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Incident Management Assistance Team

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is a full-time team that deploys in support of local emergency managers and state agencies to help coordinate the response to major emergencies and disasters. The IMAT is primarily designed to support local Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) during large or complex incidents. The IMAT acts as a force multiplier, providing additional personnel and enabling the EOC to manage the increased demands of the disaster. Additionally, the IMAT coordinates with the State Operations Center (SOC) to manage state and federal agency assistance.

The IMAT’s work further supports disaster survivors by enhancing emergency response coordination at the field, local, Operational Area, and state levels. By coordinating and managing resources, developing response plans, tracking cost expenditures, and analyzing disaster information, the IMAT can help deliver a swift and well-organized response to incidents such as wildfires, earthquakes, floods, public health emergencies, and other disasters.

The IMAT works in partnership with Cal OES Region staff to provide unified support

Download Additional Information:

Presentation Slides

IMAT Fact Sheet

IMAT Overview and FAQ

IMAT Concept of Operations (CONOPS)

IMAT Organizational Chart and Contact Info

Organizational Structure and Deployment Roles

The 11 IMAT staff are organized in accordance with the five sections of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS): Management, Operations, Planning and Intelligence, Logistics, and Finance and Administration. The IMAT is modular and can be deployed in a variety of scaled configurations to fit a jurisdiction’s needs, including deploying as a full team, a short (partial) team, or as single resources.

Response-operations - single resource imac

For additional information on IMAT staffing and personnel contact information, please see the detailed IMAT Organizational Chart.

Examples of mission areas the IMAT can assist local emergency managers with include:

Incident Stabilization
Public Information
EOC Safety Support
EOC Operations
State Agency Coordination
EOC Action Plan Development

Situation Status Reporting
Resource Requesting and Logistics
Emergency Contracting and Procurement Support
Disaster Finance and Cost Recovery Technical Assistance
Recovery Transition Planning
Lessons Learned from Prior Incidents

During major disasters or specialized incidents, Cal OES may deploy the IMAT to support state response coordination, such as establishing a Joint Field Office (JFO) or assisting another state agency response within its authorities.

The Cal OES IMAT may also deploy to other states and territories as requested through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) system.

Requesting the IMAT

Operational Areas can request IMAT support through their Region Emergency Services Coordinator (ESC). The ESC will help locals define their assistance request and will coordinate with Cal OES leadership to seek approval. Requests should specify if the full IMAT, a short team, or individual positions are needed, and what type of support is required. If only singular positions are needed, Operational Areas should first try to secure the resource through the Emergency Management Mutual Aid (EMMA) system.

Other states and territories can request support from the Cal OES IMAT through the EMAC system.

IMAT Activation/Deployment History

2025
- DR-4856 Los Angeles Wildfires Response and Recovery – Joint Field Office (January – March 2025)
2024
- H5N1 Avian Influenza Outbreak – Assist California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) (October – December 2024)
- Humboldt Earthquake – Preposition (December 2024)

Training and Credentialing

All IMAT members undergo initial and continuous training to maintain their emergency management knowledge, skills, and abilities. All team members are expected to obtain and maintain a Cal OES EOC Type I Position Credential in their assigned position. Examples of other training and credentialing pursued by the team include:

FEMA National Qualification System (NQS) Type III Position Qualification
CSTI Emergency Management Specialist Certificate
O-0305: All Hazards Incident Management Team
ICS-300 (Intermediate Incident Command System for Expanding Incidents) and ICS-400 (Advanced Incident Command System for Complex Incidents)
Emergency Management Institute’s Professional Development Series
FEMA Advanced Professional Series
FEMA All-Hazards Position Specific Courses
Public Safety First Aid (PSFA)
Cal OES Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Coordinator

Equipment

The IMAT maintains a cache of deployable office, communications, and safety equipment that allows the team to operate in varied environments with minimal burden on the requesting agency. Team equipment includes:

Marked 4X4 utility vehicles
Laptop computers and travel monitors
Tables and chairs
Power strips and extension cables
Office supply kits
Virtual meeting conference room kits
Projectors and speaker systems
Printers and plotter
Mobile internet capabilities (cellular and Starlink)
Mobile radios and satellite phones
Personal protective equipment (OSHA Level D)
Medical Kits and AEDs

IMAT Logistics personnel deploy team equipment based on mission requirements, and coordinate with Cal OES Disaster Logistics and Field IT personnel to deploy additional supplies when required.