1. Federal Role and Response to Disasters
Good morning. My presentation will focus on the federal role and response to disasters. I’ll begin by discussing the National Response Plan – a coordinated approach to domestic incident management and I’ll briefly touch on the National Incident Management System which frames and systematizes incident management at all levels of government. I will then describe a working model the National Response Plan with some of its processes and components. And lastly, I’ll provide a few resources for disaster preparedness and response.
David A. Ishida
Regional Administrator
U.S. Administration on Aging

2. National Response Plan (NRP)
The NRP was developed to align Federal coordination structures, capabilities, and resources into a unified, all-discipline, and all-hazards approach to domestic incident management.
NRP incorporates:
Federal Response Plan
Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan
Terrorism Response Plan
The National Response Plan, last updated May 25, 2006, establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents.  The plan incorporates best practices and procedures from incident management disciplines—homeland security, emergency management, law enforcement, firefighting, public works, public health, responder and recovery worker health and safety, emergency medical services, and the private sector—and integrates them into a unified structure.  It forms the basis of how the federal government coordinates with state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector during incidents.

3. National Response Plan (cont’d.)
Signed by 29 Federal Agencies, American Red Cross, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters and the Corporation for National and Community Service
All hazards approach adopted in April, 1992 and revised in 1999 (FRP); replaced by the NRP December 2004 as directed by the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5 and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
Response organized under the Incident Command System structure and National Incident Management System NIMS (interoperability and compatibility between Federal, State, and local capabilities)
The NRP establishes protocols to help:
- Save lives and protect the health and safety of the public, responders, and recovery workers;
- Ensure security of the homeland;
- Prevent an imminent incident, including acts of terrorism, from occurring;
- Protect and restore critical infrastructure and key resources;
- Conduct law enforcement investigations to resolve the incident, apprehend the perpetrators, and collect and preserve evidence for prosecution and/or attribution;
- Protect property and mitigate damages and impacts to individuals, communities, and the environment; and
- Facilitate recovery of individuals, families, businesses, governments, and the environment.

4. National Response Plan (cont’d.)
Cross-walk with State Emergency Response Plans- Local Plans
Brings resources including people, supplies, equipment, and funding
Organizes the response into 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) or ESFs with a lead agency and support agencies
Components:
Base plan describes the structure and process
Appendixes provides supporting information
Support Annexes describes the functional processes and administrative requirements
Incident Annexes address contingency or hazard situations requiring specialized application of the NRP
The Nat’l Response Plan is an all-hazards plan built on the template of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS was developed so responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines can work together better to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, including acts of terrorism. The Nat’l Incident Management System provides a consistent framework for incident management at all jurisdictional levels regardless of the cause, size, or complexity of the incident. The Nat’l Response Plan, using the NIMS, provides the structure and mechanisms for national-level policy and operational direction for domestic incident management. The Nat’l Response Plan can be partially or fully implemented in the context of a threat, anticipation of a significant event, or in response to an incident requiring a coordinated Federal response.

5. Federal Responses to: Natural Disasters Transportation Disasters
Mass Casualty incidents
Technological Disasters
Disease Outbreaks
National Security Special Events
Terrorism
Mass Immigration
Repatriation
The Nat’l Response Plan includes natural disasters, as well as events with potential national or long-term implications such as a public health emergency or a cyber incident. Selective implementation through the activation of one or more of the Nat’l Response Plan elements allows maximum flexibility to meet the unique operational and information-sharing requirements of any situation and enables effective interaction among various Federal, State, local, tribal, private-sector, and other nongovernmental entities.

6. RESPONSE Disaster Response THE NATIONAL PLAN Disaster Occurs Governor
Local
First
Responders
County
Executive
Disaster
Occurs
Alert
Governor
Requests
Aid From
Informs
FEMA
Regional
Director
Field
Operations
THE NATIONAL
RESPONSE
PLAN
Declares
Disaster
Advises
FEMA
Director
Requests
Assistance
Contacts
12-15
Emergency
Support
Functions
(ESFs)
This diagram represents the beginning process of the NRP. When a disaster occurs, the local first responders use their capabilities to respond and if overwhelmed, go to the state for assistance. The state responds until its resources are exhausted or soon will be. At this point, the Governor will begin the process of formally requesting a disaster declaration from the President. This process is a two-channel communication. First, the State Coordinating Officer will notify the FEMA Regional Director of the Governors intent. The Regional Director will contact the FEMA Director who, in turn, will advise the President. Soon after this, the Governor will contact the President directly and certify the state’s needs and lack of capability and ask for a disaster declaration.
The President acting upon the advice from the FEMA Director and the Governor, will either deny the request or sign a “Major Disaster Declaration.” The declaration will include the area affected, starting date, and appointment of a Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO). Additionally, the President will charge the FCO to administer all Federal programs to bring relief to the state.
The FCO will proceed to the area of the disaster in conjunction with the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and set up a Disaster Field Office (DFO). The ERT is task organized based on the states needs, but usually includes representatives from 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESF). The FCO uses the ERT as his staff to accept Requests for Federal Assistance (RFA) from the state and coordinate the response.
President
Declares
Disaster
Provides
Emergency
Response
Team
Sets Up
Federal
Coordinating
Officer
Joint Field Office
Appoints
Joins
State
Coordinating
Officer

7. 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESF)
Public Health and Medical Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Urban Search and Rescue
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Oil and Hazardous Materials Response
Environmental Protection Agency
Agriculture and Natural Resource
US Department of Agriculture/Department of the Interior
Energy
Department of Energy
Public Safety and Security
Department of Homeland Security/Justice
Community Recovery, Mitigation, and Economic Stabilization
U.S. Small Business Administration
External Communications
Transportation
Department of Transportation
Communications
National Communications System
Public Works and Engineering
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Firefighting
Department of Agriculture/Forest Service
Emergency Management
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Mass Care, Housing, Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
American Red Cross
Resource Support
General Services Administration
What are Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)?
ESFs are the primary means through which the Federal government provides assistance to State, local, and tribal governments or to Federal departments and agencies conducting missions of primary Federal responsibility. ESFs were established as an effective mechanism to group capabilities and resources into the functions that are most likely needed during actual or potential incidents where coordinated Federal response is required (e.g., Transportation, Firefighting, Public Health, etc.). ESFs may be selectively activated for both Stafford Act and non-Stafford Act incidents by the Secretary of Homeland Security. ESFs may also be activated by the ESF Coordinators. The ESF framework provides a modular structure to identify the precise components that can best address the requirements of the incident. For example, a large-scale natural disaster or significant terrorist incident may require the activation of all ESFs. A localized flood or tornado might only require activation of a few ESFs.

8. ESF #6 – Mass Care, Housing and Human Services Annex
Lead Federal Agency: Department of Homeland Security Services/Emergency Preparedness and Response/Federal Emergency Management Agency
Supporting Departments and Agencies
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury
Department of Veterans Affairs
General Services Administration
Office of Personnel Management
Small Business Administration
Social Security Administration
U.S. Postal Service
Corporation for National and Community Service
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
Purpose
Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6 – Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services supports State, regional, local, and tribal government and nongovernmental organization (NGO) efforts to address the non-medical mass care, housing – both short and long-term, and human services needs of individuals and/or families impacted by Incidents of National Significance.

9. ESF #6 – Mass Care, Housing and Human Services Annex (cont’d.)
The American Red Cross functions as the primary organization under ESF 6 in coordinating the use of Federal mass care resources in the context of Incidents of National Significance

10. Roles of Emergency Support Function #6
Mass Care
Coordination
Shelter
Feeding
Emergency First Aid
Disaster Welfare Information
Bulk Distribution
Housing
Short-term
Long-term
ESF #6 support is categorized in the core functional areas of:
Mass Care
Housing

11. Roles of Emergency Support Function #6 (cont’d.)
Human Services
Assessment
Coordination
Crisis counseling and supportive services
Identification of individuals with special needs
Processing of new Federal benefits claims
Ensuring water, ice, and other emergency commodities and services requirements are delivered to appropriate entities
Providing support to expedite mail services in affected areas
And Human Services

12. ESF #8 - Health & Medical Services
Lead Federal Agency: Department of Health and Human Services/
Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Supporting Departments and Agencies
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Defense
Department of Transportation
Department of Agriculture
Department of Energy
Department of Justice
Environmental Protection Agency
General Services Administration
American Red Cross
National Communications System
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
U.S. Postal Service
Purpose
Emergency Support Function (ESF) #8 – Public Health and Medical Services provides the mechanism for coordinated Federal assistance to supplement State, local, and tribal resources in response to public health and medical care needs, including veterinary and/or animal health issues when appropriate, for potential or actual Incidents of National Significance and/or during a developing potential health and medical situation.
ESF #8 is coordinated by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) principally through the Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (ASPHEP).

13. Roles of Emergency Support Function #8
Assessment of Public Health and Medical Needs *
Health Surveillance
Medical Care Personnel *
Health/Medical Equipment and Supplies
Patient Evacuation
In-Hospital/Patient Care *
Safety and Security of Human Drugs, Biologics, Medical Devices, and Veterinary Drugs
Blood and Blood Products
Food Safety and Security
Agriculture Safety and Security
Worker Health/Safety
All-Hazard Public Health and Medical Consultation, Technical Assistance, and Support
Behavioral Health Care *
Public Health and Medical Information
Vector Control
Potable Water/Wastewater & Solid Waste Disposal
Victim Identification/Mortuary Services *
Protection of Animal Health *
ESF #8 support is categorized in the core functional areas of:
- Assessment of public health/medical needs (including behavioral health);
- Public health surveillance;
- Medical care personnel; and
- Medical equipment and supplies.
(The seven items highlighted by an asterisk services that are provided by the National Disaster Medical System.)

14. For Further Information:
National Response Plan (DHS):
FEMA (DHS):
FEMA Training (DHS):
DHS Preparedness and Response:
DHS Ready.Gov:
FirstGov.gov:
CDC (DHHS):
HRSA Hospital Preparedness (DHHS):
Metropolitan Medical Response System (DHS):
Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (DHHS):
Strategic National Stockpile (DHHS):
U.S. Administration on Aging:
American Red Cross:
In conclusion, each year, 30, 40, even 60 or more natural disasters impact the United States and it’s territories with such devastation that they exceed local capacity to respond. When the President declares these disaster areas eligible for assistance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates the federal response. FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) respond with loans and grants that help disaster victims recover. The Administration on Aging (AoA), too, can respond to the special needs of older disaster victims.
There is, of course, much more information available. Here are a few additional resources you may find helpful.

15. HHS Region IX Contact Information
CAPT Christopher Jones NP
DHHS Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Regional Emergency Coordinator
Office of Emergency Operations and Security Programs
50 United Nations Plaza, Room 329
San Francisco CA 94102
Voice:
Fax:
I leave you with the name and contact information of our Regional Emergency Coordinator, CAPT Christopher Jones, who is THE expert in planning for and dealing with disasters. Thank you for your attention this morning.