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Appendix A A-6 JP 3-28 response in support of an affected state or tribe. FEMA IMATs provide the federal government with an early presence at an incident, integrating FEMA’s response capabilities into the existing community of emergency management functions. c. Multiagency Coordination Systems (1) The primary functions of multiagency coordination systems are: (a) Support incident management policies and priorities. (b) Facilitate logistics support and resource tracking. (c) Inform resource allocation decisions using incident management priorities. (d) Coordinate incident-related information. (e) Coordinate interagency and international issues regarding incident management policies, priorities, and plans. (2) These functions define the operating characteristics, interactive management components, and organizational structure of supporting incident management entities at the federal, state, local, tribal, and regional levels through mutual-aid agreements and other assistance arrangements. (3) When incidents cross disciplinary or jurisdictional boundaries, or involve complex incident management scenarios, a multiagency coordination entity, such as an emergency management agency, may be used to facilitate incident management and policy coordination. The situation at hand and the needs of the jurisdictions involved will dictate how these multiagency coordination entities conduct their business, as well as how they are structured. (4) Multiagency coordination entities typically consist of principals (or their designees) from organizations and agencies with direct incident management responsibility or with significant incident management support or resource responsibilities. These entities are sometimes referred to as crisis action teams, policy committees, incident management groups, executive teams, or other similar terms. (5) Direct tactical and operational responsibility for conducting incident management activities rests with the incident commander. Command authority does not reside in coordinating officers or coordinating entities although coordinating officers may be designated with command authority. In some instances, EOCs may serve a dual function as a multiagency coordination entity; in others, the preparedness organizations may fulfill this role. Regardless of the term or organizational structure used, these entities typically provide strategic coordination during domestic incidents. (6) If constituted separately, multiagency coordination entities, preparedness organizations, and EOCs must coordinate and communicate with one another to provide