Disaster Management in the United States

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Disaster Management in the United States

• Inter-American Defense College
• Fort Lesley J. McNair
• Washington, DC

Robert F. Powers Deputy Assistant
Administrator for Disaster Operations Federal
Emergency Management Agency December 5, 2008
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Incidents come in many sizes

• Accident
• Emergency
• Disaster

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Incident Management

• Many levels of incident response
• Routine Emergencies
• Non-Routine Emergencies

Most emergency incidents are local
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Emergency and Disaster Response

• Begins at the lowest level
• Next level of response activated when resources
  and capabilities of lower level are exhausted.
• At the most basic level --
• If homeowner cannot extinguish a fire, the
  homeowner calls local fire department
• If a local community is overwhelmed and cannot
  respond to a disaster, it asks for State
  assistance
• When State resources are exhausted, it turns to
  the Federal government for assistance

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Disaster Response
Mayor/County Executive
FEMA Regional Administrator
Governor
Local First Responders
Informs
Alert
Emergency/Disaster
Requests Aid from
RRCC Activated
Governor Declares State Emergency/ Disaster
Reports To
FEMA Administrator
Local EOC Activated
State EOC Activated
Work with Volunteer Organizations
NRCC, ESFs Activated
Gov. Requests Emergency/ Major Disaster
Declaration
Contacts
Disaster Field Operations
DHS Secretary
Deploy
President
Local State Federal
Disaster Declaration
Emergency Response Teams Activated/Deploy
Emergency Support Functions
PFO, FCO, SFLEO
Provides
Appoints
Joint Field Office
Sets Up
State Coordinating Officer
Joins
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All-Hazards Methodology

• Emergency management responds to more than just
  natural disasters (hurricane, tornado, flood,
  earthquake, or ice storm)
• Emergency management includes all-hazards, from
  natural disasters to man-made disasters
  (hazardous materials spills, major transportation
  accidents, large fires, and unfortunately,
  terrorist events)

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Management Strategies

• Similar consequences from both natural and
  man-made disasters
• Similar management strategies for all emergencies
  
• Planning for one means planning for all
• Requires strong partnerships between Federal and
  State governments

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Emergency Management Partnerships

• Disasters respect no boundaries
• Disaster management mandates close working
  partnerships
• Between all levels of Government
• With Private Sector
• Business and industry
• Voluntary organizations

• Federal
• Tribal

• Regional
• State

• County
• Local

• General public

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Partnerships and Teamwork

• When an incident occurs, Local, Tribal, State,
  and Federal governments have specific roles and
  responsibilities
• Local government is the first line of defense
  and, if needed, works in concert with the State
• When State and local resources are exhausted, a
  request may be made for Federal assistance

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Federal Role

• Protect the population and their property from
  the destructive forces of natural and man-made
  disasters through a comprehensive program of
  preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation

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Federal Assistance

• Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
  Assistance Act
• Provides an orderly and continuing means of
  assistance by the Federal government to State and
  local governments in carrying out their
  responsibilities to alleviate the suffering and
  damage which result from disasters

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The Stafford Act

• Planning
• Federal Response
• Recovery Programs
• Mitigation
• Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO)

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Emergency Management Phases

• Integrated cycle
• No beginning no end
• Phases complement support each another
• Transitions depend on extent kind of damage

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Preparedness

• Planning, training, exercising for an emergency
  or disaster
• Coordinates response resources in advance
• Emergency Exercises
• Evacuation Plans
• First Responder coordination protective actions
  
• Focus on preparedness actions
• Catastrophic Planning
• Emergency Management Institute
• All-hazards training

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Response

• Operational capability to prepare, protect
  against, respond to, and recover from domestic
  incidents
• Evacuation
• Search and Rescue
• Firefighting
• Damage Assessment
• Incident Reporting

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Recovery

• Post-disaster activities that return individuals
  their community to normal
• Short-term Restores vital life-support systems
• Long-term
• Return community to previous condition
• Implement less disaster-prone improvements
• Return community stability economic vitality
• Reconstruction
• Reforestation
• Reassess Existing Regulations
• Provide Disaster Unemployment Insurance
• Counseling Programs

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Mitigation

• Eliminates/reduces impact of disasters through
  actions taken in advance, or if a disaster
  occurs, minimizes impact
• Building Codes
• Tax Incentives
• Stream Channelization
• Fire Safety Information
• Roof Anchors
• Coastal Wetlands Protection
• Nuclear Plant Inspections

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Disaster Program Timeline
2008 National Response Framework
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National Preparedness Assumptions

• Preparedness is local !!!
• Most events will be managed by Local and State
  authorities
• Events are not confined to jurisdictional,
  geographic, or political boundaries
• All jurisdictions need to seek a common set of
  capabilities

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National Preparedness Assumptions

• Preparedness for catastrophic events (major
  disasters and terrorism) is a shared
  responsibility
• Major events generally exceed single jurisdiction
  capabilities
• Certain events (terrorism) will trigger a Federal
  response, regardless of magnitude

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Working Together

• Common Incident Response Protocols
• Incident Command System (ICS)
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• National Response Framework (NRF)
• Ensures
• Multiple agencies work together effectively
• Consistent Approach
• Common Standards, Processes, Procedures,
  Structure, Terminology

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Federal Direction

• Homeland Security Act of 2002 HSPD-5 require a
  comprehensive national approach to domestic
  incident management
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Standardizes processes, protocols, and procedures
• Nationwide template for public and private
  sectors
• National Response Framework (NRF)
• Establishes National coordination
  structures/mechanisms
• Incorporated existing plans
• Consistent approach to managing incidents
• Addresses full spectrum of incident management

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Relationship NIMS and NRF

• NIMS
• Standardizes processes, protocols, and procedures
• Nationwide template for public and private sectors

Resources
Incident
Knowledge
Local
Response
Abilities
State
Response

• NRF
• Establishes National coordination
  structures/mechanisms
• Consistent approach to managing incidents
• Full incident management spectrum

or Support
Federal
Response or Support
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Federal Resources
Secretary of Homeland Security integrates
applies Federal resources both pre- and
post-incident
Resources, knowledge, abilities come from
across all Federal Departments
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State / Local / Tribal Governments

• State, local, and tribal responders are first to
  arrive and last to leave
• Governor / Local Chief Executive Officer / Tribal
  Chief Executive Officer responsible for public
  safety welfare
• When State resources and capabilities are
  overwhelmed, Governors may request Federal
  assistance under a Presidential disaster or
  emergency declaration

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FEMA Disaster Operations

• Supporting State Local Governments
• Proactive Approach
• Forward Leaning
• Engaged Partnership
• Operational Focus
• Emergency Teams
• Disaster Emergency Communications
• Equipment Supplies
• Technical Assistance
• Operating Facilities

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