Understanding Incident Management and Assistance

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Understanding Incident Management and Assistance

• Joyce Cavanagh, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor and Extension Family
  Economics Specialist
• Texas AgriLIFE Extension Service

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Texas AgriLIFE Extension and Emergency Management

• Department of State Health Service (DSHS) Grant
  for Disaster Preparedness Education
• Hurricane Rita (2005) Lessons Learned
• Limited recognition among state emergency
  management personnel of Extension as official
  player
• CEAs experienced difficulty in accessing disaster
  areas to provide assistance
• Extension needs to be member of state Emergency
  Management Council
• Need for Extension-wide training on all aspects
  of emergency management and preparedness

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State and Local Emergency Organizations
Officials

• State
• Governor
• Governors Office of Homeland Security
• Governors Division of Emergency Management
• Emergency Management Council
• State Operations Center
• Disaster Districts
• Local Officials
• Mayors and County Judges
• Local Emergency Operations Centers

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National Incident Management System (NIMS)

• Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5
  (HSPD-5)
• February 28, 2003
• Directed Secretary of Homeland Security to
  develop and administer NIMS
• Comprehensive, national approach to incident
  management
• Requires adoption of NIMS by state and local
  entities by FY 2005 as condition for Federal
  preparedness assistance
• Incident Command System (ICS) used as management
  model utilized in disaster response

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Disaster Process

• Response and Recovery
• First Response LOCAL
• EVERY incident begins and ends as a LOCAL event
• State Responds to local requests for assistance
• State resources National Guard, etc.
• Damage Assessments
• Determination of losses and recovery needs
• Request for Major Disaster Declaration
• Governor requests federal assistance when local
  and state resources are inadequate
• FEMA Evaluates
• Makes recommendation to the President
• Presidential approval/denial
• Approval means long-term federal recovery
  programs are made available
• Decision process can range from hours to several
  weeks

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Response and Recovery

• First Response
• Local governments emergency services, help as
  requested from district, state and federal
• Recovery
• Damage to infrastructure, public facilities and
  private property
• Major Disaster (hurricane, flood, tornado, fire)
• President may determine warrants supplemental
  federal aid from Presidents Disaster Relief Fund

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Response and Recovery

• Presidential Major Disaster Declaration
• Puts in motion long-term federal recovery
  programs designed to help disaster victims,
  businesses and public entities
• Emergency Declaration
• More limited in scope and without long-term
  federal recovery programs

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Disaster Aid Programs Under FEMA

• Individual Assistance Individuals and
  Households Program (IHP)
• Disaster Housing Assistance
• Disaster Grants
• Disaster related needs and necessary expenses NOT
  covered by insurance or other aid programs
• Replacement of personal property, funeral
  expenses, medical and dental expenses

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Disaster Aid Programs Under FEMA

• Low-interest Disaster Loans
• Available to homeowners and renters to cover
  uninsured losses
• Administered by Small Business Administration
  (SBA)
• Other Disaster Aid Programs
• Crisis counseling
• Disaster-related unemployment insurance
• Legal aid
• Assistance with public benefits
• Emergency food stamps

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Disaster Aid Programs Under FEMA

• Public Assistance
• Aid to state and local governments to rebuild
  infrastructure
• Debris removal, emergency protective measures,
  public services
• Hazard Mitigation
• Elevation or relocation of chronically flood
  damaged homes
• Retrofitting buildings to make resistant to
  earthquake or strong winds

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Individual Assistance Process
DISASTER ASSISTANCE

A Disaster Strikes!
Unmet Needs Friends, neighbors, the local
community, voluntary agencies
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Voluntary Organizations

• National Voluntary Organizations Active in
  Disasters (VOAD)
• Coalition of non-profits that respond to
  disasters as part of their mission share
  knowledge and resources coordinated effort in
  disaster response
• State and Local VOADs
• Members include
• American Red Cross, Salvation Arm, National
  Baptist Men, Lutheran Disaster Response, Catholic
  Charities, United Way of America, Feeding
  America, Habitat for Humanity

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Texas AgriLIFE Extension and Emergency Management

• Expansion of DSHS Grant
• Statewide training of ALL agents and specialists
• County Extension agents required to complete NIMS
  700 and ICS 100 and 200 training
• Agents involved in local emergency management
  committees

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Educational Opportunities

• Family Disaster Preparedness
• Building realistic expectations of government
  assistance during and after and disaster
• Homeowners Insurance
• 211 as a resource
• Special needs registration