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Appendix A A-2 JP 3-28 jurisdiction. Larger and more complex incidents may begin in a single jurisdiction but rapidly expand to multi-jurisdictional and/or multidisciplinary efforts necessitating outside resources and support. Standard incident command and coordination systems allow the efficient integration of these outside resources and enable assisting personnel from anywhere in the US to participate in the incident management structure. The command and coordination component of NIMS describes the systems, principles, and structures that provide a standard national framework for incident management. c. Communications and Information Management. Incident personnel rely on flexible communications and information systems to obtain and provide accurate, timely, and relevant information; establish and maintain situational awareness; and ensure accessibility and voice and data interoperability are the principal goals of the communications and information management component. Properly planned, established, and applied communications facilitate information dissemination among command and support elements and cooperating jurisdictions and organizations. To maintain situational awareness, incident personnel update incident information continually by gathering, collating, synthesizing, and disseminating incident information to and from all appropriate parties. This information flow is facilitated through developing and using common plans and interoperable equipment, processes, standards, and architectures. During an incident, this integrated, familiar approach links all incident personnel, whether on scene, in an EOC, or in another support location, to maintain communications connectivity and situational awareness. Communications and information management planning address the incident- related policies, equipment, data architecture, systems, standards, and training necessary to achieve interoperable communications. 3. National Incident Management System and its Relationship to the National Response Framework The response protocols and structures described in the NRF align with NIMS. NIMS provides the incident management basis for the NRF and defines standard command and management structures. Standardizing national response doctrine on NIMS provides a consistent, nationwide template to enable the whole community to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity. The NIMS concepts of multiagency coordination and unified command are described in the command and management component of NIMS. These two concepts are essential to effective response operations because they address the importance of developing a single set of objectives; using a collective, strategic approach; improving information flow and coordination; creating a common understanding of joint priorities and limitations; ensuring no agency’s legal authorities are compromised or neglected; and optimizing the combined efforts of all participants under a single plan. a. Intended Audience (1) The NRF is intended to be used by the whole community. This all-inclusive concept focuses efforts and enables a full range of stakeholders—individuals, families, communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, state and local