ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

National Incident Management System

Okay, so imagine you are playing with your toys and your friend comes over to play too. You both decide to build a very big tower with your blocks. But what if something goes wrong, like the tower falls down or one of you gets hurt? That's where the National Incident Management System (NIMS) comes in.

NIMS is like a set of rules that grown-ups use when something bad happens, like a natural disaster or a big accident. Just like how you and your friend need to work together to build a sturdy tower, grown-ups need to work together to handle an emergency.

NIMS helps all different types of people work together, like police officers, firefighters, doctors, and even government officials. They all have special jobs that are important in an emergency. NIMS helps them know what to do and how to work together so that they can help people who need it.

It's kind of like a big puzzle, and each person has a piece to put together. When they all work together and use NIMS, they can solve the puzzle and help people in trouble. It's important to have rules and a plan so that everyone knows what to do and how to help. So, just like how you and your friend need a plan to build a great tower, grown-ups need NIMS to handle emergencies and keep people safe.