NATIONAL ADVANCED FIRE AND RESOURCE INSTITUTE

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**INSTRUCTOR:** Steve Gage

**LESSON:** National Response Framework and

> All-Hazard Incident Management

**UNIT:**

COURSE: Fire Program Leadership

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**OBJECTIVES:**

Upon completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

1.  Explain the general framework of the National Response Framework.

2.  Understand the roles of fire programs could play under the NRF.

3.  Discuss frequently occurring issues and concerns and relate
    solutions that have worked in the past.

4.  Understand potential options for enhancing success, fostering
    positive relationships and providing leadership through ICS.

    **NARRATIVE:**

    I.  **INTRODUCTION**

> The Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior play key
> roles in the National Response Framework. The National Response
> Framework provides the mechanism for coordinated delivery of federal
> assistance and resources to augment efforts of State and local
> governments overwhelmed by a major disaster or emergency. These
> incidents range from terrorist attacks, natural disasters and human
> caused accidents, to those we haven't even thought of yet.
>
> It is important for fire program leaders to understand how the agency
> is activated and what their responsibilities are in supporting these
> non-traditional events.
>
> This unit includes a brief overview of the National Response Framework
> and specific recent examples of wildland fire agencies' involvement in
> various disasters. It also focuses on lessons learned in the past and
> tips for future success. Increasingly resources are being assigned to
> variety of non-fire incidents, in non-traditional roles, that require
> close coordination and positive working relationships in order to have
> a successful outcome. Key to All-Hazard incident management is
> creating and fostering interagency cooperation and coordination and an
> understanding of the NRF.

II. **NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK**

> A. What is it?

#####  

##### In February of 2003, President Bush signed Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 

(HSPD5) establishing National Incident Management System (NIMS). HSPD-5
requires Federal agencies adopt and implement all aspects of NIMS is
designed to develop standards to be used by all levels of government,
non-governmental agencies and some private sector companies in the event
of domestic incidents. The NIMS document went through an upgrading
process involving stakeholders from Federal, state, tribal and local
governments. The new order of the components is;

1.  Preparedness

2.  Resource Management

3.  Communications and Information Management

4.  Command and Management

5.  Ongoing Management and Maintenance

    a.  Supporting Technologies

Another requirement of HSPD-5 was to develop a National Response Plan.
This plan directed how Federal departments and their sub-units would
respond to disasters. The *National Response Framework* supersedes the
*National Response Plan* and more adequately serves as a guide to how
the nation conducts incident response. The new name better aligns the
document with its intent.

-   **Purpose**: To ensure that government executives, private sector,
    nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders, and emergency management
    practitioners across the nation understand domestic incident
    response roles, responsibilities and relationships in order to
    respond more effectively to any type of incident.

-   Broader Scope: The *Framework* provides structures for implementing
    national-level policy and operational coordination for domestic
    incident response. In this document, incidents include actual or
    potential emergencies or all-hazard events that range from accidents
    and natural disasters to actual or potential terrorist attacks. Such
    incidents range from modest events wholly contained within a single
    community to others that are catastrophic in nature and national in
    their scope of consequences.

-   **Wider Audience:** The *Framework* is intended for executive
    leadership and emergency management practitioners at all levels of
    government, as well as private sector, and nongovernmental
    organizations (NGOs).

-   **Integrated Key Concepts:** An effective, unified national response
    requires layered, mutually supporting capabilities, with States
    having the primary responsibility for public health and welfare of
    its citizens. Five elemental principles of operation constitute
    national response doctrine:

    -   Engaged partnerships

    -   Tiered response

    -   Scalable, flexible and adaptable operational capabilities

    -   Unity of effort through unified command

    -   Readiness to act

-   Expanded Focus on Partnerships: The *Framework* states that an
    effective national response requires layered, mutually supporting
    capabilities. This approach affirms that local communities, tribes
    and States have primary responsibility for the safety and security
    of their citizens; that local leaders build the foundation for
    response and that resilient communities begin with prepared
    individuals and families.

-   Updated Planning Section: The *Framework* contains a section that
    focuses on the critical importance of planning. The intent is to lay
    the groundwork to:

    -   Link planning, preparedness, resource and asset management
        processes, and data in a virtual environment;

    -   Prioritize plans and planning efforts to best support homeland
        security strategies and allow seamless transition to execution;
        and

    -   Provide parallel and concurrent planning at all levels of
        government.

-   Improved Annexes and Appendixes: The Emergency Support Functions and
    Support Annexes have been updated and remain an integral part of the
    *Framework*. The Incident Annexes will be revised and released in
    the near future. These documents are available on-line at
    [**www.fema.gov/NRF**](http://www.fema.gov/NRF) along with other
    reference material.

-   New Guides for Response Partners: Partner guides are available for
    local, State, Federal and private sector partners to assist them in
    applying the *Framework's* principles for a coordinated, effective
    National response. Each guide provides a more detailed description
    of roles and responsibilities; response structures; key actions
    before, during and after an incident; and ways to request and/or
    provide assistance. These guides are intended to provide an overview
    of how these various organizations organize and operate, and how
    they interact with each other to provide a unified, national
    response.

-   Clearer Terminology:

-   [Incident of National Significance]{.underline}. The term Incident
    of National Significance has been eliminated in order to focus on a
    more agile coordinated response by the entire incident management
    community. The designation of an Incident of National Significance
    became an arbitrary and confusing trigger point for various levels
    of response activities.

-   [Unified Coordination Group and Staff]{.underline}. The terms Joint
    Field Office (JFO) Coordination Group and JFO Coordination Staff
    have been replaced with Unified Coordination Group and Staff,
    respectively. This is consistent with the National Incident
    Management System (NIMS) command and management principles.\
    [Senior Officials]{.underline}. The term Senior Federal Official
    (SFO), a designation of a particular representative in the Unified
    Coordination Group, has been replaced with the term "Senior
    Officials" to broaden the scope of representation. This will allow
    for State, tribal or even private sector representatives to serve in
    the Unified Coordination Group, if necessary.

-   [Incident Management Assist Teams (IMATs)]{.underline}. IMATs will
    soon replace existing Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) at the
    national and regional level as well as the Federal Incident Response
    Support Teams (FIRST).

-   [Deletion of Incident Advisory Council (IAC)]{.underline}. The May
    2006 Notice of Change created an Incident Advisory Council at the
    Federal headquarters level. That entity no longer exists.

-   Clarified Roles and Responsibilities:

-   [Principal Federal Official (PFO).]{.underline} By law and by
    Presidential directive, the Secretary of Homeland Security is the
    principal Federal official responsible for coordination of all
    domestic incidents requiring multiagency Federal response. The
    Secretary may elect to designate a single individual to serve as his
    or her primary representative to ensure consistency of Federal
    support as well as the overall effectiveness of the Federal incident
    management. When appointed, such an individual serves in the field
    as the PFO for the incident. The Secretary will only appoint a PFO
    for catastrophic or unusually complex incidents that require
    extraordinary coordination. The same individual will not serve as
    the PFO and the FCO at the same time for the same incident.

-   [Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO)]{.underline}. In Stafford Act
    incidents, the FCO is the focal point of coordination within the
    Unified Coordination Group, ensuring overall integration of Federal
    emergency management, resource allocation, and seamless integration
    of Federal activities in support of, and in coordination with,
    State, tribal, and local requirements. The same individual will
    *not* serve as the PFO and the FCO at the same time for the same
    incident.

-   [Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official (SFLEO)]{.underline}. The
    *Framework* indicates that the SFLEO is appointed by the Attorney
    General during an incident requiring a coordinated Federal response
    to coordinate all law enforcement, public safety, and security
    operations with intelligence/investigative law enforcement
    operations directly related to the incident.

-   **[Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander]{.underline}**. Based on the
    magnitude, type of incident and anticipated level of resource
    involvement, the DOD may designate a JTF Commander to command
    Federal (Title 10) military activities in support of the incident
    objectives. The JTF Commander exercises operational control of
    Federal military personnel and most defense resources in a Federal
    response (excluding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Unless
    federalized, National Guard forces remain under the control of a
    State Governor. The use of a JTF does not replace the requirement
    for a Defense Coordinating Officer who remains the DOD single point
    of contact in the Joint Field Office for requesting assistance from
    DOD.

> B. Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)
>
> The NRF employs a functional approach that groups under 15 ESF's the
> types of direct Federal assistance that a State is most likely to need
> (e.g., firefighting, urban search and rescue, mass care) as well as
> the kinds of Federal operations support necessary to sustain Federal
> response actions (e.g., transportation, communications).
>
> 1\. ESF #1 -- Transportation
>
> 2\. ESF #2 -- Communications
>
> 3\. ESF #3 -- Public Works and Engineering
>
> 4\. ESF #4 -- Firefighting
>
> 5\. ESF #5 -- Emergency Management
>
> 6\. ESF #6 -- Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human
> Services
>
> 7\. ESF #7 -- Logistic Management and Resource Support
>
> 8 ESF #8 -- Public Health and Medical Services
>
> 9\. ESF #9 - Search and Rescue
>
> 10\. ESF #10 -- Oil and Hazardous Materials
>
> 11\. ESF #11 -- Agriculture and Natural Resources
>
> 12\. ESF #12 -- Energy
>
> 13\. ESF #13 -- Public Safety and Security
>
> 14\. ESF #14 -- Long Term Community Recovery
>
> 15\. ESF #15 -- External Affairs

Major changes to the ESF annex within the NRF:

-   [ESF #6 -- Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing and Human
    Services]{.underline}. ESF #6 is expanded in scope to include
    emergency assistance, the aid required by individuals, families, and
    their communities to ensure that immediate needs beyond the scope of
    the traditional "mass care" services. These services include:
    support to evacuations (including registration and tracking of
    evacuees); reunification of families; pet evacuation and sheltering;
    support to specialized shelters; support to medical shelters;
    non-conventional shelter management; coordination of donated goods
    and services; and coordination of voluntary agency assistance.
    DHS/FEMA executes the emergency assistance activity. In addition,
    the American Red Cross is no longer a primary agency for mass care;
    that responsibility has transferred to DHS/FEMA.

-   [ESF #7 -- Logistics Management and Resource Support]{.underline}.
    ESF #7 and the Logistics Management Support Annex have been combined
    to create a comprehensive, national disaster logistics planning,
    management and sustainment capability. The General Services
    Administration and FEMA are the primary agencies.

-   [ESF #9 -- Search and Rescue]{.underline}. ESF #9 is expanded from
    its original scope of urban search and rescue to incorporate
    Structure Collapse (Urban) Search and Rescue, Waterborne Search and
    Rescue, Inland/Wilderness Search and Rescue, and Aeronautical Search
    and Rescue.

-   [ESF #10 -- Oil and Hazardous Materials Response]{.underline}. ESF
    #10 has incorporated additional responsibilities from the now
    defunct Oil and Hazardous Materials Incident Annex.

-   [ESF #11 -- Agriculture and Natural Resources]{.underline}. ESF #11
    added a fifth primary function of Safety and Well-Being of Household
    Pets. Under USDA, ESF #11 will coordinate and support an integrated
    Federal, State, tribal, and local response to ensure the safety and
    well-being of household pets. Supported activities include the
    evacuation, transportation, sheltering, husbandry, and veterinary
    care of affected animals as mandated in the Pets Evacuation and
    Transportation Standards Act of 2006.

-   [ESF #13 -- Public Safety and Security]{.underline}. ESF #13 has
    expanded its scope to include general law enforcement.

    [Other major Annex Changes]{.underline}

While there are many proposed changes to annexes such as addition of
Support Agencies or responsibilities, only the major fundamental changes
which are essential to the execution of the annex functions before the
next release are listed below.

-   [Critical Infrastructure Key Resources (CIKR) Support
    Annex]{.underline}. A new annex was developed which details
    processes to ensure coordination and integration of CIKR-related
    activities among a wide array of public and private incident
    managers and CIKR security partners within immediate incident areas
    as well as at the regional and national levels. DHS is the
    coordinating agency.

-   [Logistics Management Support Annex]{.underline}. The Logistics
    Management Support Annex no longer exists. Information from the
    annex has been incorporated into ESF #7.

-   [Volunteer & Donations Management Support Annex.]{.underline} The
    Volunteer and Donations Management Support Annex has been expanded
    to include a function to facilitate collection and tracking of
    offers for effective matching of offers and requirements through a
    website. The annex also addresses international donations. Private
    sector and other high level offers of donations and volunteer are
    supported by the DHS Private Sector Office.

-   [Food and Agriculture Incident Annex.]{.underline} The Food and
    Agriculture Incident Annex describes the roles and responsibilities
    associated with all incidents that require a coordinated Federal
    response involving the Nation's agriculture and food systems. While
    this Annex was released in Summer of 2006, it was released
    independently from other NRP documents. The U.S. Department of
    Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services are the
    coordinating agencies for the Food and Agriculture Incident Annex.

-   [Mass Evacuation Incident Annex.]{.underline} This Annex identifies
    the agencies and organizations involved in a federally supported
    mass evacuation operation; defines the roles and responsibilities of
    Federal entities in planning, preparing for, and conducting mass
    evacuations in support of State, tribal, and local authorities;
    establishes the criteria under which Federal support to mass
    evacuations is provided; and provides a concept of operations for
    Federal mass evacuation support. DHS/FEMA is the coordinating agency
    for the Mass Evacuation Incident Annex.

-   [Oil and Hazardous Materials Incident Annex]{.underline}. The Oil
    and Hazardous Materials Incident Annex no longer exists. Information
    from the annex has been integrated into ESF #10.

    1.  

C. ESF Mission Assignments

> 1\. Federal response assistance required under the NRF is provided
> using
>
> some or all of the ESF's as necessary. DHS through FEMA will issue a
> mission assignment to task a primary agency for necessary work to be
> performed on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis.
>
> 2\. The primary agency may in turn task support agencies if needed.
>
> 3\. FEMA may directly task any Federal agency to bring its resources
> to bear
>
> in the disaster operation.
>
> **III. WILDLAND FIRE AGENCY SUPPORT**
>
> A. ESF 4 -- Firefighting
>
> 1\. Forest Service, DOI, USFA staffs NRCC, RRCC, & JFO
>
> B. ESF-1 -- Transportation example
>
> C. ESF-2 -- Communication example
>
> **IV.** **WHAT IS THE WILDLAND FIRE ROLE IN THE FUTURE?**
>
> A. It will be expanding.
>
> B. Homeland Security.
>
> C. Planning for all types of incidents
>
> V. KEY POINTS FOR Fire Program Leaders
>
> A. Involvement is not optional!!
>
> B.
>
> B. We work for the President & the Secretaries of Agriculture and
> Interior, and they have committed us to emergency response.
>
> C. Good experience for employees. Exposure to other agencies carries
> many
>
> benefits.
>
> **VI. RECENT ALL-HAZARD ASSIGNMENTS and MISSIONS**
>
> A. Terrorist Attacks
>
> B. Hurricanes
>
> D. Columbia Shuttle Disaster
>
> E. Exotic Newcastle Disease & Avian Influenza
>
> F. Southern California Fires of October 2007

VII. MAKING IT WORK IN THE FIELD

     A.  Becoming NIMS compliant

     B.  Fostering positive interagency relationships

     C.  Building a "Unified Organization"

     D.  Teaching others to fish

         1.  ICS and the Planning Process

         2.  NIMS components of a "system of systems"

     E.  Non-Traditional roles & Team issues