Department of Homeland Security
 

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FEMA Deployed the Appropriate Number of 


Community Relations Employees in Response to 


Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee 


OIG-13-94 May 2013
 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

Washington, DC 20528 I www.oig.dhs.gov 

May 31, 2013

MEMORANDUM FOR: Stephanie Tennyson 

Director (Acting} 

Office of External Affairs 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Robert J. Fenton 

Assistant Administrator 

Response Directorate 

Federal Em cy Management Agency 

FROM: 

SUBJECT: FEMA Deployed the Appropriate Number of Community 

Relations Employees in Response to Hurricane Irene and 

Tropical Storm Lee 

Attached for your information is our final letter report, FEMA Deployed the Appropriate 

Number of Community Relations Employees in Response to Hurricane Irene and Tropical 

Storm Lee. We incorporated the formal comments from the Office of Policy, Program 

Analysis and International Affairs in the final report. 

The report contains no recommendations. 

Consistent with our responsibility under the Inspector General Act, we are providing 

copies of our report to appropriate congressional committees with oversight and 

appropriation responsibility over the Department of Homeland Security. We will post 

the report on our website for public dissemination. 

Major contributors to this report are Kaye McTighe, Director; Adrian Dupree, Audit 

Manager; Scott Wrightson, Audit Manager; John Woo, Auditor-in-Charge; Ayana Henry, 

Program Analyst; Aaron Naas, Program Analyst; and Joshua Wilshere, Auditor. 
 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Please call me with any questions, or your staff may contact Kaye McTighe, Director, 

Office of Emergency Management Oversight, at (202) 254-4100. 

Attachment 

www.oig.dhs.gov 2 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 

 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Background 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deploys staff and resources to 

assist in disaster response and recovery efforts. This includes establishing temporary 

Federal multiagency coordination centers, known as Joint Field Offices (JFOs), to 

facilitate field-level activities near the incident site. The FEMA Administrator appoints a 

Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) to manage the JFO’s operations. JFO staffs do not 

manage on-scene operations; they support on-scene efforts and carry out disaster 

response and recovery programs. At each JFO, the FCO strives to minimize costs by 

closely managing FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE) staffing levels. 

In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene made landfall in Puerto Rico and again over eastern 

North Carolina’s Outer Banks. While traveling up the Atlantic coastline into Vermont, 

Hurricane Irene caused at least 34 fatalities and disrupted power to more than a million 

people. In the first 2 weeks of September 2011, Tropical Storm Lee, a slow-moving storm, 

struck many of the same areas affected by Hurricane Irene and caused severe local 

flooding, including floods of historic proportions. The two events resulted in 21 major 

disaster declarations spanning 14 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In 

response, FEMA opened 12 JFOs and deployed more than 5,060 DAEs. 

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, P.L. 93-288, as 

amended, authorizes FEMA to appoint DAEs as temporary Federal employees for up to 

2 years. DAEs perform activities directly related to specific disasters or emergencies. 

FEMA deploys most DAEs to JFOs, where they provide administrative, financial, 

logistical, and program area support. 

DAEs who perform community relations work serve as a personal resource and 

communications link with disaster survivors. As the first and sometimes only Federal 

responders that disaster survivors may see, DAEs provide the human link to bring 

disaster survivors into the assistance network established to help them in their 

recovery. Community relations personnel assess critical disaster survivor needs; ensure 

that disaster survivors have an understanding of and access to assistance programs; and 

help manage expectations of the local community and disaster survivors. The 

community relations workload is substantial and is often in communities with limited 

English proficiency or areas with large populations of the unemployed, low income, and 

elderly. FEMA policy requires that, as appropriate, community relations personnel start 

executing their mission either in advance of an event or within 12 hours of an Individual 

Assistance declaration. Figure 1 depicts the community relations organization at a JFO. 

www.oig.dhs.gov 3 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Figure 1. A JFO’s Community Relations Organization
 

Source: FEMA. 

Results of Audit 

The number of DAEs deployed to perform community relations work in response to 

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee was appropriate. FEMA generally managed the 

deployments in a manner consistent with achieving efficient JFO operations. We are not 

making any recommendations. 

DAE Deployments for Community Relations Work Were Appropriate 

FEMA deployed a reasonable number of DAEs to perform community relations work, 

given the disasters’ magnitude and number of people affected. Specifically, FEMA 

deployed more than 800 DAEs to perform community relations work in response to 

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. This amount is well within FEMA’s JFO staffing 

level targets and compares favorably with the total number of DAEs deployed in 

response to the disasters. 

www.oig.dhs.gov 4 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

JFO Staffing Level Targets 

The FCO and his or her staff are responsible for identifying and resolving any staffing 

overages. Excluding catastrophic or extremely large disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, 

FEMA defines different targets for three distinct event levels. The appropriate event 

level can be determined within days of a disaster declaration. It is based on the 

disaster’s projected total cost; levels of damage; amount of direct Federal assistance 

needed; level of coordination required among Federal, State, and local resources; and 

extent to which Emergency Support Functions agencies have been activated. For 

example, FEMA estimates that up to 1,200 staff would be deployed to a JFO in the 

aftermath of an Event Level 1 disaster such as Hurricane Ike. Figure 2 depicts JFO 

staffing level targets over time for the three different event levels. 

Figure 2. JFO Staffing Levels by Event Level 

Source: FEMA. 

For most disasters, within 2 weeks of the event, the JFO will be starting up or already 

operational and more detailed staffing level targets can be developed. This is done by 

aggregating the staffing patterns from individual program areas and support functions. 

The aggregate profile is then compared with the profile of similar past disasters. 

Additional adjustments are made as more information becomes available. The following 

key factors influence staffing levels: 

www.oig.dhs.gov 5 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

1.	 Scale of assistance. A disaster’s size and depth of impact will influence the 

number of applicants who need assistance and the nature of assistance required. 

For example, a multistate disaster such as Hurricane Irene will affect 

substantially more people than a tornado that destroys a few buildings in one 

small town. These factors will affect the number of staff needed. 

2.	 Level of State participation in program delivery. Each FEMA region is different, 

and so are the States that comprise each region. States tend to have differing 

levels of resources available, approaches to delivering assistance, and staffing 

response efforts. 

3.	 Number of assistance programs activated. The number of FEMA assistance 

programs activated determines program and support staff levels. Public 

Assistance staff levels are determined by the number of applicants and the 

number of anticipated Project Worksheets. Individual Assistance staff levels are 

determined by the number of applicants and whether there is a direct housing 

mission. Mitigation staff levels are determined by the amount of public outreach 

required and whether an affected community participates in the National Flood 

Insurance Program. 

4.	 Transition points. During a JFO’s operation, transition points denote when 

program areas can reduce staff. Staff associated with emergency work such as 

debris removal and emergency protective measures (EPM) are usually 

demobilized at the end of the incident period or response phase; all emergency 

work must be completed within 6 months of the declared disaster. 123 When the 

individual application period ends, reductions in Individual Assistance staff can 

begin unless there is a direct housing mission. Mitigation staff can be reduced 

when all eligible Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applicants have submitted 

their proposals. Reductions in Public Assistance staff should begin when all of 

the small and 90 percent of the large Project Worksheets have been written.4 

 

Figure 3 depicts typical transition points from the initial staffing levels to points 

when the program areas can reduce staff. 

1

 EPM eliminates or lessens immediate threats to life, public health or safety, or significant additional 


damage to improved public or private property. 


2

 Response begins when an emergency incident is imminent, or immediately after an event occurs and 


encompasses the activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident.
 

3

 The time interval during which the disaster-causing incident occurs.
 4

 FEMA or the applicant documents the scope of work and estimated cost for a project on a Project 


Worksheet (FEMA Form 90–91); in 2011, small projects have estimated costs of less than $63,900 and
 

large projects have estimated costs of that amount or more. 


www.oig.dhs.gov 6 	 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Figure 3. JFO Timeline and Transition Indicators – Event Level 1 


Source: FEMA. 

Conclusion 

FEMA deployed the appropriate number of DAEs to perform community relations work 

in response to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. We did not find sufficient 

evidence to substantiate the allegation that FEMA Headquarters deployed community 

relations personnel to a Joint Field Office that did not need them. 

Recommendations 

We are not making any recommendations. 

Management Comments and OIG Analysis 

FEMA concurs with the report and its conclusion. 

www.oig.dhs.gov 7 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 

 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Appendix A 

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) was 

established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) by amendment 

to the Inspector General Act of 1978. This is one of a series of audit, inspection, and 

special reports prepared as part of our oversight responsibilities to promote economy, 

efficiency, and effectiveness within the Department. 

We initiated this performance audit from a complaint alleging that FEMA Headquarters 

deployed community relations personnel, many with insufficient training, to a JFO that 

did not need them. Our objective was to determine the extent to which FEMA deployed 

the appropriate number of DAEs to perform community relations work in response to 

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. To achieve this objective, we obtained FEMA 

DAE deployment data for August 2011 through February 2012 and analyzed the data to 

determine whether the number of deployments was consistent with FEMA staffing level 

guidance for achieving efficient JFO operations. 

To validate the reliability of data, when necessary and practicable, we compared the 

data with source documents and other records independent of FEMA’s Automated 

Deployment Database system, such as DAE travel authorizations and vouchers, JFO 

timekeeping records, and FEMA financial records. We believe, within the scope of this 

audit, that we can reasonably rely on the data. 

To gain an understanding of the basis for the complaint and circumstances surrounding 

the deployment of DAEs to perform community relations work, we interviewed officials 

from FEMA’s Office of Federal Disaster Coordination; Office of External Affairs; Incident 

Workforce Management Office, FEMA Region II; and New Jersey and New York JFOs. To 

the extent practicable, we corroborated FEMA officials’ assertions with copies of email 

traffic. We also reviewed the results of prior audits and FEMA after-action reports. 

To gain an understanding of the policies and procedures governing DAE deployments in 

response to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, we interviewed FEMA officials and 

reviewed the following documents: FEMA Operations Order #16-2011; FEMA 

Operations Order #18-2011; FEMA Instruction 8600.1, Disaster Assistance Employee 

Program; JFO Activation and Operations Interagency Integrated Standard Operating 

Procedure; JFO Activation and Operations Interagency Integrated Standard Operating 

Procedure Appendixes and Annexes; Emergency Support Function #15 Standard 

Operating Procedures; FEMA External Affairs, Cadre Management – Standard Operating 

Procedure; FEMA Region III Activation / Deployment Standard Operating Procedure; 

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 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

FEMA Deployment of FEMA Personnel memorandum; FEMA 1-99 Director's Policy – 

Disaster Cadre Guidance and Direction memorandum; FEMA Temporary Suspension of 

Disaster Reservists’ Deployment Limits memorandum; FEMA Implementation of the 

National Incident Management System and Incident Command System during Response 

and Recovery Operations memorandum; and FEMA’s Achieving Efficient JFO Operations 

Guide. 

5 

We conducted this performance audit between March and November 2012 pursuant to 

the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, and according to generally accepted 

government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 

audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 

conclusions based upon our objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides 

a reasonable basis for our conclusions based upon our objectives. 

5

 The FEMA Administrator issued the guide in November 2010. It establishes a standard, operational, JFObased definition of administrative costs; identifies the primary components that escalate JFO administrative 

costs; defines the distinctions and provides a methodology for determining event levels; provides a 

method for using event levels and key factors to determine a JFO-specific target administrative cost 

percentage and staffing profile; provides strategic management decisions and specific tactical actions to 

control costs and develop an overall JFO cost management approach; provides parameters and methods 

for monitoring, measuring, and evaluating administrative performance; and increases transparency, 

responsibility, and accountability with respect to cost. 

www.oig.dhs.gov 9 OIG-13-94 
g . OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Appendix B 

Management Comments to the Draft Letter Report 

.S. Department ofllomd11 nd Stcurity 

Washinglon. DC 20472 

FEMA 

APR 0 8 2013 

MEMORANDUM FOR: D. Michael Beard 

Assistant Inspector General 

Office of Emergency Management Oversight 

FROM: David J. Kaufman ti l,~ Associate Administrator for 'Jfo ) 

Policy, Program Analysis and Intern tiona! Affairs 

SUBJECT: FEMA's Response to OIG Draft Report: "FEMA Deployed the 

Appropriate Number of Community Relations Employees in 

Response to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee"- For 

Official Use Only - OIG Project No. 12-116-EMO-OIG. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) appreciates the opportunity to review and 

respond to the Office of inspector Generars (OIG) DRAFT REPORT: "FEMA Deployed the 

Appropriate Number of Community Relations Employees in Response to Hurricane Irene and 

Tropical Storm Lee" - For Official Use Only- OIG Project No. 12-116-EMO-OIG. 

Your objective was to determine the extent to which FEMA deployed the appropriate number of 

Disaster Assistance Employees to perform community relations work in response to Hurricane 

Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. 

FEMA poljcy requires that, as appropriate, community relations personnel start executing their 

mission either in advance of an event or within 12 hours of an Individual Assistance declaration. 

We deployed more than 800 reservists to perform community relations work in response to 

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, given these disasters' magnitude and number of people 

affected. This amount is well within FEMA's staffing level targets and compares favorably with 

the total number of reservists deployed in response to the disasters. 

OIG determined that FEMA deployed the appropriate number of employees, given the disasters' 

magnitude and extraordinary circumstances. This report has no recommendations. FEMA 

concurs with OIG's Draft Report and its conclusion. 

Again, we thank you for the opportunity to review and respond to OIG's draft report. Should you 

have any further questions regarding our response, please do not hesitate to caJI Gary McKeon, 

FEMA Chief Audit Liaison, at 202-646-1308. 

www. fcma &ov 

www.oig.dhs.gov 10 OIG-13-94 
 

 

 

 

 

 OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security

Appendix C 

Report Distribution 

Department of Homeland Security 

Secretary 

Deputy Secretary 

Chief of Staff 

Deputy Chief of Staff 

General Counsel 

Executive Secretary 

Director, GAO/OIG Liaison Office 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Policy 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Public Affairs 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Legislative Affairs 

DHS FEMA Liaison 

Acting Chief Privacy Officer 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Administrator 

Assistant Administrator, Response 

Chief of Staff 

Chief Financial Officer 

Chief Counsel 

Audit Liaison 

Congressional Oversight and Appropriations Committees, as appropriate 

Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security 

Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security 

House Committee on Homeland Security 

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

Office of Management and Budget 

Chief, Homeland Security Branch 

DHS OIG Budget Examiner 

www.oig.dhs.gov 11 OIG-13-94 
 

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