**September 11, 2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Project
Report**

\(1\) EMI COURSE AVAILABILITY \-- RECOVERY FROM DISASTER: THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ROLE (E210):

Dates: October 22-25, 2007, and August 11-14, 2008

Course Goal: The goal of Recovery From Disaster: The Local Government
Role is to discuss the recovery process roles and responsibilities at
the local government level to facilitate the development of a Disaster
Recovery Plan.

Prerequisite: None

Course Length: 4 full days. Travel days are Sunday and Friday.

Audience: Teams of Emergency Management staff and allied professionals
who normally are involved in local recovery operations. A few examples
of these allied professionals include elected officials, public works
directors, building inspectors, housing officials, community planners;
public information staff, and recovery personnel from state and local
government.

Location: National Emergency Training Center, Emergency Management
Institute, Emmitsburg, MD

To Apply: Complete a FEMA Form 75-5, General Admissions Application with
student signature and signature of supervisor or sponsoring agency
official. Submit the application through the State emergency management
training office who will fax it to the National Emergency Training
Center Admissions Office at (301) 447-1658.

For further enrollment information, please refer to the EMI web site at
[[http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/apply]{.underline}](http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/apply),
or
[[www.NETC-Admissions@dhs.gov]{.underline}](../www.NETC-Admissions@dhs.gov)

For course information, contact the EMI course manager, John Hoyle at

\(301\) 447-1045, 1-800-238-3358 (ext. 1045), or email
<John.Hoyle@dhs.gov>

\(2\) INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM ALL-HAZARD POSITION TASK BOOKS AVAILABLE
FROM USFA

Received today the following Press Release:

\"Emmitsburg, MD. - The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in cooperation
with the Incident Management System Division/National Incident
Management System (NIMS) Integration Center and the National Wildfire
Coordinating Group (NWCG), announces the availability of position task
books for All-Hazard Incident Management Team (IMT) members and others
who may serve in those roles. Similar in concept and design to existing
position task books used by NWCG, the task books are based on Incident
Command System position competencies identified by NWCG and USFA for the
NIMS Integration Center.

The position task books are intended for use by the authority having
jurisdiction to certify that the person to whom the task book belongs
has demonstrated the required competencies and behaviors required by the
Incident Management System Division/NIMS Integration Center. Each
position task book lists the competencies and behaviors for the specific
position in a format that allows a trainee to be evaluated against those
competencies and behaviors.

Successful performance of all tasks, as observed and recorded by an
evaluator, results in a recommendation that the trainee be certified in
that position. Evaluation and confirmation of the individual\'s
performance of all the demonstrated competencies can occur on incidents,
in classroom simulation, and in other work situations. These task

books are utilized by established All-Hazard IMTs trained through the
USFA\'s All Hazards IMT Technical Assistance Program.

At this time, eight Command and General Staff task books are available
for download from the USFA Web site at
<http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/incident/imt/imt-training.shtm>[:]{.underline}

\* All-Hazard Incident Commander

\* All-Hazard Operations Section Chief

\* All-Hazard Planning Section Chief

\* All-Hazard Logistics Section Chief

\* All-Hazard Finance/Administration Section Chief

\* All-Hazard Safety Officer

\* All-Hazard Liaison Officer

\* All-Hazard Public Information Officer

For more information on the AHIMT Technical Assistance Program, please
visit
[[http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/incident/imt/index.shtm]{.underline}](http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/incident/imt/index.shtm)
, e-mail <FEMA-AHIMT@dhs.gov> or call (800) 238-3358, ext. 7888 / (301)
447-7888.\"\]

\(3\) MITIGATION:

Government Accountability Office. Wetlands Protection: Corps of
Engineers Does Not Have an Effective Approach to Ensure That
Compensatory Mitigation Is Occurring (Report to the Ranking Democratic
Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of
Representatives). Washington, DC: GAO-05-898, September 2005, 47 pages.
Accessed at:
[[http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05898.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05898.pdf)

\[Abstract: \"Because wetlands provide valuable functions, the
administration set a national goal of no net loss of wetlands in 1989.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act generally prohibits the discharge of
dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, which include
certain wetlands, without a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps). To help achieve the goal of no net loss, the Corps can require
compensatory mitigation, such as restoring a former wetland, as a
condition of a permit when the loss of wetlands is unavoidable.
Permittees can perform the mitigation or pay a third party-a mitigation
bank or an in-lieu-fee arrangement-to perform the mitigation. GAO was
asked to review the (1) guidance the Corps has issued for overseeing
compensatory mitigation, (2) extent to which the Corps oversees
compensatory mitigation, and (3) enforcement actions the Corps can take
if required mitigation is not performed and the extent to which it takes
these actions. GAO recommends that the Secretary of the Army direct the
Corps to establish an effective oversight approach that will ensure that
permittees and third parties are performing required compensatory
mitigation. In commenting on our report, the Department of Defense
generally agreed with GAO\'s recommendations.\"\]

\(4\) NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK:

FEMA. National Response Framework Comment Draft Website:

[[http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/]{.underline}](http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/)

From FEMA Administrator Paulison\'s September 10th transmittal memo to
FEMA employees:

\"I am pleased to announce that today FEMA released the draft National
Response Framework, successor to the National Response Plan, for a
30-day public comment period. The Framework focuses on response and
short-term recovery, articulates the doctrine, principles and
architecture by which our nation prepares for, and responds to

all-hazard disasters across all levels of government and all sectors of
communities. The Framework is responsive to federal, state and local
requests for a streamlined document that is shorter, less bureaucratic
and more user-friendly.

The Framework is intended for senior elected and appointed leaders, such
as federal agency heads, state governors, mayors, tribal leaders and
city managers. Simultaneously, it informs emergency management
practitioners by explaining the operating structures and tools routinely
used by first responders and emergency managers at all levels of

government.

The Framework incorporates a number of key recommendations from more
than 700 individuals representing federal, tribal, state and local
governments, non-governmental agencies and associations, and the private
sector, who participated in a review process that began in September,
2006. In addition to the core Framework, supporting documents, including
Emergency Support Functions, Support and Incident Annexes and

other appendices have also been updated and remain an integral part of
the Framework. There will be a 60-day comment period for these
supplemental documents. These documents are available at the
newly-created NRF Resource Center, available online at
[[www.fema.gov/nrf]{.underline}](../www.fema.gov/nrf). This resource
center will be continuously updated as additional supporting materials
are created or revised.

The 30-day comment period for the Framework and 60-day period for
supplemental documents provide interested parties with the opportunity
to provide feedback on the documents. A comment form has been circulated
to various departments, agencies and key stakeholders. Individuals who
wish to submit comments can obtain a comment form and instructions for
submission online at
[[www.fema.gov/nrf]{.underline}](../www.fema.gov/nrf). During this
period, the existing National Response Plan remains in effect.

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on
Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Readiness in the Post-Katrina and Post-9/11 World. Washington, DC:
September 11, 2007. Accessed at:

[[http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetail.aspx?NewsID=298]{.underline}](http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetail.aspx?NewsID=298)

\[From Committee Statement on the purpose of this hearing: \"\...to
receive testimony on the contents of the new National Response Framework
released September 10, 2007, by the Department of Homeland Security
(\"DHS\") and the process for its development. Witnesses will also
testify about what this framework indicates, six years after 9/11 and
two years after hurricane Katrina, about our Nation\'s preparedness for
and ability

to effectively respond to all hazards, including natural disasters and
terrorist threats.\"

On the website is: Statement by Chairman James Oberstar and the prepared
statements from:

FEMA Administrator David Paulison

Roger T. Rufe Jr., Director, Office of Operations Coordination, DHS

Dr. William Waugh Jr., Professor, Department of Public Administration &
Urban Studies, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State
University

Dr. Paul Stockton, Senior Research Scholar, Center for International
Security and Cooperation Stanford University

Mr. Tim Manning, Director, New Mexico Department of Homeland Security
and Emergency Management, Testifying as Chairman, Response and Recovery
Committee, National Emergency Management Association

Mr. Robert C. Bohlman, Director, York County Maine Emergency Management
Agency, Testifying as Chairman, Government Affairs Committee,
International Association of Emergency Managers.\"\]

\(5\) PANDEMIC:

Government Accountability Office. Influenza Pandemic: Further Efforts
Are Needed to Ensure Clearer Federal Leadership Roles and an Effective
National Strategy. Washington, DC: GAO Report to Congressional
Requesters (GAO-07-781), 56 pages, August 14, 2007 Accessed at:
[[http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07781.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07781.pdf)

\[Abstract: \"An influenza pandemic is a real and significant potential
threat facing the United States and the world\.... In 2005, the Homeland
Security Council (HSC) issued a National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
and, in 2006, an Implementation Plan. Congress and others are concerned
about the federal government\'s preparedness to lead a response to an
influenza pandemic. This report assesses how clearly federal leadership
roles and responsibilities are defined and the extent to which the
Strategy and Plan address six characteristics of an effective national
strategy. To do this, GAO analyzed key emergency and pandemic-specific
plans, interviewed agency officials, and compared the Strategy and Plan
with the six characteristics GAO identified. GAO recommends that (1) DHS
and HHS develop rigorous testing, training, and exercises for pandemic
influenza to ensure that federal leadership roles and responsibilities
are clearly defined, understood, and work effectively and (2) the HSC
set a time frame to update the Plan, involve key nonfederal
stakeholders, and more fully address the characteristics of an effective
national strategy. DHS and HHS concurred with the report. HSC did not
comment.\"\]

\(6\) PRINCIPLES AND DOCTRINE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:

The Emergency Management Roundtable met for the first of two days on
September 11th. The first action was to achieve grammatical consistency
in the labeling of the eight core principles \-- by changing nouns to
adverbs. Thus the titles of the eight core principles of emergency
management are:

Comprehensive

Progressive

Risk-driven

Integrated

Collaborative

Coordinated

Flexible

Professional

The group then ratified the one-page document on the Definition, Vision,
Mission and Core Principles of Emergency Management and commended it to
stakeholder organizations represented for ratification.

Next the EM Roundtable turned to the 12-page elaboration of the 8 core
principles entitled \"Principles of Emergency Management\" and made
several editorial modifications which are to be incorporated into a
\"final\" draft for action for the 2nd day of meeting (September 12).

Finally, the rest of the day was spent discussing an approximately
130-page first draft document entitled \"Emergency Management
Doctrine.\" While progress was made on this front, there is still a long
way to go on the 12th in an attempt to complete a review of this first
draft.

B.Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM

Higher Education Project Manager

Emergency Management Institute

National Emergency Training Center

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

16825 S. Seton, K-011

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

\(301\) 447-1262, voice

\(301\) 447-1598, fax

wayne.blanchard@dhs.gov

[[http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu]{.underline}](http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu)

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