], n.d.). This IMS method allows hospitals to keep their basic hierarchy while still being able to integrate and be compliant with the larger IMS method for requesting external resources. In the case of Australia, the Hospital Incident Management System (HIMS) method integrates with the AIIMS method.
3.3 Bermuda
Bermuda mirrors the Incident Command System used by the United States. In fact, Bermuda's ICS system mirrors the US program so much, that the same number classification for levels of training is used. According to Bermuda's Authority in Workplace Safety and Health (n.d.), individuals can be trained on ICS‐100, ICS‐200, and ICS‐300, although there was no mention of ICS‐400 (Worksafe BDS, n.d.). These classes have very similar descriptions of the classes offered by the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in the United States, and they are numbered much in the same way. While there is no concrete information on where the Bermuda Islands received their training, it could be speculated that they may have received their training from the US Forest Service. It is possible that this might be the reason the ICS method in Bermuda closely mimics the ICS method in the United States.
Gathering information from press releases, it appears as if the Incident Command System has been used in Bermuda since at least 2012. In 2013, off the Island of Bermuda, Exxon Oil, the Bermuda Department of Environmental Protection, and various other businesses (and agencies) participated in a full‐scale exercise together. The exercise was a four‐day exercise, and the command and control system used was the ICS method (Bermuda Department of Communication, 2013).
No information could be found as to whether Bermuda utilizes the HICS method to manage incidents within a hospital. If the HICS system is currently not used in Bermuda, there is a likelihood that it may be used in the future.
3.4 Burma/Myanmar
As was previously mentioned, in 2003, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed an agreement with each other that they would implement the Incident Command System in each of their countries. This was done so that when one country needed the assistance of another, the method to manage the incident would be seamless in guiding resources from the other ASEAN countries. In looking at the ICS method used in Burma/Myanmar, it looks identical to the IMS method created in the United States. This is in part because the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Forestry Service provided ICS training to Bermuda/Myanmar. By 30 June 2010, all training in Bermuda/Myanmar had been completed (UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2010).
It appears as if Burma/Myanmar does not use the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) or Hospital Incident Command System (HICS). While there is no way to confirm it, no information was found that discussed the HEICS method or the HICS, or anything similar being used in this country after undertaking extensive search. For the sake of the citizens, we can only hope that this changes in the near future.
3.5 Bangladesh
The country of Bangladesh has been extremely proactive in disaster management and incident management, much to the surprise of many. They have implemented an IMS method that closely resembles NIMS, but it uses a different name and acronym. The Mutli‐Agency Disaster Incident Management System (MADIMS) method is used widely in Bangladesh, and similar to its counterpart (NIMS), the ICS method is a key component of the system for managing incident operations.
To better understand just how comprehensive the use of the MADIMS method is, you only need to view the governments Standing Orders on Disaster ([SOD], 2010). Due to numerous disasters, Bangladesh is, and has been, active in disaster preparedness, so the use of the MADIMS method would seem to be a natural progression. The original framework was implemented in the country in 1997, and then updated in 2010. While the initial framework for disaster management (which included and their own IMS method) was implemented early on, the signing of the UN Hyogo Framework for Actions (HFA 2005–2015) inspired the government to go a step further. Based on Hyogo agreement, Bangladesh felt it was critical to update the Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) and make sure that it was implemented in all sectors of the government, for all types of incidents (Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, 2010).
This update to the MADIMS method was driven by the admission of the Government of Bangladesh that their nation is vulnerable to disaster. By the government's own admission, “Bangladesh is one of the most disaster‐prone countries in the world” (Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, 2010, p. iii). From a historical perspective, Bangladesh has suffered cyclones, landslides, tornados, floods, and other similar disasters that have affected the economy and caused loss of life. According to the SOD (2010), the country is extremely vulnerable to climate change, and according to the SOD climate change is a serious threat for food security and the sources of revenue for their citizens.
For the most part, the ICS method used by Bangladesh mirrors the method used by the United States and many other countries. The only slight difference that was found was the reporting method: that to say who reports to whom. What is unique about the Bangladeshi plan is that it is used by every level of government, including the military. Much like the ICS method used by most countries, all incidents are local and a request for outside assistance can be requested when local resources are overwhelmed (Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, 2010).
In taking a closer look at the Bangladesh IMS method of MADIMS, it could be said that it is probably one of the more developed IMS methods used in the world. It clearly compares to the NIMS system used in the United States. Based on how comprehensive the MADIMS method appears to be, it could be said that a lot of time, thought, and understanding went into properly developing this method of incident management.
In looking at the IMS method of Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), Bangladesh is a country that has received training and appears to be a leader in this area. As far back as 2007, the United States Agency for International Development began providing training in a program known as Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies (HOPE). The program was a four‐day class that helped teach developing countries to understand and implement plans that assisted greater capacity to build resilience during disasters and emergencies. As a part of this training, those who attended were taught the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) so that they could better manage their hospital during confusing and chaotic incidents (Herbosa, 2007).
Keeping
