2017 Hurricane Season 

FEMA After-Action Report

July 12, 2018
 

ii July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Letter from the Administrator to the 

Emergency Management Community 

The 2017 Hurricane Season was a devastating experience for millions of 

Americans, with more disaster survivors registering for assistance than the 

previous 10 years combined. While the Nation responded to three major 

hurricanes in quick succession—Harvey, Irma, and Maria—California 

simultaneously suffered historic wildfires. FEMA and its partners rose to 

these challenges and I am incredibly proud of how we performed in

extraordinary circumstances. Not surprisingly, the unprecedented scale 

and rapid succession of these disasters stretched response and recovery 

capabilities at all levels of government, and is transforming the way 

emergency managers prepare for and respond to disasters. The challenges 

we faced required that we innovate and deliver our programs differently. 

Looking ahead, we will take bold action to improve the Nation’s overall 

readiness and resiliency for future incidents. 

FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan builds on the lessons from 2017 and an intensive stakeholder 

engagement process to point the way forward for our Agency and the emergency management 

community. First, we must build a national culture of preparedness. Second, we must ready the Nation 

for catastrophic disasters. Third, we must reduce the complexity of FEMA, making the Agency’s 

programs and services easier and more efficient.

Building a Culture of Preparedness

Building a culture of preparedness within our communities and our government will support a national 

effort to be ready for the worst disasters—at the individual; family; community; state, local, tribal, and 

territorial (SLTT); and federal levels. Those closest to the impacted areas are the true first responders

during any emergency or disaster. In 2017, brave residents joined first responders, along with state 

and local emergency managers, non-profit organizations, the private sector, and federal staff in 

working together to serve survivors. Countless Texans and Louisianans took to their boats and rescued

fellow residents who were stranded by rising floodwaters. In Puerto Rico, “health brigades” of local 

volunteers knocked on doors to identify and assist those who could not leave. We must continue to 

support these types of life-saving activities by private citizens. In addition, we must encourage citizens 

to buy insurance and be prepared for disasters. Communities must mitigate the effects of possible 

incidents to be more resilient. 

The 2017 Hurricane Season also reminds us of the importance of preparedness of SLTT governments. 

While FEMA has and will continue to work with all levels of government to get much needed 

commodities to survivors, the hurricanes also showed that governments need to be better prepared 

with their own supplies, to have pre-positioned contracts with enforcement mechanisms, and to be 

ready for the financial implications of a disaster. Establishing “rainy day” or disaster relief funds and 

increasing awareness of federal procurement standards will help communities prepare for the initial 

outlay of expenses and ensure their eligibility for federal reimbursement. 

Readying the Nation for Catastrophic Disasters

Responding to overwhelming incidents requires emergency managers to adapt, innovate quickly, and 

engage new partners to address unanticipated impacts and cascading effects. While plans are based 

on the best information available, no disaster follows the plan. Every response requires adaptation, 

which is why flexible authorities and programs are important. 
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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

The response to the hurricanes demonstrated the need for emergency managers at all levels to improve 

collaboration with the critical infrastructure sectors. These disasters demonstrate that our current 

organizing structures are insufficient to promote this collaboration. We need to revise the National 

Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan to emphasize 

stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across the critical infrastructure sectors. As a Nation, 

closer partnerships with the private sector are crucial in providing commodities and support to survivors. 

No jurisdiction or federal agency has all the staff and resources it will need to respond to a catastrophic 

incident. During the 2017 hurricanes, state and local governments shared resources through mutual 

aid protocols, including the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Efforts to streamline 

resource sharing, such as National Incident Management System resource typing and the National 

Qualification System, can create additional capacity for emergency management programs across the 

country. By building capacity at the state and local levels, federal financial support may not require a 

federal staff presence in small disasters. 

FEMA and our territory and federal partners faced challenges supplying limited temporary power 

generation capacity, highlighting that governments at all levels and private sector owners of critical 

infrastructure need to further invest in resilient electrical grids and prepare for outages. Operable

communications are critical to effective disaster operations. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, 95 

percent of cell towers in Puerto Rico were out of service and outages continued in the ensuing months. 

As a result, local, territorial, and federal agencies faced difficulties knowing what was needed and 

where in the immediate aftermath of the storm. We must ensure survivable communications capability 

to enable coordination between government leadership and to maintain connection with the critical 

infrastructure sectors. We, as a Nation, have more work to do collectively to prepare for and respond 

to major infrastructure outages.

Reducing the Complexity of FEMA

FEMA will work with all of our partners, including Congress, to better serve survivors before, during, and 

after disasters. Some of these actions cannot be accomplished within existing authorities or by 

administrative action. Collectively, we must continue to simplify our processes and leverage new 

approaches and technology to reduce complexity and increase efficiency, focusing on outcome-based 

recovery. 

The 2017 hurricanes reinforce that there is no easy or one-size-fits-all solution to housing tens of 

thousands of displaced survivors. FEMA needs to simplify the process of applying for assistance to 

make our programs easier to navigate. SLTT officials—within and beyond the emergency management 

community—are better able to shape the future recovery of their communities. Working together, we 

can build capability to better enable federally supported, state-managed, and locally executed 

methods to shelter and house survivors.

With this report, FEMA and the emergency management community have an opportunity to learn from 

the 2017 Hurricane Season and build a more prepared and resilient Nation.

Brock Long

FEMA Administrator
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Table of Contents 

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ v

Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ vi

Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................ix

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1

Report Scope, Methodology, and Organization......................................................................................4

Scaling a Response for Concurrent, Complex Incidents ........................................................................ 6

Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 12

Staffing for Concurrent, Complex Incidents .........................................................................................14

Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 23

Sustained Whole Community Logistics Operations ..............................................................................25

Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 31

Responding During Long-Term Infrastructure Outages ........................................................................33

Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 37

Mass Care to Initial Housing Operations ..............................................................................................39

Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 47

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................49

Acronym List .........................................................................................................................................51

Appendix A: Updated Disaster Data .................................................................................................... A-1

Appendix B: Progress in National Preparedness .................................................................................B-1

Appendix C: FEMA Regions .................................................................................................................. C-1

 
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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Executive Summary 

The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season was one of the most active seasons in U.S. history, causing

widespread damage to, or destruction of, critical infrastructure, livelihoods, and property. The 

hurricane season was accompanied by devastating wildfires in California that burned for months.

Between April and November there were 17 named storms, of which 10 became hurricanes (Figure 

1). This After-Action Report focuses on three of these storms that made landfall as major hurricanes 

in the United States in quick succession. Specifically, this report focuses on the response and initial 

recovery from August 25 to November 30, 2017.

▪ On August 25, Hurricane Harvey made

landfall in Texas as a Category 4 storm.

For several days, the storm hovered

near the Houston metropolitan area

and set a record for the most rainfall

from a U.S. tropical cyclone. Of

households impacted by Hurricane

Harvey, 80 percent did not have flood

insurance.

▪ On September 6, Hurricane Irma

became one of the strongest Atlantic

hurricanes on record. The storm’s

center passed just north of the U.S.

Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and

destroyed critical infrastructure on St.

Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, as well as Puerto Rico and the

Florida Keys. Hurricane Irma was the 

first major hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 2005. The public followed evacuation orders 

as the storm approached Florida, resulting in one of the largest sheltering missions in U.S. history.

Hurricane Irma also impacted the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the states of Alabama, Georgia,

North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

▪ The center of Hurricane Maria passed southeast of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands on September 19

as a Category 5 storm, and made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm the next day.

Hurricane Maria severely damaged or destroyed a significant portion of both territories' already

fragile critical infrastructure. Maria left Puerto Rico’s 3.7 million residents without electricity. The

resulting response represents the longest sustained air mission of food and water delivery in

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) history.

In addition to the three major hurricanes making landfall, Hurricane Jose threatened the Caribbean 

and the East Coast of the United States for nearly two weeks, requiring FEMA resources and interfering 

with sea transport to the Caribbean. Similarly, Hurricane Nate made landfall near the mouth of the 

Mississippi River, but its impacts were relatively limited. Nearly simultaneously, FEMA also supported 

California in responding to some of the most devastating wildfires to ever impact the state. Last year’s 

hurricanes and wildfires came at a time when FEMA was already supporting 692 federally declared

disasters and tested the Nation’s ability to respond to and recover from multiple concurrent disasters.

Figure 1: The 2017 Hurricane Season was exceptionally 

active, with 17 named storms (source: National Hurricane 

Center). 

2017 Hurricane Season 

Storm Tracks 

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused a combined $265 billion in damage 

and resulted in widespread displacement of survivors. 
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

From Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in Texas on August 25 to the end of the 2017 Hurricane Season on 

November 30, the President granted 10 Major Disaster declarations and 10 Emergency declarations

for communities impacted by these three storms. As of April 30, 2018, FEMA had obligated $21.2

billion towards the impact of these hurricanes, including disaster assistance to survivors and the 

affected communities. FEMA coordinated large deployments of federal personnel, both before and 

after the storms’ landfalls, to support response and initial recovery efforts across 270,000 square 

miles. These deployments included over 17,000 FEMA and federal Surge Capacity Force personnel,

and nearly 14,000 staff from various offices of the Department of Defense (DoD) operating under 

DoD’s Defense Support of Civil Authorities process.

FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, comprised of state and local emergency responders,

saved or assisted nearly 9,500 lives across the three hurricanes. These numbers stand in addition to 

the thousands of lives saved or assisted by DoD, the U.S. Coast Guard, state and local first responders, 

and neighbors helping neighbors. Concurrent with response operations, FEMA moved quickly to meet 

long-term survivor needs.

The unprecedented scale, scope, and impacts of the complex combination of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, 

and Maria and the California Wildfires tested the capabilities FEMA has developed and improved since 

hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. The 2017 Hurricane Season involved major operations across multiple 

incidents that required decision-makers to rapidly observe and react to unfolding events. FEMA surged

and redeployed resources for incidents across a wide geographic area to support millions of survivors 

in their time of need.

Key Findings 

Following the 2017 Hurricane Season, FEMA conducted an After-Action Review of the Agency’s 

preparation for, immediate response to, and initial recovery operations for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, 

and Maria. The lessons learned from this review are driving targeted improvements within key areas 

of FEMA’s response and initial recovery operations. Findings from the 2017 Hurricane Season are also 

guiding FEMA’s ongoing efforts to help the whole community improve preparedness.

FEMA analyzed an extensive set of data and supporting information from across the Agency and its 

partners and identified 18 strategic-level key findings across five focus areas:

Focus Area 1: Scaling a Response for Concurrent, Complex Incidents

Key Findings 

1. FEMA leaders at all levels made major adaptations to Agency policy and programs to respond 

to significant operational challenges during the hurricane season.

2. FEMA’s plans guided response operations, but enhancements to the planning process and 

format are needed to improve usability during operations.

3. FEMA could have better leveraged open-source information and preparedness data, such as 

capability assessments and exercise findings, for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

By May 2018, nearly 4.8 million households affected by the 2017 hurricanes 

and California Wildfires registered for assistance— 

more than the previous 10 years combined. 
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Focus Area 1: Scaling a Response for Concurrent, Complex Incidents

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Leverage the new FEMA Integration Teams and technical assistance to help states build capacity

▪ Work with whole community partners to improve risk management and strengthen capabilities

▪ Create preparedness and planning products that are easily accessible, modular, inclusive, and 

readily executable

▪ Drive outcome-based recovery through expanded use of Stafford Act Section 428 Authorities for 

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures

Focus Area 2: Staffing for Concurrent, Complex Incidents

Key Findings 

4. FEMA entered the hurricane season with a force strength less than its target, resulting in staffing 

shortages across the incidents.

5. The Agency has made progress on disaster workforce certification, but had not achieved its 

targets. Field leaders reported some resultant inefficiency in program delivery.

6. FEMA strategically consolidated ongoing disaster operations facilities across the country to 

reallocate personnel to the hurricane-affected field operations, which increased capacity to 

deliver FEMA programs.

7. FEMA augmented its disaster workforce through a combination of initiatives it has used before,

as well as innovative and newly expanded methods—these initiatives met their stated intent, but 

can be matured.

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Support states in building a greater capacity to respond to and recover from disasters by 

maintaining financial support while right-sizing the federal deployment footprint

▪ Build and maintain a national incident workforce that includes emergency managers from state, 

local, tribal, and territorial governments

▪ Use the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force model to further build Incident Management 

Assistance Teams’ capability

▪ Complete a disaster workforce review within the Agency, to include incident management, 

incident support, and mission essential functions

▪ Streamline and increase certifications across FEMA’s incident workforce
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Focus Area 3: Sustained Whole Community Logistics Operations

Key Findings 

8. FEMA assumed a more active role in coordinating whole community logistics operations for 

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to these territories' preparedness challenges, 

geographic distance, and pre-existing, on-the-ground conditions.

9. While FEMA mobilized billions of dollars in commodities, the Agency experienced challenges in 

comprehensively tracking resources moving across multiple modes of transportation to Puerto 

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to staffing shortages and business process shortfalls.

10. FEMA provided logistical coordination to move and distribute commodities from staging areas 

to survivors in Puerto Rico, supplementing a role that should largely be managed and 

coordinated at the state or territory level.

11. In a three-month period, FEMA issued more contract actions than in an entire previous fiscal 

year to meet disaster requirements, which strained the Agency’s contracting personnel.

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Promote federally supported, state-managed, locally executed logistics operations

▪ Increase FEMA readiness stocks outside the continental United States

▪ Increase transportation planning, management, and contract support capacities

▪ Broaden FEMA’s capability to quickly get teams on the ground to stage and deliver key 

commodities to disaster survivors, even in the most remote locations

▪ Streamline storage and movement across multiple modes of transportation that facilitate and 

speed delivery

▪ Develop a more comprehensive understanding of local, regional, and national supply chains, as 

well as stronger relationships with critical private sector partners to support rapid restoration in 

response to catastrophic incidents

▪ Support state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in improving capability for disaster cost 

recovery, pre-event contracting and contract enforcement, and vendor-managed inventory

Focus Area 4: Responding During Long-Term Infrastructure Outages

Key Findings 

12. To overcome limited situational awareness created by the loss of communications in Puerto 

Rico, FEMA executed creative solutions to assess the situation and prioritize response activities, 

including emergency repairs to infrastructure.

13. Challenged by an inoperable telecommunications environment in Puerto Rico, FEMA had to 

adapt field communications, program delivery, and command and control activities.

14. FEMA and its federal partners installed a record number of generators to provide temporary 

power to critical infrastructure while facing significant challenges in identifying generator 

requirements and shortfalls in available generators.
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Focus Area 4: Responding During Long-Term Infrastructure Outages

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Establish a standing Power Task Force as a collaborative, steady-state partnership and transition 

it to a crisis action planning cell under Emergency Support Function #12 partners during disaster 

operations

▪ Encourage investment in redundant assets to maintain communications and supply temporary 

power

▪ Encourage critical infrastructure owners and operators, and state and local governments, to 

invest in more resilient infrastructure

▪ Include continuity and resilient all-hazards communications capabilities in plans and guidance

Focus Area 5: Mass Care to Initial Housing Operations

Key Findings 

15. FEMA supported American Red Cross and Emergency Support Function #6 partners to provide 

more than one million shelter nights within the first 60 days, while facing challenges 

transitioning survivors out of congregate sheltering.

16. In Texas and Florida, FEMA helped survivors quickly transition from congregate shelters to other

options such as hotels. However, across all operations, FEMA faced challenges implementing 

non-congregate sheltering programs.

17. FEMA created new, streamlined housing inspection procedures to reduce inspection delays.

18. FEMA applied lessons learned from recent housing operations and exercises to expand 

temporary and permanent housing solutions, including supporting a state-managed housing 

mission.

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Build capability and empower the implementation of federally supported, state-managed, locally

executed sheltering and housing solutions

▪ Improve the delivery and effectiveness of housing options, including exploring grant-making 

authority

▪ Clarify federal roles and responsibilities for housing programs, including approaches to longterm housing

▪ Evaluate and implement appropriate housing solutions, including the use of Recreation Vehicles, 

Direct Repair, and Direct Lease options

▪ Promote all-hazard insurance so that individuals can reduce their losses and speed their 

recovery 

Next Steps 

While the 2017 Hurricane Season has concluded, recovering from these devastating hurricanes will 

take years. FEMA is committed to supporting the long-term recovery of affected governments and 

survivors. In addition, FEMA has already begun acting on these recommendations to improve future 

disaster operations.
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Introduction 

In the three weeks between August 25 and September 20, hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria made 

landfall in the United States in rapid succession. These hurricanes were followed by devastating 

wildfires in California. The hurricanes and wildfires collectively affected more than 47 million people—

nearly 15 percent of the Nation’s population. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused a collective 

$265 billion in damages (Figure 2) and were each individually among the top five costliest hurricanes 

on record (Figure 3). The fact that these historic storms occurred concurrently and were followed by 

the California Wildfires presented an unprecedented scale of operations, extremely complex logistics, 

and numerous novel challenges across the 

Nation. Leaders had to determine how to allocate 

and subsequently redistribute limited resources 

across disasters. This report focuses on FEMA’s 

response and initial recovery efforts from August 

25 to November 30, 2017.

According to the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hurricane 

Harvey resulted in 103 direct and indirect 

fatalities in the United States and Hurricane Irma 

resulted in 96 direct and indirect fatalities. The 

fatality count from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico 

was being reviewed by the government of Puerto 

Rico at the time of this report.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma marked the first 

instance of two Atlantic hurricanes making landfall as Category 4 storms in the continental United 

States in the same season. Hurricane Harvey dropped more than 60 inches of rain east of Houston—

the most rain ever recorded during a single storm in the United States. Overall, Texas experienced 

significant flooding that forced 780,000 survivors from their homes, of whom more than 42,000 were 

temporarily housed in 270 shelters in the days following landfall.

Hurricane Irma impacted the U.S. Virgin 

Islands and Puerto Rico, with the 

storm’s center passing just north of the 

territories as a Category 5 hurricane on 

September 6. The storm caused high 

storm surge, flooding, extensive 

damage to buildings and infrastructure, 

and widespread power outages.

Hurricane Irma continued north and 

made landfall in the Florida Keys as a 

Category 4 hurricane on September 10 

and then made a second landfall on the 

Florida peninsula as a Category 3 

hurricane later that day. Storm surge 

and powerful winds caused heavy 

damage to infrastructure across the State. Florida jurisdictions issued evacuation orders for a recordbreaking 6.8 million people, contributing to one of the largest sheltering missions in U.S. history.

Florida housed a peak of 191,764 people in nearly 700 shelters across the State. In addition to Florida, 

Figure 3: When adjusted for inflation, the 2017 hurricanes are 

among the top five costliest on record dating back to 1980 

(source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information). 

 

Figure 2: The 2017 Hurricane Season is estimated 

to have caused $265 billion in damages and losses 

(source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental 

Information). 
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Irma also impacted the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina,

South Carolina, and Tennessee.

On September 19, the center of Hurricane Maria passed just south of the U.S. Virgin Islands as a 

Category 5 hurricane and made landfall on Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane the next day. 

Hurricane Maria was the first Category 4 storm to make landfall on Puerto Rico in 85 years. Following 

the storm, every airport and seaport in Puerto Rico was closed and even after reopening had limited

capacity for approximately seven days post-landfall due to restrictions. Less than 12 percent of the 

territory’s population had access to cell phone service in the immediate aftermath of the storm. The 

majority of the main island’s power grid was down until November 17, with outages continuing through 

May 2018. Additionally, the storm disrupted critical supply routes from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Virgin 

Islands. In sum, the three storms affected diverse geographic areas of varying size and population 

density (Figure 4).

Throughout the 2017 Hurricane Season, FEMA managed concurrent, complex incidents across 

geographically dispersed areas over a long duration of time. The Agency also coordinated with federal 

and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT), and whole community partners to accelerate the large-scale 

distribution of resources to survivors.

Figure 4: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria affected more than 28 million people in Texas, Florida, U.S. Virgin 

Islands, and Puerto Rico. 
 

3 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

As part of the Federal Government’s response to three near-simultaneous incidents, FEMA deployed 

more than 17,000 personnel, including 4,063 non-FEMA and non-Department of Defense (DoD)

federal employees through the federal Surge Capacity Force (SCF) and other methods. By comparison, 

FEMA deployed 9,971 staff for Hurricane Sandy response operations in 2012. In addition, DoD

deployed nearly 14,000 personnel to affected areas across three different FEMA regions.

Between August 25 and October 16, the President issued a total of 20 disaster or emergency 

declarations for the three storms: Hurricane Harvey (3 declarations), Hurricane Irma (13 declarations), 

and Hurricane Maria (4 declarations). Through its Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs), 

FEMA provided a forward federal presence of senior-level emergency managers to support the 

impacted states and territories in preparing for and responding to the storms. At the height of 

concurrent operations, all 28 of FEMA’s National Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces rapidly 

deployed to support life-saving operations, searching more than 30,900 structures, and saving or 

assisting nearly 9,500 people. By the end of the hurricane season on November 30, more than 4.7

million households affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria had registered for federal 

assistance with FEMA, more than all who registered for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, and Sandy 

combined.

In addition to conducting concurrent response operations for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria,

FEMA also had to take action on hurricanes Jose and Nate. The impacts from those two storms were 

minimal by comparison, but nevertheless required FEMA’s focus and resources. While Hurricane Jose 

never made landfall, FEMA deployed IMATs to three states and bolstered staging areas with additional 

commodities. Hurricane Jose also complicated Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria response efforts 

in the Caribbean by limiting sea transport of food and water as well as transit of U.S. Naval response 

assets to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Hurricane Nate made landfall as a Category 1 storm 

on October 7, striking Mississippi and Alabama in the Gulf Coast and resulting in Major Disaster 

declarations in each state.

FEMA provided over $2 billion worth of commodities to affected states and 

territories. 

Activation of National and Regional Response Coordination Centers during the 2017 Hurricane Season 

On August 25, FEMA activated the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC), the multi-agency center 

that provides overall federal support coordination for major disasters and emergencies. The NRCC

remained operational for a record-breaking 76 consecutive days coordinating concurrent operations, and 

operating at the highest federal response level for over 3 times longer than during Hurricane Sandy in 

2012. During its activation, the NRCC maintained 24/7 operations, transitioned between day and night 

shifts, and rotated teams every 7 days. This extended activation confirmed that the center’s staff were 

capable of supporting cross-Regional response operations for multiple, sequential events that vary in type, 

duration, and complexity.

In addition, FEMA activated Regional Response Coordination Centers (RRCCs) in FEMA Regions to 

coordinate overall emergency management activities with the impacted states and territories (Appendix C

includes a map of all 10 FEMA Regions):

▪ Region II supported the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; 

▪ Region IV supported Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South 

Carolina, and Tennessee; and

▪ Region VI supported Texas and Louisiana.
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Nearly simultaneously, the response to the historic wildfires across the Western United States, 

including 5 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in modern California history, required the deployment 

of additional FEMA personnel, commodities, and equipment. As of November 30, the fires had claimed 

44 lives and damaged or destroyed nearly 10,000 structures. The response to the California Wildfires 

required a greater amount of DoD contracts and mission assignments than the hurricane response in 

support of Texas and Florida combined.

As shown in Figure 5, FEMA supported 59 Major Disaster declarations and 16 Emergency declarations 

in 2017.

Report Scope, Methodology, and Organization 

This report reviews the Agency’s preparations for, immediate response to, and initial recovery from

hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, focusing on the timeframe of August 25, 2017 through November 

30, 2017. While hurricanes Jose and Nate and the California Wildfires affected resources that FEMA 

had available during the hurricane season, this report primarily focuses on FEMA’s support to the 

states and territories most impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria: Texas, Florida, Puerto 

Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. While FEMA coordinates disaster response and recovery efforts 

across the Federal Government and works closely with non-federal whole community partners, this 

report focuses on lessons learned for several key areas of internal FEMA response and initial recovery 

operations. FEMA will continue to review ongoing recovery operations and is using the findings in this 

report as well as future reports to drive improvements across the Agency’s resilience, response, and 

recovery programs.

Figure 5: During the course of an exceptionally active year of disasters, FEMA supported 75 Major and 

Emergency Disaster declarations. 
 

5 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

The 2017 Hurricane Season After-Action Report reflects a wide variety of input from FEMA and its 

whole community partners. To collect data for this report, FEMA: 

▪ Sent teams to observe and document response and recovery operations and decision-making in 

Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, RRCCs, and the NRCC;

a

▪ Interviewed hundreds of personnel, including Agency leadership and staff in headquarters, 

regional, and field offices;

▪ Developed a hurricane season chronology with more than 4,000 unique data points on key FEMA 

and selected non-FEMA federal decisions and actions for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria;

▪ Analyzed 17 different quantitative datasets to indicate how FEMA’s response efforts evolved over time;

▪ Reviewed 12 state, regional, and national-level plans; and

▪ Convened working groups comprised of subject-matter experts and stakeholders representing 13 

different FEMA components, who provided data and validation for report findings.

The balance of this report is organized into five focus areas that FEMA selected based on priorities 

from Agency leadership at headquarters, regional, and field offices (Figure 6). FEMA developed 

strategic-level key findings by synthesizing the data collected from the sources listed above with a 

focus on operational impact. These findings directly informed FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. Each 

section also includes Agency recommendations aligned to Strategic Plan objectives. Finally, Appendix 

A provides disaster data that has been updated from the original timeframe of the report through May 

2018.

a FEMA did not deploy Continuous Improvement Program staff to the U.S. Virgin Islands during the timeframe covered by 

this report. Data collection on FEMA’s operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands was conducted remotely. Teams in Florida also 

observed operations for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Figure 6: The After-Action Report covers key findings in five focus areas that span FEMA’s response 

and early recovery efforts for the 2017 Hurricane Season. 

 
 

6 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Scaling a Response for Concurrent, Complex 

Incidents 

The unprecedented combination of multiple, large, and complex disasters—such as hurricanes Harvey, 

Irma, and Maria—required FEMA to adapt to evolving disaster response and recovery needs. FEMA 

could not isolate one incident from the other, but rather apportioned and allocated resources based 

on emergency management experience in a dynamic environment. FEMA had to employ all available 

capacity in the most effective manner possible and re-allocate resources for newly emerging 

requirements (i.e., from Harvey to Irma, and then to Maria, and finally the California Wildfires). In such 

instances, FEMA often modified or quickly reinterpreted policies, programs, and authorities. The 2017 

Hurricane Season revealed areas where the Agency was both well prepared to handle these challenges 

and areas where it can improve.

Key Finding #1: FEMA leaders at all levels made major adaptations to Agency policy and 

programs to respond to significant operational challenges during the hurricane season.

FEMA’s decision-making process during the 2017 

Hurricane Season is informing the Agency’s approach to 

future concurrent, complex incidents. To address the 

challenges of this hurricane season, FEMA leaders 

adapted agency policy and programs to provide support 

to the impacted states, tribes, and territories. The Agency 

continues to assess outcomes from these decisions. This 

finding describes policy adaptations in five areas: (1) 

relocating regional staff to FEMA Headquarters; (2) statemanaged survivor housing mission; (3) updated Public 

Assistance delivery model; (4) Public Assistance 

alternative procedures, and (5) addressing deferred 

maintenance.

Relocating Regional Staff to FEMA Headquarters 

Shortly after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, FEMA leadership decided to transition 

incident support responsibilities to FEMA Headquarters, as provided for by Agency policy. The RRCC 

and NRCC are the centralized locations for the Federal Government and other partners to coordinate 

disaster support. Typically, FEMA Regions support field operations from the RRCC; however, FEMA’s 

transition policy allows for impacted Regions to transfer those responsibilities to the NRCC during 

large-scale incidents. FEMA’s transition and devolution policy does not require the temporary 

relocation of regional staff from the RRCC to the NRCC, but findings from recent exercises had 

recommended it. Thus, when primary incident support and coordination transitioned to the NRCC for 

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a number of Region II staff from each incident support section 

moved from Region II to the NRCC to improve coordination by co-locating expertise and field contacts 

of Region II staff. Although the storm did not impact the Region II RRCC operations in New York, the 

transition and subsequent relocation of regional staff allowed for consolidated operations at the NRCC.

State-Managed Survivor Housing Mission 

Given the magnitude of housing challenges facing Texas, FEMA recognized that it needed more ways 

to provide housing assistance and adapted programs to better meet the State’s needs. FEMA has 

historically led the coordination of direct housing assistance (e.g., manufactured housing units, 

recreation vehicles) through its Individuals and Households Program (IHP). To address the historic 

Figure 7: FEMA Region II personnel convene to 

review hurricane operations. 
 

7 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

scale of housing needs following Hurricane Harvey, FEMA and the State of Texas negotiated a formal

agreement to establish a state-managed housing mission, authorizing the state to provide housing 

services on behalf of FEMA. This agreement, created due to an absence of a grant-making authority,

was intended to provide Texas with greater flexibility to use its own authorities to secure housing 

solutions that met State and disaster-specific objectives, as well as develop a more streamlined 

approach to long-term recovery. This state-managed housing mission is further discussed under Key 

Finding #18.

Updated Public Assistance Delivery Model 

FEMA expedited implementation of an updated 

delivery model for the Public Assistance (PA) 

Grant Program. After an internal analysis in 2014 

revealed PA delivery model shortfalls, FEMA 

began developing a revised delivery approach 

that could more easily adapt to the size, 

complexity, and cost of recovery operations. 

FEMA initiated pilots of this updated PA delivery 

model in 2016, and had planned for it to replace 

the legacy model in early 2018. To streamline 

internal operations and improve the overall experience for local communities as they worked to rebuild 

public infrastructure damaged during the hurricane season, FEMA leadership expedited the launch of 

the updated PA delivery model on September 12,2017, amid the early responses to hurricanes Harvey 

and Irma. However, FEMA later determined that neither Puerto Rico nor the U.S. Virgin Islands had the 

capacity or the experience to effectively implement this approach.

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures 

On October 30, 2017, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico elected to use alternative procedures 

for all Public Assistance funding for permanent 

work, an approach which allows for the 

consolidation of projects and streamlines funding 

by relying on fixed estimates instead of 

documented, actual costs. Previous pilot 

programs of these alternative PA procedures 

were optional for communities on a project-byproject basis. Under normal PA procedures, 

processing all project reimbursements based on documented, actual costs can take up to several 

years. Using alternative procedures, after FEMA and the grantee agree on a total cost estimate, funding 

that corresponds with that estimate can be made available before starting permanent work. The

alternative procedures were intended to move FEMA and the Commonwealth toward outcome-based 

recovery by simplifying the funding process, reducing the time to receive federal funding, and providing

greater flexibility for Puerto Rico to rebuild its infrastructure to be more effective, efficient, and 

resilient.

Addressing Deferred Maintenance Challenges 

In responding to the challenges posed by the impact of Hurricane Maria, FEMA recognized that it 

needed additional authorities to provide support for infrastructure repair in Puerto Rico and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands. Due to poor pre-disaster infrastructure conditions in both locations, FEMA could not

determine whether some or all of post-hurricane recorded damages were attributable to the disasters. 

Additionally, FEMA could not make necessary repairs to damaged system components that remained 

connected or serviced by undamaged, outdated elements. In February 2018, Congress passed the 

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures 

Authorities 

In 2013, the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 

2013 authorized alternative procedures for Public 

Assistance. Alternative procedures allow FEMA to 

issue one consolidated grant based on a cost 

estimate rather than issuing individual grants for 

each community project. 

Public Assistance Grant Program 

Public Assistance is FEMA’s largest grant program 

and accounts for, on average, 51 percent of FEMA 

grant funding. The program provides emergency 

assistance to save lives and protect property, and 

assists communities with repairing public 

infrastructure affected by federally declared 

incidents. 
 

8 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The law gives FEMA additional authorities under Section 428 of the 

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988, as amended (Stafford Act). 

Under this law, FEMA can provide assistance for critical services to replace or restore components of 

the facility or system that are not damaged by the disaster when those repairs are necessary to fully 

effectuate the replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged components to restore the function of 

the facility or system to industry standards. These provisions will improve the resilience of electric, 

communications, and other critical facilities in the territories.

Key Finding #2: FEMA’s plans guided response operations, but enhancements to the 

planning process and format are needed to improve usability during operations.

FEMA planners collaborate with SLTT partners to develop plans before disasters. FEMA and its 

partners draw on a range of available data, including the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk 

Assessment (THIRA) and State Preparedness Report (SPR), to inform these plans (See Key Finding 

#3). The plans describe how FEMA and the jurisdiction will respond to and recover from incidents, and 

include planning assumptions. Plans aim to align operations with their needs among interagency 

Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) and whole community partners. Plans provide responders with 

an understanding of the concept of operations, critical considerations for crisis action planning, 

options for adapting to unmet needs, and sufficient detail to help expedite ordering resources and 

moving commodities and people.

Prior to the hurricane season, FEMA had plans in place with each of the affected states and territories, 

and had either recently updated the plan or had committed to performing an update of all such plans.

FEMA plans are developed based on a FEMA Operational Planning Manual that provides a standard 

methodology and structure, while allowing flexibility for the FEMA Regions to meet the specific needs 

and preferences of the supported state or territory. As a result, the plans across the three Regions had 

varying levels of detail on the tasks to be executed and ways to address potential challenges. The 

extent to which plans integrated response and recovery operational tasks also varied.

Table 1: FEMA consulted various plans to inform disaster operations during the 2017 Hurricane Season.

Applicable Plans Consulted to Inform Operations

National

Federal Interagency Operational Plans, Response & 

Recovery Developed 2016

Power Outage Incident Annex Developed 2016

Catastrophic Housing Annex Developed 2012, 

Update underway

Hurricane Harvey 

Region VI All Hazards Plan Developed 2013, 

Update begins in 2018

Texas Hurricane Plan Developed 2017, 

Update yearly

Hurricane Irma 

(Florida)

Region IV All Hazards Plan Developed 2012, 

Update begins in 2018

Florida Tropical Storm Incident Annex Developed 2015

Region IV Hurricane Incident Annex Developed 2016

Hurricane Irma/Maria 

(Caribbean)

Region II All Hazards Plan Developed 2012, 

Update begins in 2019

Outside Continental United States Hurricane 

Response Plan

Developed 2014, 

Update underway

Hurricane Irma 

(U.S. Virgin Islands)

U.S. Virgin Islands Earthquake and Tsunami 

Operational Plan Developed 2012

Hurricane Maria 

(Puerto Rico) Puerto Rico Earthquake and Tsunami Operational Plan Developed 2012
 

9 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

The goal of the planning process and written plan is to facilitate effective unity of effort, organization, 

communication, and action to manage dynamic situations. In Texas, hurricane response plans 

reflected inter-state agreements for the disaster support Texas would receive and helped FEMA 

estimate how much federal support would be required to respond to Hurricane Harvey. The plans 

included information updated as recently as June 2016 on evacuation procedures, resource 

distribution networks, and logistics facilities. 

In Florida, plans developed by FEMA and the State in 2015 and 2016 provided accurate estimates of 

disaster impacts before on-the-ground assessments were possible. The plans anticipated significant 

short-term sheltering needs following Hurricane Irma, and informed mass care operations to help 

provide basic needs for the 191,764 survivors in congregate shelters. Further, the plans accurately 

anticipated the loss of power to six million customers, and accounted for the state’s ability to restore 

most communications and power within approximately one week.

The fact that the planning assumptions for the Texas and Florida hurricane plans were similar to the 

ultimate incidents (Table 2) illustrates how planning can help to expedite and inform decision making 

to quickly manage a crisis situation. 

Table 2: Comparison of key planning assumptions and field reports in Texas and Florida. 

Disaster Impact Planning Assumption 2017 Field Report

Texas 

Points of Distribution (POD) Projected a need to support up to 80 

PODs 41 PODs were required 

State-to-State Mutual Aid 

Support

Anticipated states would activate 

mutual aid agreements to provide 

support

34 states and 1 territory provided 

mutual aid support

Florida 

Power Outages Projected 31.3% of residents would 

lose power 31.8% of residents lost power 

Short-term Sheltering Projected a need to shelter 349,799 

survivors

191,764 survivors sought temporary 

shelter

Hospitals Impacted Projected 15% of hospitals would be 

impacted 16% of hospitals were impacted

Figure 8: Planning assumptions underestimated impacts of 2017 hurricanes in Puerto Rico. 
 

10 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

The planning assumptions for a hurricane, earthquake, or tsunami striking Puerto Rico and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands under-estimated the actual requirements in 2017 (Figure 8), which necessitated FEMA 

depend on crisis action planning (see description below) during the incident to address the shortfalls 

in the planning assumptions.

For example, the plans did not address insufficiently maintained infrastructure (e.g., the electrical grid), 

which explained some of the differences between the expected and actual impacts (see Key Finding 

#3). In addition, they did not address financial liquidity challenges facing the Territorial government.

Planning During Operations 

As multiple, complex incidents occurred in quick succession in 2017, FEMA employed a number of 

planning strategies to adapt to previously unforeseen situations during the hurricane season. These 

strategies can inform future improvements to the planning process.

Crisis Action Planning to Address New Challenges

The Agency employed a crisis action planning 

process across its programs and with its 

interagency partners to address challenges not 

accounted for in the plans. For example, amid 

operations for Hurricane Harvey, planners 

looked ahead to begin estimating requirements 

to respond to a potential Hurricane Irma landfall 

on U.S. Virgin Islands, and then on Florida, and 

again for hurricanes Jose, Nate, and Maria.

Requirements for concurrent, complex incidents 

contributed to the need for crisis action planning. 

Existing plans were developed for the occurrence 

of a single incident, rather than concurrent 

incidents. In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, the plans assumed that at least one 

incident support base—a commodity distribution staging area—in either Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin 

Islands would survive the impact of a major hurricane and that all commodities destined for one 

impacted territory would flow through the other. Hurricanes Irma and Maria affected both territories’ 

incident support bases, forcing FEMA to find alternative ways to manage commodities during initial 

response operations.

Plans also did not sufficiently anticipate situations in which state or territory government officials would 

be unable to meet their responsibilities to manage operational or resource requirements due to a lack 

of communications or other capability shortfalls.

When hurricanes Irma and Maria followed Hurricane Harvey in quick succession across multiple states 

and FEMA Regions, the Agency responded by adapting its functions. For instance, the lack of available 

lodging for responders necessitated the quick identification of berthing ships to account for the lack 

of hotels and space for soft-sided shelters. Massive competing requirements for fuel and for 

transferring fuel from storage to fuel trucks necessitated the formulation of fuel truck routing, 

prioritizations, and sourcing additional vehicles and drivers. Private sector partners assisted FEMA in 

planning for an unprecedented movement of personnel and material.

Planning to Manage Time and Distance Challenges to Logistics

To better inform deployment and logistical support decision making, FEMA planners have increasingly 

employed the practice of pre-disaster resource phasing planning. While FEMA had committed to 

updating the Region II Caribbean Response Plan just before the 2017 Hurricane Season, operators 

Crisis Action Planning Teams 

Throughout the hurricane season, FEMA stood-up 

multiple Crisis Action Planning (CAP) teams—crossprogrammatic groups of Agency experts—to analyze 

and deliver recommendations to FEMA leadership 

on a range of complex issues. Five CAP teams 

supported work in the following critical areas: 

▪ Private sector and supply chain management; 

▪ Power restoration; 

▪ Responder lodging; 

▪ Petroleum fuel; 

▪ Survivor sheltering and housing; and 

▪ Surge disaster staffing. 
 

11 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

did not have an existing Resource Phasing Plan (RPP) during the response. Instead, based on lessons 

from other past RPP efforts, FEMA planners developed an RPP during response operations for the flow 

of resources into Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands following the passage of hurricanes Irma and 

Maria based on the maximum resources that can be shipped via air or sea. The RPP was developed in 

conjunction with the ESFs, used to inform the priority movements of resources through air and sea 

modes of transportation, and updated daily to accommodate changes in movement capability.

Understanding and Accommodating Infrastructure Interdependencies

The cascading impacts experienced across the infrastructure sectors, exacerbated by deferred 

maintenance issues, severely complicated the private sector’s ability to return to normal operations.

The interdependencies amongst the sectors also added a multitude of non-traditional operational 

support requirements upon federal supporting agencies. For instance, FEMA’s plans did not anticipate 

the massive requirements to directly assist electricity, telecommunications, and fuel sector utilities 

with air and sea movement. Further, plans did not anticipate the need to move critical pharmaceutical 

supplies off Puerto Rico to meet national demands. The current federal operational planning process 

has begun to take into account private sector partnerships; however, the federal concepts of 

operations, including the National Response Framework, remain limited to federal assets in support 

of the states or territories. Crisis action planning and coordination with the infrastructure sectors during 

the incident assisted with identifying these requirements and helping to prioritize limited resources.

Key Finding #3: FEMA could have better leveraged open-source information and 

preparedness data, such as capability assessments and exercise findings, for Puerto Rico 

and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

FEMA leadership acknowledged that the Agency could have better anticipated that the severity of 

hurricanes Irma and Maria would cause long-term, significant damage to the territories’ infrastructure. 

Leadership also recognized that emergency managers at all levels could have better leveraged existing 

information to proactively plan for and address such challenges, both before and immediately after

the hurricanes.

Fiscal and Deferred Maintenance Challenges Facing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 

All jurisdictions face challenges in preparing for

and managing large-scale incidents. In Puerto 

Rico, fiscal pressures limited investments and 

maintenance in critical infrastructure, including 

the electrical system, and decreased funding for

emergency management. When hurricanes Irma 

and Maria struck Puerto Rico, the territory was

$74 billion in debt and its economy had 

contracted nearly 15 percent during the 

preceding 10 years. Likewise, the U.S. Virgin 

Islands reported a $30 million budget shortfall in 

2014. As both territories faced fiscal challenges, 

spending for emergency management declined or 

stagnated at relatively low levels between 2013 

and 2017.

Challenges with Existing Preparedness 

Information 

FEMA collected information on jurisdictions’ preparedness for responding to disasters in a variety of 

ways, including through exercise after-action reports, THIRA and SPR data, grant expenditure data, 

Emergency Management Assistance Compact 

Emergency Management Assistance Compact 

(EMAC) is an all-hazards, all-discipline mutual aid 

compact that allows states to send personnel, 

equipment, and commodities to assist with 

response and recovery efforts in other states. EMAC 

was most effective this hurricane season where 

FEMA and states had previously included use of the 

compact in pre-disaster planning and preparedness 

activities, such as in Texas and Florida. There were 

some concerns regarding Puerto Rico’s ability to 

reimburse states that provided assistance under 

EMAC, but EMAC Liaison Team leaders noted that 

some states are inclined to respond to EMAC 

requests without consideration of reimbursement. 
 

12 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

and other preparedness measures. FEMA routinely analyzes this information, in part, to determine 

how the Agency can help build and supplement the emergency preparedness capabilities of its state 

and territorial partners and to inform steady-state plans (see Key Finding #2). 

FEMA has used this information to inform 

response activities. Response planners used 

results from the THIRA and SPR to inform

planning for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and 

Maria. While some data were more helpful 

than others, FEMA staff at multiple levels 

indicated that existing preparedness data

would need to be more specific to aid the 

Agency in adjusting its response operations 

and supporting actionable operational 

decisions. FEMA recognized this limitation

before the 2017 Hurricane Season and had 

begun developing new THIRA and SPR 

methodologies to provide more actionable 

information, but those new methods were not 

in effect in 2017.

Exercises are another useful tool for jurisdictions to identify emergency preparedness capability

strengths and shortfalls, which can then be used to inform future preparedness efforts and response 

operations. For example, by the time Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, pre-disaster training and exercises 

proved to be critical in Florida’s ability to efficiently execute mutual aid agreements. In other instances, 

FEMA and its partners could have better leveraged exercise data. FEMA faced challenges in the 

Caribbean during the hurricane season, as discussed further in Key Finding #10, which it could have 

anticipated based on findings from exercises. A 2011 exercise after-action report for Puerto Rico

anticipated that the territory would require extensive federal support in moving commodities, including 

from the mainland to the territory and to distribution points throughout the territory. An after-action 

report from the 2014 Alaska Shield National Level Exercise noted that resource delivery timelines were 

longer than expected when working outside the continental United States and that a lack of staff at 

resource staging areas contributed to challenges in tracking and managing commodity deliveries. 

Recommendations 

To enhance the Nation’s capability to respond 

to and recover from incidents, FEMA must

implement a cross-sector approach to the 

Agency’s planning, organizing, response, and 

recovery operations. Complex catastrophes 

threaten the cross-cutting lifelines society 

relies on to function, such as water and 

power. While these lifelines span jurisdictions 

and public and private sector divisions, 

government response efforts continue to be 

organized along self-imposed divides that 

fragment the physical and social landscape of 

affected areas. This new approach should

account for the capabilities of the private 

sector both before and during incidents. The

critical infrastructure sectors, which the

Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk 

Assessment and State Preparedness Report Data 

Each year, states, territories, major urban areas, and 

tribes conduct a risk assessment, called the THIRA, to 

better understand their risks and set targets for their 

preparedness capabilities. States and territories also 

conduct an annual capability assessment, called the 

SPR, to evaluate their current preparedness 

capabilities against the targets set in the THIRA. 

Jurisdictions use the capability gaps identified in the 

THIRA and SPR processes to inform planning, grant 

investments strategies, and other decision making.

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of 

critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors 

▪ Leverage the new FEMA Integration Teams and 

technical assistance to help states build capacity 

▪ Work with whole community partners to improve 

risk management and strengthen capabilities 

▪ Create preparedness and planning products that 

are easily accessible, modular, inclusive, and 

readily executable 

▪ Drive outcome-based recovery through expanded 

use of Stafford Act Section 428 Authorities for 

Public Assistance Alternative Procedures 
 

13 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate support, and

National, Regional, and State Business Emergency Operations Centers provide an operational and 

informational architecture, but the emergency management community collectively lacks a doctrinal 

foundation to organize and unify national efforts.

To codify the way forward, FEMA should work with its partners and the White House to revise the current

National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan 

to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and create a cross-sector coordination emergency 

support function and coordinating structures (e.g., business emergency operation centers). The National 

Response Framework sets the strategy and doctrine for how the whole community builds, sustains and delivers 

capabilities across the Response mission area. The accompanying Response Federal Interagency Operational 

Plan describes how the Federal Government aligns resources and delivers capabilities. The new Framework 

and Federal Interagency Operational Plan should prescribe unity of effort through rapid stabilization 

around lifelines such as power, communications, health and medical, food and water, wastewater, and 

transportation. The rapid stabilization of the lifelines would be the organizing principle of the doctrine.

Since these lifelines span ESFs, Sector-Specific Agencies (SSAs), and core capabilities, FEMA and its 

public and private sector partners should revise the current National Response Framework to create 

a cross-sector coordination emergency support function (ESF #14, which was formerly Long-Term 

Community Recovery, could be repurposed to this new mission). The revision would cement in doctrine 

and practice the public-private sector partnership that is essential to stabilization and unity of effort, and 

bring new capacity to whole community response operations.

FEMA is placing its personnel in state emergency management offices to jointly plan with states and 

territories to build their capabilities. FEMA is leveraging these new FEMA Integration Teams and 

technical assistance to help states build their capacity. These teams, called for in the Agency’s 2018-

2022 Strategic Plan, are working with their counterparts to increase state planning, logistics, and 

mitigation capabilities. By increasing direct engagement, FEMA can build a more in-depth collective 

understanding of capabilities, gaps, and risks; better understand the readiness of our partners and 

their needs during a disaster; and focus planning processes on the most consequential risks. These 

teams will contribute to achieving national unity of effort and the “federally supported, state-managed, 

and locally executed” relationship that is the backbone of our Nation’s emergency management system.

In addition, FEMA is working with whole community partners to improve risk management and 

strengthen capabilities to adopt a new assessment methodology that requires all states, territories, 

tribes, and major urban areas to use standard, outcome based language to set objectives and assess 

their current capabilities against those objectives. These standardized targets reflect critical and 

measurable elements of managing risk, and respondents can use them to inform planning, exercises, 

evaluation, and continuous improvement, leading to stronger community-based capabilities. Further, 

before an incident, FEMA and its key public and private sector partners should improve their collective 

capacity to capture and organize data on critical lifelines. With more accurate data that increased 

collaboration will provide, FEMA should focus on making preparedness and planning products easily 

accessible, modular, inclusive, and readily executable. Finally, FEMA should review the effectiveness 

of the use of Section 428 of the Stafford Act authorities to achieve outcome-based recovery. FEMA 

should continue to use these authorities to better guide efficient recovery operations.

FEMA Strategic Plan Alignment 

▪ Objective 1.4, Better Learn from Past Disasters, Improve Continuously, and Innovate, highlights the 

importance of self-evaluation and continuous improvement.

▪ Objective 2.2, Enhance Intergovernmental Coordination through FEMA Integration Teams, looks to 

improve how FEMA directly engages with its partners by enhancing presence with emergency 

management colleagues at the state.
14 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Staffing for Concurrent, Complex Incidents 

When Hurricane Harvey made 

landfall in Texas, FEMA already had

692b open disasters. Of that total, it 

had staff deployed to 32 disasters 

across 19 field offices. The President 

approved an additional 30 

declarations between August and 

November (Figure 9).c The severity of 

three concurrent major hurricanes 

required FEMA to deploy a high 

number of staff to each affected 

area. FEMA leadership recognized 

early that the unprecedented 

demands for staff to support widescale response efforts, in addition to 

existing response and recovery 

operations to other disasters, would exceed the Agency’s organic capabilities. To overcome these 

staffing challenges, FEMA implemented innovative methods to augment the disaster workforce. FEMA 

can formalize and improve many of the innovative solutions that were implemented effectively to meet 

this historic demand.

By November 30, FEMA had deployed more than 17,000 people, in total, to the disasters, which included 

FEMA’s workforce (i.e., force strength, later defined in Key Finding #4) and staff augmenting FEMA’s 

workforce. Deployments ranged from days to months. The total number of overall staff deployed on a 

single day peaked at 11,775 across the concurrently affected states; the number of FEMA staff deployed 

peaked at 5,887. The fact that FEMA deployed thousands of non-Agency staff illustrates the measures 

FEMA took to supplement its capabilities (see Figure 10).

b This total includes emergency, major, and fire management assistance declarations.

c FEMA field offices active between August 25 and November 30. FEMA closed offices to rebalance staff to support 

response operations for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and other closures were previously planned.

Figure 9: Open FEMA field offices between August 25 and 

November 30. 

Figure 10: Total FEMA staff deployments between August 25 and November 30.
 

15 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Key Finding #4: FEMA entered the hurricane season with a force strength less than its target, 

resulting in staffing shortages across the incidents.

The Agency uses the metrics of force strength and force structure to: (1) estimate the staffing needed 

to respond to incidents given certain planning factors; (2) determine the Agency’s ability to respond to 

current and future disasters; and (3) analyze the number of disaster response personnel available 

against that target.

Force structure establishes the estimated incident personnel staffing requirements for FEMA. FEMA’s 

force structure as of 2017, which was based on a 2015 analysis, estimated that the Agency required 

16,305 disaster management personnel. FEMA determined that figure based on a planning assumption 

that would allow the Agency to respond to two Level 1 incidents, four Level 2 incidents, and three Level 

3 incidents.

d Based on historical requirements, FEMA estimated that 6,630 staff were required to 

support one Level 1 incident, a number greater than the peak staff at any of the 2017 hurricanes. While 

only 10 Level 1 incidents had taken place between 1997 and 2014, FEMA responded to five Level 1 

incidents in 2017.

Force strength is the actual number 

of personnel in FEMA’s incident 

workforce cadrese who have 

completed the administrative 

requirements for deployment.

Force strength does not include 

FEMA employees who do not have 

a primary incident management 

position, FEMA employees who 

supported response operations 

from their home office, or the 

methods of staff augmentation 

covered in Key Finding #7.

FEMA has made progress in 

increasing its force strength, but 

was short of its target during the 

2017 Hurricane Season. As of 

August 2017, FEMA’s force 

strength was 10,683—which was 

86 percent of its target for Fiscal 

Year (FY) 17 (see Figure 11 for a

breakdown per cadre).

f g

 

d Level 1: Incident requires extraordinary coordination among federal and SLTT entities due to massive levels 

and breadth of damage, severe impact or multi-state scope. Level 2: Incident requires a high amount of direct 

federal assistance for response and recovery efforts and elevated coordination among federal and SLTT entities. 

Level 3: Incident requires coordination among involved federal and SLTT entities.

e Incident workforce cadres are functional organizations responsible for response and recovery operations.

f Cadres are arranged in the graphic from largest to smallest based on force structure. The largest cadre’s (IA) 

force structure is 2,932 and the smallest cadre’s (ADR) force structure is 57.

g ACQ- Acquisitions, ADR- Alternative Dispute Resolution, DEC- Disaster Emergency Communications, DFTODisaster Field Training Officer, DI- Disability Integration, DSA- Disaster Survivor Assistance, EA- External Affairs, 

EHP- Environmental and Historic Preservation, ER- Equal Rights, FCO- Federal Coordinating Officer, FM- Financial 

Management, HM- Hazard Mitigation, HR- Human Resources, IA- Individual Assistance, IT- Information 

Figure 11: Cadre force strength compared to FY 17 goal. 

(See footnote below for cadre definitions.) 
 

16 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Between August 25 and November 30, FEMA deployed 73 percent of its force strength to support

disaster operations. The responses to hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, in combination with the

California Wildfires and other ongoing disasters, imposed an unprecedented strain on FEMA’s disaster 

workforce. Figure 12h shows FEMA’s force strength deployments to hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and 

Maria.

In addition to staffing shortfalls, FEMA nearly exhausted staff for two forms of specialized response 

teams, the Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) teams and IMATs. Table 3 shows the days 

which had the lowest percentage of available 

IMAT and MERS resources. FEMA maintains three 

Type 1 and 13 Type 2 IMATs. FEMA deployed 12 

IMATs to the hurricane-affected localities and 

deployed the four remaining teams to other 

incidents across the country. Given the number of 

near-simultaneous incidents, FEMA senior 

leadership expressed concerns regarding the

shortage of available IMATs. To address the 

shortfall, FEMA redeployed IMATs and assembled 

additional personnel into ad hoc teams to fill 

necessary gaps.

 

Technology, LOG-Logistics, NDRS- National Disaster Recovery System, OCC-Office of Chief Council, OPSOperations, PA- Public Assistance, PL-Planning, SAF- Safety, SEC- Security.

h FEMA force strength staffing in Puerto Rico peaked at 1,221 on December 6, 2017.

Table 3: Percent of specialized team deployments 

and availability. 

Team Number of Deployed and 

Available Teams

Type 1 IMATs as of 

September 20

Deployed: 3

Available: 0 (0%)

Type 2 IMATs as of 

September 20

Deployed: 13

Available: 0 (0%)

MERS as of 

September 23

Deployed: 34

Available: 2 (5.5%)

FEMA Cadre Staffing

The Agency expressed concern about cadre staffing levels throughout the 2017 Hurricane Season because 

staffing shortfalls posed potential risks to response and recovery operations. From August 25 to November 11:

▪ 13 of FEMA’s 23 cadres were operating at 25 percent or lower staffing levels for 45 days or more

▪ Eight of these cadres were at less than 25 percent for approximately 70 days, including: DI, DSA, EHP, ER, HM, 

IA, IT, LOG, SAF, and SEC

Figure 12: Peak FEMA force strength deployments between August 25 and November 30. 
 

17 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Key Finding #5: The Agency has made progress on disaster workforce certification, but had

not yet achieved its targets. Field leaders reported some resultant inefficiency in program 

delivery.

Shortly before Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Agency implemented the performance-based FEMA 

Qualification System (FQS) to track and measure the knowledge and skills of its incident management 

workforce. Over the past five years, FEMA has implemented and refined FQS, including: (1) realigning 

tasks that staff must perform for certification; (2) reducing the time to achieve certification; and (3) 

expanding FQS functionality during complex incidents. To become certified through FQS, an employee 

must meet training, experience, and job skill requirements for a given FQS position. FEMA uses its 

Deployment Tracking System to record deployments, certification status, and field requests for 

personnel.

The Agency has a workforce certification target of 80 percent. On August 27, 56 percent of incident 

management employees were considered certified, according to all current FQS requirements. Figure 

13 shows that the workforce initially deployed to Texas had a high number of certified personnel, 

although that number fell as the disaster stabilized and hurricanes Irma and Maria struck the United 

States. However, incident management employees deployed to Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 

Puerto Rico had lower certification rates initially due to competing demands for certified staff. Despite 

initial differences, the average certification rate in each incident location differed from one another 

and from the agency-wide average by less than seven percentage points.

As seen in Figure 14,

i j 19 of the 23 workforce cadres did not meet their target certification rate for FY 

17. Due to this shortage, FEMA was unable to fill crucial positions in field offices with certified staff. 

Historically, FEMA staff have reported that relatively low certification rates may negatively impact 

program delivery. For example, tasks could take longer to perform, and supervisors with limited 

training could be overstretched.

 

i The Public Assistance (PA) cadre overhauled its qualifications in 2017, which causes their qualification rate to appear 

artificially low.

j Cadres are arranged in the graphic from largest to smallest based on force structure. The largest cadre’s (IA) force 

structure is 2,932 and the smallest cadre’s (ADR) force structure is 57.

Figure 13: Certification rate of FEMA personnel assigned by Hurricane from August 26 to November 30. 
 

18 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

In the face of these certification

shortages, the Agency adapted to 

meet mission needs. For example,

FEMA awarded some employees

field promotions to fill leadership 

gaps. Many of these field leaders 

proved valuable additions to the 

disaster workforce and many have 

retained their certifications based 

on demonstrated performance.

Field promotions, however, placed

staff in positions beyond their 

experience and, in some instances, 

beyond their capabilities.

The current certification process

also does not consistently reflect 

employees’ proficiencies in 

performing field tasks. Field 

interviews indicated that numerous 

less-experienced and less-trained 

staff could perform their duties at 

the certified level during the 

hurricane season even though they 

were not FQS-certified. The Agency 

temporarily changed certification

procedures during the hurricane season to more rapidly certify employees who had demonstrated their 

skills outside the traditional process. FEMA instituted interim changes, including certifying staff who 

were successfully serving in positions, waiving certain training requirements, and training personnel 

at the field offices.

Key Finding #6: FEMA strategically consolidated ongoing disaster operations facilities across 

the country to reallocate personnel to the hurricane-affected field operations, which 

increased capacity to deliver FEMA programs.

In anticipation of concurrent impacts from Hurricane Irma, FEMA leadership transitioned staff in 

existing field offices to hurricane-affected areas. On September 4, FEMA began to transition 9 active 

field officesk supporting 13 disasters to its regional offices prior to their anticipated closure date. All 

field offices that FEMA temporarily transitioned were performing recovery operations. While regional 

Agency leadership had the option to resume field office operations following the hurricane response, 

none did. The respective FEMA regional offices assumed responsibility for supporting these operations 

once the field offices transitioned.

 

k A temporary coordination center established locally to manage response and recovery efforts. 

Table 4: FEMA redeployed staff to hurricane-affected field offices. 

Within 15 Days Within 30 days Within 60 Days Within 90 days

Number of Staff Redeployed 

to Harvey, Irma, or Maria 182 223 234 242

Cumulative Percentage of 

Redeployed Staff 61% 75% 79% 81%

Figure 14: FEMA cadre certification rates (in blue) compared to target 

(in gray), as of August 21. 
 

19 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

A total of 298 staff demobilized from the nine transitioned field offices. Some staff remained deployed 

to other active field offices to support disaster operations. Of the 298 staff that were demobilized, 

FEMA redeployed 242 personnel (81 percent) within 90 days to support the hurricanes (Table 4).

In order to adjudicate particular staffing needs with field leadership, FEMA made every effort to 

redistribute these personnel equitably across the active disaster areas. Of the 242 responders 

transitioned to hurricane response efforts from other FEMA operations, roughly half (49 percent) were 

in management-level positions in existing field offices, including a highly experienced Federal 

Coordinating Officer. This effort allowed FEMA to provide additional management staff to support lifesaving and life-sustaining efforts in the hurricane-affected areas that otherwise would have been 

unavailable.

Key Finding #7: FEMA augmented its disaster workforce through a combination of initiatives 

it has used before, as well as innovative and newly expanded methods—these initiatives met 

their stated intent, but can be matured.

Faced with three major hurricanes and insufficient organic staff to respond, FEMA acted decisively to 

supplement its disaster workforce. FEMA used a variety of conventional mechanisms to augment its 

workforce throughout the hurricane season, including local hires, contract staff, mission assignments,

FEMA Corps, and National Processing Service Center (NPSC) surge staff. The Agency also implemented 

innovative staff augmentation methods using the SCF, and State Supplemental Staffing to add to its 

organic staff resources.

FEMA took numerous steps to counteract staffing shortfalls, including canceling Pre-Approved NonAvailabilityl

for reservist employees, extending the deployments of full-time employees (who do not 

traditionally work in the field for extended periods), extending SCF deployments, centralizing 

deployment operations from field and regional offices to headquarters, and deploying new personnel 

directly from an abbreviated onboarding program. Figure 15 illustrates the sequence of the various 

staff augmentation mechanisms and policies FEMA used by date.

 

l A special form of unpaid time during which a Reservist is unavailable. This designation is only available to Reservists when 

they are not activated for deployment.

Figure 15: FEMA implemented initiatives to augment its disaster workforce during the hurricane response. 
 

20 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

By augmenting staff, FEMA mitigated staffing shortages. Figure 16m shows all staff deployed by FEMA 

field office, including the following types of augmentation staff: FEMA Corps, Local Hires, and SCF.

n In 

addition to the staff transferred from transitioned field offices listed in Key Finding #6, FEMA 

redeployed 2,961 responders to an incident area to support ongoing response operations from August 

21 to November 30.

Conventional Augmentation Methods 

FEMA relied on established workforce programs to augment its disaster workforce, and used Personnel 

Mobilization Centers (PMC) in Denton, Texas, and Anniston, Alabama, to equip and train staff. 

FEMA deployed 63 FEMA Corps teams consisting of roughly 430 members to support operations in 

Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. FEMA Corps is an emergency management service program within the 

Corporation for National and Community Service that deploys young adults aged 18-24 over a 10-

month service term. FEMA deployed FEMA Corps teams early in Hurricane Harvey, with 41 teams 

arriving within 15 days of the disaster declaration starting on August 27. In addition, FEMA used four 

ad hoc FEMA Corps teams with Spanish-speaking members to supplement staff in Puerto Rico.

 

m The graph covers only FEMA-deployed personnel. Puerto Rico had a proportionately higher number of DoD and National 

Guard Bureau personnel (10,602 on November 9, according to FEMA field reports) than other disasters, which supplemented 

FEMA staff.

n On January 26, staffing in Puerto Rico peaked at 2,997; the number of staff decreased after that date.

Personnel Mobilization Centers 

FEMA opened a PMC in Denton, Texas for Hurricane Harvey and in Anniston, Alabama, for hurricanes Irma 

and Maria. FEMA uses PMCs to receive, equip, and deploy emergency responders. Over 1,700 staff mobilized 

through the Denton PMC, and more than 5,000 mobilized through the Anniston PMC— the most ever. 

Figure 16: FEMA total deployments by disaster area between August 25 and November 30. 
 

21 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Local Hires are residents from the affected area who 

FEMA hires to assist in response operations from 

120 days up to one year. FEMA expedited the local 

hiring process in response to hurricanes Harvey, 

Irma, and Maria, hiring 4,095 local hires from 

August to November. Because of the training and 

experience local hires receive, they represent a 

future emergency management capability in 

affected states and territories.

A Mission Assignment (MA) is an order that FEMA 

issues to another federal agency directing the 

completion of a specific task. During the hurricane 

season, FEMA not only used MAs to support response and recovery operations through capabilities 

from other federal agencies, but also mission assigned other federal agencies for supplementary staff, 

including interpreters and external affairs experts. 

National Processing Service Center (NPSC)

call center specialists accept calls from 

survivors seeking federal disaster 

assistance. FEMA used NPSC Surge to 

augment its call-taking force from 590 to a 

peak of 7,377 through FEMA staff, selected

federal agencies, contractors, and local 

hires. Figure 18 shows the peak staffing 

amount of each type of NPSC Surge during 

this hurricane season.

FEMA uses Technical Assistance Contracts to 

supplement and support FEMA staff and to 

provide technical expertise, particularly in 

Public Assistance (PA) and Individual Assistance (IA) program execution. FEMA faced challenges with 

the contracting process due to the number of newly hired contractors, inflexible job descriptions, and 

high turnover rates during longer deployments. Further, FEMA struggled to process the high volume of 

contractor security requests. 

Innovative Force Augmentation Methods 

In addition to conventional mechanisms to augment its workforce, FEMA implemented innovative 

solutions to meet the increased staffing needs during the hurricane season.

The Surge Capacity Force program deploys non-FEMA federal employees in the aftermath of a disaster 

to support response and recovery efforts. FEMA had used the SCF only once before in response to 

Hurricane Sandy, with a total of 1,194 members from DHS supporting operations for that storm. Across 

hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, FEMA deployed 2,740 individuals from eight DHS components, 

with 701 responders deploying for more than 45 days. FEMA also expanded SCF to agencies outside 

DHS for the first time, including 34 federal departments and agencies in the program, increasing SCF

personnel by 1,323 employees.

Figure 17: First round of FEMA Local Hires in Puerto 

Rico after Hurricane Maria. 

Figure 18: FEMA deployed multiple NPSC surge employee 

types to support disaster survivor calls. 
 

22 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

In total, 4,063 non-FEMA federal employees, more than three times the amount FEMA surged for 

Hurricane Sandy, deployed to the hurricane-affected areas. FEMA rostered an additional 6,334 

volunteers from various federal agencies through November 30 to support future disaster operations.

Figure 19 shows the total SCF deployments by location from August 25 to November 30.

While the SCF met its intent of injecting staff into operations to perform work that required little 

training, reports from field offices and headquarters indicated that opportunities exist for FEMA to 

identify needed specialized skills from surge staff and match them with field needs. Further, field 

interviews indicated that surge staff who have management positions in their home offices could have 

been better used to supplement leadership shortages.

State Supplemental Staffing augmented the FEMA incident 

management workforce with experienced state and local 

emergency management personnel from non-impacted states. 

FEMA deployed 30 personnel from four states (Figure 20) who 

were contracted for 60 days (with the option to renew for up to 

120 days). The majority of the state supplemental staff deployed 

to Puerto Rico, with remaining staff deployed to Texas, Florida, 

and the NPSCs—providing much needed skills and experience to 

respond in challenging conditions. State supplemental staff 

were able to fill management roles that other types of surge 

employees could not. However, coordinating contracts with state 

and local agencies, processing security clearances, and staff 

recruitment procedures caused some delays and limited the 

number of participants. FEMA used this as a pilot program for 

the establishment of a National Qualification System.

“This program is a game changer. It is always that the states depend on FEMA, 

and now this time FEMA needed the states. This opens up a whole new way to 

look at how we can help each other.” – State of Utah supplemental staffing 

participant 

Figure 19: SCF deployments for the 2017 Hurricane Season. 

Figure 20: Representatives from four 

states supplemented FEMA staffing. 
 

23 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Recommendations 

FEMA’s incident workforce is historically 

over-committed to smaller disasters, leaving 

a fraction of the Agency’s capacity to prepare 

for and respond to complex catastrophes 

and national security emergencies. These 

constraints affect the Agency’s readiness to 

respond without unacceptable delays. FEMA 

began the 2017 disaster season with nearly 

30 percent of its workforce deployed on 

smaller disasters across the country, which 

then required extraordinary and disruptive 

measures to reallocate and redistribute 

employees to meet the evolving 

requirements for hurricanes Harvey, Irma, 

Maria, and the California Wildfires. 

FEMA’s responsibilities require it to have the 

capacity to respond in the shortest possible 

time, under all conditions, to successfully 

accomplish its mission. FEMA needs 

immediate operational availability because

complex, no-notice catastrophes do not 

provide time to maximize readiness by 

amassing a workforce and extracting 

response resources from multiple smallerscale commitments. To be better positioned for future challenges, FEMA should support states in 

building a greater capacity to respond to and recover from small-scale disasters by providing necessary 

financial assistance to state-managed disasters while right-sizing the federal deployment footprint. 

State and territorial governments should be able to respond to small-scale disasters either organically 

or through collaboration with neighboring states and territories. Strengthened states and territories, in 

turn, allow the Nation to preserve sufficient capacity to promptly respond to complex catastrophes and 

national security emergencies.

During the 2017 Hurricane Season, FEMA augmented its workforce in innovative ways and newly 

expanded initiatives. The expansion of SCF to draw on the entirety of the federal workforce was 

decisive in augmenting FEMA’s incident workforce. To streamline and standardize national staffing 

resources for future incidents, FEMA is developing the National Qualification System (NQS) to build 

and maintain a national incident workforce that includes emergency managers from state, local, tribal, 

and territorial governments. This will provide the ability to quickly amass and deploy qualified state, 

local, and tribal teams and personnel throughout the United States on short-notice. Enhanced state

organic capacity, NQS, and the SCF will provide the means to manage the host of smaller-scale 

disasters that occur annually, while allowing FEMA to retain sufficient immediate operational 

readiness for complex catastrophes and national security emergencies.

To ensure the readiness of its organic staff, FEMA is conducting a Coordinated Workforce Review of 

its force structure for incident management, incident support, and mission essential functions. 

Further, the Agency is examining the FEMA Qualification System to streamline and increase 

certifications across the Agency’s workforce.

To improve the capabilities of its key specialized teams, FEMA should use the Urban Search and 

Rescue Task Force model to further build Incident Management Assistance Teams’ capability. This 

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of 

critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors 

▪ Support states in building a greater capacity to 

respond to and recover from disasters by 

maintaining financial support while right-sizing 

the federal deployment footprint 

▪ Build and maintain a national incident workforce 

that includes emergency managers from state, 

local, tribal, and territorial governments 

▪ Use the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 

model to further build the Incident Management 

Assistance Teams’ capability

▪ Complete a disaster workforce review within the 

Agency, to include incident management, incident 

support, and mission essential functions 

▪ Streamline and increase certifications across 

FEMA’s incident workforce 
 

24 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

transformation will streamline their structure and deployment process, and focus field leader training 

on critical thinking and situational leadership. 

Finally, revising the National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal 

Interagency Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and cross-sector 

coordination would provide the means to effectively and efficiently allocate the national incident 

workforce to the most decisive place, time, and purpose.

FEMA Strategic Plan Alignment 

▪ Objective 2.1, Organize the “BEST” (Build, Empower, Sustain, and Train) Scalable and Capable 

Workforce, aims to strengthen the disaster workforce by renewing the focus on developing a standardized 

and qualified national incident workforce and maximizing the existing workforce. FEMA must build on its 

inherent capabilities and strengthen our partners to support the nationwide incident workforce to form a 

more complete, interoperable incident workforce capability.
 

25 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Sustained Whole Community Logistics Operations 

FEMA coordinated logistics missions for the complex combination of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and 

Maria. These missions involved more than $2 billion dollars’ worth of commodities moving across 

multiple states and territories (Figure 21). FEMA collaborated with private industry, non-governmental 

organizations (NGOs), and federal agency partners to manage these disaster logistics operations. 

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma 

impacted Texas and Florida earlier 

in the season and partners 

provided commodities via ground 

transportation. However, the 

responses to Puerto Rico and U.S. 

Virgin Islands introduced the 

complexity of supporting a 

logistics supply chain that 

stretched outside the continental 

United States, enduring for 

multiple weeks and to multiple

islands. Hurricane Maria caused 

widespread damage to island 

seaports, airports, and roads. 

These closures increased transit 

times and limited the territories’ 

capacity to receive commodity 

shipments. Thus, FEMA’s logistics

effort featured notable and 

persistent coordination challenges in resource prioritization, resource movement and tracking,

commodity distribution efforts, and contracting processes.

Key Finding #8: FEMA assumed a more active role in coordinating whole community logistics 

operations for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to these territories' preparedness

challenges, geographic distance, and pre-existing, on-the-ground conditions.

The characteristics and impacts of each of the hurricanes posed challenges for all logistics operations, 

some more severe than others. For example, FEMA’s logistical support of the movement of 

commodities differed in Florida and Texas, compared to the Caribbean islands, because of the ability 

to conduct land-based delivery of resources in Florida and Texas versus air and sea delivery to the 

islands. In Florida and Texas, FEMA provided a support function to the states whereas in Puerto Rico, 

FEMA took on an active role of coordinating logistics operations. The need for FEMA logistical support 

is also determined by SLTT preparedness (see Key Finding #10 for more details on how FEMA 

augmented support for Puerto Rico).

Hurricane Harvey stalled over parts of southeastern Texas, resulting in flooding and weather conditions 

that temporarily closed ports, airports, and roads, and prevented access to the disaster area. 

Hurricane Irma tracked northward along the western coast of Florida and then moved through central 

and western Florida. The timeline of this statewide impact prevented FEMA from immediately moving 

resources south to heavily damaged areas, such as the Florida Keys.

Despite these challenges, FEMA conducted logistics operations in both states without major resource 

coordination or movement constraints for two main reasons. First, the proximity to FEMA’s two largest 

distribution center warehouses in Fort Worth, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia, combined with preFigure 21: Commodity shipments from August 25 - November 30, 2017 

directly to Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands by air, sea, 

and ground transportation routes. 
 

26 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

positioned commodities in Texas, Florida, and neighboring states, allowed the Agency to quickly meet 

resource needs. Second, because Texas and Florida are on the U.S. mainland, FEMA and its partners

could move resources by relying primarily on ground transportation. In Texas and Florida, almost all 

interstate routes and state highways were open within a few days, enabling the private sector supply 

chain, as well as FEMA and whole community partners, to quickly move resources to, from, and within 

the states.For example, almost immediately after landfall, FEMA moved a large volume of commodities 

into both states. The combination of these factors enabled FEMA to coordinate logistics operations in 

Texas and Florida following established plans, albeit on a larger scale.

In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, however, FEMA encountered 

significant challenges in coordinating 

and moving additional resources due 

to these territories’ geographic 

distances from the U.S. mainland and 

challenging on-the-ground conditions.

FEMA maintained a stockpile of 

commodities at the Caribbean 

Distribution Center warehouse in 

Puerto Rico to facilitate a quick 

response to incidents in both Puerto 

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For 

example, in response to Hurricane Irma, FEMA moved containers of commodities from the Caribbean 

Distribution Center to the Port of St. Thomas. However, distribution activities following Hurricane Irma 

created an immediate deficit of commodities at the warehouse (Table 5), requiring additional items to 

be transported in the days immediately prior to and following Hurricane Maria’s landfall.

The Agency worked extensively with private sector entities, NGOs, and other federal agencies to 

procure additional commodities and then coordinated the use of air and maritime transportation 

assets to move them. FEMA worked closely with DoD on airlifts; contracted with commercial air 

carriers; and expanded its existing maritime shipping contract to transport resources from the 

mainland to the territories. Instances of these efforts immediately following Hurricane Maria landfall 

on September 20 included the following:

▪ September 23: A barge arrived at the Port of San Juan in Puerto Rico, after the port reopened, 

and offloaded 924,000 liters of water, 6,000 cots, and 31 generators.

▪ September 23: The first aircraft delivering commodities arrived at San Juan International Airport.

▪ September 24: A Maritime Administration ship arrived at port in St. Thomas and offloaded

shipments which included 1.1 million meals, 27 General Services Administration vehicles, and 

9,496 hygiene kits.

▪ September 23 - October 19: FEMA-coordinated daily flights delivering commodities to Puerto Rico.

Table 5: FEMA’s on-hand inventory of selected commodities at the 

Caribbean Distribution Center warehouse before (9/1) and after 

(9/15) Hurricane Irma, showed depletion of commodities prior to 

Hurricane Maria. 

In response to Hurricane Irma impacts, FEMA distributed more than 80 percent 

of its inventory for selected commodities from the Caribbean Distribution Center 

warehouse. Hurricane Maria struck before supplies were replenished. 
 

27 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

The average transit time for resources moved by barge to the Caribbean is six to seven days, with 

additional time on either end for loading and offloading shipments at port. Figure 22 shows FEMA’s 

commodity delivery data; however, due to data tracking issues (see Key Finding #9) not all early 

deliveries mentioned above were captured.

Operating in such a transportation-constrained environment necessitated that FEMA take the lead in 

coordinating the entire logistics supply chain for both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including 

prioritizing how and when resources moved. For example, FEMA coordinated with National Voluntary 

Organizations Active in Disaster partners to 

prioritize mass care commodities for transport 

to the islands since these partners could not 

move their own resources during the first 

weeks of response operations. At the request 

of the Governor of Puerto Rico, FEMA 

established and managed a warehouse in 

Jacksonville, Florida to receive donated items,

with the intent of transporting them to Puerto 

Rico. FEMA also coordinated with other federal 

agencies and the private sector to move 

equipment necessary to support response 

operations, such as utility poles, generators, 

water pumps, aviation equipment, water 

treatment units and bucket trucks.

Key Finding #9: While FEMA mobilized billions of dollars in commodities, the Agency 

experienced challenges in comprehensively tracking resources moving across multiple 

modes of transportation to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to staffing shortages 

and business process shortfalls.

FEMA’s Logistics Supply Chain Management System (LSCMS) tracked the movement of millions of 

commodities into Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. LSCMS worked well as the 

primary tracking system for commodities moved using ground transportation in Texas and Florida. 

However, LSCMS reporting was not current for commodities that required multiple modes of 

FEMA Moves Resources to Ensure Continuity of 

Medical Supply Chain 

Puerto Rico typically receives its medical gases from 

two manufacturers on the main island, both of which 

lost power after Hurricane Maria. This threatened the 

supply of gases for healthcare and created the 

potential for a serious risk to public health. The 

Department of Health and Human Services, working 

with FEMA, convened a task force to identify solutions 

to the gas supply disruption. The solution was 

coordinating shipments of large containers of liquid 

oxygen and liquid nitrogen to Puerto Rico from the 

continental U.S. 

Figure 22: Cumulative commodities that entered each of the four states and territories to support the 

corresponding storm, i.e. Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma in Florida, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
 

28 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

transportation when shipped to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (e.g., moving commodities by 

a combination of airplane, barge, and truck). For example, LSCMS records of meals and water 

delivered to Puerto Rico lagged behind the real-time shipment data tracked and reported by support 

staff at headquarters. This was partially due to a lack of trained personnel on the ground to record the 

repackaging and changes in transportation mode for shipped commodities.

The lack of reliable telecommunications connectivity in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, 

combined with the lack of available logistics staff and business processes that should have been 

adjusted for the scope and 

scale of the incident,

exacerbated these data 

discrepancies. However, 

adequate information was still 

available to make inbound 

supply chain and shipping 

decisions. In addition, FEMA 

struggled to quickly redirect 

and deploy trained LSCMS 

staff by the time Hurricane 

Maria made landfall; 81 

percent of the total number of 

LSCMS-trained staff were 

already committed to Texas or 

Florida operations (Figure 23).

FEMA’s logistics business processes also complicated the Agency’s ability to track commodities 

sourced through external partners. Though LSCMS has the capability to track resources from federal 

partners such as the Defense Logistics Agency, private sector partners, and other outside 

organizations, FEMA did not contractually require these partners to use the LSCMS vendor portal to 

upload shipment information. As a result, FEMA lacked real-time visibility into the supplies moved by 

partners and relied on other information-sharing processes to obtain accurate tracking information. 

Shipping containers often arrived in Puerto Rico labeled simply as “disaster supplies,” requiring FEMA 

staff to unload and open containers to determine their contents.

Key Finding #10: FEMA provided logistical coordination to move and distribute commodities 

from staging areas to survivors in Puerto Rico, supplementing a role that should largely be 

managed and coordinated at the state or territory level.

FEMA’s planning efforts typically account for the delivery of commodities from centralized FEMA 

warehouses to staging areas located in or near affected jurisdictions. State or territorial governments 

then receive the commodities from these staging areas and manage the actual distribution to 

survivors. FEMA strategic doctrine calls on the Agency to assume the responsibilities of SLTT 

governments, the private sector, and NGOs when the effects of a major incident incapacitate those 

organizations’ ability to perform their functions effectively and efficiently until they can resume 

operations. However, FEMA's operational plans did not include these planning assumptions and thus 

did not account for continuing commodity distribution beyond the handoff to the state or territory.

Following Hurricane Harvey, the Texas National Guard managed commodity distribution. FEMA 

maintained visibility into distribution efforts by accessing Texas’ crisis management software platform 

to view distribution point locations, inventory, and overall commodity burn rates. The response 

following Hurricane Irma in Florida was similar, although Florida’s emergency operations plans and 

distribution operations place greater emphasis on the State of Florida to handle the distribution 

process.

Figure 23: LSCMS-trained staff deployments in states and territories 

affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. 
 

29 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Puerto Rico did not have the same level of 

preparedness to manage a commodity distribution 

mission. As a result, FEMA took on a more direct role 

in coordinating the final mile of commodity delivery. 

In addition to taking on this role, FEMA faced 

challenges moving commodities from ports to other 

locations. Major modes of transportation were 

closed and debris blocked extensive road networks 

across the territories, which required an in-depth 

assessment and clearance effort to reopen roads.

Additionally, the limited number of FEMA logistics 

personnel on the island and the fact that most local 

contractors also were disaster survivors meant the 

Agency was not able to contract enough truck drivers 

to transport commodities. This issue, coupled with

damaged or impassable roads, caused delivery

delays.

FEMA found alternative methods to facilitate commodity delivery, which included working extensively with 

federal partners on the island to move food and water from federal incident support bases to Puerto Rico’s

regional staging areas. At these locations, FEMA turned over commodities to the Puerto Rico National and 

State Guard for distribution to the 78 Puerto Rico municipalities. The municipalities, in turn, organized their 

own survivor distribution efforts aided by local organizations and NGOs. In some instances, FEMA delivered 

directly to municipalities. FEMA also partnered with DoD to airdrop commodities directly to isolated 

communities as early as three days after Maria’s landfall.

To facilitate commodity distribution in communities, FEMA leased box trucks with drivers for each of 

the regional staging areas, conducted direct deliveries to municipalities, and used federal staff and 

NGOs to distribute food and water directly to survivors. This expanded logistics network moved 

commodities to more survivor-accessible locations. However, the increase and fluctuating number of 

delivery points and remote locations required significantly more transportation assets, personnel, and 

coordination than FEMA had initially anticipated. Furthermore, the large number of partners 

conducting distributions and the lack of a unified tracking system created difficulties in FEMA’s efforts

to monitor commodity consumption rates and accordingly adjust operations. While FEMA adapted and 

performed a more direct logistics coordination role, its normal logistics business processes were not 

suited to this role.

Key Finding #11: In a three-month period, FEMA issued more contract actions than in an 

entire previous fiscal year to meet disaster requirements, which strained the Agency’s 

contracting personnel.

For the three fiscal years prior to FY 17, all of FEMA’s annual contract obligations, both disaster and 

non-disaster, averaged approximately $1.3 billion. By comparison, between August 25, 2017 and 

November 30, 2017, FEMA obligated more than $3 billion across 1,464 contract actions solely for 

hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria disaster operations. By end of May 2018, this number increased 

to 2,872 contract actions with FEMA obligations totaling over $3.9 billion.

Before incidents, FEMA establishes pre-negotiated contracts for commodities and services typically 

required during disaster response. These contracts facilitate the rapid movement of resources and

Figure 24: Regional staging area trucks are loaded 

with meals to be transported to municipalities for 

distribution to survivors in Puerto Rico. 
 

30 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

commodities to areas most in need. 

Additionally, pre-negotiated contracts are 

meant to lessen the burden on ad hoc 

contract needs in the midst of disaster 

response. Immediately prior to Hurricane 

Harvey, FEMA had 59 of these prenegotiated contracts in place (Table 6). Due 

to the amount of contract actions FEMA 

executed during the hurricane season, the 

Agency is considering increasing this number 

for future disasters.

Given the unprecedented resource needs of consecutive response operations, FEMA not only

exhausted commodities on hand but also exhausted pre-negotiated contracts to provide meals, tarps,

water, and other resources during the responses to hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Therefore, the

concurrent response for Hurricane Maria required FEMA to rapidly solicit vendors outside its prenegotiated contracts to satisfy resource and program needs. As the Agency continued to receive 

requirements for meals, tarps, and water for quantities in the millions—often for delivery within days 

or hours—FEMA contracted with entities that were assessed as technically acceptable and committed 

to meeting the requirements, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 

To protect the rights of the Government, FEMA creates contracts that clearly define the terms and 

conditions required for successful performance under the contract, particularly with respect to delivery 

schedule and quantities. Overall, FEMA executed a successful acquisitions process, with the Agency 

canceling just three contracts. These cancellations did not hinder FEMA’s ability to deliver on its 

mission.

These increased contracting demands from the hurricane season severely taxed FEMA’s acquisitions

process and contracting personnel—both contracting officers and contracting officer’s representatives. 

Over several months of concurrent disaster operations, FEMA staff modified and monitored existing 

contracts, issued new contracts, and cancelled underperforming contracts, while also scoping 

requirements for emerging needs. This workload—coupled with coordinating the additional oversight 

and review requirements for many high-value contracts (over $500K), and executing contracting 

actions for other federal agency partners—challenged FEMA’s procurement personnel. Several FEMA 

staff cited the need to leverage more contracting personnel across the Agency to build additional 

capacity.

As part of its disaster contracting efforts, FEMA relied upon its authorities under the Defense 

Production Act to award an unprecedented number of contracts with “priority” ratings. This rating

legally obligates vendors to deliver resources by a specific date with the government contracts taking

priority over all other contracts. From August 25 through November 30, FEMA issued 515 priority-rated 

contracts and task orders across hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria operations. By comparison, 

Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy each resulted in one priority-rated contract award. Notably for 

the first time, the Department of Health and Human Services granted FEMA authority to priority-rate 

contracts for consumable medical supplies and durable medical equipment. The Department of 

Transportation granted the authority to prioritize the lease of a berthing ship for responder housing in 

Puerto Rico.

In addition, FEMA took action to address previously known challenges in how SLTT government and 

eligible non-profit organizations procure resources under FEMA grants. FEMA can reimburse SLTT 

governments and certain non-profit organizations for eligible contract costs. Recipients and 

subrecipients are required to follow federal procurement standards. Historical data, primarily 

documented in DHS Office of Inspector General audits issued from Fiscal Years 2009 through 2014, 

concluded that procurement under grants at the state and local level is subject to a number of 

Table 6: FEMA’s pre-negotiated contracts by type. 

Contract Type Quantity

Commodities 

(e.g., Tarps, Water, Blankets, Meals etc.) 15

Services

(e.g., Housing Inspections, Ambulances, 

Sheltering, Transportation, etc.)

44

Total 59
 

31 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

challenges, especially within the area of ineffective contracting practices. Deficiencies in this area

include: non-compliant use of competitive procedures, inadequate contract cost and price analysis, 

ineffective or inappropriate use of contract types (or both), and failure to take all the necessary steps 

under socioeconomic contracting. 

In response to these and other procurement challenges, FEMA implemented a number of measures 

during the 2017 Hurricane Season. FEMA provided compliance training to FEMA, state, and local 

government officials to achieve greater compliance with procurement under grants. FEMA also 

deployed personnel to Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to provide real-time 

procurement support. In Texas, for example, FEMA staff deployed for more than 70 days and helped 

establish and train the Texas State Attorney Workgroup, the first of its kind, to assist local governments 

with procurement issues. In Puerto Rico, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA set up processes 

and developed templates and tools to address contract review and technical assistance requests from 

recipients and subrecipients, significantly increasing the Agency’s capacity to provide pre-award and 

post-award procurement support. Since September 2017, FEMA has provided 470 hours of 

procurement training to FEMA personnel, recipients, and subrecipients. 

Recommendations 

The unparalleled scope and scale of the 

2017 Hurricane Season underscored the 

need for, and identified several limitations in, 

implementing timely national response 

capabilities that are fully integrated with and 

supportive of private sector supply chain 

restoration. In 2017, public and private 

sector response and recovery efforts were 

too “stove-piped” to share timely 

information, too slow to consult, and as a 

result, often too late to synchronize 

stabilization efforts. The public and private 

sector are inextricably linked and must have 

shared situational awareness and the ability 

to synchronize their respective efforts to be 

successful. FEMA should work with its key 

partners to develop a more comprehensive 

understanding of local, regional, and 

national supply chains, as well as stronger 

relationships with critical private sector 

partners to support rapid restoration in 

response to catastrophic incidents. As a 

result, the Agency is adopting new response 

principles to closely align public and private 

sector efforts in a unified effort focused on 

rapid stabilization of key lifelines. 

While FEMA works to build a public and 

private sector coalition around the principle 

of rapid stabilization, the agency should also 

accelerate ongoing efforts to: increase FEMA 

readiness stocks outside the continental United States; increase transportation planning, 

management and contract support capacities; broaden FEMA’s capabilities to quickly get teams on 

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of 

critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors 

▪ Promote federally supported, state-managed, and 

locally executed logistics operations 

▪ Increase FEMA readiness stocks outside the 

continental United States 

▪ Increase transportation planning, management, 

and contract support capacities 

▪ Broaden FEMA’s capability to quickly get teams on 

the ground to stage and deliver key commodities 

to disaster survivors, even in the most remote 

locations 

▪ Streamline storage and movement across 

multiple modes of transportation that facilitate 

and speed delivery 

▪ Develop a more comprehensive understanding of 

local, regional, and national supply chains, as well 

as stronger relationships with critical private 

sector partners to support rapid restoration in 

response to catastrophic incidents 

▪ Support state, local, tribal, and territorial 

governments in improving capability for disaster 

cost recovery, pre-event contracting and contract 

enforcement, and vendor-managed inventory 
 

32 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

the ground to stage and deliver key commodities to disaster survivors even in the remotest locations; 

and streamline storage and movement across multiple modes of transportation that facilitate and 

speed delivery. FEMA has reviewed and adjusted planning factors for the Caribbean as a result of 

lessons learned from the 2017 Hurricane Season and has significantly increased disaster commodity 

stock targets on the islands. FEMA is adding 300 new emergency generators to its inventory with a 

new contract that simplifies generator maintenance and support. FEMA is repairing and expanding its

Caribbean logistics distribution center to accommodate additional commodities. Additionally, FEMA 

has updated the National Evacuation and Caribbean Transportation contracts in advance of the 2018 

Hurricane Season.

FEMA’s existing logistics capabilities must be integrated with expanded regional and state, local, tribal, 

and territorial logistics capabilities to promote federally supported, state-managed, and locally 

executed logistics operations. FEMA Integration Teams are important contributors to assisting states 

in increasing organic logistical capabilities. The Agency should support state, local, tribal, and territorial 

governments in improving capability for disaster cost recovery, pre-event contracting and contract 

enforcement, and vendor-managed inventory. FEMA should continue to develop a pre-event toolkit to 

enhance the ability of state and local leaders to direct and manage disaster resources. The toolkit will 

consist of: recommendations for pre-positioned contracts; emergency acquisition guidance from a 

regulatory, legislative, and policy perspective; commodity specific solicitation templates; guidance on 

staffing models to support procurement; and disaster case management capability. FEMA is also 

developing disaster financial management planning guidance specific to: FEMA Public Assistance and 

Hazard Mitigation grants, Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development 

Block Grants – Disaster Recovery, and agriculture post-disaster grants; disaster finance accounting 

systems and management practices necessary to track, calculate and justify the costs of an 

emergency; and local reimbursement reconciliation.

These efforts should be fully integrated into an updated national response architecture and new 

“cross-sector” Emergency Support Function. Revisions to the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan should emphasize the seamless 

integration of public, private sector, and volunteer organization actions to stabilize critical lifelines and 

establish the coordinating structures, communications, information exchanges and decision making 

that optimize getting the right capability to the right place at the right time for the disaster survivor.

FEMA Strategic Plan Alignment 

▪ Objective 2.3, Posture FEMA and the Whole Community to Provide Life-Saving and Life-Sustaining 

Commodities, Equipment, and Personnel from All Available Sources, notes the importance of involving 

the whole community to quickly and fully meet all the needs of a catastrophic disaster.
 

33 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Responding During Long-Term Infrastructure 

Outages 

The Federal Government assists jurisdictions with the 

response to and recovery from significant power outages when 

utilities are unable to restore power quickly. Federal 

assistance may include provision of emergency funding, 

critical services, and equipment, including the installation of 

generators. In Texas and Florida, long-term infrastructure 

outages were isolated within the areas impacted by hurricanes 

Harvey and Irma. Functioning power and communications 

infrastructure facilitated FEMA’s standard response 

operations. Approximately 10 days after Hurricane Harvey’s 

landfall, 55,000 customers in Texas were without power, down 

from a peak of approximately 300,000 customers. In Florida, 

75,000 customers were without power 10 days after 

Hurricane Irma made landfall, down from a peak of more than 

six million customers. 

In contrast, the long-term and extensive infrastructure outages following Hurricane Maria in Puerto 

Rico required FEMA staff to think creatively and adapt operations for a longer time period. Due to the 

exceptional circumstances in Puerto Rico and large-scale impacts of power and communications 

outages, this section focuses solely on operations in Puerto Rico.

Key Finding #12: To overcome limited situational awareness created by the loss of 

communications in Puerto Rico, FEMA executed creative solutions to assess the situation 

and prioritize response activities, including emergency repairs to infrastructure.

FEMA and its partners generally rely on states, tribes, and territories to provide prioritized lists of 

infrastructure facilities for assessment and restoration based on local needs. Due to the severe and 

widespread impacts of Hurricane Maria and the limited situational awareness in Puerto Rico, FEMA 

assumed a more active role in assisting the territorial government with prioritizing infrastructure 

restoration.

FEMA and supporting federal agencies struggled to gain 

situational awareness and assess the status of critical 

infrastructure, in part due to communications outages 

across Puerto Rico. On September 21, one day after 

Hurricane Maria made landfall, FEMA (along with other 

federal, territorial, and local partner agencies) had little

information about the status of infrastructure, including 

hospitals, roads, and water facilities. This diminished 

situational awareness continued through the first 72 hours 

after landfall. On September 23, a FEMA briefing noted that FEMA and the territory had not begun 

water and wastewater assessments, and that communications challenges inhibited reporting of road

outage assessments. By September 27, one week after landfall, FEMA knew more, but still lacked key 

information about critical infrastructure. For example, Agency partners did not have information on the 

status of 24 of 52 wastewater treatment plants or 37 of 69 hospitals.

Because FEMA and its partners lacked situational awareness early in the response, the Agency initially

could not be certain that FEMA and interagency partner efforts were sufficient to stabilize the incident 

Situational Awareness 

Situational awareness is the ability to 

identify, process, and comprehend critical 

information about an incident. Gaining and 

maintaining situational awareness 

requires extensive information collection 

and on-going monitoring of information.

Figure 25: Staging area for utility truck 

and construction crews assisting in 

restoration of power to damaged areas 

caused by Hurricane Irma. 
 

34 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

in Puerto Rico. To address this challenge, FEMA and territorial field leadership established priorities 

focused on immediate needs and critical lifelines, including temporary power, water and wastewater, 

and healthcare. Field teams used data analysis tools to track and visualize data on these priorities, 

which provided situational awareness to field staff and FEMA’s federal and territorial partners.

FEMA and its partner agencies, working in coordination with the Puerto Rican government, used the 

following methods to improve situational awareness:

▪ Field Assessments: Debris and damaged roads initially impeded access to impacted areas. To 

overcome these obstacles, some teams used a limited number of helicopters to visit critical 

infrastructure. However, they sometimes struggled to immediately report findings due to 

communications challenges, requiring teams to fly back with updates, and therefore delaying 

action.

▪ Air Reconnaissance: On September 22, two days after Hurricane Maria made landfall, FEMA 

conducted an air reconnaissance mission on the northeastern and southeastern portions of Puerto 

Rico to collect data and take photos of critical infrastructure elements. Although enough air assets 

were available, there were persistent challenges in communicating collected data to enhance 

situational awareness for decision-makers in the field.

▪ Satellite Phones: FEMA provided satellite phones to hospitals and mayors; however, the phones 

were not always an effective method for two-way communication due to weather impacts and user 

inexperience. Additionally, activating these phones often required user instructions, a line-of-sight 

with satellites, and implementation of a routine process.

▪ Mayor Engagement: FEMA worked with DHS and other federal agencies to provide Spanish 

speaking staff to the 78 Puerto Rico mayors to address communication challenges. These staff 

engaged mayors face-to-face several times per week to gather information from local officials on 

critical unmet needs and to gain situational awareness.

▪ Crowdsourcing Information: FEMA used crowdsourcing to a greater degree than it had previously

to gain situational awareness on critical infrastructure. After Hurricane Maria, crowdsourcing 

efforts helped the Agency better understand the extent of the damage as digital volunteers 

collected and analyzed images of damage in Puerto Rico. Crowdsourcing volunteer networks 

brought together over 5,400 digital volunteers to collect information on critical information 

requirements such as hospital status, road and bridge closures, and food and fuel availability in 

Puerto Rico. Crowdsourcing was a useful strategic decision support tool, but required groundtruthing.

FEMA field leadership centralized response efforts around seven major population areas in Puerto 

Rico to accelerate stabilization. By the end of November, FEMA reported progress in restoring the 

priority infrastructure areas. For example, FEMA’s daily field briefing for November 29 reported that

92 percent of customers had water service.

Key Finding #13: Challenged by an inoperable telecommunications environment in Puerto 

Rico, FEMA had to adapt field communications, program delivery, and command and control 

activities.

Hurricane Maria severely damaged Puerto Rico's communications infrastructure, which limited the 

ability of FEMA field personnel to leverage traditional commercial cellular and broadband 

communications services to coordinate response operations. Following landfall, 95 percent of cell 

towers were out of service, and outages continued in the ensuing months (Figure 26). The outages 

impeded field personnel access to key operating and management systems, including FEMA’s crisis 

management system and the FEMA National Emergency Management Information System (NEMIS),

which FEMA uses to process disaster survivor registrations. Both systems are not optimized for use 
 

35 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

over contingency communications systems 

(e.g., satellite). Field personnel also often 

lacked training on how to prioritize use so as 

not to overload those contingency systems.

FEMA struggled to overcome its reliance on 

commercial cellular and broadband 

communications to execute program delivery 

and conduct command and control activities. 

For example, limited cellular service impacted 

the ability of disaster survivors to register for 

FEMA assistance. FEMA deployed Disaster 

Survivor Assistance teams across Puerto Rico

to assist survivors, but the limited cellular 

service likewise hindered their efforts to 

register survivors for disaster assistance and 

conduct case inquiries and updates. These teams typically use tablets with cellular and wireless 

broadband access to register survivors. In the absence of mobile communications, the teams used 

paper registrations and forms on offline laptops and tablets. These new, non-standard processes 

caused inaccuracies and omissions, delaying the provision of benefits to survivors. Limited 

commercial communications and user unfamiliarity with contingency communications options also 

impacted command and control activities, including resource requests. FEMA staff used handwritten 

resource requests and subsequently had to review, prioritize, sign, scan, and manually enter more 

than 2,000 requests into FEMA’s crisis management system, further contributing to delays. FEMA also 

experienced shortfalls incorporating the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System into the response, 

and could have better prioritized the transportation and use of contingency communications 

equipment, and trained personnel.

To overcome communications challenges in

Puerto Rico, FEMA deployed its MERS 

resources with mobile satellite, mobile radio, 

and logistics support services to provide 

command and control communications, 

situational awareness, and program delivery 

(Figure 27). FEMA initially deployed MERS 

assets to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Irma 

and sent additional assets after Hurricane 

Maria. FEMA also deployed satellite phones, 

procured and leased satellite devices, and 

worked with other federal agencies, such as 

DoD and the U.S. Secret Service, to obtain

additional resources. Still, FEMA faced 

challenges. Some FEMA satellite phones 

could not correctly operate in the Caribbean. Many staff who received satellite phones did not know 

how to properly use them. The demand for satellite phones and other contingency devices exceeded

FEMA’s pre-staged supplies both in the territory and on the U.S. mainland. Procurement and logistics 

challenges delayed the acquisition and shipment of additional devices to Puerto Rico.

Figure 26: Cell service slowly came back online in Puerto 

Rico after Hurricane Maria. 

Figure 27: Emergency communications vehicles in transit 

to support communications in Puerto Rico. 
 

36 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Key Finding #14: FEMA and its federal partners installed a record number of generators to 

provide temporary power to critical infrastructure while facing significant challenges in 

identifying generator requirements and shortfalls in available generators. 

The extent and duration of outages in Puerto Rico were significantly greater than FEMA faces in most 

disasters. Typically, FEMA and its partners provide temporary emergency power to critical 

infrastructure facilities, such as emergency operations centers, fire and police stations, hospitals, and 

water facilities, with SLTT jurisdictions determining the prioritization of temporary emergency power. 

For example, following hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the Federal Government provided temporary 

emergency power to a few hundred facilities by installing generators for usually 60 days or less. 

After Hurricane Maria caused a large-scale power outage in Puerto Rico by severely damaging an 

already weakened power grid, many critical infrastructure facilities across the territory struggled to 

gain temporary power. These facilities either lacked back-up generators or had generators that failed 

or were non-operational. While regulations require hospitals to maintain emergency generators, the 

storm’s impact either damaged these generators or they were otherwise inadequate to fulfill the 

hospitals’ needs.

To meet the overwhelming demand 

for temporary power, FEMA, at the 

territory’s request, assigned the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to 

install generators at many critical 

infrastructure facilities. By October, 

FEMA and its partners had set a 

record for generator installations, 

surpassing the previous record of 310 

generators installed during Hurricane 

Katrina (Figure 28). By the end of 

November, more than two months 

after landfall, USACE had completed 

693 generator installations; this 

number had increased to 2,338 by the 

end of May 2018. FEMA also 

expanded traditional approaches for 

providing temporary power by 

supporting repairs and upkeep for non-federal generators already installed at critical infrastructure 

facilities. FEMA and USACE provided one-time repairs and refueling of private generators. By repairing 

private generators, FEMA and USACE reduced the need for federally provided generators, freeing up 

inventory for other critical facilities.

Despite the record number of generator installations and expanded efforts to provide temporary 

power, the number of generator requests received from the Puerto Rican government challenged 

FEMA and its partners. Even as the power grid came back online in some areas, FEMA and its partners 

were unable to provide generators to all requested critical infrastructure sites due to limited generator 

availability, failures due to prolonged use, lapse in servicing, and fueling issues. Additionally, extensive 

By the end of May 2018, FEMA and its partners completed 2,338 generator 

installations in Puerto Rico. 

Figure 28: FEMA and its partners completed nearly 700 generator 

installations from late September to the end of November. 
 

37 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

storm damage and pre-existing safety conditions at 

some facilities created challenges for generator 

installation.

From late September until the end of November, 

FEMA received generator requests from roughly 

1,400 facilities; by May 2018, the total number of 

requests had increased to 2,273. FEMA and its 

partners assessed the initial requests and 

determined that only a subset of several hundred 

facilities required generators. To meet this still high 

demand, FEMA augmented its inventory with 

generators from the Defense Logistics Agency and 

USACE.

When Hurricane Maria hit, FEMA had 695 generators in stock, ranging in size from 50 kilowatts to 800 

kilowatts, including 73 already in Puerto Rico and 31 en route to the island in response to Hurricane 

Irma. These large-capacity generators often supported water pumping stations. While the available 

generators varied in size, FEMA did not have enough generators of all sizes to meet the needs in Puerto 

Rico, and, in particular, lacked enough small generators. To address this challenge and meet generator 

requirements, FEMA sometimes used generators that were larger than necessary, further contributing 

to overall inventory shortfalls.

Faced with unprecedented demand, FEMA and its 

partners conducted extraordinary prioritization of 

generator installations for critical infrastructure, 

focusing mainly on hospitals and water facilities. Still, 

FEMA could not fulfill every request from the priority 

list of facilities. For example, after providing 

generators to 30 critical medical facilities, including 

14 hospitals and 16 diagnostic and treatment 

centers, FEMA had difficulty prioritizing requests 

from lower-level medical facilities serving disaster 

survivors. Ultimately, the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and 

Sewers Authority, which owns and operates the majority of the island’s public water and wastewater 

systems, was the largest recipient of FEMA-provided generators. By the end of November, FEMA 

continued the generator mission as partners worked to bring Puerto Rico’s power grid back online. 

Recommendations 

The private sector, states, and Federal Government all play crucial roles in the reliability, resilience, 

and security of critical infrastructure. To better prepare to respond during long-term infrastructure 

outages, FEMA should work with key partners to revise the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan to emphasize addressing the 

interdependencies and cascading impacts among critical lifelines and cross-sector coordination.

FEMA should also work with key partners to establish criteria for stabilization of communities, and 

encourage investment in redundant assets to maintain communication and supply temporary power.

Power is the backbone of America’s economic sectors, generating the energy that empowers its people 

and businesses. The lifelines of communications, health and medical, food and water, wastewater, 

and transportation all represent critical downstream dependencies of power. Further, power is a key 

interdependency and vulnerability among all sectors. The restoration of power is so consequential to 

Temporary Emergency Power to National Public 

Warning System Station Generators 

FEMA successfully maintained the National 

Public Warning System radio broadcast station

generators in cooperation with local support, for 

over two months, to ensure continuous 

broadcasting of critical response and recovery 

information to residents in Puerto Rico and the 

U.S. Virgin Islands.

Figure 29: Power generators and fuel tankers arrive 

to the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. 
 

38 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

an effective response that a coordinated 

effort among utilities, local and state 

governments, the Department of Energy, 

USACE, and DHS is imperative. To ensure a 

unified national restoration effort, FEMA and 

these key partners are establishing a 

standing Interagency Power Task Force as a 

collaborative partnership among key 

departments, agencies and nongovernmental partners. The task force will 

serve during steady state as a standing 

coordinating element and during incidents 

transition to a crisis planning component of 

ESF #12. The process for restoring power 

generation, transmission, and distribution 

systems is complex and includes immediate 

post-storm temporary power restoration, 

initial restoration of the supporting power 

grid, as well as solutions that can strengthen 

reliability and resilience over the long-term. 

The task force will serve as the integrating 

mechanism during steady state for analysis, assessments, situational awareness, and routinized 

coordination. During complex catastrophes, it will conduct analysis, planning, and synchronization of 

assistance to support execution of the Power Outage Incident Annex, using coordinating structures 

such as the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

As the 2017 hurricanes demonstrated, the impacts of long-term infrastructure outages jeopardize the 

ability and speed of communities and individuals to recover, and can have dire economic and social 

consequences. In addition to addressing lessons and best practices for operating during extended 

infrastructure outages, FEMA should work with and encourage critical infrastructure owners and 

operators, and state and local governments, to invest in more resilient infrastructure. These 

investments, including pre-disaster mitigation, will not only reduce disaster costs but also can have 

life-saving impacts during incidents. For example, FEMA and its partners need to capture collective 

investments in mitigation and their impact on risk reduction, and should encourage adoption and 

enforcement of modern building codes. 

Resiliency is particularly important for lifelines such as communications. Every day, individuals, 

organizations, and government institutions provide critical services that depend on reliable access to 

communications systems. Continuity planning and resilient all-hazards communications capabilities 

must be built into FEMA and its partners’ plans and guidance for catastrophic disasters. FEMA should 

assist states and local municipalities to prepare for major outages and their disruptive effects by 

providing expertise in continuity of government.

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, as 

required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of 

critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors

▪ Establish a standing Power Task Force as a 

collaborative, steady-state partnership and 

transition it to a crisis action planning cell under 

ESF #12, Energy, during disaster operations 

▪ Encourage investment in redundant assets to 

maintain communications and supply temporary 

power 

▪ Encourage critical infrastructure owners and 

operators, and state and local governments, to 

invest in more resilient infrastructure 

▪ Include continuity and resilient all-hazards 

communications capabilities in plans and 

guidance 

FEMA Strategic Plan Alignment 

▪ Objective 1.1, Incentivize Investments that Reduce Risk, Including Pre-Disaster Mitigation, and Reduce 

Disaster Costs at all Levels, promotes the effectiveness of pre-disaster mitigation measures.

▪ Objective 2.4, Improve Continuity and Resilient Communications Capabilities, reinforces the importance 

of investing in resilient and redundant all-hazards communications capabilities as an indispensable 

element of an emergency management organization and highlights the fact that they must be built into 

catastrophic preparedness efforts. Additionally, this objective concludes that continued integration of 

continuity subject matter expertise and coordination into response and recovery operations is required.

▪
 

39 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Mass Care to Initial Housing Operations 

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria led to 

unprecedented demands on FEMA to support 

feeding, sheltering, and housing activities across 

multiple, concurrent, and geographically 

dispersed operations. ESF #6 (Mass Care, 

Emergency Assistance, Temporary Housing, and 

Human Services), co-led by FEMA and the 

American Red Cross, coordinated with federal, 

SLTT, and non-governmental partners to provide 

more than one million shelter nights and the 

longest feeding mission in FEMA’s history in 

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Impacted states, tribes, and territories

(specifically Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the 

U.S. Virgin Islands) conducted extended

congregate sheltering operations as a result of

widespread damage to residences and critical 

infrastructure. FEMA and its partners faced 

challenges facilitating the transition of survivors 

from emergency congregate sheltering to 

temporary and permanent housing solutions. 

While FEMA programs supported Texas’ and 

Florida’s efforts to move most survivors out of 

congregate shelters within 60 days, shelter operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

extended past 90 days. (Figure 30 provides an overview of the three classifications for sheltering and 

housing solutions managed under ESF #6.)

By October 9, FEMA had received more Individual Assistance registrations than for hurricanes Katrina, 

Rita, Wilma, and Sandy combined. By November 30, FEMA registered more than 4.7 million 

households, administered $2.6 billion to applicants through the Individuals and Households Program 

(IHP), and provided almost 60,000 households with Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) (e.g., 

hotel rooms). Through November 30, FEMA had provided more than 2.7 million hotel nights through 

TSA; this number had increased to nearly 5.3 million hotel nights by May 1, 2018. However, as a result 

of the concurrent incidents, the volume of applicants requiring inspections, financial assistance, and 

help transitioning to temporary or permanent housing necessitated innovations in FEMA’s processes 

to expedite delivery of financial and direct housing assistance. To adapt, FEMA streamlined preexisting processes and implemented new direct housing solutions, including piloting the first statemanaged housing mission since 2000.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey alone left nearly 80,000 homes with at least 18 inches of 

floodwater, and 23,000 of those homes with more than five feet of floodwater. Almost 780,000 Texans 

evacuated their homes. Of the total households impacted by Hurricane Harvey, 80 percent did not 

have flood insurance. Initial projections showed a potential of 32,500 households needing direct 

housing assistance, including in the greater Houston metropolitan area. Although FEMA traditionally 

provides direct housing assistance in the form of manufactured housing units, the challenging 

circumstances that Harvey left in Texas followed by additional needs for subsequent disasters,

required that FEMA implement multiple, creative solutions. 

Figure 30: Types and examples of disaster sheltering 

and housing. 
 

40 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Key Finding #15: FEMA supported American Red Cross and Emergency Support Function #6 

partners to provide more than one million shelter nights within the first 60 days, while facing 

challenges transitioning survivors out of congregate sheltering.

ESF #6 partners provided more than one

million shelter nights to displaced survivors 

this hurricane season. Figure 31 shows

congregate shelter populations in Texas, 

Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands from August 25 to October 1. 

Following Hurricane Irma, in Florida,

191,764 survivors transitioned from

congregate shelters within 15 days.

o

Relatively low levels of damage to survivor 

residences, available non-congregate 

accommodations, and a high degree of state 

and local preparedness mitigated the need 

to extend congregate sheltering operations.

In Florida, all congregate shelters closed as 

of October 21.

At its peak, whole community partners in Texas sheltered 42,399 survivors in congregate shelters,

with approximately 1,403 survivors remaining in shelters 30 days after Hurricane Harvey made 

landfall. The last shelter in Texas closed 63 days after 

Hurricane Harvey made landfall. In Texas, survivors 

remained in congregate shelters for many reasons 

including: unprecedented and widespread flooding, limited 

access to non-congregate options, and continued 

displacement from inaccessible or uninhabitable homes.

The need to support extended sheltering operations

strained whole community partners’ ability to find and 

maintain qualified shelter staff. Recognizing that Hurricane 

Harvey made landfall before the peak of the hurricane 

season, the American Red Cross reserved staff in

anticipation of additional disaster needs. Instead, the 

American Red Cross leveraged private sector partnerships

to support congregate sheltering operations and FEMA 

activated staffing contracts to support a mega shelter in 

Dallas.

Unlike congregate sheltering operations in Florida and Texas, congregate shelter operations in Puerto 

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands extended well beyond 90 days (Table 7). While FEMA registration data 

suggests that most survivors in both 

territories chose to remain in their 

damaged homes, those who relied on

congregate facilities for an extended 

period were unable to access or repair 

their residences because of the severity of 

damages.

 

o Figures do not include sheltering operations for the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Table 7: Shelter populations over time. 

State 30 Days 60 Days 90 Days

Texas 1,403 186 0

Florida 177 0 0

Puerto Rico 4,154 1,497 466

U.S. Virgin Islands 309 69 26

Dallas Mega Shelter 

The City of Dallas opened a mega 

shelter three days after Hurricane 

Harvey made landfall and remained 

open for 26 days. At its peak, the 

shelter provided for 3,500 survivors. 

Figure 31: Peak congregate shelter populations in Texas, 

Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
 

41 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

To facilitate survivor recovery and assist survivors transitioning out of congregate shelters across all 

disaster-affected areas, FEMA established Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Taskforces (MASTT). MASTT 

staff helped survivors move into non-congregate sheltering options, such as TSA, or access local, state, 

and NGO resources. Taskforce composition and participation, however, varied by operation. As a best 

practice, in Puerto Rico representatives of MASTT included disaster case management and state and 

Federal Government entities, including: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 

the Puerto Rico Department of Family Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the 

Puerto Rico Department of Health. The MASTT in Puerto Rico took on additional roles coordinating with 

Puerto Rico’s Department of Housing to better determine survivor needs and to identify rental 

properties for survivors. 

Overall, whole community partners supported unprecedented mass care operations and assisted in 

the transition of survivors out of congregate shelters. However, partners met notable challenges in the 

territories because of impacts from multiple hurricanes.

Key Finding #16: In Texas and Florida, FEMA helped survivors quickly transition from 

congregate shelters to other options such as hotels. However, across all operations, FEMA 

faced challenges implementing non-congregate sheltering programs.

FEMA employed a variety of non-congregate sheltering solutions to meet survivor needs, including the 

TSA program, a host-state agreement, the Sheltering and Temporary Emergency Power (STEP) pilot 

program, and the Volunteer Agencies Leading and Organizing Repair (VALOR) initiative.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance 

TSA provides short-term, non-congregate sheltering through the provision of hotel and motel rooms to 

applicants who are unable to return to their primary residence following a disaster. The program allows 

hotels throughout the country to participate. In Texas, the State requested and FEMA approved the 

TSA program on August 27, two days after landfall. In Florida, the State requested TSA on September 

10, when the storm made landfall; FEMA approved the request two days later. In Puerto Rico, the 

Territory requested that FEMA activate the TSA program on October 25, more than a month after 

landfall. FEMA approved the request three days later. The U.S. Virgin Islands did not request TSA 

because there was only one operating hotel on the islands. In total, approximately 2.2 million 

applicants were eligible for the program, and FEMA provided more than 2.7 million hotel nights to 

those survivors through November 30.

Feeding Mission: Successes and Areas for Improvement in the Caribbean 

As of November 30, FEMA’s sustained air mission of food and water delivery was the longest in its history. 

This also marked the first time FEMA used non-perishable grocery and snack boxes in a feeding mission. 

Grocery boxes were 25-30 pounds and supplied approximately 12 meals; snack boxes weighed about 5

pounds and contained light meals including granola bars, candy, chips, fruit cups, desserts, and canned 

food. During the mission, FEMA distributed commodities using air drops and other innovative methods but 

also encountered challenges, such as:

▪ Puerto Rico’s originally designed mass-feeding plan

accounted for distributing 500,000 meals outside of 

congregate shelters or points of distribution, but not to the 

entire territory. The plan was modified to prioritize the 22 

hardest hit municipalities; and

▪ Commodities procured through Logistics or Mass Care 

differed in their content requirements; more integration 

between the Agency’s Logistics, Mass Care, and 

Procurement teams was necessary to coordinate feeding 

operations.
 

42 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

FEMA’s use of TSA provided an option for applicants to quickly leave congregate shelters, but 

participation in the program varied across disasters. In addition, hotels and motels near the heavily 

damaged areas either were unavailable or declined to participate in TSA, requiring applicants to 

relocate or stay elsewhere in non-participating hotels.

Although TSA provided a non-congregate sheltering option, recovery resource providers, such as 

MASTT and disaster case workers, could more easily conduct outreach to survivors who remained in 

the congregate shelters. Additionally, applicants who moved into TSA-participating hotels away from 

their primary residence had difficulty accessing wrap-around services (e.g., feeding) or arranging to

travel back to their residence to be present for a housing inspection (see Key Finding #17 for more 

information on housing inspections). As of November 30, 21,401 households remained checked into 

hotel rooms through TSA as a result of hurricane impacts. While TSA provides a safe sheltering option, 

for many survivors staying in a hotel may become more long-term than intended.

Host-State Agreement 

From September to November, approximately 179,000 

individuals, including hurricane survivors, left Puerto Rico 

for the continental United States. On October 5, FEMA 

entered into a host-state agreement with Florida to 

support Puerto Rico’s evacuees. At the time, Florida 

whole community partners were engaged in disaster 

recovery operations from Hurricane Irma, which allowed 

state partners to readily assist evacuees from Puerto 

Rico. However, both Floridians and Puerto Ricans faced 

challenges accessing recovery resources. Survivors in 

Florida experienced a decreasing supply of noncongregate sheltering solutions. 

FEMA also supported Puerto Rican evacuees by 

activating the Immediate Disaster Case Management 

(IDCM) program. IDCM provides recovery service access 

and case managers to displaced survivors through a 

mission assignment with the Department of Health and 

Human Services. While FEMA traditionally only allows 

IDCM programs to operate in the disaster-affected area, 

the IDCM program for the hurricane season provided

services to survivors in Puerto Rico, as well as to those 

that evacuated from Puerto Rico to Florida and other 

states. 

 

 

Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power 

FEMA supports the ability for survivors to shelter at home through STEP, which provides interim repairs

of necessary utilities, such as electricity, heat, and hot water. State and local governments implement 

STEP and therefore determine the program’s administrative structure, which necessitates 

customization and can impact implementation timelines. Though FEMA created STEP during Hurricane

Sandy and has used it in several large disasters since, the Agency has not established standard 

national policies or training for the program. In Puerto Rico, unreliable power and access to water 

caused additional delays to STEP implementation. The time between STEP policy approval and the 

date of the first STEP construction repairs is shown in Table 8.

FEMA Host-State Agreements 

Under a host-state agreement, a state or 

territory provides transportation and/or 

sheltering support to evacuees from 

another state or territory that has received 

a Presidential emergency or Major 

Disaster declaration. The state may also 

seek reimbursement for eligible sheltering 

and evacuation costs through existing 

mutual aid agreements with FEMA. 

Multi-Agency Resource Centers 

States in several FEMA Regions stood up 

Multi-Agency Resource Centers under their 

own authority to assist Puerto Rican 

evacuees. 

 
 

43 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Voluntary Agencies Leading and Organizing Repair 

FEMA established a Crisis Action Planning (CAP) Team to address Puerto Rico’s sheltering needs 

through innovative methods. The CAP Team developed the VALOR initiative, a novel approach to use 

voluntary agencies to execute STEP functions. The VALOR initiative provided rebuilding materials to 

voluntary agencies active in Puerto Rico, who then provided basic repair services to survivors' homes,

making them safe and habitable. The first VALOR repairs started in January 2018.

FEMA employed a variety of sheltering, temporary, and permanent housing solutions during this 

hurricane season. While transitional housing programs were effective in both Texas and Florida, 

response operations in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands continued to require modifications to 

effectively move survivors from congregate shelters to temporary or permanent housing solutions.

Key Finding #17: FEMA created new, streamlined housing inspection procedures to reduce

inspection delays.

From August 25 through November 30, FEMA registered 4.7 million households for disaster 

assistance, more than hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma, and Sandy combined. As of November 30, 

FEMA had informed approximately 50 percent of these applicants that a home inspection would be 

necessary. FEMA requires inspections to assess damages and estimate the value of property loss. The 

volume of inspections needed overwhelmed the Agency’s capacity to complete traditional on-site 

inspections in a timely manner.

On October 1, FEMA advised applicants in Texas 

that inspection wait times could be as long as 45 

days. By November 13, FEMA extended the 

notice of inspection delays to applicants in 

Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 

as well. The concurrent disasters and the high 

demand for inspections created longer average 

wait times than those during Hurricane Sandy, 

although they were comparable to those for 

hurricanes Katrina and Rita (Table 9). Wait times 

for inspections can delay the delivery of financial 

or direct housing assistance to survivors. To 

meet the historically high need for inspections 

across all disaster affected regions, FEMA contracted additional inspectors to supplement existing 

inspection staff. Additionally, to reduce the time survivors had to wait for inspections, FEMA introduced 

new and alternate methods that streamlined and expedited the process (Table 10).

Table 8: STEP policy approval and first STEP construction dates. 

State/Territory

Sheltering and Temporary 

Essential Power (STEP) Policy 

Approval Date

First STEP Construction Date

Texas September 15 December 23, 2017

Florida September 24 December 16, 2017

Puerto Rico October 19 January 22, 2018

U.S. Virgin Islands October 14 March 3, 2018

Table 9: Historical average wait time for site 

inspections (as of November 30, 2017). 

Disaster Number of Inspections

Avg. Wait 

Time 

(Days)

Katrina 1,385,329 35

Rita 623,635 27

Wilma 439,081 14

Sandy 343,003 7

Harvey 584,056 24

Irma 967,163 27

Maria 260,989 39
 

44 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Table 10: New and alternate inspection processes implemented during the hurricane season. 

New or Alternate 

Site Inspection 

Process

Description of New and Alternate Inspection Process

State or 

Territory 

Implemented

Applicant SelfAssessment 

Automated 

Outreach

FEMA delivered automated outreach via text message, phone, and 

email. This allowed applicants to self-report a general degree of 

damage for their home, which afforded FEMA the ability to triage 

resources to disaster survivors with the greatest needs first.

TX, FL, GA

Desktop 

Inspections

FEMA performed an interview with applicants to determine the extent 

of disaster-caused damage. The applicant's answers to the questions 

determined the applicable level of damage per descriptions provided. 

Each level of damage reflected a set amount of financial assistance for 

real and/or personal property disaster damage.

FL, GA

Flood Rapid 

Damage 

Assessment

FEMA developed the Flood Rapid Damage Assessment by compiling 

historical NEMIS data from FEMA information and data analysis reports 

and conducting a statistical analysis of various types of homes, 

foundation types, and water levels to create factors for individual 

inspection line items. This method was only used for rapidly assessing 

flood damage, but not for wind-related damage.

TX

Reduced 

Inspection 

Processes

FEMA implemented a method to alleviate the burden of inspection 

assignment for applicants who would not benefit from an on-site 

inspection. One month of Rental Assistance was expedited without an 

inspection for applicants that reported either inaccessibility or utility 

outage, without disaster-caused damage to their home or property.

Initial Rental Assistance was expedited to homeowners with flood 

insurance and only reported flood damage, because flood insurance 

does not provide temporary housing assistance and applicants would 

be pending results from their flood insurance adjuster.

FL, GA, PR, 

USVI

Remote Sensing

Imagery

FEMA used remote sensing imagery, in coordination with open-source 

housing and occupancy data, to identify applicants residing in areas 

damaged or destroyed by the disaster. FEMA used GIS data to identify 

flood depths in areas within a flooding incident. While effective in Texas 

and Florida, remote sensing imagery was not efficient in Puerto Rico 

and the U.S. Virgin Islands due to challenges related to map availability, 

topography, and inconsistent address conventions.

TX, FL, PR, 

USVI

Award Packages 

(Banded 

Inspections)

FEMA developed award packages, which provided financial assistance 

grants by levels of disaster-caused damage to real property and 

personal property, as determined by the results of an on-site or desktop 

inspection.

FL, GA

Inspections Triage FEMA prioritized inspections based on responses to the Applicant SelfAssessment Automated Outreach. FL, TX, GA

LexisNexis

FEMA leveraged LexisNexis database for identity, occupancy, and 

ownership verification to increase overall inspection efficiency by 

eliminating the need for site inspectors to verify registrant ownership.

FL, TX, GA

These alternate inspection processes, which FEMA used in different combinations across the disasteraffected areas, reduced the number of field inspections needed by approximately 146,000, saving 

nearly $38 million. FEMA is evaluating the impact and effectiveness of these new and alternate 

inspection processes in expediting financial assistance.
 

45 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Key Finding #18: FEMA applied lessons learned from recent housing operations and 

exercises to expand temporary and permanent housing solutions, including supporting a 

state-managed housing mission.

In April 2017, the Acting Administrator of FEMA issued a memorandum stating that FEMA must build

“capability within the first 100 days of a disaster to register at least one million survivors for individual 

and other needs assistance [and] provide temporary housing to at least 20,000 displaced families.” 

The memo prompted the creation of the intra-FEMA

‘Housing Assistance Initiative’, which established 

13 working groups to address disaster-housing 

challenges. Three of these working groups 

focused on a Recreation Vehicle (RV) study, 

exploring how FEMA could provide direct repairs 

to damaged homes, and building capacity of 

states to provide disaster housing. FEMA staff 

likewise incorporated lessons learned from the 

2016 Louisiana severe storms and flooding 

disaster and the Agency’s response in support 

of North Carolina for the 2016 Hurricane 

Matthew to improve the agency’s processes for

delivering safe and durable housing for 

displaced survivors. FEMA will continue to 

assess these programs throughout the recovery 

phase of these disasters.

Direct Lease Program 

Due to the shortage of available housing resources to accommodate the large number of survivors 

requiring housing assistance, FEMA developed a new Direct Lease program. This program facilitated 

survivor access to property not typically used for temporary housing, such as corporate lodging or 

vacation rentals. In addition, Direct Lease can be a potentially safer option for displaced families with 

access and functional needs compared to a manufactured housing unit.

FEMA approved the maximum amount of funds under the Direct Lease program to meet survivor needs 

in different locations. Due to a shortage of affordable rental properties, FEMA raised the amount of 

money approved for acquiring properties under the Direct Lease to 300 percent above HUD’s fair 

market rent (FMR) rate in the Florida Keys, and to 200 percent of FMR in other Florida counties. In 

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA raised its Direct Lease cap to 200 percent of the HUD FMR, 

given the lack of available rental properties due to continued utility outages. Raising the Direct Lease 

cap increases the number of potential housing units available for disaster survivors.

Recreation Vehicles 

FEMA also recognized the need to re-incorporate RVs into the 

menu of temporary housing options for the first time since 

hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FEMA-supplied RVs are certified 

to meet Recreation Vehicle Industry Association and

California Air Resource Board standards, or are certified 

compliant with the Toxic Substances Control Act Title VI for 

formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products

found in RVs. FEMA Housing Assistance Initiative, specifically 

the RV Study Group’s extensive research, influenced the 

decision to include RVs among the Agency’s temporary 

Using Public Assistance (PA) and Individual 

Assistance (IA) to Provide Sheltering and Housing 

Programs 

PA may fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction, 

or replacement of public facilities or infrastructure 

damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Unlike IA, 

FEMA requires that the disaster-affected state and 

local governments share up to 25 percent of the 

overall PA program costs. PA sheltering programs 

include VALOR, STEP, and Host State agreements. 

IA provided direct assistance to individuals and 

families through numerous housing programs such 

as Direct Lease, Permanent Housing Construction–

Repair, and Manufactured Housing Units. 

Figure 32: FEMA staging area for MHUs, 

Travel Trailers, and non-motorized RVs. 
 

46 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

housing options. A Housing Tabletop Exercise sponsored by FEMA earlier in 2017 also identified 

potential target populations and delivery processes for future RV use. FEMA used RVs in specific 

locations in both Texas and Florida because of their ability to be placed on smaller parcels of land where 

Manufactured Housing Units were not feasible.

Direct Repair 

The Stafford Act authorizes FEMA to provide Permanent Housing Construction to disaster damaged 

homes in insular areasp and locations where no alternative housing resources are available, and where 

temporary housing assistance is unavailable, not feasible, or not cost-effective. Direct repairs and new 

construction provided under Permanent Housing Construction are limited to real property components 

eligible under FEMA Housing Assistance such as heating, ventilating, air conditioning, walls, floors, and 

ceilings. Recognizing that areas in Texas impacted by Hurricane Harvey met the criteria for direct 

repairs, FEMA authorized this option for the first time in a non-remote location on the continental 

United States. The decision was intended to expedite delivery of direct housing assistance to 

applicants and provide equitable, cost-saving housing solutions to impacted populations.

State-Managed Housing Mission 

Given the breadth of damage and diverse 

geography in the area of impact, FEMA 

recognized that it needed more ways to provide 

housing assistance in Texas. Both FEMA and 

Texas officials identified that state-managed, 

locally executed direct repair and lease 

initiatives could provide housing solutions 

while supporting the State of Texas, 

communities, and survivors. Initially, FEMA 

investigated the option of providing a grant to 

Texas to deliver direct housing. A grant for 

direct housing would allow Texas to manage 

both FEMA-granted dollars for direct housing 

as well as HUD-granted Community 

Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery 

(CDBG-DR) dollars in a continuum. HUD CDBGDR grants are applied for and received by the 

state, and are typically received after FEMA 

direct housing assistance. FEMA found that 

under the Stafford Act, it can only provide 

financial assistance, or direct assistance for 

housing, not grant dollars. Under Section 306 

of the Stafford Act, however, FEMA could enter 

into an Intergovernmental Service Agreement 

(IGSA) with the State of Texas to implement a 

direct housing mission. An IGSA is an 

agreement between a federal agency and a 

state to provide a given service.

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) implemented its first state-managed disaster housing mission by 

executing an IGSA with FEMA on September 22. The IGSA enabled the state to provide direct housing 

 

p According to the National Response Framework, insular areas include Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Inter-Governmental Service Agreement 

Development Timeline 

▪ August 25: President declares major disaster 

for Hurricane Harvey 

▪ September 10: FEMA approves State of Texas 

request for direct housing assistance. FEMA 

conditioned the approval based on entering an 

IGSA with terms and conditions the state and 

FEMA agree to for implementing direct housing 

assistance

▪ September 13: First draft of IGSA including 

general contract terms and conditions and 

programmatic terms

▪ September 14 – September 21: Discussions 

within FEMA, with other federal agencies (DHS, 

the White House Office of Management and 

Budget, and HUD), and with Texas General Land 

Office (GLO) regarding duplication of benefits 

within FEMA programs and with other federal

agency programs, eligibility determinations, 

and direct housing options offered through the 

IGSA

▪ September 22: FEMA and GLO sign IGSA

▪ September 28: Direct housing operations begin

▪ October 7: The first applicant moves into a 

travel trailer
 

47 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

assistance services on behalf of FEMA and was intended to allow greater flexibility in securing housing 

solutions as well as a streamlined approach to long-term recovery. However, FEMA and the Texas GLO 

required some time to execute contracting requirements per the IGSA and the Federal Acquisitions 

Regulations, as well as set up initial coordination and staffing structures (see the Inter-Governmental 

Service Agreement Development Timeline call-out box). Activities were designed to enhance state and 

local capacity to manage the immediate operation, and build capacity for future incidents as states 

have more familiarity with the needs of their residents, local laws and ordinances, and are better 

situated to design and administer solutions for the survivors. Although FEMA implemented a new and 

creative solution, the solution required time for FEMA and the Texas GLO to determine implementation 

methods while households remained displaced. With improved pre-event planning and coordination 

with partners, and more flexible authorities, FEMA and its federal partners could better support states, 

communities, and survivors in implementing housing assistance.

FEMA implemented innovative solutions aimed at overcoming shortages of available rental resources, 

expediting the delivery of direct housing assistance to qualified survivors, and supporting a unique 

state-led housing mission. The impact of these solutions will be assessed further in the recovery phase 

of the disasters.

Recommendations 

Lessons from the 2017 Hurricane Season 

highlight the need for an in-depth and critical 

look at the Nation’s post-disaster housing 

strategies. In April 2017, FEMA formed a 

Housing Assistance Initiative to work with its 

partners, industry, and academia on a new 

strategic vision for housing. FEMA should 

continue to build on that initiative and recent 

lessons learned to revise the National Response 

Framework and, as required, the Response 

Federal Interagency Operational Plan to 

emphasize stabilization of critical lifelines and 

coordination across the critical infrastructure 

sectors. Restoration of critical lifelines can 

accelerate survivors’ return to habitable 

dwellings. 

Currently, short-term sheltering programs last 

longer than their designed duration. For 

example, as of November 30, over 13,000 

survivors remained sheltered in TSA in Texas, 

highlighting the need for a shift in the provision 

of post-disaster housing. 

Through the State Preparedness Report, states 

and territories have communicated that they 

believe addressing housing gaps to be a

responsibility of the Federal Government. 

However, state and local governments are best positioned to determine housing options for their 

citizens, with support from the Federal Government. While 2017 saw improvements—such as the firstever Intergovernmental Service Agreement with Texas to have its General Land Office serve as overall 

housing program administrator—these efforts still experienced state staffing shortfalls and information 

sharing challenges among partners. FEMA should work with its partners to build capability and 

Recommendations Summary 

▪ Revise the National Response Framework and, 

as required, the Response Federal Interagency 

Operational Plan to emphasize stabilization of 

critical lifelines and coordination across critical 

infrastructure sectors 

▪ Build capability and empower the 

implementation of federally supported, statemanaged, locally executed sheltering and 

housing solutions 

▪ Improve the delivery and effectiveness of 

housing options, including exploring grantmaking authority 

▪ Clarify federal roles and responsibilities for 

housing, including long-term housing 

solutions 

▪ Evaluate and implement appropriate housing 

solutions, including the use of Recreation 

Vehicles, Direct Repair, and Direct Lease 

options 

▪ Promote all-hazard insurance so that 

individuals can reduce their losses and speed 

their recovery 
 

48 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

empower the implementation of federally supported, state-managed, locally executed sheltering and 

housing solutions. FEMA could leverage technical assistance or the FEMA Integration Teams to help 

build this capacity to manage disaster housing programs.

FEMA and its federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, industry, and academic partners must re-examine 

housing and the inspection process, in a way that is unconstrained by current policy, regulatory and 

legislative restrictions. FEMA and its partners should pursue changes to reduce duplication and to 

streamline the process for inspections. Federal housing assistance can be adapted to build SLTT 

capacity to manage disaster housing programs on behalf of their citizens. FEMA and its partners 

should work with federal partners and Congress to improve the delivery and effectiveness of housing 

options, including exploring grant-making authority. 

Additionally, FEMA should work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the other 

federal agencies engaged in the Housing Recovery Support Function to further clarify federal roles and 

responsibilities for disaster housing, including approaches to long-term housing. Changes should offer

state, local, tribal, and territorial partners the flexibility to provide housing options that work for their 

citizens, complement local housing markets conditions, and are timely, cost-effective, and incentivize 

innovation. The goal will include an expeditious and smooth transition for survivors from immediate to 

mid- to long-term housing solutions. In parallel, FEMA should evaluate and implement appropriate 

housing solutions, including the use of Recreation Vehicles, Direct Repair, and Direct Lease options.

The 2017 Hurricane Season again reinforced that individuals with adequate insurance coverage 

recover faster and more fully after a disaster. In addition to closing the insurance gap through the 

National Flood Insurance Program, FEMA should promote all-hazard insurance so that individuals can 

reduce their losses and speed their recovery. This can help people understand how much insurance 

coverage they need so that individuals can reduce their losses and speed their recovery. Financial 

preparedness, including having an insurance policy on personal and public properties, is critical to 

rebuilding a home, replacing belongings, and restoring order to a family and community.

FEMA Strategic Plan Alignment 

▪ Objective 1.2, Close the Insurance Gap, drives FEMA to be a catalyst to increase the public’s 

knowledge of risk and to encourage adequate insurance coverage.

▪ Objective 1.3, Help People Prepare for Disasters, focuses FEMA on identifying ways to weave 

preparedness into people’s everyday lives.

▪ Objective 3.1, Streamline the Disaster Survivor and Grantee Experience, challenges FEMA to create 

innovative and efficient solutions to provide the most effective survivor support and also increase the 

ability of SLTT governments to drive their own recovery.

▪ Objective 3.2, Mature the National Disaster Recovery Framework, provides coordinating structure for 

collaborating among stakeholders to help communities rebuild strong, reduce future risk, and decrease 

disaster costs.
 

49 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Conclusion 

The Nation faced an unprecedented 2017 Hurricane Season. The scale and rapid succession of these 

disasters stretched response capabilities at all levels of government, and called upon emergency 

managers to respond in new and innovative ways to support survivors and the affected communities.

FEMA is constantly reviewing its program delivery, decision-making processes, and responses to 

ensure that we can improve, minimize errors, and better serve survivors. This After-Action Report 

highlights a number of areas where FEMA can learn from this historic disaster season and better 

position the Agency for incidents to come. FEMA asks that the emergency management community as 

a whole to work together to create better outcomes for survivors after a disaster. FEMA calls on its 

federal, whole community, and SLTT partners to work to transform emergency management so that, 

together, we can innovate and implement new approaches and technology, reduce complexity, 

increase efficiency and improve outcomes for survivors and affected communities after a disaster. 

Strengthening the Agency 

FEMA has taken action to prepare for the 2018 Hurricane Season based on a number of the findings 

in this After-Action Report. FEMA has updated hurricane plans, annexes, and procedures for the states 

and territories. The Agency has made improvements in staffing for incidents including the creation of 

a standard operating procedure for a Personnel Mobilization Center, a central location for equipping 

and training staff prior to disaster deployments. FEMA improved its logistics operations ahead of the 

2018 Hurricane Season, including increasing meal and water supplies in the Caribbean by more than 

six fold. FEMA has also added 300 new emergency generators to the inventory and updated high 

priority national level contracts, to include the National Evacuation Contract, Caribbean Transportation 

Contract, and National Ambulance Contract. FEMA is refining communications from land mobile radios 

to satellite communications. FEMA is also modernizing the housing inspections process to improve the 

survivor experience and lessen the inspection burden for the disaster survivor.

In addition to taking immediate action, FEMA has incorporated many of the findings from this report 

into FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. The strategic plan not only provides direction on immediate 

actions, but will guide implementation of long-term goals, such as building a culture of preparedness, 

increasing state capacity, enhancing intergovernmental coordination through our FEMA Integration 

Teams, improving the readiness of our incident workforce by organizing a scalable and capable 

workforce, and posturing FEMA and the whole community to provide life-saving and life-sustaining 

commodities, equipment, and personnel from all available sources. While the Strategic Plan outlines 

the way forward for FEMA and catalyzes change for the community, improving outcomes of disaster 

survivors and affected communities requires a commitment from the entire federal family, from whole 

community partners, and from SLTT governments. 

A Call to Action for Emergency Managers and Partners 

Based on findings identified in this report, FEMA calls on its federal and private sector partners to 

adopt a critical lifelines approach to stabilizing an incident. This approach includes revising the 

National Response Framework and, as required, the Response Federal Interagency Operational Plan

as well as creating a cross-sector emergency support function and coordinating structures. The new 

Framework and Federal Interagency Operational Plan should prescribe unity of effort through rapid 

stabilization around lifelines such as power, communications, health and medical, food and water, 

wastewater, and transportation. The rapid stabilization of the lifelines should be the organizing 

principle of the doctrine.

As power is the foundation of America’s economic sectors, FEMA charges its private sector partners in 

collaboration with federal partners to establish a standing Interagency Power Task Force to serve 
 

50 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

during steady state as a standing coordinating element and transition to a crisis action planning cell

under ESF #12 during incidents. 

FEMA's mission is bounded by laws and regulations but, for a disaster survivor, recovery is a 

continuum. As partners, we need to transform the way we facilitate recovery for the Nation’s citizens 

in the face of increasing severe weather events.

FEMA challenges its federal partners to think beyond current policy, regulatory, and legislative 

restrictions to determine how best to deliver post-disaster housing to the Nation’s affected citizens 

after any given disaster. In addition, FEMA, other federal agencies, Congress, and the larger community 

of partners should collaborate on changes required to improve housing delivery and enable more 

efficient delivery of other disaster assistance. 

The work of emergency management does not belong just to FEMA. It is the responsibility of the whole 

community, federal, SLTT, private sector partners, and private citizens to build collective capacity and 

prepare for the disasters that we will inevitably face. Jointly, we must continue to move forward by 

leveraging innovative approaches, engaging with new technology, reducing complexity, and 

strengthening our partnerships to improve outcomes for the Nation's affected communities and 

provide support for survivors.

Ultimately, the lessons learned from the 2017 Hurricane Season will contribute to FEMA’s efforts to 

work with our partners to help people before, during, and after disasters.
 

51 July 12, 2018

2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Acronym List 

ACQ Acquisitions

ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution

AAR After-Action Report

CAP Crisis Action Planning 

CDBG-DR Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery

DC Distribution Center

DEC Disaster Emergency Communications

DFTO Disaster Field Training Officer

DI Disability Integration

DoD Department of Defense 

DRC Disaster Recovery Center

DRF Disaster Relief Fund

EA External Affairs

EHP Environmental and Historic Preservation

EMAC Emergency Management Assistance Compact 

ER Equal Rights

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FM Financial Management

FMR Fair Market Rent

FQS FEMA Qualification System 

FY Fiscal Year

GIS Geographic Information Systems 

GLO General Land Office 

HM Hazard Mitigation

HR Human Resources

HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development

IA Individual Assistance

IDCM Immediate Disaster Case Management 

IGSA Inter-Governmental Service Agreement 

IHP Individuals and Households Program 

IMAT Incident Management Assistance Team

IT Information Technology

LOG Logistics 

LSCMS Logistics Supply Chain Management System 

MASTT Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Taskforce 

MERS Mobile Emergency Response Support

NDRS National Disaster Recovery System

NEMIS National Emergency Management Information System 

NGO Non-governmental organizations 

NLE National Level Exercise

NPSC National Processing Service Center

NRCC National Response Coordination Center

OCC Office of Chief Council

OPS Operations

PA Public Assistance

PL Planning

PMC Personnel Mobilization Centers 

RRCC Regional Response Coordination Center 
 

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RV Recreational Vehicle

SAF Safety

SCF Surge Capacity Force

SEC Security

SLTT State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial 

SPR State Preparedness Report

STEP Sheltering and Temporary Emergency Power

THIRA Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

TSA Transitional Sheltering Assistance

USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

VALOR Volunteer Agencies Leading and Organizing Recovery
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

Appendix A: Updated Disaster Data 

The 2017 Hurricane Season After-Action Report (AAR) reviews FEMA’s preparations for, immediate 

response to, and initial recovery from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, covering the timeframe of 

August 25, 2017 through November 30, 2017. This appendix provides current disaster data as of May 

2018.

COMMONLY APPEARING INFORMATION

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

N/A

Number of Individual Assistance 

registrations for Harvey, Irma, and 

Maria

4,700,000 4,769,000

N/A

Number of Individual Assistance 

registrations for Harvey, Irma, Maria, 

and the California Wildfires

4,736,660 4,797,906

N/A Number of FEMA personnel deployed 

to Harvey, Irma, and Maria 17,000 20,300

STAFFING FOR CONCURRENT, COMPLEX INCIDENTS

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

#4 Number of FEMA’s force strength 10,683 11,476

#4 Peak number of FEMA force strength 

deployments to Puerto Rico 1,200 1,221

#5

Percent of FEMA incident 

management employees who are

certified

56% 62%

#7 Peak number of FEMA personnel 

deployed to Puerto Rico 2,805 2,997

#7 Number of local hires hired for 

Harvey, Irma, and Maria 4,095 5,329

SUSTAINING WHOLE COMMUNITY LOGISTICS OPERATIONS

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

#11 Value of obligations to FEMA contract 

actions for Harvey, Irma, and Maria $3,002,921,782 $3,921,324,543

#11 Number of contract actions for 

Harvey, Irma, and Maria 1,464 2,872

#11 Number of priority-rated contracts 

issued by FEMA 515 574

RESPONDING DURING LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE OUTAGES

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

#12 Percent of customers with water 

service in Puerto Rico 92% 99%
 

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2017 HURRICANE SEASON FEMA AFTER-ACTION REPORT 

RESPONDING DURING LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE OUTAGES

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

#13 Percent of cell sites in service in 

Puerto Rico 64% 96%

#14 Number of generator installations

completed in Puerto Rico 693 2,338

#14 Number of generator installation 

requests for facilities in Puerto Rico 1,400 2,273

MASS CARE TO INITIAL HOUSING OPERATIONS

Key Finding Information in AAR As of Nov 30, 2017 As of May 2018

#15 Total amount of IHP dollars disbursed 

for Harvey, Irma, and Maria $2,600,000,000 $3,860,000,000

#16 Number of households provided with 

TSA for Harvey, Irma, and Maria 60,000 89,000

#16 Number of households eligible for 

TSA for Harvey, Irma, and Maria 2,200,000 2,300,000

#16

Number hotel nights provided to 

households for Harvey, Irma, and 

Maria

2,800,000 5,300,000

#17 Number of housing inspections for 

Harvey 584,056 608,516

#17 Number of housing inspections for 

Irma 967,163 1,059,212

#17 Number of housing inspections Maria 260,989 803,704
 

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Appendix B: Progress in National Preparedness 

Years of preparedness investments, incorporation of lessons from major disasters, and legislative 

changes to FEMA’s statutory authorities have contributed to a more prepared and more resilient

Nation. FEMA has adapted and improved its capabilities since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and 

supported efforts to increase preparedness across the whole community—including state, local, tribal, 

and territorial (SLTT) governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

In response to congressional legislation, FEMA, in coordination with federal and whole community 

partners, implemented changes that reflect important lessons learned from major incidents (Figure 

33). After September 11, 2001, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which created 

the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by combining 22 different departments and agencies, 

including FEMA. FEMA continued to operate under the authorities of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988, as amended and maintained its focus on reducing the 

loss of life and property and protecting the Nation from all hazards.

Hurricane Katrina revealed national shortcomings in preparing for and responding to a major disaster, 

including inadequate coordination with state and local partners. The Post-Katrina Emergency 

Management Reform Act of 2006 addressed these gaps by clarifying FEMA’s responsibilities, 

enhancing its regional offices, providing the Agency with new preparedness functions, and 

strengthening federal incident response teams. This act also clarified FEMA’s authority to pre-stage 

initial resources in preparation for response operations prior to a disaster declaration.

Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina informed the development of the National Preparedness Goal

and the National Preparedness System in 2011. Both the Goal and the System emphasize an all-ofNation approach to preparing for threats and hazards that pose a significant risk to the country. This 

flexible and scalable structure was tested during Hurricane Sandy. FEMA pre-positioned assets and 

the President signed Emergency declarations before the storm made landfall in October 2012. In 

January 2013, only a few months after Hurricane Sandy devastated large areas of the Northeast, 

Congress passed the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013. This Act provided FEMA greater

flexibility in administering assistance programs, improving the Nation’s ability to efficiently respond to 

and recover from disasters such as hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

This After-Action Report, as well as other efforts across the Federal Government and whole community, 

are important tools for identifying critical lessons learned, implementing best practices, and driving

continuous improvement. Over the past several years, FEMA has worked closely with its SLTT partners

across the country to develop catastrophic, worst-case scenario plans that are flexible and scalable to

incidents of all magnitudes. FEMA also provides grant funding, training and exercise support, and 

technical assistance to help SLTT governments build and sustain their capabilities for a range of 

hazards, including hurricanes. Through these efforts, the Federal Government and its SLTT partners 

can identify areas for improvement and enhance their capabilities before the next major disaster. 

Figure 33: FEMA authorities and capabilities have evolved and improved after each 

major incident since September 11, 2001. 
 

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Appendix C: FEMA Regions 

FEMA has 10 Regional Offices located across the continental United States. Regional staff collaborate 

with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; Members of Congress; other federal agencies; nonprofit groups; the private sector; and other key stakeholders to administer all FEMA-related programs 

to protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards in the Region.

▪ Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

▪ Region II: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

▪ Region III: District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

▪ Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, 

Tennessee

▪ Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin

▪ Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas

▪ Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska

▪ Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming

▪ Region IX: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands

▪ Region X: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington

‘

Figure 34: Map of FEMA Regions and Regional Offices.