X 2-1

Unit Two

How Communities
and States Deal with
Emergencies andDisasters
uring a flood such asCenterville’s, many
important activities
must happen quickly andefficiently. Among these are rescue, caring
for the injured, keeping people away fromdangerous areas, assessing the situation to
see what help is needed, and opening
shelters for people displaced from theirhomes. As all this is occurring, phones are
swamped with people asking for
information. Without a good plan for sucha situation, there would be no hope ofgetting the job done effectively.

D

In this unit, you will learn about:
X

Local and State response, recovery, andmitigation activities.

X

Local and State activities during the period
following an emergency or disaster.

X

The declaration of an emergency at theState and local level.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-2

Fortunately, many local areas and States have developed emergency operations plans that
help them respond and recover effectively. Their roles, as well as those of voluntary agencies
whose invaluable efforts supplement theirs, are defined in these plans. When an emergency ordisaster occurs, these plans are put into action to provide essential services to the community.
The following information explains the types of activities performed by local government,
State government, and voluntary agencies to deliver this assistance.

LOCAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIES
Local governments are the first line of defense against emergencies and disasters and areprimarily responsible for managing the response to and recovery from those events. At the
local government level, the primary responsibility for protecting citizens belongs to local
elected officials such as mayors, city councils, and boards of commissioners. When a local
government receives warning that an emergency could be imminent, its first priority is toalert and warn citizens and take whatever actions are needed to minimize damage and protect
life and property. If necessary, it may order an evacuation. When an emergency or disasterdoes occur, fire and police units,
emergency medical personnel,
and rescue workers rush todamaged areas to provide aid.
After this initial response, thelocal government must work toensure public order and security.
Vital services such as water,
power, communications,transportation, shelter, andmedical care must be provided,and debris removal must begin.
Since disasters often disrupt water supply lines, local
Public and private utility
governments must ensure that residents receive drinking water.
company crews, along with otheremergency teams, must be on the job to restore essential services. The local government
coordinates its efforts with voluntary agencies who assist individuals and families inneed.

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X 2-3

When a local government responds to and recovers from a disaster, the levels of activities
and the type of resources required are determined by several factors:

X

The speed of onset of the emergency.

X

The potential need for evacuation.

X

The magnitude of the situation.

X

The projected duration of the event.

X

The extent of the threat to citizens.

Short-Term and Long-Term Recovery
In the aftermath of an emergency or disaster, many citizens will have specific needs thatmust be met before they can return to their pre-disaster lives. Typically, there will be a needfor services such as these:

X

Assessment of the extent and severity of damages to homes and other property.

X

Restoration of services generally available in communities—water, food, andmedical assistance.

X

Repair of damaged homes and property.

X

Professional counseling when the sudden changes resulting from the emergency
have resulted in mental anguish and the inability to cope.

Local governments help individuals and families recover by ensuring that these services areavailable and by seeking additional resources if the community needs them. Also, when an
emergency occurs, the local government uses all available media to publicize the types ofassistance available and how to access them.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-4

Recovery occurs in two phases—short-term and long-term. Short-term recovery measures
are those that are intended to return the community to minimum operating standards. Longterm recovery are those steps taken to return to previous conditions (to the extent possible),combined with improvements that will better
protect the community from future disasters.
Each phase marks a transition that will enable
the community to return to normal and create asafer condition for the future.

Short-term recovery could include making
houses habitable so that families can move outof temporary shelters and return to their own
homes. Short-term recovery also could involve
restoring essential services so people can return
to work. At the community level, this part ofrecovery may require completing repairs toroads and bridges so traffic can start moving
again or restoring water and power to areas in
need, especially to important public structures
Following a disaster, repairing majorroads is a high priority among short-termsuch as hospitals and major places ofrecovery tasks.
employment. In Centerville, for example, shortterm recovery would include all of these
activities, with priority given to restoring services in public structures and major places of
employment. The restoration of major roads will be given priority to help people return totheir homes and work safely; many minor routes may have to wait for repairs.

Long-term recovery may occur over a period of months or years, depending on the severityof the emergency or disaster. It often involves extensive repair and rebuilding. The
disruption and destruction to the community can be so great that some businesses may neverreopen or may have to relocate. Although a community may appear to be “open forbusiness” a few weeks after an emergency or disaster, it may be years after a severe disaster
before the community returns to pre-disaster conditions.

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X 2-5

As part of the recovery, communities should consider strategies that would lessen the effects
of a similar event in the future. These strategies, called mitigation measures, may have helped
lessen the effects in the Centerville flood scenario. During the rebuilding process, residents
could raise their furnaces to higher floors, business owners could consider storing inventory
in areas above the flood level, and hospitals could elevate and move generators and othercritical facilities to protected buildings. In the case of severe and repeated flood damage,residents might consider relocating damaged structures to a safer area. The community ofCenterville could begin enforcing more stringent building codes and floodplain ordinancesthat help structures withstand flooding.

In addition to the self-help efforts of individuals and families and the efforts of local
governments in emergencies, voluntary agencies are a central part of the effective response
to, and recovery from, an emergency.

The Role of Voluntary Agencies
When most Americans think about disasters, they picture volunteers from agencies such as
the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army providing a helping hand to the victims.
Voluntary agencies are an essential part of any disaster relief effort, providing criticalassistance with food, shelter, clothing, household items, medical expenses, clean-up, repairs,
and rebuilding. These agencies are typically involved in all the phases of emergency
management (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery).

Some voluntary agencies are available to assist in emergencies in all communities; others
may assist only in disasters that affect specific regional areas. Voluntary agencies assist
whether or not there is a Presidential declaration, coordinating with each other and withgovernment officials to meet a community’s disaster needs.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-6

See Appendix B, page B-1,
for a list of voluntaryagencies that are active indisasters and the services
they provide.

Requesting State
AssistanceIf the situation warrants, thecommunity may have to reachbeyond its own boundaries for
In a flood such as Centerville’s, the State might be asked
additional resources. Mutual
to help rescue stranded people and farm animals.
aid agreements should alreadybe in place to facilitate
provision of assistance by neighboring jurisdictions. In our flood scenario, however, these
agreements will not result in significant added resources because other communities are also
overwhelmed.

In such a case, the local government would have to appeal to the State for assistance.
Centerville would seek assistance in transportation and rescue, for example. Local officials
will submit a request to the Governor providing specific information about the situation andits effects and specifying the type of assistance needed. The State emergency management
office and other offices involved in providing disaster assistance carefully assess this request
and advise the Governor on appropriate actions.

Periodically, local officials send reports to the State that convey important information about
the types and levels of assistance that might be required to assist the people in the impacted
area. A typical situation report would contain information about the magnitude and severityof damages associated with the disaster event. Deaths, injuries, property damages, andlocations in which losses occurred would be described. As additional information becomes
available, updated reports are provided.

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X 2-7

Generally, State emergency officials work very closely with local officials to ensure that
required documentation is included in situation reports. If a request were to be madesubsequently for a Presidential declaration (as will be explained in a later unit), theinformation contained in these reports would be of critical importance. The documentationof the local government’s level of effort in responding to the event and the location of areasof damage are especially important.

STATE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIESAll states have laws that describe the responsibilities of State government inemergencies and disasters. These laws provide governors and State agencies
with the authority to plan for and carry out the necessary actions to respond to
emergencies and recover from their effects. Typically, State emergency
management legislation describes the duties and powers of the Governor, whose
authority typically includes the power to declare a state of emergency and to
decide when to terminate this declaration.

Many of the specific responsibilities to carry out the provisions of the State emergency
management legislation are generally delegated to the State emergency management
organization. Virtually all States have emergency management organizations, although theirname and structure may vary from State to State. Typical names include office of emergency
services or division of emergency management. Regardless of the title or location of theemergency management organization in the structure of the State government, its
responsibilities are the same—to prepare for emergencies and to coordinate the activation
and use of the resources controlled by the State government when they are needed to help
local governments respond to, and recover from, emergencies and disasters.

The State emergency management organization, in its coordinating role, is involved in
virtually all serious emergencies or disasters. Typically, this organization is responsible forreceiving reports from the local area. Based on these and other data, emergency management
officials work in consultation with other agency representatives and members of the

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-8Governor’s staff to determine whattypes of resources and personnel
should be deployed to the impacted
area. Using procedures specified in
the State plan, the State emergency
management organization will
coordinate deployment of State
personnel and resources to theimpacted areas.

However, it is not necessary for a
Governor to declare an emergency or
A Governor may declare a State emergency in order todisaster before agency personnel andfacilitate the deployment of State resources to a
resources are deployed to monitor
disaster area.
situations and provide information.
Personnel and equipment are typically used to monitor situations in which an area’s watersupply may become contaminated or when large-scale chemical leakage is possible. Stateagency personnel would generally be involved in early inspection activities and in making
reports back to the emergency management office and their own agencies for the purpose ofdetermining additional assistance that may be needed.

When an emergency is declared, the Governor (or emergency management agency official
acting for the Governor) can mobilize resources to supplement their own supplies,
equipment, and personnel. In a situation like that of Centerville, for example, in which large
populated areas are threatened by the continued rise in floodwaters, the State could assist in
evacuation of the threatened area by prescribing evacuation routes and helping to control
entries and departures from the disaster area.

State and local government also may regulate the movement of persons inside the affectedarea; persons can be prevented from returning to buildings rendered uninhabitable or unsafe
by the disaster itself. The exercise of these powers could become necessary not only toprotect the residents of the affected community but also to make the work of the emergency
response personnel safer and more efficient.

A CITIZEN’S GUIDE TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE

X 2-9In many States, governors can suspend State laws or local ordinances if it isdetermined that the law in question will
restrict or prohibit efforts to relieve
human suffering caused by thesituation. In some States, after a Stateemergency declaration, the Governor
may establish economic control overresources and services such as food,wages, clothing, and shelter in theaffected area.

Under a State emergency declaration,
governors typically are empowered tomobilize the National Guard and direct
its efforts. Generally, they are granted
the power to use all available State
Under a State emergency declaration, Governors typicallyresources needed to respond effectively
are empowered to mobilize the National Guard and direct
and efficiently to the event. The
its efforts.
Governor is able to draw upon the
resources, expertise, and knowledge ofState agencies as needed to assist in the effort. In many disasters, the States can provide
technical assistance and resources that would not be available to most local officials within
their own communities.

An affected State also is able to request mutual aid from other States. Participating Statesagree to provide personnel, equipment, and supplies to another State in need through theEmergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) or a similar arrangement. Mutual aid
enables States to draw upon a common pool of resources with minimal Federal involvement.

Under a State emergency declaration, the Governor may also have the power to use orcommandeer private property for the purpose of responding to the disaster. Emergency
management acts generally grant the Governor the power to use, or authorize the use of,contingency and emergency funds in the event of an emergency. In some States, theGovernor also may reallocate funds when designated funds are exhausted.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-10

Types of Assistance Provided
Typically, there are two types of State response and recovery assistance.
State personnel and resources can be activated and deployed to assist in the response andrecovery effort directly (or to manage it, in some instances).

X

Examples of this type of activity include
evacuation management, securing the affected
area, and search and rescue.

State personnel and equipment can be
deployed to perform a variety of monitoringand inspection activities that can ensure thesafety of inhabitants and response personnel in
the area.

X

State officials may inspect structures
such as dams, levees, and bridges todetermine whether repairs are needed.

Examples of these types of activities include
the use of officials to monitor threats ofchemical and other fires or to monitor thewater supply and ensure its continued safety.
State officials may periodically inspect
structures such as dams, levees, and bridges tomonitor their condition and determine whether
they are safe for continued use.

If necessary, the State may undertake emergency repairs (such as to restore bridges that are partof an essential route).

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X 2-11

State assistance to communities
is provided by many different
State agencies. Some key
agencies and types of services
they provide are described
below.

Department of Public
SafetyIn many major floods—such asState public safety officials may assist in search and rescue
the one depicted in theoperations.
scenario—bridges often aredamaged, and very heavy debris
may clog up the river, creating a more serious threat to surrounding areas. Heavy cranes andother equipment, along with the expertise and skill needed to use the equipment, can often be
provided by State transportation or highway agencies. Engineers employed by transportation
departments also have the knowledge and skills to conduct accurate damage assessments ofbridges and other structures. In addition, they can suggest mitigation methods so thatreconstruction includes added protection for future disasters.

State public safety personnel can assist in law enforcement for disaster areas, traffic control(especially in evacuation and for incoming assistance), security (such as to protect evacuatedhomes and businesses from looting and further damage), and search and rescue. The fire
marshal’s office can deploy personnel to investigate structural fires and to assist in assessing
the safety of structures that may be at risk from fires.

Public health units within the public safety department often must perform tasks such as
water supply monitoring, food supply inspection, and communicable disease control. State
specialists also may assist in documenting (videotaping) damage.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-12Social Service Agencies
State social service agencies can provide or fund personnel and resources to assist in the
management of shelters and to provide assistance to individuals and families. This can
include counseling to alleviate stress, which, experience has demonstrated, must be handledappropriately in the early phases of a disaster to minimize later negative effects of theexperience. If there is a Presidential declaration, these are usually the agencies that provide
administrative services to manage the Individuals and Households Program. These agencies
also are usually assigned to assist voluntary agencies such as the American Red Cross intheir efforts to provide relief to disaster victims.

The National Guard
In a flood as serious as the one described in the scenario, the State National Guard could
send personnel who could be assigned a wide range of duties. They would assist in floodfighting activities such as sandbagging, evacuation, and search and rescue. The National
Guard is frequently assigned to maintain order and civil control and to provide supplemental
law enforcement and fire suppression assistance.

The National Guard units also have other valuable resources and equipment that can beused: trucks, helicopters, heavy tools and equipment, portable medical facilities, mobile
kitchens, and communications equipment.

Public Health Agencies
State public health agencies perform several important functions in response and recovery.
These agencies can make available: physicians, nurses, epidemiologists, medical
technicians, and others. Equipment and facilities also are provided.

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X 2-13

Monitoring water supplies,
inspecting food supplies,
controlling communicablediseases, providing andallocating medication indisaster-impacted areas,
monitoring health carefacilities, and identifying
victims are among the more
important response andshort-term recovery activities
that can be provided by, or
coordinated through, State
public health agencies.

State natural resource agencies may be able to contributeexpertise when natural resources are threatened by fire.

Department of Agriculture
The State’s department of agriculture will generally assist when damage to farms and ranches
is involved. It often carries out measures to protect the long-term food supply of the affected
area. State agriculture departments also inventory food resources and may help procure foodfor disaster victims. Longer term assistance provided by agriculture departments includes
advising farmers and agribusinesses in mitigation planning and recovering from damages tofacilities, crops, and livestock.

Natural Resource Agencies
Natural resource agencies have several types of expertise useful to an effective response,
including fire suppression and the protection of fish and game resources. Natural resource
agencies may have personnel available to assist in conducting damage assessments. Also,these agencies advise local officials and help them monitor and protect natural resources suchas fish and game, as well as wildlands and other protected areas. Environmental protection
agencies may assist in similar ways to help local officials preserve and protect various
environmentally sensitive areas and to plan mitigation measures for further disasters.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-14

They can also provide technical expertise to help agencies respond appropriately to hazardous
materials spills that could result from primary events such as floods.

Other Resources
Other State agencies have resources and expertise helpful to local communities stricken bydisaster. For example, labor departments can assist with immediate safety inspections.
Education departments can help maintain education services. State management and budget
agencies can assist in locating and establishing recovery centers and field operations offices.

Depending upon the severity of the disaster and the damages, some agencies— such as officesof management and budget, labor, employment security, commerce, and treasury—become
more substantially involved in providing assistance for the community’s recovery. For
example, treasury departments can conduct post-emergency audits to document expendituresby local governments. In some States, they also provide tax advice for disaster victims.

Some State general services agencies can help identify and make available State facilities andrelated equipment to be used for shelter, as well as for the warehousing of food supplies orother resources.

In most States, commerce departments assist in licensing motor carriers and other vehicles
needed to transport supplies. They also work to expedite and prioritize the recovery of utilities
to the affected areas. Personnel from these agencies also may be involved in damage
assessment work.
Finally, a key activity of State emergency offices is to review and critique the State’s effort,
with the objective of strengthening the State’s response in the event of another disaster.

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X 2-15

Requesting Federal Assistance
What if the available resources and personnel of both the local and State governments are
inadequate to meet the response and recovery needs created by the disaster? The local
government or State officials may at any time request assistance directly from a number ofFederal agencies, most of which can provide some form of direct assistance without a
Presidential declaration. When a disaster situation is beyond the capabilities of local and State
resources, even as supplemented by private and voluntary agencies and by direct assistancefrom Federal agencies, the Governor may ask the President to declare a major disaster. If
granted, supplemental disaster assistance is made available to help individuals, families, andthe community.

THE ROLE OF PLANNING IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE
The ability of communities and States toeffectively respond and recover fromdisasters depends largely on actions taken
before the disaster. Communities andStates should develop response, recovery,and hazard mitigation plans. Officials plan
what roles different organizations would
have in a disaster and how they would
coordinate with each other to avoid
duplication of benefits or confusion.

Response Planning

TERM TO REMEMBER
Emergency Operations Planor
Emergency Response Plan
A document that contains informationon the actions that may be taken by agovernmental jurisdiction to protect
people and property before, during, andafter a disaster

The community’s ability to respond to an
emergency begins with the development of a local emergency operations plan.

Each community’s plan may include a list of resources the community would use for various
types of emergencies. In a flood such as Centerville’s, for example, the local government
will contact technical experts who can assess the condition of the flood protection structures
and analyze the implications of their condition for flood control. The community’s

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-16

advance planning should also identify what routes could be used to evacuate people quickly
in the event of a disaster. In Centerville’s case, since the area has always been vulnerable toflooding, these would be pre-selected to facilitate movement. Shelter locations would also be
identified as a preparedness measure.

The plan also establishes ways to notify the public in the event of an emergency. In our
scenario, electric power was lost in Centerville, so many people could not get information
either by phone or by television. The area did not have a siren warning system, andevacuation routes were not generally familiar to the public. As a result, the only means ofreaching many people was through broadcasts that could be received only on battery-operated
radios or by traveling to their neighborhoods.

Where did Centerville get the boats it used
to rescue its citizens? Unless the town had
worked out an advance agreement withpossible sources, it lost valuable time trying
to make the necessary arrangements at thetime of immediate need. In addition to
making arrangements with private sources
to borrow resources (such as heavyequipment that may be needed for debris
removal), communities may also havemutual aid agreements in place withadjacent communities to facilitate requests
for assistance.

In addition to providing policies,
procedures, and an emergency organization
structure, the plan contains information on
the specific emergency conditions underwhich the plan will be activated. If theCommunity plans should specify sources for theconditions warrant, local authorities may
heavy equipment needed for debris removal.
declare an emergency. The legal basis for a
local state-of-emergency declaration
typically is a local ordinance that stipulates who has the authority to declare a state of
emergency and under what conditions this can be done. Documentation provided in the plan
gives local governments a solid legal foundation for any subsequent request for State andFederal emergency assistance and eliminates any confusion about the degree of impact theevent has had on the community. Communities that formulate sound plans, establish
appropriate emergency-related policies, and test their plans through regularly scheduled
exercises will be prepared to assist citizens if an emergency occurs.

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X 2-17

State governments also must document their plans for emergency response. The typical Stateplan is similar in structure and organization to most emergency operations plans developedby local governments. State and local plans should be coordinated to ensure that proceduresfor providing assistance result in an effective combined effort.

Recovery Planning
While State and local governments are experienced in developing and testing emergency
response plans, only recently has the need for disaster recovery planning gained increased
attention.

A disaster recovery plan establishes the roles, responsibilities, policies, and procedures to be
used by State and local governments during the short- and long-term phases of a disaster.
The disaster recovery plan may be separate from the emergency operations plan or it may bean annex to it. Some States require their local jurisdictions to develop disaster recovery
plans or annexes and determine the issues to be included. Generally, however, the disasterrecovery plan or annex should identify the roles and responsibilities of local government
staff involved in disaster recovery operations, the organizational structure for the local
disaster recovery staff, and policies and procedures that will be used during disaster recovery
operations.

Examples of activities covered in disaster recovery plans are: debris removal, building
inspection, public health and safety, temporary housing, temporary and permanent
restoration of community services, disaster staffing, and documentation of expenditures forrecovery operations.

State and Local Hazard Mitigation Planning
The Stafford Act requires that the recipients of disaster assistance make every effort tomitigate the natural hazards in the area. To comply with this provision, State and local
governments must prepare and implement a hazard mitigation plan outlining cost-effective
strategies to reduce vulnerability to specific hazards. Through the plan, State and local
government can:X

Evaluate the hazards in the disaster area.

X

Identify appropriate actions to mitigate vulnerability to these hazards.

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-18

The Stafford Act specifically encourages regulation of land use and protective construction
standards as part of a long-term, comprehensive approach to mitigation. The President is also
authorized to prescribe hazard mitigation standards and approve such standards proposed by
State and local governments. Disaster assistance can be made conditional upon a recipient’s
agreement to develop a long-term strategy and program that will reduce or eliminate the needfor future Federal disaster assistance should a similar event recur.

After a Presidential disaster declaration, FEMA works with the State to develop an Early
Implementation Strategy. The strategy outlines activities to help reduce future damages basedon damages assessed in the current disaster. This ensures that communities, States, andindividuals consider ways to reduce potential damages from the next disaster as they makerepairs now.

In the next unit, you will learn about Federal assistance and the conditions under which it ismade available.

TRIBAL POLICY
Because of their unique status in the United States with the rights and benefits of sovereign
nations, American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal governments have been assigned aseparate disaster policy by FEMA that differs from that of the State governments. Once thePresident approves the State Governor’s request for a disaster declaration, Tribal
Governments that represent areas that sustained disaster damage can apply for disaster aid.
Depending on the particular tribe and State, the application for disaster assistance will goeither directly to FEMA or it will go through the State emergency management agency.

Disaster aid to Tribal Governments is authorized under the Stafford Act. This act authorizes
FEMA to provide grants to individuals who do not qualify for other assistance for their unmet
necessary expenses and serious needs. In addition, FEMA has a Public Assistance programthat provides supplemental grant assistance to help Tribal Governments rebuild after thedisaster. Finally, the Stafford Act also created the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program thatprovides grants to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a disasterdeclaration. These grants are provided on a cost shared basis and normally the recipient
provides 25% of the cost of the project.

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X 2-19

SUMMARY
Local governments are the first line of defense against emergencies. When needed, they serveas the link between individuals and the emergency response and recovery efforts carried out
by State and Federal government.

Response involves immediate actions to save lives, protect property, and meet basic humanneeds. Short-term recovery generally involves temporary measures to restore essential
services and get the community going again. Long-term recovery involves permanent
restoration, including steps to provide greater safety for the future. Local ordinances andemergency operations plans are the basis for the local response effort. Voluntary agencies are
an integral part of the community response effort.

The local government requests State assistance when it is needed. The State uses local reports
describing damages incurred and local actions taken to determine how to best direct its
resources.

If the State’s resources are also overwhelmed, the Governor may request specific types ofassistance from the Federal government. X

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERSX 2-20

Check Your Memory(Answers on page K-2)
1. To protect citizens in an emergency, local government __________.

a. Activates its local emergency operations plan.
b. Warns citizens.
c. Reports to State officials.
d. All of the above.

2. Large-scale restoration and replacement of buildings or roads are _____________________
activities.

a. Short-term recovery.
b. Long-term recovery.

3. Situation reports are used to ______________________.

a. Monitor local response.
b. Evaluate the extent of damage.
c. Identify needed assistance.
d. All of the above.
4. During an emergency or disaster, the Governor may be authorized to_____________________.

a. Activate Federal assistance.
b. Mobilize State agency resources.
c. Appropriate private resources.
d. Both b and c.

5. The State National Guard could assist communities in _________.

a. Food supply inspection.
b. Maintaining order.
c. Counseling.
d. Advising farmers on damage recovery.

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X 2-21

6. After a disaster happens, there is no point doing anything to reduce the damages thatmight occur next time.

a. Trueb. False

UNIT TWO: HOW COMMUNITIES AND STATES DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS