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National Qualification System (NQS)

National Qualification System

The National Qualification System (NQS) supports the National Incident Management System (NIMS) by establishing guidance and tools to assist stakeholders in qualifying, certifying, and credentialing deployable emergency personnel.

New Mexico has developed a Resource Qualification System (RQS) to meet the needs of the state and local jurisdictions. The RQS is guided by the following principles:

  1. Successful performance of the tasks in the appropriate Position Task Book (PTB) is the definitive component of New Mexico’s performance-based qualification system.
  2. Position Task Books must conform with the standards established by the NQS.
  3. The criteria outlined in the FEMA Resource Library Typing Tool Position qualifications are considered the minimum personnel qualifications for a position.
  4. Personnel who are qualified in a position before the implementation of an NMRQS revision may retain their certification
  5. Being credentialed is not authority for any person to self-deploy.

Position Task Books (PTBs) and Historical Recognition

A PTB identifies the competencies, behaviors, and tasks that personnel should demonstrate to become qualified for defined incident management and support positions.

FEMA creates PTBs for numerous incident management team (IMT) positions. However, individual jurisdictions may create PTBs for roles within the Emergency Operations Center by using FEMA EOC Skillsets. This allows jurisdictions to tailor PTBs to their unique needs.

In New Mexico, jurisdictions can use the PTBs created by the state, or they may develop their own using FEMA’s tools and guidance.

Historical Recognition

Historical recognition is a recognized process by which experienced personnel may attain a credential without completing the associated PTB.

Interested personnel may complete and submit the application below to the state NIMS Coordinator, Lisa Coleman, at lisa.coleman@dhsem.nm.gov.

Click Here

The Qualification Review and Governance Committee (QRGC)

The New Mexico QRGC is a group of emergency response personnel and subject-matter experts that meet bi-monthly to review completed Historical Recognition applications and Position Task Books.

The next meeting of the New Mexico Qualification Review and Governance Committee will be held Monday, August 12 at 10:00am. The public may attend the meeting via the Zoom information below:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83489705142?pwd=bYzeFLddciL0vEZuNIQXTNQadTrdUC.1
Meeting ID: 834 8970 5142
Passcode: 758095

Committee Members:

Chair: Fred Hernandez
Vice Chair: Tom Walmsley
Secretary: Lisa Coleman

For questions, contact the state NIMS Coordinator, Lisa Coleman, at lisa.coleman@dhsem.nm.gov