Federal Emergency Management Agency

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Federal Emergency Management Agency

• Department of Homeland Security

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What is FEMA?

• Since March 2003, part of the Department of
  Homeland Security
• A former independent agency created in 1979
• Includes the U.S. Fire Administration and
  Federal Insurance Administration

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Sec. Tom Ridge

• In the new Department of Homeland Security, the
  Federal Emergency Management Agency will become
  the nation's all-hazard incident manager. If it's
  a terrorist incident, if it's a natural disaster,
  whatever it is, this new department, through
  FEMA, will be on the scene and manage the
  response.

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DHS Mission

• Prevent terrorist attacks in the U.S.
• Reduce Americas vulnerability to terrorism
• Minimize the damage from potential attacks and
  natural disasters

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Directorates of DHS

• Border and Transportation Security
• FEMA
• Science and Technology
• Information Analysis and Infrastructure
  Protection

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Also part of DHS

• U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Secret Service
• Citizenship and Immigration Services

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FEMAs Mission

• Reduce the loss of life and property and protect
  our institutions from all hazards by leading and
  supporting the nation in a comprehensive,
  risk-based emergency management program of
  mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

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Who is FEMA?

• Under Secretary appointed by the President,
  confirmed by Congress, reporting to DHS Secretary
• 2,400 permanent employees
• 7,000 disaster reserve employees
• 8,000 NDMS reserve employees

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What does FEMA do?

• Disaster response and recovery
• Reducing risk from disasters through mitigation
• Preparedness training and exercises
• Consequence management following terrorist
  incidents

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What else does FEMA do?

• Train fire fighters and first responders
• Oversee the National Flood Insurance Program
• Manage the National Disaster Medical System

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Where is FEMA?

• Washington, D.C.
• Ten regional offices
• Disaster Field Offices
• Tele-registration processing centers
• Training facilities

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When does FEMA respond?

• When local and state capabilities are
  overwhelmed
• State governors must request a federal disaster
  declaration
• FEMA assesses disaster damage to determine
  extent of need
• Presidential approval of a declaration request
  allows FEMA to provide response and recovery
  assistance

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Man-made vs natural disaster

• FEMA doesnt differentiate between disasters
  caused by nature, such as earthquakes, or
  disasters such as a terrorist event. In all
  cases, FEMA provides response and recovery
  assistance geared to the event and in
  coordination with local, state and federal
  officials.

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In a disaster, FEMA

• Provides disaster response aid to individuals,
  communities and states for immediate needs
• Provides disaster aid to individuals,
  communities and states for recovery
• Promotes risk reduction from future disasters
  through mitigation efforts

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Response Resources

• DHS/FEMA activates and manages emergency response
  assets through the Emergency Support Function
  Structure established within the National
  Response Plan

Emergency Support Functions Transportation IT
and Telecommunications Infrastructure
Firefighting Mass Care Housing Public
Health Urban Search and Rescue Hazardous
Materials Agriculture Energy Economic
Stabilization
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Response Resources

• Mass sheltering and feeding
• Temporary housing
• Supplemental power / generators
• Ice and water
• Emergency personnel equipment
• Medical support
• Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)

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FEMA disaster aid programs

• Public Assistance
• Individual Assistance
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

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Other assistance

• Crisis counseling
• Disaster-related unemployment assistance
• Legal aid

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Support for Medical Facilities

• Two Avenues of Support
• Funding reimbursement for certain costs incurred
  by eligible medical facilities
• Personnel, supplies and equipment to augment
  local medical systems when overwhelmed

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Medical Response Resources

• FEMAs Public Assistance Program
• Generally does not reimburse for increased costs
• May provide reimbursement for extraordinary costs
  associated with providing temporary facilities
• May provide reimbursement to hospitals that need
  to evacuate special needs patients to another
  facility

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Medical Response Resources

• HHS assets can be activated under the National
  Response Plan (NRP) including
• Surveillance support
• Medical care personnel such as the U.S. Public
  Health Service Commissioned Corps
• Supplies and equipment
• Support with patient evacuations utilizing DOT
  assets

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Medical Response Resources

• Medical Support Teams within NDMS including
• DMAT
• DMORT
• VMAT
• NPRT

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Medical Response Resources

• A Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) is a
  group of professional and para-professional
  medical personnel (supported by a cadre of
  logistical and administrative staff) designed to
  provide medical care during a disaster or other
  event.
• DMATs deploy to disaster sites with sufficient
  supplies and equipment to sustain themselves for
  a period of 72 hours while providing medical care
  at a fixed or temporary medical care site. In
  mass casualty incidents, their responsibilities
  may include triaging patients, providing
  high-quality medical care despite the adverse and
  austere environment often found at a disaster
  site, and preparing patients for evacuation. In
  other types of situations, DMATs may provide
  primary medical care and/or may serve to augment
  overloaded local health care staffs.

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Medical Response Resources

• Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams
  (DMORT0) provide support when local mortuary
  services are overwhelmed, support provided
  includes
• Temporary morgue facilities
• Victim identification
• Forensic dental pathology
• Forensic anthropology methods
• Processing
• Preparation
• Disposition of remains

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Medical Response Resources

• Strategic National Stockpile
• HHS/DHS assets include antibiotics, chemical
  antidotes, life support medications, etc.
• Delivery within 12 hours anywhere in U.S. or
  territories
• Over 150 locally stored and controlled caches
  throughout the Nation
• Capable of supporting approximately 100,000
  individuals for 10 days
• Additional Federal caches controlled by the CDC
  to augment the locally placed supplies

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Medical Response Resources

• DOD Assets
• USS Comfort docked in NY following 9/11 attacks
• Mobile military hospital utilized in Puerto Rico
  and Guam
• VA assets
• Aeromedical Evacuation System

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Medical Response Resources

• Urban Search and Rescue
• In addition to traditional USAR ability, each
  team has 6 ER doctors and 6 EMT nurses, as well
  as cache of supplies and equipment, which could
  be used to support overwhelmed local medical
  facilities

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FEMAs Future

• As part of the Department of Homeland Security,
  FEMA is leveraging its resources with those of 21
  other agencies and departments to ensure a full
  continuum of response and recovery activities
  and to attain a vision of a nation prepared.

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